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Date: 3/8/2023
CHICOPEE — Following two decades of dormancy in Chicopee Center, development of the former Chicopee Public Library space on 31 Springfield St. continues to gain momentum. The project recently received a $500,000 grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development and is nearing the end of its design phase.
Talks of revitalizing the former Chicopee Public Library space gained steam in December 2021 when former state Rep. Joseph Wagner announced a $125,000 grant as a part of the 2021 MassDevelopment Underutilized Property Program. Additionally, Chicopee received a $50,000 Community Development Block grant and appropriated $225,000 in city funds to benefit the project.
“With our sights set on moving forward from the [coronavirus] pandemic, we have been trying to utilize resources in ways that would have the greatest impact,” said Wagner in a December 2021 interview with Reminder Publishing.
The building will embrace a new community role after the Chicopee Public Library left the decaying space and moved to their 449 Front St. home in 2004.
Planning Director Lee Pouliot shared that the city is looking to have a bid ready for construction in the fall. The project is currently estimated to cost $5.5 million, with funds sourced from grants and roughly $3.5 million committed from the city’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
Pouliot discussed the preliminary redevelopment vision for the space. Early talks centered on the former library being reinvented into a business incubator, but Pouliot said the city is now focusing on transforming the building into “highly flexible programming space” that can feature several different communal facets.
“We want to be able to support micro markets, entertainment, educational programs and entrepreneur training as well. We are looking at working with a variety of community partners to program the space upon its buildout,” said Pouliot in an interview with Reminder Publishing.
Some potential partners of the space will be the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, Elms College, the Boys and Girls Club and Valley Opportunity Council. Pouliot said that chamber could potentially host its summer market, Center Fresh Market, year-round once the former library space is redeveloped. He also stressed that the city will be willing to work with various interested parties on programing.
“We’re making sure its flexible to support any opportunity … The city will be in a position to work with any entity that’s interested in bringing an appropriate program to the downtown,” said Pouliot.
Pouliot expects the space to become a significant draw in Chicopee Center. The former library is located in the heart of the city right beside City Hall.
“It’s a prominent historic building in the heart of Chicopee Center. We’re hopeful by reactivating it we create a draw of people that are coming to participate in the programing and activities there, in addition to it supporting programing and activities happening elsewhere in the downtown. It’s a two-part effort,” said Pouliot.
Mayor John Vieau expressed enthusiasm with the redevelopment’s current progress and its potential benefit to Chicopee Center.
“It’s been sitting dormant for far too long. We want people to experience what downtown Chicopee has to offer,” said Vieau in an interview with Reminder Publishing.