Latest news with #WorcesterHousingAuthority
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Worcester Housing Authority gives old movie theater new life
A building that used to be the home of a movie theater is being transformed into a new base of operations for the Worcester Housing Authority. The housing authority is building a new management and maintenance center at the site of the Webster Square Cinemas at 24 Mill St. The center will serve as a base of operations for Worcester Housing Authority's property managers and clerks, according to Chief Development Officer Peter Proulx. Staff at the center will also provide any maintenance, such as fixing broken water heaters, to housing units in the western part of the city, Proulx said. 'We're going to be able to manage many more units on the center and west side of the city from one facility, Proulx said. The Worcester Housing Authority has a total of 3,000 housing units in the city. Of those units, two-thirds (2,000) are located within the eastern part of the city, while the other third (1,000) is located in the western part, according to Proulx. The Worcester Housing Authority's main office is located at 630A Plantation St., just near the border of Shrewsbury. The Webster Square Cinema, originally named the Park Theater, opened in 1937, according to the Telegram & Gazette. The theater underwent a renovation in the 1960s and was closed in 1998, the Telegram & Gazette reports. The Worcester Housing Authority bought the property in 2022 for $1,350,000, according to city records. The management and maintenance center project costs $800,000 with an estimated opening date in two years, according to Proulx. The housing authority is using its capital fund to pay for the construction and renovations of the center. Proulx notes, however, that the authority also uses the capital funds for repairs that their housing units might need. As such, the authority has been budgeting the money between repairs and the new center. 'You can't just put up $800,000 in one shot and get it all done,' Proulx said. 'We're currently doing a lot of fire alarm replacements and sprinkler replacements. Those kinds of things in high-rise buildings cost millions of dollars.' The new center is a three-minute drive from Lakeside Apartments, which the Worcester Housing Authority is currently redeveloping. The old complex, which had 202 units, will be replaced with a new building with 350 units, according to the Worcester Housing Authority's website. The project is broken up into four phases, according to a timeline posted on the authority's website. The construction for the first and second phases of the redevelopment is expected to be completed by July 2027, according to the timeline. More Worcester Stories Businessman with connection to Worcester's Mercantile Center files for bankruptcy Former Worcester Police Chief Gary Gemme died surrounded by his family Man killed in Fitchburg shooting involving New Jersey suspect identified Read the original article on MassLive. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A Place to Live: 2 years in, Worcester housing development celebrates tenants' success
WORCESTER — As its second anniversary approaches, 38 Lewis St. ‒ A Place to Live, a facility offering permanent, supportive housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness, is celebrating its tenants' success. Alex Corrales, CEO of Worcester Housing Authority, the organization that oversees the 24-unit facility, explained how the model works. "Rent is based on income," Corrales said. "We use project-based vouchers and a project-based voucher means that the state will cover the difference from what a resident can cover. It's unique to every person." He continued, "So if rent is $900, we don't exceed more than 30% of a tenant's income. They may only be making $900 a month, then their rent is $300 and a project-based voucher covers the rest." This system has worked for James Lorentz, 44, who has been living at 38 Lewis St. for almost a year and working at an Amazon distribution center in Charlton and the DCU Center for the past eight months. Lorentz, originally from Pekin, Illinois, had been working as a truck driver in Denver for 10 years. He said after he began working for someone who was new to the industry, his truck broke down in Shrewsbury and he found himself stranded and homeless. "It's been uphill since I got here," Lorentz said. "I went from fighting for a place to put my mat on the floor of the Queen Street homeless shelter to here. It took a lot of grit and determination." Lorentz said he was also able to buy a car recently because of the support system at the facility. "There's nothing like buying your car," He said. "Having something for yourself." Lorentz had previously relied on public transportation and Uber rides to get to work, something that wasn't always easy. Lorentz said he would get off work in Charlton at 4:30 a.m., but because the bus system wouldn't start running until 6:30, at the end of a long shift he would turn to rideshare services instead of waiting two hours for a bus. In addition to buying a car, Lorentz said he has dreams that he is confident A Place to Live can help him accomplish. He eventually wants to go to college and study mental health and music. Dana Dockery, 65, has lived in Worcester his entire life and says 38 Lewis St. was his favorite place yet. Dockery recalled receiving a call on Christmas Eve from his lawyer, who had helped him with several housing applications, informing him he would be moving to A Place to Live. Dockery said he was in shock, holding his hand in the shape of a phone and recreating the scene. "Run that by me again?" he said. He moved a little over a month later Jan. 27. He said he remembers seeing his room and thinking, "Now this is what I've been looking for. This place is beautiful. Nice and quiet." Dockery underwent open-heart surgery seven months ago and also has a bad back, leaving him unable to work, he said. Similar to Lorentz, Dockery said he has experienced positive support during his time living at 38 Lewis St. Dockery said that he knows there is always someone in the building to help him out when he needs it, despite saying he mostly likes to keep to himself. He said whenever he has a problem, such as a broken air conditioner, needing his sink repaired or replacing a lost key, he knows it will be handled promptly. "I really love it here. It's a great place," Dockery said. Corrales said the project wasn't always easy; nowhere else near Worcester has a similar housing model and staff building trust with tenants was initially challenging. "We've had to ask folks to leave for the health and safety of other residents in the building." Corrales added. Lorentz and Dockery aren't A Place to Live's only success stories. Corrales said all 24 units are filled and there hasn't been any resident turnover the past few months. He calls it, "a true milestone." This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: A Place to Live: Worcester Housing Authority solution for homelessness Solve the daily Crossword
