Economic Development Archives - Worcester Regional Research Bureau

Our reports on community and economic development focus on ways to expand the tax base, increase employment opportunities, and revitalize downtowns and neighborhoods. They suggest ways to improve Worcester and the surrounding region as a place to live, work, and raise a family.

Mar 19, 2018

Brokering a New Lease: Capturing the Value of State Offices for Massachusetts

Boston’s economic boom has been a boon for developers and landlords, as an influx of businesses means more demand for office space and a corresponding rise in rents. Among those organizations fighting for space downtown is the state government, which leases offices across the state for its various department and agencies, but concentrates 35 percent of that square footage in the City of Boston.

Jan 18, 2018

Minimizing Risk: The Implications of a $15 Minimum Wage for Worcester

The Research Bureau is pleased to present its latest report Minimizing Risk: The Implications of a $15 Minimum Wage for Worcester. While there is evidence both for and against an increased minimum wage from states and cities across the country, this report examines the potential local impact of a change on Worcester and offers thoughts on how the minimum wage can best serve the local economy and populace.

Oct 04, 2017

Foreclosure in the City of Worcester

The Research Bureau is pleased to present its latest report Foreclosure in the City of Worcester. This report explores Worcester’s recent experience with foreclosures and offers insights into the process. Foreclosure is a necessary part of a real estate market. Yet efforts must be made to limit its impact on households and neighborhoods alike.

Sep 18, 2017

Bureau Brief – Urban Design

A well-designed city, or district within a city, draws residents and visitors into public spaces, building community and supporting businesses and economic development. Many cities recognize the value of good design, but their degree of commitment and capacity for planning and regulation, as well as the level of community concern and participation, vary greatly.

Jan 31, 2017

Bureau Brief — Tax Increment Financing

In Massachusetts, municipalities have limited tools to entice businesses to locate and expand in a weak marketplace. The most frequently used alternative is the Economic Development Incentive Program (EDIP) and its tax increment financing (TIF) initiative.

Jun 30, 2016

Parking in Worcester: Left by the Curb

With over 5,000 public parking spaces in Downtown Worcester, parking – and its location, condition, design, and cost – is an important concern of municipal government. Parking in Worcester: Left by the Curb urges the City to elevate the discussion of parking by creating a Parking Division that reports directly to the Commissioner of Public Works & Parks.

Mar 31, 2016

Bureau Brief—Talent Retention 2016

The City of Worcester and the surrounding communities are home to 12 colleges and over 30,000 college students, giving Greater Worcester a built-in advantage in attracting and retaining a highly talented and educated workforce—a necessary component of successful economic development.

Feb 16, 2016

Bureau Brief—Worcester Regional Airport (ORH)

Worcester Regional Airport, airport code ORH, was founded in 1946 as a municipal airport. Over the years it has enjoyed periods of great success, peaking at 354,000 passenger enplanements in 1989, and periods of quiescence with the departure of major national airlines in the late 1990s.

Nov 23, 2015

Bureau Brief—Massachusetts Comprehensive Permit Act—Chapter 40B

Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40B was adopted in 1969 as part of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Permit Act to encourage and facilitate the building of affordable, long term housing for low-income individuals and families across the Commonwealth and to ensure that low-income residents can remain in their localities if housing costs increase.

Nov 09, 2015

Bureau Brief — Park Conservancies

The City of Worcester is home to a significant number of public parklands, but available funding has not kept pace with park expansion and needed maintenance. This brief reviews the potential of park conservancies – private non-profit entities that assume management and maintenance of public parklands – to improve Worcester’s signature parks and create new opportunities for public engagement.

Economic...