WooSox plans move hotel for offices overlooking field

The first phase of Worcester Red Sox development in the Canal District, which includes the stadium, is expected to be done by early 2021.

Denis Dowdle, president, Madison Properties

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By Zachary Comeau

Worcester and developer Madison Properties have officially announced changes to the planned mixed-use development to accompany the $101-million Polar Park baseball stadium: a five-story office building to take the place of a planned hotel.

The 96,000-square-foot office building will sit above an underground parking garage and include a roof deck and retail space overlooking the field, according to an April announcement from the city. The ballpark will be home to the Triple A minor league Pawtucket Red Sox after they move to the Canal District in 2021.

The 110-room hotel previously planned for left field will move south of Madison Street adjacent to a 140-room, extended-stay hotel, 225 apartments and 50,000 square feet of retail.

Complete design plans and drawings of the development have not yet been unveiled, but early renderings of the office building show a deck spanning the entirety of the roof and balconies on lower floors. Retail is on the bottom floor.

The change represents an increase in the size and scope of Madison Properties' first phase of development. The size of a planned retail development, however, appears to be decreasing from 65,000 square feet to 50,000 square feet. The 140-room hotel was previously announced as a 150-room hotel.

A second phase, including 200,000 square feet of residential, office and/or mixed-use, remains unchanged.

Worcester officials hope tax revenue from Madison's development, along with rent payments from the team, will pay off the $101 million the city is borrowing to build the stadium.

When combined, the massive 650,000-square-foot undertaking to redevelop the Canal District and the vacant Wyman-Gordon land comes at a price tag of $240 million.

In a statement, City Manager Edward Augustus said momentum has been building rapidly, leading to an increase in interest from residents and the business community for the project since plans were announced for the team to move out of Pawtucket last August.

Denis Dowdle, president of Madison Properties, was instrumental in the deal, Augustus said.

“With a proven track record of success both here in Worcester and in other cities, we are thrilled to see the evolution of this project take shape and look forward to seeing the transformation of an already vibrant and thriving neighborhood,” Augustus said.

Dowdle purchased 18 acres of the vacant Wyman-Gordon land in March for $6.1 million to facilitate the project, and the Worcester Redevelopment Authority is in the process of acquiring at least seven parcels needed for the ballpark.

The WRA has acted on just three of those properties via eminent domain proceedings, but the city is already behind deadlines. A letter of intent signed between the city and team called for the city to control the properties by April 1.

Construction is planned for July.