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Date: 7/25/2023
AMHERST — The Planning Board gave unanimous approval for a temporary certificate of occupancy for a mixed-use building project approved by the town in 2018 but delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The structure at 26 Spring St. contains 58 apartments for incoming tenants with commercial space on the property’s first floor.
Board Member Chris Brestrup briefed fellow members on the history of the building site and plan proposal as none had been empaneled when the project was first approved.
“It has experienced a number of delays in getting built and the primary delay was associated with the pandemic when construction was halted for an extended period of time,” she told the board.
Conditions preventing the issuance of a Temporary CO, included landscaping and site amenities, legal parking downtown and the incorporation of screening or window film to prevent glare from the building’s south side.
Kyle Wilson, representing Archipelago Investments LLC, said the project started back up in February of 2022 following the COVID-19 shut down and encountered supply chain issues along the way, most prominently the electrical switchgear which arrived in June following significant delays.
“We are looking to move people into the building August 1,” Wilson told the board. “We were originally looking to move people on July 1, before that it was June 1 and with each switchgear delay it kind of got pushed back.”
The board voted unanimously — 7-0 — to approve the three waivers after being presented with a 150% surety for the cost of landscaping and paving still to be completed, proof of emailed information sent to tenants regarding parking in downtown Amherst and the potential window glare as addressed.
In recommending swift action towards a vote, Board Member Johanna Neumann indicated she was satisfied that the necessary conditions had been met for a move forward towards occupancy.
“It sounds like there were a lot of conditions put on the building, some of them are now kind of as the rubber hits the road a little bit contradictory,” she said.
Member Bruce Coldham concurred.
“We should be sympathetic to the circumstances and recognize that getting everything done and under circumstances like these is really difficult,” he said.
The vote also included an agreement by Wilson that landscaping and paving amenities would be installed and completed by the end of the year.