Central Mass. developer proposes 48 apartments on Worcester’s Plantation Street

A development firm from Spencer wants to build 48 apartments on Worcester's Plantation Street, according to an application submitted to the city's zoning board of appeals.

Ram Hill Avenue Investments & Developments LLC is proposing the construction of two three-story apartment buildings with 24 units each on 149 Plantation St.

Yoram Ben-Naim, the developer managing the firm, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

All 48 units will be two-bedroom apartments that are 948 square feet in size, according to the application. The proposal also calls for the construction of 88 parking spaces and a dog park area on the site. Of the 88 parking spaces, four will be for electric vehicles, according to the application.

The site at 149 Plantation Street is an empty meadow that is 2.56 acres in size, the application reads. The proposal does not list if any of the units will be listed as income restricted to those earning up to or less than 30%, 60% or 80% of Worcester's area median income (AMI).

• Read more: How will Worcester nearly double its speed building new housing? Officials discuss the plan

Under Worcester's inclusionary zoning ordinance, developers proposing projects with 12 or more units are encouraged to build a certain number of units for those who have lower incomes. If a developer chooses not to build the affordable apartments, they can make a payment to the city's affordable housing trust fund equal to 3% of the project's total construction costs.

The proposal does not state whether a payment to the trust fund will be made.

The proposal for 48 apartment units comes at a time where Worcester is facing a housing shortage amid growing demand for both market-rate and affordable units.

The city needs to develop more than 12,000 units by 2033 to keep up with demand, according to Worcester's housing production plan .

Some apartment proposals, such as a 44-unit apartment complex on Shrewsbury Street and a 197-unit complex near Polar Park , have sought approval from Worcester's development boards.

A proposal to build a complex with more than 200 units on Pleasant Street is still awaiting approval from the zoning board of appeals.

The board will discuss the Plantation Street application on Feb. 23.

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