Council panel OKs four Worcester rezonings

Other Committee · Meeting of October 27, 2026

Worcester's Economic Development Committee unanimously backed four separate rezoning petitions, clearing a path for new housing while holding a proposed affordable-housing fee hike. The committee voted 3-0 each time to recommend rezoning 25 Westchester Street from RS-7 to RL-7 for roughly 40 apartments in the former Mercy Center, 321 Greenwood Street for about 20 townhouses, 128 Providence Street for a 98-unit affordable senior project by Rogerson Communities, and an overlay addition at 95 Vernon Street. Chief Economic Development Officer Peter Dunn told the panel six projects currently owe affordable-housing payment-in-lieu fees, the largest exceeding $1 million, and warned against raising the fee from 3 percent to 5 percent, saying "the real volatility and challenges that real estate is experiencing right now" argue against it.

District 1 Councilor Tony Economo said neighbors who weighed in on the Westchester Street project came back "all but one... in favor" after the developer dropped a townhouse component. The committee held the fee-increase order for further public input.

In the full story:

• Call to order and public comment
• 25 Westchester Street: Mercy Center rezoning (item 3B)
• 321 Greenwood Street: manufacturing-to-business rezoning (item 3D)
• 128 Providence Street: former St. Vincent's nurses building (item 3C)
• 95 Vernon Street: overlay district addition (item 3A)
• Driveway pavement and permits ordinance (item 3E)
• Affordable housing payment-in-lieu fee increase (item 4A)
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,956 words

Source: the Other Committee meeting of October 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.