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| By Paula Canning Staff Writer HOLYOKE Covering a wide range of topics from downtown events to improvements to City Hall, last Thursday's monthly Revitalization Meeting, revealed the hope for a number of promising investments that may soon take place in the downtown district. Although he could not speak to anything specific, Mayor Michael Sullivan said that he has recently met with a number of developers who have expressed interest in creating "significant projects" in the downtown area. "If we could even launch just one of these investment possibilities, it would mean hundreds of jobs in the city of Holyoke," Sullivan said, adding that the developments would be unlike "anything that downtown Holyoke has seen." "We're really excited about this," he said. In addition to discussions concerning developments, Sullivan addressed his continuing effort to fight abandonment and blight buildings around the city. To put the problem in perspective, Sullivan explained that 100 buildings lying within a one-mile radius of Chestnut and Hampshire Streets have been recommended for abolishment by engineers and the city's Fire Department. If the the properties were destroyed, the 100 buildings would represent a loss of $8 million for the city. Sullivan said that he continues to look for potential investors, and that he has been meeting regularly with Attorney General Tom Reilly, and the city's Police and Fire Departments to "continue to attack abandonment and blight" in the city. While he tends to be "stubborn," in trying to avoid the destruction of abandoned buildings, he said "I'm coming to the realization that many of [these properties] are beyond investment capability." He said it has come to the point in many situations that there is "no alternative" than to abolish certain buildings. According to Sullivan, the problem is fueled by developers coming in and purchasing properties, and then failing to invest in the property. "It's killing us," Sullivan said. "We need people to come and buy the properties and then make substantial investments in those properties." According to Sullivan, one of the potential solutions that the city has examined is making use of the state's District Improvement Financing (DIF), an economic tool intended to provide communities with funding for infrastructure improvements to attract business growth. Sullivan said making use of DIF would allow the city to utilize bond financing with a two percent loan, and would have benefits for both the community and the state in generating tax dollars. Although the DIF is a "complicated tool" that hasn't been made use of by any other city or town throughout the state, Sullivan said that he has been speaking with officials in Boston to learn more about the program. "We're excited to continue to explore this option," Sullivan said. During the next upcoming year, he said he would like to take a "good hard look" at what the city can do in continuing to combat the problem. *** At the meeting, which took place at the Holyoke Public Library, Sullivan discussed the shootings that took place on High Street a month ago, explaining that he felt the incident was misrepresented in the media. Sullivan said he wants to make it clear that the the shootings were not a random act, and that those involved were "known to each other." In addition, Sullivan hopes to make it clear that from his understanding, those who frequent the downtown area do not feel that their safety has been compromised by the incident. "The reality is, Holyoke has become a safer city," Sullivan said. "I've been around the downtown area for more than 20 years, and even in the worse times I've never felt threatened." He said that, although he would not like to see crime happening anywhere in the state, he wants to point out that similar crimes have happened in other Massachusetts towns such as Deerfield and Stockbridge. "I don't want it to happen anywhere, but the reality is that other communities occasionally experience similar acts of violence," he said. He said that he compliments the work of the Holyoke Police Department and of Police Chief Anthony Scott for reacting quickly to the situation. He added that he continues to collaborate with Scott to reduce certain types of crime that were shown in the police department's annual report to have increased over the past years, such as rape. *** Also at the meeting, Sullivan discussed the current status of the City Banner Programs and improvements outside of City Hall. In terms of the City Banner Project, Sullivan said that "support has been very good." The Banner Program, which was taken on by the city this past year, calls for businesses to purchase banners that will feature the name of their business. "We think it's going to be a real benefit to the city," Sullivan said. According to Assistant to the Mayor Kathy Anderson, who chairs the project, 61 businesses have already purchased a banner. "Once people see how beautiful these banners are, they're going to join in," Anderson said. Speaking on the funds that the City Banner Project will generate, Sullivan said, "We will be working with different groups to find beneficial ways to utilize the money." With regards to improvements that are being made outside of City Hall, which is part of the Adopt an Island Program that is sponsored by several businesses throughout the city, Sullivan said that landscaping was completed last week. He said that while all of the pots and rosebushes lining the front of City Hall were "exciting" to see, the "bad news" was that a rose bush was stolen the night after the planting was completed. He said that the rosebush theft hits a "tender cord," with him, as it is "something that goes beyond comprehension." "It's amazing how some of us do such great things for the city while others insist on trying to destroy it," he said. "We really need everyone support and respect [in order] for this project to be successful." The city's courthouse as well as the Annex is next on the list of beautification projects, Sullivan said. |