LOWELL — The cities of Lowell and Fitchburg were named as two of six “Gateway Cities” in Massachusetts to take part in what will be the second MassDevelopment Transformative Development Initiative for both communities.
Both Gateway Cities are joined by Chelsea, Holyoke, Malden and Peabody for the latest round creating TDI districts, which are meant to spur economic growth in downtown neighborhoods and commercial districts.
Through the initiative, TDI fellows from MassDevelopment will provide their expertise and have access to tools they can use to accelerate development within these districts, like technical assistance grants, over the course of three years. Those fellows will be assigned to each community at a later date.
“MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative brings a full-time economic development professional and a suite of tools and resources to help cities advance a shared vision for their downtown or commercial district,” said Economic Development Secretary and MassDevelopment’s Board of Directors Chair Eric Paley. “We look forward to seeing how this program continues to help communities strengthen local partnerships, support small businesses, foster vibrancy, and lay the groundwork for additional investment.”
Alongside the new districts, MassDevelopment is launching The Gateway Network, which will serve as a platform for leaders of the Gateway Cities (26 mid-sized, formerly industrial urban centers that serve as regional economic anchors) to connect with each other, as well as small businesses, local developers and partners of former TDI districts.
“Since its creation in 2015, we’ve seen our Transformative Development Initiative help Gateway Cities kickstart meaningful revitalization by empowering community members, providing collaborative leadership, and injecting resources to advance key real estate, small business, and creative economy projects,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Navjeet Bal. “MassDevelopment is proud to continue delivering this type of support in six newly designated districts in Chelsea, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Lowell, Malden, and Peabody. Together with our new Gateway Network, MassDevelopment is continuing its long-term commitment to ensuring Gateway Cities remain competitive, vibrant hubs and regional centers of economic opportunity.”
State Sen. John Cronin, who represents the city of Fitchburg within the Worcester & Middlesex District, said the TDI “has helped Gateway Cities across the Commonwealth spur economic growth, revitalize neighborhoods, and position communities and residents for long term success.”
“I’m excited for the impact TDI will have on these communities and look forward to continuing to support this program and other initiatives to help realize the full potential of all of our Gateway Cities,” said Cronin, who also serves as co-chair of the Gateway Cities Legislative Caucus.
The TDI uses an “accelerator model” by investing resources into things like real estate development, stability and growth for small businesses, amenities for arts and culture and targeted technical assistance. MassDevelopment has invested $50 million in these districts since the program started in 2015, which the agency said Tuesday resulted in more than $168 million in public investment into the districts, along with $314 million in private funding.
This will be the second time Fitchburg and Lowell have taken part in the TDI, with Lowell’s TDI set to conclude later this year, and Fitchburg starting a cycle in 2018.
MassDevelopment spokesperson Kelsey Schiller said Lowell’s new TDI district will be centered around the neighborhood commonly known as Cambodia Town, with an anchor around Middlesex Street and stretching down to School Street. The current TDI district in Lowell is centered around The Acre, and has been active since 2022.
The first TDI for Lowell, known as The Acre Partnership, included business improvement programs and other assistance for small businesses in The Acre, like Taste the Acre, which showcased the many food options in the neighborhood, in addition to providing equipment upgrades to the businesses.
“The district also delivered more pedestrian-friendly spaces, including the shared outdoor patio used by Tasty Dumplings and Eclipse Café (supported by a TDI Equity grant), and helped move forward the redevelopment of the long-vacant Old Royal Theater at 484 Merrimack Street,” said Schiller. “Along the corridor, nine new public art installations by local and regional artists were completed. Together, these efforts advanced a shared goal: building a more vibrant, walkable commercial corridor connecting Downtown Lowell, the Acre, and UMass Lowell’s LINC redevelopment on East Campus.”
Lowell Mayor Erik Gitschier said in a statement Lowell’s inclusion in the initiative again “represents a major investment in one of Lowell’s most vibrant and culturally significant neighborhoods.”
“Cambodia Town is an essential part of our city’s identity and economy. Through this partnership, we will continue to celebrate its cultural heritage while strengthening opportunities for small businesses, residents, and future generations,” said Gitschier.
In the next three years of the initiative, the city will get support for multiple priorities in Cambodia Town, including support for small businesses, improvements to the physical connections between the Gallagher Terminal and the Hamilton Canal Innovation District, and culturally significant investments into the neighborhood.
“Cambodia Town has such a rich and unique history, social and cultural assets; however, these valuable community assets have been often untapped or unnoticed,” said Lowell City Manager Tom Golden. “By designating Cambodia Town as the newest TDI district, it would unleash these tremendous assets to promote local and regional economic development, improve the well-being of the community, as well as promoting these unique cultural assets not only citywide but at the regional and state levels as well.”
The first TDI for Fitchburg was centered around Main Street, and Mayor Samantha Squailia said the city’s second time in the initiative will be centered on the Water Street corridor, from Main and Water streets at Boulder Drive to the intersection of Bemis and Wanoosoc Roads, though said said the district has “fuzzy boundaries.”
“The Water Street Corridor is a gateway area that connects residents and small businesses to downtown, MBTA / MART Intermodal Transit Center, and the Twin Cities Rail Trail,” said Squailia in a statement Tuesday. “This initiative is going to be a perfect transformative connective force for the work we’ve been pushing on corridor improvements, small business support, and creating strong connections between key assets like the Rail Trail, the Fifth Street bridge, nearby parks, and our broader downtown.”
Squailia said Fitchburg will work with businesses and organizations along the corridor like Coff33 Corp., NewVue Communities, Fitchburg Housing Authority, Fitchburg State University, MART, the Twin Cities Rail Trail Association, WPKZ, and the North Central Massachusetts Chamber.
She said a full map of the district will be made available as MassDevelopment moves through the onboarding process for each city, along with a detailed work plan and early projects for the district.
Fitchburg’s inclusion in the initiative will also allow the city “to build on a recent $850k award from Congressionally Directed Federal spending from Congresswoman Trahan’s office, a $100k state grant from our local Legislative delegation, and a Water Street Corridor Study we recently completed in 2025.”
Comments