Canal District cannabis raises concerns
Pending state approval, Worcester's Canal District will be home to one of two medical marijuana dispensaries that have letters of non-opposition from the city.
Allen Fletcher isn’t worried about marijuana in Worcester’s emerging entertainment destination the Canal District, though he would prefer if it was sold a bit differently.
“If it was a recreational marijuana parlor, it would be exciting,” said Fletcher, the first vice president of the neighborhood group Canal District Alliance. “It would contribute to life on the street; it would contribute to the district.”
Instead, the Canal District is getting a medical marijuana dispensary. While Fletcher is excited about any business moving into the neighborhood and looks forward to working with the new owners, a medical marijuana facility is essentially a highly securitized pharmacy and runs contrary to the vibe the Canal District Alliance is trying to create of a walkable neighborhood where people can hop from bars to shops to restaurants to entertainment venues.
“The presence that medical marijuana exerts on a street is sort of like a doctor’s office. I would rather have it on the second floor somewhere. If they’re going to have tinted glass and a buzz-in system, that’s not thrilling to us,” Fletcher said.
As Massachusetts starts bringing together the various elements of the medical marijuana law that was passed in 2012 – Worcester moved to not oppose two of its planned four dispensaries in the past month, although both still need state approval – the concerns of the Canal District Alliance fly in the face of the original worries about medical marijuana. Safety and security now play less of a role while proper fit for the city’s plans and neighborhoods are more crucial elements.
“People hear the marijuana part and not the medical part. On a scale of 1-10, I’m concerned about medical marijuana as a 1 and alcohol as a 10. If you’re in pain with all these illnesses out there, if this gets you through a day, [that’s good],” said Dino Lorusso, owner of Crompton Place and the landlord for the Canal District marijuana dispensary.
Recreational pot remains illegal in Massachusetts -- Fletcher is not advocating for legalization -- but a November ballot initiative is expected to decide whether Massachusetts joins the four other states were it is legal.
Canal District
The 9 Harrison St. site in the Canal District sits on a curve of the road, next door to the Alexis Grace Consignment shop. It’s right in the heart of the district – just a few blocks away from the restaurants and bars on Water and Green streets and directly behind the Crompton Collective – which the city hopes will play an integral role in the revitalization of Worcester and bring in a youthful demographic who want to work, shop, play and reside in Worcester.
Medical marijuana dispensary Good Chemistry of Massachusetts, Inc. leases this property from Lorusso. This site is opposed to the location of the city’s other planned dispensary from Prime Wellness Centers, which plans to open on Pullman Street near a big-box grocery store, an auto repair shop and other businesses more conducive to the drive-in, drive-out nature of a pharmacy.
Despite the concerns from the neighborhood about a dispensary fitting the vibe of the Canal District, the founder of Good Chemistry said he was attracted to area because of the atmosphere it was trying to create.
“That area is centrally located and ideal to provide for patients throughout the city and county of Worcester, and we really like the energy of the neighborhood, and it feels like an up-and-coming area,” said Matthew Huron, who founded the Colorado-based Good Chemistry in 2010, in an email.
Huron originally started and ran a California-based medical marijuana co-op to serve AIDS patients in hospitals and hospices, according to the company. In 2014, the Boston Globe ran a story that mentioned Huron got involved with medical marijuana after watching his father, James, suffer from and eventually succumb to AIDS.
“My grandparents lived in Worcester for many years, and my dad went to Holy Cross, so when we were looking at Massachusetts, I had a personal connection to Worcester, which brought us to look into that market,” Huron said.
Despite the concerns of neighborhood advocates, Lorusso – Good Chemistry’s landlord – said the Canal District is a multi-use district and a dispensary will be a good thing for the neighborhood.
Good Chemistry is a principled company that will give back to the community, he said.
“They have to donate $10,000 to the neighborhood. Right in the Canal District, they’re going to be giving $10,000 a year,” said Lorusso, who lives in the neighborhood. ”It’s a win-win for the city, the Canal District and Crompton Place. I really feel good about it.”
2,000 patients
John Glowik, CEO of Prime Wellness, said based on his experience, he estimates between 1,800 and 2,000 medical marijuana patients will receive care in Worcester. In addition to the Pullman Street location, Prime Wellness wants to open two more Massachusetts dispensaries – one in Shrewsbury and the other at a soon-to-be announced location – in addition to its South Windsor, Conn. location, which sees 65-70 patients daily.
Worcester will eventually be home to no more than four medical marijuana dispensaries, none of which will be near a school or daycare.
The city is limited one dispensary per neighborhood, said city spokesman John Hill, so with zoning issues, there are a limited number of places for a dispensary.
Five other companies are competing for the remaining two medical marijuana slots in the city, Hill said.
City Councillor Tony Economou, whose district includes Pullman Street, took a trip down to Prime Wellness’ South Windsor dispensary last October. His main concerns going in were safety and security. He said he was impressed with what he saw.
“The security was incredible, probably more secure than any bank today,” he said. “You couldn’t access the building, you couldn’t even walk in front door without showing ID.”
In terms of business impact, Economou said he spoke with several business owners in the area and no one really seemed concerned about the placement of a dispensary in that area.
“I don’t think it will have much impact at all. Access is pretty easy, and you wouldn’t be coming through any neighborhood streets,” he said.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misspelled John Glowik, the CEO of Prime Wellness.
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