Fitchburg State receives $475K for downtown theater block revitalization

December 3, 2021 : Worcester Business Journal, by Katherine Hamilton

Fitchburg State University was awarded $475,000 from MassDevelopment for its Main Street Theater Block rehabilitation project, according to a Friday press release from the school.

Fitchburg State’s renovation of the theater block, located at 689-701 Main St., is a large-scale project headed by President Richard Lapidus to reactivate vacant storefronts in Fitchburg’s downtown. The university purchased the block in 2016 and has completed renovations, including a game design studio and an incubation center for local entrepreneurs, according to the press release.

This most recent grant will go toward reactivating 500 to 2,200 square feet of space to accommodate restaurants, retail space, art galleries, and studios.

“This grant brings us a step closer to revitalizing a key asset in downtown Fitchburg and continues our commitment to supporting the city’s evolution as an arts and culture hub for the region,” Lapidus said in the announcement. 

MassDevelopment’s grant comes from its Underutilized Properties Program.