City of Worcester
300 Years

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Chapter

Heart of the Commonwealth

Urban Renewal

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Worcester began several urban renewal projects in the 1960s and ‘70s, first the construction of Interstate 290 and then building the affordable housing complex, Plumley Village. source: Telegram & Gazette

The National Guard at Curtis Apartments after the 1953 tornado. The Curtis Apartments is a nearly 400-unit affordable housing property, built in 1951 in the Great Brook Valley neighborhood. source: Worcester Historical Museum

Highway planning began in the post WWII period, but construction did not begin until the late 1950s, but was not completed until the 1970s. In order to accomplish Interstate 290, as its now known, hundreds of commercial and residential buildings were demolished. source: Worcester Historical Museum

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