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Maple-High eyesore may be site for new homes

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



SPRINGFIELD HAP, Inc. is the apparent developer for the Spruce Manor Nursing Home site at the corner of Spruce and Central Streets.

Long-closed, the building has not only been an eyesore for the Maple High Six Corners neighborhood, but it has been the site for re-occurring vandalism as well.

HAP Executive Director Peter Gagliardi told Reminder Publications that he hasn't received official notice from the city's Office of Housing and Neighborhoods that HAP was selected from four participants in a Request for Proposals, but he has been told HAP's proposal has been accepted with some modifications.

Gagliardi said that HAP's proposal included some duplex housing. He said the designs allowed for separate yards and ownership.

Single-family owner-occupied housing, though, is what the Maple High Six Corners Neighborhood Council had endorsed, Alice Zoeller, council president said.

Maple High Six Corners is the city's second smallest neighborhood, but it has 25 percent of the city's group homes and other institutions. Council members recently completed a survey of the group homes.

Completing the survey has motivated Council members to work harder to encourage the development of more single-family homes for the neighborhood.

She said the Council did review the proposals and wanted to see the property used for single-family housing. Several of the other proposals had other uses for the building other than re-development of the property.



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The Council has announced the Rental Housing Association of Greater Springfield will sponsor landlord training on March 27 at 6 p.m. at 74 Walnut St. Subjects to be covered include basics of property investment, landlord responsibilities and how to get good tenants, among other topics. There will be refreshments and door prizes.

For more information, contact Zoeller at 736-4493.

The event is sponsored by Hampden Bank.