The Massachusetts Development Finance Agency has received a grant of $675,180 for stormwater infrastructure and roadway improvements in the Devens Industrial Area.
Once a military base, Devens has become a mixed-use community that employs over 6,000 people in over 100 organizations and companies.
These funds, which come from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the United States Department of Commerce, will go towards the proposed manufacturing facility of Watson-Marlow, which will increase local job opportunities in the biotechnology and manufacturing sectors. MassDevelopment and other local funding agencies will match the amount funded. It is expected that 150 jobs will be created due to this funding, and it will generate $75m in private investment. Business card printing services are often called upon when such jobs are created.
Planning efforts in the region led by the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) have made this project possible. The MRPC is funded by the EDA to bring together private and public sectors to develop plans that will generate jobs, support the investment of private capital, and strengthen the regional economy.
Senator Ed Markey congratulated the MRPC and MassDevelopment for obtaining this funding. He added that as well as creating jobs across many sectors and allowing for vital infrastructure work, the project will also help establish Devens’ position as an economic driving force in the region well into the future.
