Gardner receives $3.5 Million Grant to complete Rear Main Street Revitalization

The City of Gardner was recently awarded the final $3.5 million necessary to complete the reformative Rear Main Street project through the State’s new HousingWorks Grantprogram.

This funding represents a significant achievement for the City’s long-term vision to enhance infrastructure and promote housing growth in our community. This final phase of the Rear Main Street Revitalization Initiative accounts for the construction of a new residential structure, extending utilities to support the residential building, parking infrastructure for the project and additional green space. This initiative is a reflection of the City’s commitment to sustainable growth and improved living conditions for our residents.

“This project is going to make a big difference, not just in the downtown, but across Gardner,” said Gardner Mayor Mike Nicholson. “The Housing Crisis facing Massachusetts is no stranger to us in Gardner. We have seen a substantial increase in the demand for housing in the City over the last few years- leading to a substantial increase in housing costs as the supply simply did not meet the demand. This project meets that concern head on by providing new, market-rate housing for people looking to re-settle in the City or call Gardner their new home.”

The HousingWorks Grant program, which operates quite similarly to the MassWorks grant program, is designed to support infrastructure initiatives that encourage residential growth and developments. The Rear Main Street project has been a collaborative effort from all of our partners at the state and local level.

“We’re thrilled to continue state support for this project,” said State Representative Jon Zlotnik. “As we’ve said all along, this project will be transformative for downtown Gardner. It has taken a lot of time and a lot of work by many people, but we’re in the final stretch now and I can’t wait to see this built out, and the positive impact it will have on the area.”

HousingWorks provides municipalities with grants for a variety of infrastructure improvements that spur housing development and preservation. This year, the administration is awarding grants to 12 communities to create over 1,550 new housing units and preserve over 690 units of housing.  The $3.5 million awarded to Gardner was one of the largest grants awarded this year by Governor Healey and Lt. Governor Driscoll. This is in addition to the $4.1 million that was originally awarded for Phase 2 of this project.

“These funds will allow the City to complete the public sector infrastructure improvements to support the private sector housing project along Derby Drive, which is the last phase of a $20 plus million public / private partnership in the Rear Main Corridor” said Trevor Beauregard, Director of Gardner’s Community Development and Planning Department.

Over the last five years, the City has invested millions of dollars into revitalizing the downtown to breathe new life into the area. From improvements to roadways, sidewalk and lighting replacements, recreational facilities, building renovations, and other projects.

“Our receipt of the Phase 3 funding marks a pivotal moment for Rear Main Street,” said City Council President Elizabeth Kazinskas. “Years of hard work and collaboration have led to this significant milestone, as Rep. Zlotnik and our State partners have continued to recognize Gardner’s serious investment in this project. The stage is now set for a fully revitalized Rear Main St. area that encourages growth and pride within our community.  We are incredibly fortunate to receive this award.”

Several local business owners have also expressed their excitement about this project coming to fruition.

“Having been business owners in Downtown for 61 years and property owners for 50 years we are excited to see the Rear Main Street Project beginning to move forward.” said Anne and Alan LeBlanc, owners of John’s Sport Shop. “It will bring much needed parking for this area as well as greatly improving the appearance”

Similarly, Sean and Nancy Brey, owners of Downtown Gardner’s newest business, Diamond Hearts Art Studio, echoed this sentiment. “When Mayor Nicholson first met with us about locating our business in Gardner, one of the things that sold us on the City was this exact project and how much vitality it was going to bring to the area – and that’s what sold us,” said Nancy Brey. “We are so excited to meet our new neighbors.”

“If Gardner is as welcoming to these residents who will live there, as they have been to us, they’re going to love living here,” said Sean Brey.

“It’s been so exciting for me, as someone who has been in business for 37 years downtown, to watch this project happening,” said Patti Bergstrom, owner of the Velvet Goose. “This project has all the elements we need  to make our downtown, and our City, even more successful and more fabulous- housing, parking, new businesses, old businesses.”

Through this round of the One Stop Grants, the Executive Office of Economic Development received 756 applications from 510 organizations with projects in 229 communities across the state. The Executive Office of Economic Development estimates this round of One Stop awards will help create more than 18,000 new units of housing, including 4,000 new affordable units, 31,000 new permanent jobs, and more than 14 million square feet of new commercial development statewide.

“This is a very exciting time for the city of Gardner and we have seen so many positive changes to our city over the past few years. I know that this Rear Main street project has taken much hard work and effort to get this to materialize. So, thank you to all who have made this happen” said Ward 4 Councilor Karen Hardern.

This project comes as the third and final phase of the Rear Main Street Revitalization Project. Beginning in 2015, the City of Gardner worked to obtain the properties along Rear Main Street, leading to the construction of the new street on Derby Drive in 2018. Phase 2 began with the groundbreaking of the public parking and plaza space earlier this month. While there is still some time before shovels will hit the ground on this latest phase, the potential for the area is already being felt.

“The Rear Main Street Revitalization Project has been a top priority for the Gardner Redevelopment Authority for quite some time, and I’m happy to see us reach this milestone,” said City Councilor Paul Tassone, who also serves as the Chair of the Gardner Redevelopment Authority. “In order to grow our business base, we need a population to support the businesses who are opening their doors and investing in the City- and in order to have that population base, we need places for these individuals to live. This project, combined with the project we just broke ground on last week, are huge for Gardner. This takes an area that was once dead, and will transform it into the heart beat of the City.”

“These projects don’t happen on their own,” concluded Mayor Nicholson. “This project is a perfect example of the way things get accomplished when local officials partner with officials at the state and the private sector to build a stronger community together. I’d like to thank the Healy-Driscoll Administration, Rep. Zlotnik, Director Trevor Beauregard of the City’s Community Development Department, and our partners at the state level and the Gardner Redevelopment Authority for making this plan a reality. I’m truly looking forward to seeing the ways this project brings new life into our downtown and benefits the City for generations.”

Video of Press Conference Announcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps7_ADObjJc