WORCESTER—Crews began tearing down part of the aging Lakeside Apartments complex last week, marking a visible step forward in the Worcester Housing Authority’s multi-phase effort to remake the city’s oldest public housing site and expand affordable homeownership opportunities.
On Friday, Jan. 16, demolition began on 13 units along South Circuit Ave. as part of Phase 2 of the Lakeside redevelopment, according to a WHA announcement. The work bulldozes the way for construction of 10 new affordable homeownership units, intended for qualified first-time buyers.
The demolition comes as construction on Phase 1 of the sweeping project continues nearby. Together, the phases are expected to be completed in July 2027.
In a statement, WHA CEO Alex Corrales described the moment as both reflective and forward-looking, noting that Lakeside is the authority’s oldest property.
“This is yet another milestone in a project that will completely transform what affordable housing can and should be,” Corrales. He acknowledged “a bittersweet feeling as we watch a piece of our history come down,” while focusing on “new, modern housing that is to come.”
The Lakeside redevelopment, a long-planned overhaul of the roughly 75-year-old complex overlooking Coes Pond, replaces 202 outdated units with 350 new rental apartments and introduces affordable homeownership opportunities — a rarity in Worcester’s tight housing market. The project is being developed in partnership with Tremont Development Partners and E3 Development.
Phase 2 centers specifically on ownership, creating 10 units that allow low-income, first-time buyers to purchase homes at the site. The idea is for these new homes to complement the broader transformation of Lakeside into a mixed-income, modern residential community.
City and housing officials have previously described the redevelopment as a model for rethinking public housing, with earlier phases emphasizing modern accessibility standards, energy efficiency and larger family-sized units. Construction across the four-phase project is expected to continue over the next several years.
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