Editing Worcester, Massachusetts (section)

===Since 1997===
In recent decades, a renewed interest in the city's downtown has brought new investment and construction to Worcester. A Convention Center was built along the [[DCU Center]] arena in downtown Worcester in 1997.<ref>{{cite news|title=Facility Info|publisher=DCU Center|date=September 25, 2005|url=http://dcucenter.com/facility.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051125093052/http://www.dcucenter.com/facility.php|archive-date=November 25, 2005}}</ref> In 2000, Worcester's [[Union Station (Worcester)|Union Station]] reopened after 25 years of neglect and a $32&nbsp;million renovation. [[Hanover Insurance]] helped fund a multimillion-dollar renovation to the old Franklin Square Theater into the [[Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts]].<ref name=theatre>{{cite web|title=Restoration|publisher=Wrcester Center for the Performing Arts|year=2013|url=http://www.thehanovertheatre.org/restoration|access-date=December 30, 2013|archive-date=December 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231051438/http://www.thehanovertheatre.org/restoration|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2000, the [[Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences]] built a new campus in downtown Worcester.<ref name=MCPHS>{{cite news|url=http://www.wbjournal.com/article/20100428/NEWS01/304289988 |title=College of Pharmacy To Buy Crowne Plaza Property|last=Brown|first=Matthew|date=April 28, 2010 |work=Worcester Business Journal|access-date=December 30, 2013|archive-date=December 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231044340/http://www.wbjournal.com/article/20100428/NEWS01/304289988|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2007, WPI opened the first facility in their new Gateway Park center in Lincoln Square.<ref name=gateway>{{cite web |title=Gateway Park at WPI |publisher=Worcester Polytechnic Institute |year=2013 |url=http://www.gatewayparkworcester.com/ |access-date=December 30, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-date=January 2, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102181418/http://gatewayparkworcester.com/}}</ref> In 2004, Berkeley Investments proposed demolishing the old Worcester Center Galleria for a new mixed-used development called '''City Square'''. The ambitious project looked to reconnect old street patterns while creating a new retail, commercial and living destination in the city.<ref name=citysquare>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegram.com/article/20100317/NEWS/3170418/1116|title=Hanover buys into CitySquare |last=Kotsopoulos|first=Nick |date=March 17, 2010|work=Worcester Telegram & Gazette|access-date=December 30, 2013|archive-date=November 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113170423/https://www.telegram.com/article/20100317/NEWS/3170418/1116|url-status=live}}</ref>  After struggling to secure finances for a number of years, Hanover Insurance took over the project and demolition began on September 13, 2010. [[Unum]] Insurance and the Saint Vincent Hospital leased into the project and both facilities opened in 2013. The new Front Street opened on December 31, 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegram.com/article/20100317/NEWS/3170418/1116 |title=Front St. connection planned by end of year in Worcester|date=December 13, 2012|work=Worcester Telegram & Gazette|access-date=December 30, 2013 |archive-date=November 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113170424/https://www.telegram.com/article/20100317/NEWS/3170418/1116|url-status=live}}</ref>

Worcester has become home to many refugees in recent years. The city has successfully resettled over 2,000 refugees coming from over 24 countries. Today, most of these refugees come from the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], [[Iraq]], [[Somalia]], [[Bhutan]], [[Syria]], [[Ukraine]] and [[Afghanistan]].<ref>Fabos, A.,&nbsp;Pilgrim, M., Said-Ali, M., Krahe, J.,&nbsp;Ostiller, Z. 2015. Understanding refugees in Worcester, MA. Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise.</ref>

In 2025, Worcester City Council passed a resolution to become a sanctuary city for the transgender community.<ref>{{cite news | last = Aitken | first = Madeleine | date = February 12, 2025 | title = It's official: Worcester is a 'sanctuary city' for transgender community | url = https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2025/02/12/worcester-sanctuary-city-transgender-community/ | work = Boston.com}}</ref>