Lowell, Massachusetts, City Council Discusses Potential 24-Hour Homeless Shelter at Vacant ICC

The vacant Inn & Conference Center (ICC) in Downtown Lowell has sparked discussions about its potential use as a 24-hour homeless shelter. During a recent Lowell City Council meeting, City Manager Tom Golden mentioned that conversations with state and local leaders have explored repurposing the 250-room former hotel for this purpose. However, Golden emphasized that the city has not decided to move in that direction, noting that the UMass Building Authority, which owns the ICC, retains the final say on its use.

The ICC, formerly a Doubletree Hotel, was purchased by the University of Massachusetts in 2009. The university borrowed $15 million for the purchase and invested an additional $5 million in upgrades. The property includes 320 deeded spaces in the adjacent Lower Locks Parking Garage and a large front parking lot. The city manager has engaged with various stakeholders, including U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, UMass officials, and the state delegation, to explore options for the property.

The city’s focus appears to be on housing development rather than establishing a homeless shelter near the ICC. Golden expressed a desire to continue monthly discussions with the involved parties to explore possibilities. Meanwhile, a separate development plan involves Heritage Properties, which aims to build a six-story mixed-use building with 200 units on the site of the former District Courthouse across from the ICC.

Previously, Middlesex Community College showed interest in using the ICC for its culinary and hospitality program. The building, which once served as a commercial hotel and later as student housing, was temporarily used as a shelter for migrant and homeless families under a three-year lease from the Healey-Driscoll administration. The ICC closed in June 2023 after the lease ended and has remained vacant since.

As winter approaches, the state’s Winter Protocol—a program that expands shelter beds for the homeless during the coldest months—will begin next month. This has intensified the need for solutions to address the growing homelessness crisis in Lowell and across Massachusetts. Councilor Kim Scott has called for the state delegation to be invited to a council meeting to further discuss the issue.

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