U.S. Rep. Clark seeks to secure $5 million to go toward key Framingham project

FRAMINGHAM — A new community center planned for the former Marian High School building on Union Avenue may soon be the beneficiary of $5 million in federal money.

U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., has filed a request seeking that amount as part of the federal government's community projects budget, with the funds to be directed toward Framingham's planned community center.

Clark represents the 5th Congressional District, which includes much of MetroWest, including Framingham.

The Community Project's Budget is an annual congressional budget that tabs funding for various community projects throughout the country. In fiscal 2023, the government approved $15.3 billion in funding, which went to more than 7,200 local projects. Massachusetts alone received $244 million for projects ranging from an affordable housing development to construction of a $5 million sea wall in Hull.

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Framingham Mayor Charlie Sisitsky said during last week's City Council meeting that Framingham had worked hard to submit an application by the deadline for the fiscal 2025 federal budget.

"As you know, we have a very good working relationship with our federal delegation, especially Congresswoman Katherine Clark, she is very responsive to us, she is always looking for ways to get funding for us, and she responds quickly to calls to her office and to her directly," Sisitsky said. "We recently became aware of another grant program that was being handled by Clark’s office. Her office reached out to us, gave us a very tight deadline to get an application filed, but thanks to the very hard work of (Public Information Officer) Susan Petroni and (Grants Manager) Meghan Todd, we were able to get that application filed, as well as attain eight letters of endorsement from different agencies throughout the city and elected officials."

New community center has been a key goal for Mayor Sisitsky

Clark's office confirmed with the Daily News that the congresswoman had submitted the budget, adding that while the federal budget process is still at an early phase, Clark looked forward to advocating for Framingham.

Sisitsky praised Clark's efforts.

"I’m pleased to announce that Congresswoman Clark personally called me the other day to let me know that she had put in a request for $5 million for the community center, and that shows you how a good relationship with elected officials can help the community," the mayor said.

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The plan to build a community center in Framingham has been a goal for Sisitsky throughout his first term. Last year, the city purchased the former Marian High building for $3.35 million, with the intent to construct a community center at the location.

The purchase was done using ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding that was available to the city. The plan is to use the former high school, which already contains a gymnasium and auditorium, for community activities and events. The city is also looking into developing an indoor pool at the site, which has been a priority since the pool at Keefe Regional Technical School closed in June 2022.

The $5 million in federal funding would go a long way in assisting the construction and redevelopment of the site. Petroni said the money would be used to help make the facility ADA compliant.

"The elevator in the building is not working and every entrance to the building, including the entrance to 750-seat theater, is not accessible to those with disabilities," she said.

Marian High, a Catholic co-educational school, closed in the spring of 2018 after 62 years of operation. Its building was initially sold in 2021 to Invictus Forever, a Weston educational nonprofit, for $2.6 million. Invictus planned to build a hybrid commercial space and living area for special-needs adults, but ended up scrapping the project. In 2023, when the city put out a request for potential locations for a community center, Invictus responded and put the former high school up for sale.

Sisitsky created a 25-person Community Center Advisory Committee earlier this year to work on developing the former site into a community center. The group next meets at 5 p.m. on May 14 inside the Memorial Building.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Congresswoman Clark pursues $5 million for Framingham community center