Baker-Polito Administration Announces $75,000 MassWorks Award for Stoughton
Award supports first phase of historic train depot renovation, paving way for commercial development downtown
BOSTON – December 13, 2018 – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced a $75,000 MassWorks Infrastructure Program grant for site cleaning and masonry work at the Stoughton Train Depot Rehab Project. The funds will be used for the first phase in renovating the historic train depot, which the town is acquiring from the MBTA. The depot has been vacant for more than 10 years and this project is the first step toward its rehabilitation.
This project leverages more than $500,000 from the Stoughton’s Community Preservation Act funds for phase two, which will complete the depot’s utility systems and interior/exterior renovations. The town will repurpose the depot into a restaurant, serving demands identified by their Revitalization Task Force and benefitting from its new Downtown Storefront Improvement Program.
“Our Administration is committed to investing in programs like MassWorks that support local infrastructure and play a critical role in strengthening businesses and the communities that surround them,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “MassWorks is one of this Administration’s many initiatives that enable local communities to tap into private investment and accelerate local economic growth across the Commonwealth.”
“We are excited to award $75,000 in MassWorks funding to help restore the historic Stoughton Train Depot and unlock future commercial development downtown,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Governor Baker and I are pleased to continue to make the investments in the public infrastructure our cities and towns need to create sustainable growth.”
“Through the flexibility of MassWorks, we have been able to drive over two million square feet of new commercial space, made possible by listening to individual communities’ needs and by responding with individualized programs that benefit many stakeholders, such as this project in Stoughton, a critical first step in rehabilitating this historic space and enabling commercial development, benefiting residents and the broader community,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “Our office saw another competitive round of MassWorks for 2018 and we are happy to keep the momentum going across the Commonwealth in the year ahead.”
“This grant is a tremendous help to the Town for repairing this magnificent building into a useful condition. Stoughton residents restored the station in the 1980s, and this grant will help us to do that again. We are grateful for the continuing support from Governor Baker, Lieutenant Governor Polito, and Secretary Ash for our work to bring Stoughton Center back to life,” said Stoughton Selectmen Chairman Robert O’Regan.
“The Town of Stoughton has worked tirelessly to revitalize their downtown area,” said Senator Walter F. Timilty. “With this MassWorks Grant, the town will be able to take the crucial first steps in restoring the historic train depot back to its original grandeur. I would like to both thank and congratulate Governor Baker, Lieutenant Governor Polito, and the entire Baker-Polito Administration for the success of the MassWorks program, which continues to promote economic growth across the Commonwealth.”
“We have been working on the revitalization of downtown Stoughton for a long time and the depot is integral to the growth of the area. Even in its current state, the depot has a lot of character. Once the building is usable again, it will be a real gem for the region and will make Stoughton’s downtown more vibrant. This state funding will help the town make necessary repairs to turn this magnificent building into functional space,” said Representative Bill Galvin.
Since 2015, the Baker-Polito Administration has awarded close to $275 million in MassWorks grants to support 138 projects in 106 communities. MassWorks funding has been critical to the addition of over 2 million square feet of commercial/retail space, approximately 10,000 full and part time jobs, more than 7,000 immediate housing units, at least 7,000 square feet of new public space and 1,200 new hotel rooms.
Through the 2018 MassWorks round, the Administration will award more than $82 million in new grants for 40 projects that intend to leverage $2.9 billion in private investment, and drive an anticipated 4,000 units of new housing and more than 9,000 full time jobs. 37 communities across the Commonwealth will benefit from this round’s investments.
Governor Baker signed economic development legislation in August that includes substantial new funding for municipalities, including another $250 million for MassWorks awards. The legislation builds on the Baker-Polito Administration’s work to partner with communities to catalyze economic development and create new opportunities for residents across the Commonwealth, including the 2016 Job Creation and Workforce Development act, which authorized $1 billion to support economic development efforts across the state, including $500 million authorization for MassWorks Infrastructure Program, enhanced tools and the introduction of new strategies for job-readiness efforts.
Learn more about MassWorks at mass.gov.