NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley (NWBRV) was awarded almost $400,00 to redevelop several commercial spaces in downtown Woonsocket as part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Community Economic Development program. The organization was one of 16 national recipients and the only site from Rhode Island.
NWBRV will use Community Economic Development funding granted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop commercial real estate and create space for two new businesses and seven micro-business startups in northern Rhode Island. These start-ups include: a historic diner, a public market (to house several micro-businesses), a function facility adjacent to the City’s Museum of Work and Culture, and an infant child-care business. NWBRV will provide much needed renovations and capital for commercial development projects as a catalyst for further development of downtown retail space. New low-income employees of these businesses will have access to job training through partner organizations and affordable homes and low-cost child-care through NWBRV’s existing programs. In addition, this initiative will bring healthy food choices to the area with the start-up of new healthy retail food outlets, including a ‘Farmers Market,’ a historic diner that will have a healthy menu, and at least one micro-enterprise with a healthy food focus.
By the Numbers:
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- $379,687 awarded to NWBRV for project
- 16 new jobs created as a result of redevelopment
- 9 new businesses created and/or expanded
- $735,098 to be leveraged towards redevelopment
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The development project, including the redevelopment of the old Mulvey’s Hardware in Woonsocket (pictured on the right), is expected to be complete in 2015.