MassDevelopment Helps Lowell Community Charter Public School Build New Athletic and Community Center

October 14, 2026

Kiara Ford, 978-844-1380
kford@massdevelopment.com

LOWELL, Mass. – MassDevelopment issued a $35,475,000 tax-exempt bond on behalf of Learn to Lead Foundation of Lowell Inc., a fundraising nonprofit affiliated with Lowell Community Charter Public School, to finance the construction of a new athletic and community center. PNC Capital Markets, serving as the lead underwriter, sold the tax-exempt bond through a public offering.

Lowell Community Charter Public School is using a portion of the bond proceeds to build an approximately 20,700-square-foot facility featuring a gymnasium, lobby, restrooms, a second playground, and a new elevator tower to service all five stories of the existing school building. Construction is underway and the organization expects it to be completed in October 2027. The organization is also using bond proceeds to refinance previously issued debt.

“Schools provide spaces for students to build skills, discover interests and form lasting relationships,” said Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley, Chair of MassDevelopment’s Board of Directors. “This new athletic and community center will give Lowell Community Charter Public School students more opportunities to learn and connect. MassDevelopment’s financing helps schools invest to benefit students, families and the broader community.”

"Investing in our students is an investment in the future of Lowell,” said Lowell Mayor Erik Gitschier. “This new athletic and community center will provide Lowell Community Charter Public School students with expanded opportunities to learn, grow, compete, and build lasting connections with their peers and the community. On behalf of the City Council, I want to congratulate Lowell Community Charter Public School and the Learn to Lead Foundation for bringing this important project forward, and I thank MassDevelopment and all of the partners whose support is helping make this vision a reality. This is a significant investment in our children and in the continued growth of our city."

“MassDevelopment is pleased to support Lowell Community Charter School through tax-exempt bond financing,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Navjeet Bal. “Once built, this new athletic and community center will provide a space where students can learn, grow, and play for years to come.”

“After years of planning, it is incredibly exciting to see this project become a reality,” said Robert Gignac, Chief Operating Officer of Lowell Community Charter Public School. “The Athletic & Community Center is a transformational investment in our students, our families, and our future in downtown Lowell. MassDevelopment’s partnership and access to tax-exempt financing have helped make it possible for us to create a facility that our students have long deserved and that will serve generations of LCCPS families and the broader Lowell community.”

MassDevelopment previously supported Lowell Community Charter School with a $7,015,000 tax-exempt bond and a $3.3 million Qualified Zone Academy bond in 2015 to create 113,800 square feet of new classroom space.

Lowell Community Charter Public School is a public charter school in the heart of downtown Lowell serving 815 students in pre-K through eighth grade. The Learn to Lead Foundation of Lowell is a nonprofit organization created by parents and community members to ensure that Lowell Community Charter Public School has the necessary funds and programs needed to operate and grow the school.

MassDevelopment strengthens communities and advances economic opportunity across Massachusetts through financing, real estate services, and technical assistance. Working with businesses, nonprofits, developers, lenders, and municipalities, the agency financed or managed 538 projects in fiscal year 2026, generating more than $6.52 billion in investment, supporting an estimated 42,113 jobs, and helping create or preserve 4,355 housing units.