Forget Oakland Or Hoboken. Worcester, Mass., Is The New 'It' Town (Boston: high school, college)

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

The Boston Globe had a cover story on Worcester maybe five years ago. Didn't read it but I recall a photo of a few college students on a hill overlooking the area. I think it may have touted its potential, with so many colleges concentrated there but how until then (or even now?) Worcester hadn't really taken advantage of promoting its college presence.

After all, nobody elsewhere in the country who's ever heard of Worcester equates Worcester with its many colleges, but maybe they should.

Growing up in the midwest, when ever Holy Cross would do anything in the basketball tournament (mid 90s, 01-07), no one had any idea where it was. It wasn't until I moved here that I found out it was here!

[htfdcolt]

For those who might have missed this from back in April:

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/prope...r-development/

[MMS02760]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

The Boston Globe had a cover story on Worcester maybe five years ago. Didn't read it but I recall a photo of a few college students on a hill overlooking the area. I think it may have touted its potential, with so many colleges concentrated there but how until then (or even now?) Worcester hadn't really taken advantage of promoting its college presence.

After all, nobody elsewhere in the country who's ever heard of Worcester equates Worcester with its many colleges, but maybe they should.

The problem is that none of the Worcester colleges are particularly large nor do any of them have a traditional campus right downtown for visitors to see and identify the city with.

Holy Cross has a well known name but it sits far from downtown on a hill looking down literally and figuratively at the city. Holy Cross is however very small with just 2,800 undergrads and no graduate program.

My alma mater Worcester Polytechnic Institute bears the city's name and probably has done more of late for the city. WPI has expanded its undergraduate enrollment from about 2,400 in the 1980's to over 4,000 today. It purchased former industrial land on the northern fringe of downtown and developed the Gateway Center. This area now has two WPI academic buildings, parking garage, and dorm along with two hotels.

Clark University is a well respected school but only has 2,300 undergrads and is located in the Main South neighborhood, considered to be among the worst areas in the city.

Worcester State University has the largest undergraduate enrollment at about 5,500. It however is a mostly commuter school located some three miles from downtown in a very suburban neighborhood that visitors to the city are likely never to pass.

Much of the energy in downtown Worcester can be attributed to MCPHS as it has bought up several buildings. The school however does not have a traditional campus, is scattered throughout downtown and is somewhat invisible, and is just a satellite location for the school. People outside the healthcare industry probably know very little about the school.

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by timberline742

It's kind of eery how vacant the downtown is after business hours. Very unwelcoming to me. Not sketchy at all, just dead.

It’s a shame about downtown. When I was growing up there, the downtown was vibrant. Big department stores, small shops, big banks and other businesses, like Morgan Construction filled the downtown with people.

I guess nobody was steering the ship, because the vibrancy was lost a long time ago. Anyway, I hope there is a resurgence, because parts of the city are lovely and historic.

[MMS02760]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

It’s a shame about downtown. When I was growing up there, the downtown was vibrant. Big department stores, small shops, big banks and other businesses, like Morgan Construction filled the downtown with people.

I guess nobody was steering the ship, because the vibrancy was lost a long time ago. Anyway, I hope there is a resurgence, because parts of the city are lovely and historic.

There is no more retail downtown. It effectively died with the Galleria/Fashion Outlets closing. The core downtown also lacks a large restaurant scene. A big issue for Worcester in my opinion is the disjointed development of the city. Shrewsbury Street is the best restaurant area but it is not really in the core downtown and on the other side of the elevated Route 290. Same goes for the Canal District which is separated by the elevated rail line with a dead zone in between. There are areas in and around the downtown that show signs of life but they are not really all connected to one another. I feel this is a big detriment as new development is not centered in one place from which it can build upon itself and spur more growth that will extend from it.

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by MMS02760

The problem is that none of the Worcester colleges are particularly large nor do any of them have a traditional campus right downtown for visitors to see and identify the city with.

Holy Cross has a well known name but it sits far from downtown on a hill looking down literally and figuratively at the city. Holy Cross is however very small with just 2,800 undergrads and no graduate program.

My alma mater Worcester Polytechnic Institute bears the city's name and probably has done more of late for the city. WPI has expanded its undergraduate enrollment from about 2,400 in the 1980's to over 4,000 today. It purchased former industrial land on the northern fringe of downtown and developed the Gateway Center. This area now has two WPI academic buildings, parking garage, and dorm along with two hotels.

