WORCESTER, Mass. - The YWCA of Central Massachusetts is showing us their historic $24 million in renovations at their downtown Worcester Salem Square facility.

The organization signed the city's first community benefits agreement for the renovations.

It promised an all-women led construction management team, living wage jobs with benefits, and an emphasis on diversity by employing union contractors, and local women and people of color.

Renovations included upgrades to the building infrastructure, STEM-aware childcare learning and play areas, and additional transitional housing space.

Executive Director Linda Caviaoli, who is retiring next month, said they had women living in their facility throughout renovations, while also operating as an emergency childcare facility in the middle of a pandemic.

 “It’s a better lay out. We were able to get more programming in by a more effective and efficient layout," Cavaioli said. "It really shows how the community came together to raise the dollars."

"We hadn’t had a renovation since 1970, so we were interested in updated, refreshing and modernizing different spaces in the building," said Director of Domestic Violence Services, Debbie Hall.

Hall will become the executive director next month.

The construction project executive said supporting the YWCA’s mission of empowering women was part of their makeup of their diverse female management team.