DORCHESTER, Massachusetts, August 30, 2017 – Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC) will convert the historic Pierce Building in Upham’s Corner from a mixed-used property to a fully-commercial innovation hub in the district. DBEDC’s offices are located at the Pierce Building, and the Fairmount Innovation Lab is its flagship tenant.
The Pierce Building will be transformed from underutilized to a community anchor for the neighborhood. Retail space on the ground floor for local businesses will draw people to the center of the district. The Fairmount Lab will function as an incubator to start and grow local creative businesses and increase business ownership among people of color and women. Dorchester Bay’s Small Business Assistance Center will work with the Lab to connect businesses to financial and technical assistance resources that help them thrive.
The decision to convert the Pierce Building to an all-commercial space aligns with Mayor Walsh’s Imagine Boston 2030 plan which focuses on revitalizing Upham’s Corner to boost the arts and creative economy in Dorchester. As an initial part of the conversion, Pierce is undergoing significant modernization and external restoration.
The Bornstein & Pearl Food Production Center, opened by Dorchester Bay in 2014, is a model for incubation at Pierce. Located on Quincy Street in Dorchester, nearly fifty businesses operate out of the food business incubator; 58% of them are owned by people of color and women, and over 180 jobs have been created.
“The conversion of the Pierce Building will be a complex undertaking,” said Dorchester Bay’s CEO Perry B. Newman, but when complete it will contribute to a vibrant hub of creative economic activity in Upham’s Corner. We are excited to be a part of the city’s vision for the area, and look forward to continuing to contribute to the stability and prosperity of the community.”
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Release Contacts:
Perry B. Newman, Chief Executive Officer
[email protected], (617) 825-4200
Kimberly R. Lyle, Associate Director of Marketing and Communication
[email protected], (617) 533-9562
