Fitchburg State University receives $3 million ARPA grant for downtown Theater Block project

By Danielle Ray

FITCHBURG — Local and state officials and interested parties gathered downtown on Tuesday morning for the presentation of $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act grant funding to Fitchburg State University that will be used to renovate the historic Theater Block on Main Street.

Local and state officials and interested parties gathered downtown Fitchburg on Tuesday morning for the presentation of $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act grant funding to Fitchburg State University that will be used to renovate the historic Theater Block on Main Street.

State Sen. John Cronin, Mayor Stephen DiNatale, state Rep. Michael Kushmerek and U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan all spoke at the event representing the city, joining FSU President Richard Lapidus and other officials and interested parties for the grant presentation ceremony, which was filmed by Fitchburg Access Television under the Theater Block marquee at 721 Main St.

“It feels like momentum,” Cronin said of the realization of the much-anticipated project. “Today is truly in every sense of the word a team effort. It’s going to have a huge impact.”

Cronin went on to thank DiNatale “for investing in the city,” beginning with the City Hall renovation project last year, and Lapidus and FSU for having a “shared belief and vision.”

The Theater Block, a long-vacant section of Main Street that FSU purchased in 2016, is slated for a multiphase, multimillion project that will feature an interdisciplinary learning space that will include a theater to benefit both students and community members. The long-term plan for the Theater Block includes the game design studio and ideaLab that are already in place, with future phases to include a black box theater and the restoration of the main theater space.

Trahan praised Cronin, DiNatale and Kushmerek for their roles in helping to secure the funding and their ongoing dedication to the long-awaited project.

“I am so excited to join my colleagues,” Trahan said, adding that the theater will house 1,200 seats and serve as an arts and culture center in addition to creating dozens of permanent jobs as well as many construction jobs.

“This is precisely the kind of projects Congress envisioned,” she said of the ARPA funding that came about because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I look forward to working with everyone to maximize this funding. This investment will continue right down Main Street.”

DiNatale said he is thrilled to have the funding for the project, but that he knows “that this is not enough.”

“We must continue with this partnership … with a shared vision,” he said.

He said the city has “always had great support at the State House,” and thanked Cronin, Kushmerek and Trahan for their “unrivaled commitment” to Fitchburg, which he envisions becoming “the North Central hub of arts and culture.”

“We are investing in our future, together as a team,” DiNatale said.

Kushmerek said the presentation of the funding “culminates a decade long effort,” and that “there is no better partner we have than Congressman Trahan.” He commended Cronin for “really taking the lead” on the project funding and thanked the mayor for “advocating for the revival” of downtown.

“Here we are, this is the point of no return,” Kushmerek said of the Main Street project that “starts at Morin Square and goes to the Upper Common,” noting that the theater is “one of the most historic buildings in Fitchburg.”

“We hope this will be a symbol of the next gilded age of Fitchburg,” he said.

Lapidus said FSU is “really excited” about the project finally coming to fruition and that they “pride ourselves on arts.” He referred to DiNatale being an FSU alumnus and said that the educational institution has “bought into the reality of creative arts and community.”

“We look forward to future announcements about this project,” Lapidus said, with Cronin adding that there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the future as the project progresses.