Worcester's The Bridge Supporters Change Focus To City Officials

WORCESTER, MA — Supporters of The Bridge Academy and Community Center say they will seek help from city officials to save their home at 300 Southbridge St., which a property developer may soon purchase.

In mid-March, the owner told The Bridge founder Dan Ford a developer had made an offer to buy the building, which was built in 1866 to house the Sargent Card Clothing Factory. The building owner gave Ford and his supporters two weeks to raise enough to make a counter offer.

But a campaign to raise $1 million by April 1 likely won't succeed — supporters had only raised about $57,000 as of Tuesday with two days to go.

The Bridge supporters have said they discovered the potential buyer has not performed a site inspection, which may indicate the building will be torn down.

Whatever the plans is for the building, supporters believe they will be able to make an impact at City Hall. The building may need to be rezoned if the developer plans to build housing at the site. A first step would likely be the Zoning Board of Appeals, whose members are appointed by City Manager Edward Augustus Jr.

"We’re calling on the City Manager to commit to not rezoning this parcel for any plan that excludes this community," Powers said in a news release. "There's a way to resolve this that will work for everyone, and this commitment from the city would get us there."

Over the weekend, supporters held a block party outside the building to draw attention to the fight, seen as a dividing line between longtime residents and the forces of gentrification. The building is located just southwest of the new Polar Park stadium and the impending mixed-use redevelopment of the space between Washington and Hermon streets.

"Today’s rally sends a clear message to the buyer that renovation plans must include The Bridge Academy, that this historic building must not be torn down, and that — if this becomes a fight to save it — we have the community support we need to win," supporter Tom Powers said in a news release on Saturday.

Learn more about The Bridge's campaign and its services here.