WORCESTER, Mass. — A newly completed active adult community on Worcester’s West Side has secured $39 million in bridge financing as it prepares to expand amenities and continue leasing efforts.
JLL Capital Markets announced that it arranged the financing for The Arbella at Bramble Hill, a 123-unit Class A active adult community developed by The United Group of Companies. The bridge loan, provided by Eastern Bank, refinances the property’s existing construction loan and will fund remaining improvements at the community.
Completed in the first quarter of 2026, The Arbella at Bramble Hill features three residential buildings with 57 one-bedroom and 66 two-bedroom apartments averaging 1,049 square feet. The 17.36-acre development also includes an 8,500-square-foot clubhouse equipped with a fitness center, yoga studio, wellness spa and salon, indoor pool, bistro, theater, golf simulator, and outdoor gathering spaces.
Residents will also have access to pickleball and bocce courts, a community garden, and a dog park. The property will offer United Group’s SUN® Program, a lifestyle initiative designed to promote wellness, social engagement, and active living among residents.
Located at 361 Arbella Drive, the community is positioned near Interstates 90 and 290, providing convenient access throughout Central Massachusetts and the Greater Boston region. Worcester’s growing population of residents aged 55 and older, combined with a limited supply of market-rate active adult housing, helped drive strong lender interest in the project, according to JLL.
“The establishment of our relationship with Eastern Bank marks an important step for our organization,” said Michael J. Uccellini, President and CEO of United Group. “Their collaborative approach and executional expertise resulted in a highly efficient and seamless financing transaction.”
The financing was arranged by JLL’s Debt Advisory team led by Managing Director Henry Schaffer and Director Madeline Joyce.
“The Arbella at Bramble Hill addressed a robust market need, as there is a rapidly expanding 55-and-older population in Massachusetts yet there are limited market-rate active adult options for those residents,” Schaffer said. “Due to this and the strength of the asset and sponsor, we saw a significant amount of interest from banks, life companies and debt funds.”
United Group, founded in 1972, has developed more than $4 billion in real estate projects nationwide, including senior living, multifamily housing, student housing, and commercial properties. Eastern Bank, founded in 1818, is Greater Boston’s largest local bank with approximately $30.6 billion in assets and more than 125 branches across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
