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Date: 9/26/2023
SPRINGFIELD – Years after it closed, the former Kavanaugh Furniture building on State Street will have a new life.
City officials, including Mayor Domenic Sarno, gathered on Sept. 15 for a groundbreaking for the renovation of the building undertaken by Springfield based Renaissance Development LLC.
The $8.5 million redevelopment project will convert the building into 35 affordable one- or two-bedroom apartments as well as commercial space. Donald Mitchell of Renaissance Development explained the redevelopment will create 29 construction jobs and 19 permanent jobs.
Mitchell told the audience at the event, “It’s been a long journey.”
He explained to Reminder Publishing the project will be in two phases with the first one scheduled to be completed next summer and the second seeing completion next winter. He added that at this time he has commitments from five commercial tenants with 1,700 square feet of the 10,000 square feet of the commercial space still available.
According to a plan displayed at the groundbreaking, there will be an ice cream shop, a food vendor and a yoga studio, among other businesses.
In a statement released by Renaissance Development, “Redevelopment will take place in two phases with the first involving the demolition of the unstable rear portion of the building and renovation of the fac¸ade and front lower and street levels. Once completed [slated for summer 2024], phase one will comprise 10,000 square feet of retail space for several commercial tenants ranging in size and use, coupled with 15 units of housing, and 43 parking spaces.
“Phase two [slated to commence for winter 2024] will complete 20 additional one- and two- bedroom units throughout the entire second floor. These units will be set-aside as permanent supportive housing units for people who have experienced homelessness. Through partnership with the nonprofit MHA, tenants who qualify will receive a variety of support and wraparound services.”
At the groundbreaking Mitchell thanked the funders of the project which included New Valley Bank funds from the city’s Community Preservation Committee; $2 million in city ARPA funds and $700,000 in housing funds; as well as assistance from Massachusetts Alliance for Supportive Housing, MassHousing and the Life Initiative, Inc.
Sarno spoke of the continued need for housing in the city and noted ongoing projects such as 31 Elm St. downtown, the Firestone/Knox building at Mason Square and the Gemini property in the South End.
“My administration is putting its money where its mouth is,” Sarno said.
Robert McCarroll of the Community Preservation Committee said the project was a “two-fer,” as the funds from that committee are designated for both historical preservation as well as creating housing.
The Kavanaugh Furniture building operated from 1873 until its closing in early 2009 and has been vacant since that time.