City Grill

Rich Lucht 
Vice President of Operations
Commodore Builders

Demolition and construction activity is growing in Worcester, says Lucht. “It’s more cost effective to build a new facility than to transform the manufacturing plants into housing and retail developments,” he says.

A major housing boom is delivering multi-unit housing developments in the Canal District as well as new restaurants and retail stores. With life science work cooling in Boston, major developments are emerging in Worcester, especially in the city’s Green Hill area, according to Lucht. There also is “significant opportunity for growth” at UMass Memorial Medical Center, he says. 

As the commercial office sector cools, transforming Class B and C office buildings is critical, but this is challenging in the historic manufacturing center with its aging building stock.

Sustainability remains a priority for many universities and colleges in Worcester. “We’re going to see a major push for decarbonization next year,” Lucht says. 
With local stretch energy codes pushing owners to reevaluate their plans, many clients “are moving their timeline up from 2050 to 2030 or 2035,” he says.