REPORTER: WORCESTER IN THE LATE 1800S, A FACTORY BOOMTOWN.
THIS FACTORY MADE IRON RAILROAD PARTS.
HARRINGTON AND RICHARDSON ARMS MAKERS.
THE AMERICAN STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY SPANNED CENTURIES, WATCHING HORSE-DRAWN CARTS GIVE A WAY TO GASOLINE TRUCKS, AND STEAM AND ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES.
BUT OVER TIME, MANUFACTURING SLIPPED AWAY, AND THE CITY WITHERED AWAY FOR DECADES.
AND NOW -- >> NOW THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETED THE TRANSITION FROM AN OLD MANUFACTURING ECONOMY TO SOMETHING ELSE.
♪ REPORTER THAT SOMETHING ELSE INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE BUSINESS BUILT ON WORCESTER’S LOCATION.
STEVE CATRONE IS THE PRESIDENT OF IN TRANSIT CONTAINER, INC.
>> IT IS A GREAT SPOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, BECAUSE YOU CAN LOOK AT A MAP AND SEE HOW YOU CAN SERVICE THE POPULATION OUT OF WORCESTER.
♪ REPORTER: PRODUCTS ARRIVE HERE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THAT IS WHY THE U.S. CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT IS HERE, TOO.
OFFICIALLY SPEAKING, WELCOME TO THE PORT OF WORCESTER.
>> WE DO THE SAME THING AND OCEANPORT MIGHT DO.
PROCESS THE CONTAINER LINES IN IT GOES OUT FOR DELIVERY.
THE FOOTWEAR, TOYS, AUTOMOBILE PARTS, ANYTHING THAT CAN FIT INSIDE THESE CONTAINERS.
REPORTER: AN EFFICIENT LOCATION, BUT THERE IS COST SAVINGS, TOO.
TRAINS MOVE THE CONTAINERS FROM THE WEST COAST AND THE PORT OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY TO WORCESTER.
>> AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRUCKING, AND IT USES THREE TIMES LESS FOSSIL FUEL, IT GREENER, AND KEEPS THE SCARY TRUCKS UP THE ROAD.
REPORTER: IT ADDS UP TO WORCESTER BEING THE BIGGEST INLAND PORT IN NEW ENGLAND.
>> ALL THE PLACES THAT USED TO BE IN AUSTIN BRYANT AND ALL THE PLACES THAT ARE BEING REDEVELOPED, THAT RAIL EXCHANGEp FEW YEARS AGO.
♪ REPORTER: WHITE-COLLAR BUSINESSES ARE ALSO AN IMPORTANT PART.
I AM THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF LOCATION, INC.
REPORTER IT IS A BIG DAY THE COMPANY FOR BUSINESS AND CONSUMERS.
AMONG ITS PRODUCTS, NEIGHBORHOODSCOUT.COM, WHERE THOSE LOOKING TO RELOCATE CAN FIND -- >> USEFUL INSIGHT ABO SCHOOLS, APPRECIATION RATES,
CHARACTERISTICS OF LOCATION.
REPORTER SPEAKING OF LOCATION, HE CHOSE TO PUT HIS BUSINESS IN WORCESTER NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE.
HE STARTED IN RHODE ISLAND.
AFTER A WILD, WE REALIZED IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR US TO RECRUIT SOME OF THE TALENT WE NEEDED TO GROW THE BUSINESS.
REPORTER: WORCEST, HOWEVER, HAS NINE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, INCLUDING WPI AND CLARK.
>> BOTH HAVE STRONG PROGRAMS IN STATISTICS, COMPUT SCIENCE, AND GEOGRAPHY AND COMPUTER MAPPING.
THAT ALLOWED US TO TAP INTO THAT NICE RESEARCH AT A LOCATION THAT WAS AFFORDABLE FOR EMPLOYEES AND US AS WELL.
REPORTER: WITH SUCCESS, LOCATION, INC NEEDED ANOTHER NEW LOCATION.
TH CHOSE THE CENTER OF WORCESTER.
WHY?
THE TEAM MEMBERS SAID, WE WOULD PREFER TO BE IN A CITY LOCATION HOPEFULLY A DOWNTOWN LOCATION, WHERE WE CAN WALK TO AMENITIES LIKE COFFEE OR LUNCH OPPORTUNITIES, OR GRAB A BEER
AFTER WORK.
THE COST OF LIVING IS LOWER, AND THE AMENITIES ARE GOOD AND IMPROVING QUICKLY.
IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO RUN A BUSINESS AND TO GROW A TECH COMPANY.
REPORTER: THINGS ARE LOOKING GOOD IN WORCESTER.
>> PEOPLE ARE REALLY HOLDING THEIR HEAD HIGH.
WE ARE STARTING TO ACT LIKE IT.
ANTHONY: -- SHAYNA TWO COMPONENTS HELPING THE ECONOMY, EDUCATION AND MEDICINE PLAYING A BIG ROLE.
ANTHONY: THEY CANNOT DEVELOP EAST OF BOSTON BECAUSE I IS OCEAN, SO IT IS NATURAL THAT MORE EXPANSION GOES WEST.
THAT’S "CHRONICLE" FOR TONIGHT.
SHAY