UPS Purchases $18.3 Million in Property in Massachusetts

UPS Worker
UPS warehouse (John Sommers II for TT)

United Parcel Service has purchased properties in Shrewsbury, Mass., and Grafton, Mass., for $18.3 million as it considers whether to build a $200 million distribution facility in the area.

The Atlanta-based package delivery company bought the properties, covering about 226 acres of undeveloped land, from three different entities, according to Nov. 15 filings in the Worcester County Registry of Deeds.

UPS was cautious in its remarks about the purchase.

“The Shrewsbury and Grafton area is one of the locations UPS is considering to further optimize our ground network across the Northeast,” the company said in an emailed statement. “The property acquisition is one of many initial steps in the feasibility and planning process for the proposed project.”



UPS has previously indicated it was considering building a facility in the area near CenTech Park technology office center and Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. In October, Grafton voters at a special town meeting authorized talks with UPS over potential property tax cuts at a new development.

Grafton Town Administrator Timothy P. McInerney did not respond to messages left at Town Hall seeking comment on the purchase. Shrewsbury Town Administrator Kevin J. Mizikar said UPS has not communicated with Shrewsbury officials since July.

UPS bought about 218 acres for $17.4 million from companies listing Anthony F. Russell as president. The company purchased another 8 acres for $900,000 from the Worcester Business Development Corp., a nonprofit agency in Worcester that developed CenTech Park.

UPS ranks No. 1 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest for-hire carriers in North America.