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Date: 9/28/2022
CHICOPEE – Roughly six months since SilverBrick was forced to close operations at Cabotville Mill, the City Council received updates on the industry space during its Sept. 20 meeting.
Background
Tenants of the 165 Front St. complex were suddenly informed of the space’s immediate closure on March 1, with the city issuing a letter that ordered an immediate shutdown of the complex and its 55 tenants. The city provided a one-month, 24/7 fire watch in March to allow the involved businesses to evacuate the space.
SilverBrick Mills, which is run by 4 Perkins LLC, remains dormant after the city closed the space due to safety concerns with the building’s fire and sprinkler systems. During a Feb. 28 press conference, Mayor John Vieau and other city officials issued a strong denouncement against the property owner’s practices.
“They are inadequate, deficient, not working properly and putting people in harm’s way. Frankly, that’s just not OK. … It is their responsibility to provide safe tenant spaces for each tenant that is occupying the building. The city is not doing this, it is the negligence of the current owner,” said Vieau.
The tenants aired a united denouncement of SilverBrick’s practices with the Cabotville Mills location. During a nearly six-hour Zoning Committee meeting on Feb. 23, business owners lamented that SilverBrick knew about deficiencies in the space, such as broken elevators, flooded bathroom spaces, leaks in the stairwells and emergency exits being blocked off. They also criticized SilverBrick for not keeping them informed during the months leading up to the space’s closure.
“We’ve all invested a lot of money in our businesses … it’s a lot of loss we are going through. I have a full-time job, but some people don’t, and they depend on these businesses to take care of their families. Now, they are being stripped of it,” said business tenant Leann Vera during the meeting.
After the Zoning Committee continued SilverBrick’s special permit requests twice, the committee ultimately denied a SilverBrick request to withdraw their permit application during a March 30 meeting. The decision prevents SilverBrick Mills and owner Aaron Papowitz from making a special permit request for two years unless significant changes occur in the space.
Shortly after the vote, the city and SilverBrick began undergoing a legal process in court on April 1.
SilverBrick updates
Questions regarding SilverBrick updates arose during an agenda item that asked the council to accept a $500 donation from SilverBrick to the city’s Police Department. Vieau stressed that there are “no strings attached” regarding the donation.
The item inspired at-large City Councilor Gerald Roy to ask a series of questions to Vieau about the city’s status with the defunct space.
Roy asked about the security presence watching the space. Vieau shared that a security team has been present at the SilverBrick location since the location’s closure. The city is currently paying the security expenses after SilverBrick paid for a month of security. Vieau shared that the city is awaiting the conclusion of the city’s legal case with SilverBrick to receive restitutions for the security expenses.
“Our goal is to make sure the appropriate parties pay for security … we do believe that the private party should be paying for security of their building,” said Vieau.
Despite SilverBrick’s current lack of security compensation, the mayor stressed the importance of the city maintaining security watch of the 770,000-square-foot building.
“It is vacated, and we want to make sure that nothing happens,” said Vieau.
Additionally, Ward 9 City Councilor Mary-Elizabeth Pniak-Costello introduced an order for the council to meet with the Law Department regarding the SilverBrick situation. After discussion on what entity should host the meeting, Pniak-Costello and the council concluded that the matter is fitting of the Public Safety Subcommittee. The meeting will also include the Planning Department by the request of Ward 4 City Councilor George Balakier.
The SilverBrick discussion item is expected to be added to the subcommittee’s Oct. 20 meeting agenda. Pniak-Costello expects the discussion to be productive for all parties.
“I think this is a good idea to have the council meet and to discuss with various officials what’s going on with SilverBrick,” said Pniak-Costello.