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Date: 2/21/2023
SPRINGFIELD – Three “significant, historic structures” located in the heart of downtown Springfield will be redeveloped following a request for qualifications (RFQ) process. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and Springfield Redevelopment Authority (SRA) Executive Director Amanda Pham announced their redevelopment intentions for the properties at 113 State St., 1155 Main St. and 11-21 Stockbridge St. during a Feb. 13 press conference with various business and community leaders.
The three properties were acquired by the city in October 2021 after years of inactivity led to a bank foreclosure. The State Street building is best known as the Clock Tower Building and Masonic Building constructed in 1903, while the Main Street property was a staple of the century-old Colonial Block.
Combined, the three locations feature 130,000 square feet of land.
The RFQ will package the trio of downtown properties together for one developer to bid on. Chief Development Officer Timothy Sheehan said the city is soliciting requests that will establish street level activity for downtown patrons while hosting various adaptive reuses at the structures’ upper levels. The RFQ submissions will be due in March before the city selects a short list of two to three bidders for request for proposals (RFP).
“We have to be bringing forward projects that have a high degree of ground floor activation. Then, we are looking at adaptive reuse for the upper levels. That could be a combination of many different uses,” said Sheehan, who referenced housing or office space as potential upper floor uses.
The SRA received a $1 million federal grant to help stabilize the buildings in December 2022. While each structure still features some decay, Pham highlighted the potential of economic growth existing within each structure.
“They have disinvestment, but they have incredible potential and opportunity,” said Pham.
The trio of city-owned areas are located between MGM Springfield and the MassMutual Center. Sarno stressed that the city wanted “to take the bull by the horns” in acquiring the properties so they can be cohesively woven within the city’s economic plans.
“We decided to move in and become temporary property owners,” said Sarno.
Sarno, Sheehan and the SRA debuted a Master Development Plan in March 2021. The extensive economic blueprint mapped out a vision for detailed planning and development of in the aftermath of MGM Springfield’s opening in August 2018. The economic roadmap includes the Main Street and Convention District Master Development Plan and the recently adopted Court Square Urban Renewal Plan.
“This gives us the opportunity to determine the future ownership of these buildings and ensure their redevelopment in consistency with our goals and objectives,” said Pham. The SRA was formed in 1960 to aid the city with redevelopment projects. Pham was named as its executive director in July 2021.
During the press conference, Sarno discussed the essential foundation the plans provide as the city promotes “synergy” and “dictates economic development” in the downtown area. The mayor envisions a “promenade area” from Main Street into the South End of Springfield that prominently and safely highlights the downtown area’s various amenities.
“My goal is to create that synergy and even more investment and involvement, not only with MGM [Springfield] and [the] MassMutual Center. My dream and my goal is to create a promenade,” said Sarno.
Sarno celebrated investment that continues to occur in downtown Springfield. He cited the ongoing development of a new Civic Center Garage that will open toward the end of the year. The garage will feature additional room for events and a first floor that will be active with multi-use developments. Another upcoming downtown development includes $6.2 million for renovations of the Court Square park space.
Sarno championed that total investments in the Main Street and Convention District equals $1.5 billion.
The mayor showcased the city’s RFQ marketing video created by Focus Springfield. The video features comments from MGM Springfield President Chris Kelley, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority Executive Director David Gibbons and Opal Real Estate Group Director Peter Picknelly. Picknelly’s company is overseeing the development of a $6.5 housing project at 31 Elm St. in collaboration with Winn Development.
Kelley and Gibbons both spoke positively of Sarno’s economic development planning at the press conference. Kelley expressed “extraordinary optimism” for what downtown Springfield could grow to be.
“This is a discussion about tomorrow … There have been challenges, but all of those have been outweighed by the tremendous power and potential that has been woven into tomorrow,” said Kelley.
Gibbons considered the RFQ “one of the most beautifully packaged pieces of marketing” he’s seen. He also highlighted the clarity the MassMutual Center operates with as part of the city’s master plan.
“It’s been such a pleasure to do our part of the master plan because you have the context of the master plan – we weren’t planning in a vacuum,” said Gibbons.
Neighborhood leaders also expressed support for downtown’s redevelopment. Armoury Quadrangle Civic Association Chair Betsy Johnson and South End Citizens Council Chair Leo Florian spoke positively about activity continuing to grow downtown.
In his remarks, Florian reflected on current state of Springfield’s downtown roughly a decade after the 2011 tornado ravaged properties in the area.
“Years ago, if certain decisions weren’t made and weren’t made correctly, I don’t know if we would be standing here today and looking at a project like this. This is going to be enormous for continuing to get that end of Main Street developed,” said Florian.
Sarno concluded the press conference by reemphasizing his vision for downtown Springfield.
“We’re here to set the table. Sometimes you got to spend a little money to make money and create a four letter word – jobs … We’re setting the table and making it very attractive to come [to downtown Springfield],” said Sarno.
After the meeting’s conclusion, state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez issued mixed sentiments about the announcement. Gonzales said he supports continual redevelopment, but stresses the importance of highlighting diversity and local developers in these projects.
“It is critical that we make every decision in this city through the lens of diversity and equity. Too many economic development projects in Springfield are being developed by people who refuse to live in Springfield or have chosen to move out. Our community has an opportunity to create a pipeline of future local economic development leaders by nurturing our smaller developers now and helping them to grow their capacity for the future,” said Gonzalez in a Feb. 14 statement.
Readers can learn more about the RFQ at https://www.springfield-ma.gov/sra/sra/redevelopment.