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WORCESTER - Arthur Cote grew up in a Southgate Street house that his grandparents bought when they immigrated to this country from Poland decades ago.
Mr. Cote, a machinist, said he had hoped to live in the neat duplex for years to come until he learned the city last spring floated the idea of taking the house and another abutting property he owns by eminent domain to expand the nearby 11-acre South Worcester Industrial Park, in order to make the former factory site more attractive to developers.
Mr. Cote said he thinks, that, with the help of District 4 Councilor Barbara G. Haller, he has persuaded city officials to reconsider the idea but he won't know for sure until later this week when the city formally unveils its development plan for the South Worcester Industrial Park neighborhood.
In the meantime, Ms. Haller said the pending fate of Mr. Cote's properties, at 49 to 51 Southgate St. and 53 to 55 Southgate St., should prompt municipal officials to consider formulating rules that would dictate under what conditions the city can take property.
She said city officials should consider drawing up at least some guidelines, in light...