Taunton has been busy welcoming lots of new businesses and exciting projects and the latest has opened right in the center of downtown.

One of those projects includes a community space called The Center on Main and you would be surprised at how long it's been in the works.

Michelle Stratton, President of the nonprofit Center on Main, began the organization in late 2022. Quickly after forming, it began working on doing a complete gutting and makeover of the space at 49 Main Street in Taunton.

This building had been unoccupied for over five years after it was deemed uninhabitable until a grant was received to rehabilitate it.

On December 17, 2024, The Center on Main opened its doors to the community after just over two and half years of work.

Right now, this community space is open and running entirely by volunteers. It's open to the public the same hours as its resident coffee shop, Identity Coffee, which is Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Stratton and the rest of the board of the nonprofit saw a need for a common space for the community to gather, and with help from the City of Taunton and state grants they were able to pull this off.

"The Center is a multi-use collective space that invites everyone in to gather and grow," Stratton said. "It's a blank canvas of sorts, a place for imagination, hospitality, and collaboration, a cup of coffee or a game of ping pong."

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Jay Pateakos, Executive Director of Economic and Community Development for the City of Taunton, called the location's transformation "remarkable."

"Their building has seen a remarkable transformation, and being, well, at the center of Main Street, it’s been a catalyst for great growth in the downtown, helping to attract many great businesses to that stretch," he said.

Now that the space is open, it's time for the public to utilize it.

"We want the public to get excited about how they could use the various spaces we offer, and consider how they can share their unique passions, skills or abilities with the community," she said.

Here are few photos of this amazing new community space.

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Gallery Credit: Jackson Scott

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