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Gardner to put Willow Street improvements to bid; phase 6 delayed pending slum‑blight inventory
Summary
City staff said Phase 5 downtown improvements (Willow Street) are at 75% plans and expected to go to bid in mid‑July; Phase 6 design is paused while the city completes a slum-and-blight inventory required to meet a CDBG national objective.
On June 23, 2026, Gardner City staff told the CBP steering committee that downtown improvements Phase 5 (Willow Street from Main to Pleasant) is at the 75% design milestone and the city intends to advertise the project for bids in mid‑July. Staff said a review with DPW engineering, fire, police and other stakeholders went well and the project will move toward bidding once final items are addressed.
Phase 6 (City Hall Avenue, Connors to Pleasant) is on hold until the city completes a slum-and-blight inventory that will determine whether that street meets one of the CDBG program’s required national objectives. Staff said they will wait for the inventory results this week before authorizing design work to proceed.
Staff clarified funding is through the city’s annual CDBG allocation administered via the Executive Office of Housing and Local Communities (EOHLC) and originates from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); staff emphasized this is grant funding distributed to qualifying communities and not a new direct cost to local taxpayers. Staff also said the city will notify property owners on Willow Street in advance of construction.
Next steps: staff expect to release Phase 5 bidding mid‑July and to resume Phase 6 work if the slum-and-blight inventory shows the street meets CDBG national-objective criteria.
