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Date: 11/8/2022
NORTHAMPTON – During a meeting on Oct. 27, the Northampton Planning Board approved a site plan review presented by Prospect Place LLC (Valley CDC) to create affordable housing with site improvements at 737 Bridge Rd.
Background
Back in the spring, Valley CDC purchased the former Northampton Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on 737 Bridge Rd. for $2.6 million for the purpose of 60 units of affordable and workforce housing; using a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, as well as some studios.
“The current projected project cost is $25.3 million,” Valley CDC Executive Director Alexis Breiteneicher told Reminder Publishing back in April. “This project will provide long-term affordable housing in Northampton and will help reduce the current shortfall of affordable places for people to live.”
The location, which has been vacant since 2011, was identified in the past as a viable place for the city to alleviate some of the barriers people face in Northampton with housing.
During a spring City Council meeting, former Director of Planning & Sustainability Wayne Feiden said that, out of the $25 million project cost, Valley CDC is asking Northampton to contribute around $1 million of that split into three payments.
According to Breiteneicher, the proposed units would aim to bring people in with incomes between 30 to 100 percent of the area median income. The projected rents will vary based on where someone falls within the area median income.
At the time, Breiteneicher estimated that a studio may rent for between $720 to $1,150, a one-bedroom for $870 to $1,250, a two-bedroom for $1,090 and a three-bedroom for $1,265 to $1,350.
Aside from the affordable housing, Breiteneicher also stated that Valley CDC is exploring amenities like an electric vehicle charging station, a Valley BikeShare location and community garden spaces. They do, however, plan to keep the same footprint of the existing building.
“We will keep the exterior of the current building because it is in decent shape, but the interior will be a full gut renovation,” said Breiteneicher. “The current building has a lot of asbestos which needs remediation, there’s water damage, and all the electrical and HVAC needs to be replaced. The building needs to be fossil free to comply with Northampton’s regulations and we are looking at installing solar (PV).”
Planning Board meeting
The Planning Board, which unanimously supported the project, issued a slate of conditions that the Valley CDC must add to their revised plans. The DPW also offered some conditions that must be incorporated in the revised plans.
According to George Kohout, the Planning Board chair, Valley CDC will have to present these revised plans to the Planning Office and DPW, which includes conditions regarding safety around the property – like an additional crosswalk on Allison and improved lighting, among others.
Valley CDC must also submit the final plan sheets with additional comments from DPW 15 days before building permit requests.
According to Jessica Allan, the real estate manager for Valley CDC, once they have their building permits, they plan to apply for state funding for the project in January. If they are awarded by the state, then they would receive the award in August of next year.
“We wouldn’t be closing financially until 2024,” said Allan. “And that’s when we would start construction. When it comes to affordable housing development, this is kind of early on in the process for us.”
Aside from aforementioned amenities, Valley CDC is also looking to utilize 80 parking spaces and install two bike sheds to allow for multiple uses of transportation. Additionally, they are also looking to remove some of the conflict points that cause traffic in the area by adjusting the exit and entrance of the location – along with other safety improvements.
“We are grateful to have overwhelming neighborhood support for the project,” Breiteneicher said. “This property is a vacant eyesore, so abutting neighbors are excited to have it renovated and used.”
“This is a consequential project, not only for Ward 1 and the surrounding neighborhood, but for the entire city,” said Ward 1 City Councilor Stanley Moulton during a prior City Council meeting. “I have already been a part of two neighborhood meetings that Valley CDC has held … in my view, Valley CDC has been very responsive to [traffic] concerns. The response has been extremely positive, both to the reuse of the property, and to the notion of the best use for that property is affordable housing.”
According to Breiteneicher, this project is a joint venture redevelopment between Valley CDC and the previous owner.