 |
|
Jack Donahue, from the Carpenters Local 107 in
Worcester, raises concerns over the proposed developer for the old Worcester
courthouse, Brady Sullivan. (Lindsay Corcoran, MassLive.com)
|
WORCESTER -- The City Council called for further
discussion of the sale agreement for the old courthouse after labor leaders
spoke out against the proposed developer, Brady Sullivan Properties.
City officials announced last week that they reached an agreement to sell the Worcester
County Courthouse on North Main Street for $1.2 million to the
New Hampshire-based developer that plans to create about 115 market rate
residential apartments with 3,000 square feet of retail space.
The Worcester Community Labor Coalition wrote in a
statement to the council that they find the choice of Brady Sullivan as
"troubling and frustrating."
"I understand development at all cost in
Worcester," said Jack Donahue, a representative of the Carpenters Local
107. "There is a cost here somewhere along the line."
Labor leaders accused the developer of "locking out"
locals from jobs at their other other project in the city, Junction Shops on
Beacon Street. They also noted that state investigators shut down the work site
after a raid and found the developer's contractor, Interior Partition
Specialists, was not carrying workers compensation for their employees.
City Manager Edward Augustus, Jr. explained the selection
of Brady Sullivan after a request for interest process.
"Everyone else who responded to the RFI suggested we
give it to them for a dollar," Augustus said.
The city took over the former courthouse, located at 2
Main St., from the state in August for the price of a dollar. The state
couldn't find a buyer for the property even though it had searched for more
than five years.
'The idea he wants to come to this city should be met
with open arms,' -Edward Augustus, Jr.
Augustus also noted Brady Sullivan is willing to pay the
full tax revenue, estimated to be around $150,000 annually, rather than seeking
an exemption that would limit tax revenue to $30,000.
"The idea he wants to come to this city should be
met with open arms," Augustus said.
The labor coalition members at the meeting also wore
"Local Jobs for Local People" stickers, a concern many city
councilors echoed when talking about language in the agreement calling for the
developer to make a "best effort" to hire 50 percent local workers.
"If this developer is going to make best efforts,
why wouldn't he agree that's what he is going to do? Let's make that a demand
before we make the deal," said City Councilor Gary Rosen.
Councilor Frederick Rushton proposed sending the
agreement to the economic development committee for further discussion.
"People are in agreement it's a good project, but we
just want to make sure its best project we can make it," Rushton said.
Augustus said it'd be good to allow the developer to
present his side of things at a committee meeting.
The Economic Development Committee will meet at 5 p.m. on
March 31 to discuss the sale agreement.
Source: MassLive
No comments:
Post a Comment