A developer seeking to redevelop a former tool factory in Worcester into multifamily housing will go before the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals Monday for approval.
Worcester Bedworks, the owner of the property at 84, 90 and 91 Lamartine St. and proponent of the project, plans to turn the building into 38 apartments, including 14 studio and 24 one-bedroom units, with a total area of 43,159 square feet.
The first floor of the building will include a lounge, fitness room, office and storage, while the second and third floor will be living space, according to plans filed with the ZBA.
An attorney for Worcester Bedworks confirmed that the apartments will be market rate.
85 Lamartine St., Worcester. (Google)
The developer is seeking zoning relief for the proposed parking lot of the building, which has 10 spots planned where 38 are required, due to the size of the lot. In 2020, the city took a portion of the property by eminent domain for the purpose of street relocation and alignment, reducing the size of the plot, according to documents at the Worcester Registry of Deeds.
“The grant of a variance allowing the building at 90 Lamartine St. to be converted to residential use with 10 off-street parking spaces will further the public good by allowing the renovation and reuse of an underutilized, former industrial building for a much-needed residential use at a scale consistent with the neighborhood,” the developer said in its application. “This conversion … will increase the residential population of this neighborhood without imposing a burden on city infrastructure. The property is located on an existing public street, with existing utilities, and is within easy walking and biking distance of most downtown Worcester public transportation and Canal District amenities.”
Worcester Bedworks purchased the building from Worcester Fibre & Batting Corp. in 1998 for $65,000, according to documents at the Registry of Deeds. It has an assessed value of $546,600.
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