Clark University is a well respected school but only has 2,300 undergrads and is located in the Main South neighborhood, considered to be among the worst areas in the city.

Worcester State University has the largest undergraduate enrollment at about 5,500. It however is a mostly commuter school located some three miles from downtown in a very suburban neighborhood that visitors to the city are likely never to pass.

Much of the energy in downtown Worcester can be attributed to MCPHS as it has bought up several buildings. The school however does not have a traditional campus, is scattered throughout downtown and is somewhat invisible, and is just a satellite location for the school. People outside the healthcare industry probably know very little about the school.

I attended Clark in the late 70s. I took at class at WPI, through the Worcester Consrtium. My daughter attends Clark now.
I have never been on the HC campus.

Over the years, I've seen Main South go up, down and flatline. Worcester as a whole, has changed.
As urban campuses go, we are pretty self contained. There was a city street next to Little Commons near Johnson hall. They closed that off. The University has always been active in it's community and does not shelter itself from Main South.
I never once felt afraid, on campus or off, and the division, at least to me, is pretty clear.
As an undergrad, word was to avoid Crystal Lake park and the south of main area. Now the park has been re-branded University Park. It doesn't seem as sketchy.

Anyway, the afore mentioned artical came to me in my Alumni bulitan. I looked up real estate prices and they certainly have increased. I remember my father eyeing the tripple decker that we moved into junior year as an investment and remarking "it's less money than a used car".

That just isn't true any longer.

Worcester has always been a "Foodies Paradise" - somethings never change. And that's alright with me.

This is specifically about Main South - https://www.masslive.com/news/worces..._fighting.html

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by MMS02760

There is no more retail downtown. It effectively died with the Galleria/Fashion Outlets closing. The core downtown also lacks a large restaurant scene. A big issue for Worcester in my opinion is the disjointed development of the city. Shrewsbury Street is the best restaurant area but it is not really in the core downtown and on the other side of the elevated Route 290. Same goes for the Canal District which is separated by the elevated rail line with a dead zone in between. There are areas in and around the downtown that show signs of life but they are not really all connected to one another. I feel this is a big detriment as new development is not centered in one place from which it can build upon itself and spur more growth that will extend from it.

Funny story. About six years ago we were taking our kids to visit colleges. The orientation was over. We wlaking around Worcester thinking of stuff to do. My daughter wanted to go shopping so, I thought of The Galleria. When I'd last seen it, it was the most beautiful mall I'd ever seen. Better than anything in Long Island.

I asked a server for directions to the Galleria, and he almost fell on the floor with laghter and asked if I could time travel.

He admonished me that I needed to "come home more often". I agreed that I do. A big part of my leart will always root for New England's "Second City".

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by sheena12

I attended Clark in the late 70s. I took at class at WPI, through the Worcester Consrtium. My daughter attends Clark now.
I have never been on the HC campus.

Over the years, I've seen Main South go up, down and flatline. Worcester as a whole, has changed.
As urban campuses go, we are pretty self contained. There was a city street next to Little Commons near Johnson hall. They closed that off. The University has always been active in it's community and does not shelter itself from Main South.
I never once felt afraid, on campus or off, and the division, at least to me, is pretty clear.
As an undergrad, word was to avoid Crystal Lake park and the south of main area. Now the park has been re-branded University Park. It doesn't seem as sketchy.

Anyway, the afore mentioned artical came to me in my Alumni bulitan. I looked up real estate prices and they certainly have increased. I remember my father eyeing the tripple decker that we moved into junior year as an investment and remarking "it's less money than a used car".

That just isn't true any longer.

Worcester has always been a "Foodies Paradise" - somethings never change. And that's alright with me.

This is specifically about Main South - https://www.masslive.com/news/worces..._fighting.html

I remember the great ethnic foods when I was a kid, like Armenian and Greek and Italian, and Magic Shark is always posting about great sounding restaurants in Worcester in the Food section.

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

I remember the great ethnic foods when I was a kid, like Armenian and Greek and Italian, and Magic Shark is always posting about great sounding restaurants in Worcester in the Food section.

Oh yes. True. I'd had Italian and Greek food, coming from the NYC area, but never Armenian. Love it to this day. There was a restaurant my parents always visited when in Worcester.

I have the best Vietnamese food at an inexpensive spot in South Main near Clark. HUGE portions and well prepared food. Saigon Restaurant, 976 Main St. Worcester.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

For those who might have missed this from back in April:

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/prope...r-development/

Thanks, that's a great article, helps me to appreciate the changes and understand the forces at work