The DyeWorks project will redevelop a former mill building into commercial space, including a supermarket that will create 25 quality jobs, of which 75% will be filled by low-income individuals. - Lawrence Community Works, Inc. (LCW) will use $800,000 in CED funds to complete the Dye Works Project, part of LCW’s Union Crossing initiative, to transform an abandoned industrial site into a thriving community hub in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The Union Crossing project has already made significant progress, creating new spaces for affordable housing, non-profit organizations, and commercial businesses. The Dye Works phase of the project will take the Union Crossing area to the next level by using CED funds to construct space for the La Fruteria Supermarket, a new 15,2000 square foot grocery store, within a region that is currently considered a food desert. The grocery store is expected to create many jobs for individuals with low incomes in food preparation, management, customer service, and merchandising. The redevelopment of the building will also enable the expansion of the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, a federally qualified health center, Movement City, LCW’s youth development club, and indoor and outdoor gathering spaces with free wireless internet services. These new businesses will be within walking distance from the apartment buildings within the Union Crossing area, allowing those most in need to easily obtain critical services and purchase groceries. The jobs created through the grocery store will offer employees a comprehensive suite of benefits including paid time off, flexible scheduling, health care, and career growth opportunities. In addition to the benefits offered by the businesses themselves, LCW also intends to leverage internal resources and partnerships to offer individuals hired through this project a variety of wraparound supportive services including financial literacy training, housing counseling, individual development accounts, childcare assistance, and workforce development services. This project will create 25 new jobs, 19 of which will be filled by individuals with low income.
