A number of press releases from the Springfield mayor’s office crossed the wires late last week, covering the matters of the city’s trash collection, the facelift reconstruction about to take place on Main Street downtown, and the demolition of a vacant and sorry-looking building at Apremont Triangle. More on those below.
The city’s License Commission met Thursday evening with a full agenda. One item on the agenda was a violation at the VFW, erroneously reported earlier as going before the commission a couple of weeks ago.
Another item was planned to address Bear Auto, Inc.’s “illegal expansion of [a] used car lot without a special permit,” failure to “install landscaping, bumpers and/or berms” and failure to “address glare from lighting.” The item was continued from an April 26 hearing date.
Bear Auto, located in Springfield’s South End, was granted a special permit by the Springfield City Council at the end of May, per an analysis (PDF) by the Office of Planning and Economic Development recommending approval, provided that several conditions were met. The owner, James Pace of Springfield, had already expanded his lot from 510 Main Street to 544-548 Main Street onto a vacant property where he had demolished a building. The expansion was done without a special permit, so Pace was advised to petition for an amendment to his existing special permit.
Conditions to meet, as outlined by planning staff, included the installation and maintenance of landscaping; the striping of the planned 73 parking spaces, including ten designated for customers and employees, so that “cars are stored and presented for public view in an orderly manner”; no storage of wrecked vehicles on the property; no trash, weeds or debris; and “any and all lighting shall be shielded from the residential abutters.”
The requirements for the landscaping installation were specific: a planned evergreen hedge along Norwood, Broad and Main Streets to be maintained at a height of two-and-a-half to three feet, presumably so as not to create an inadvertent “blank wall” along those streets by allowing the hedge to grow too tall; and the installation of three additional two-and-a-half to three-inch caliper shade trees along the Main Street frontage.
“These additional plantings will reinforce the street edge, which was lost due to the demolition of the building,” planning staff noted, “while also strengthening the separation between this large expanse of vehicular storage, and the pedestrian sidewalk.” Apparently these elements, as well as a shield of some kind from the lighting, were not addressed by the owner. Add to that apparently-illegal additional expansion without a special permit. Enter the License Commission hearing.
The planning staff’s analyis on this used-car lot includes some other interesting soapboxing on desirable Main Street development. “[T]he overall look and feel of the Main Street experience continues to be compromised by the continuing loss of the architectural street edge and expansion of large parking lots and automotive-related uses,” it asserts. “Successful urban corridors, typically main streets, are designed to engage pedestrians and encourage retail activities. These designs include buildings at the street edge with first floor retail, street trees to provide shade, and other pedestrian amenities.”
Holes in the street edge, the analysis continues, create an increased distance between destinations for pedestrians going about their business. “[T]he desirability of the business district and pedestrian experience as a whole diminishes,” the analysis says.
This is an important theme for Springfield, but rather than segue from that into Main Street as it travels through downtown, how about a word from the friendly Department of Public Works?
The city’s press release on the newly-implemented trash fee going into effect this summer reads, “The End is Nigh.” Actually, it reads, “End of trash service nears for non-responders.” If you haven’t already paid the trash fee, whether quarterly or annually, you’re now considered a non-believer—rather, a non-responder.
The DPW held a press conference at 11:00 am today at its headquarters, 70 Tapley Street, in order to “detail important information” for residents who have not paid the fee. “During the press conference,” the release notes, “DPW Director Al Chwalek and Project Manager Peter Graczykowski will announce the rate of participation to date, and provide an update on the city’s process of implementing the fee, which became effective July 1. Springfield property owners are not mandated to participate in the city’s trash service. Those who choose not to participate will be responsible for the proper disposal of their own trash.”
And now back to Main Street—last week’s release, in its entirety:
The City of Springfield has announced the awarding of the Main Street reconstruction contract to Ludlow Construction. Ludlow submitted the lowest bid of $2,093,893 amongst three bidders. The project is set to kick off within two weeks, once contracts are finalized, with substantial completion expected before the winter months.
“We’re excited to add this to the list of major investments in and around downtown Springfield,” said Brian M. Connors, Deputy Director of Economic Development. “For downtown to continue to rebound, both the private and public sectors need to invest, and this project is a great example of a public project that will have a great impact in the look and feel of Main Street.”
The project area runs from the railroad crossing near Lyman Street to Bliss Street. The improvements include a complete repaving of the street, select sidewalk reconstruction, new crosswalks, pedestrian countdown clocks, traffic signals, street trees, and new street light fixtures.
The city hired LAM Partners to examine lighting levels and to produce a plan that would increase levels on Main Street. With the new fixtures and layout, Main Street light levels are expected to increase two-fold over existing conditions. This is due to the increased number of fixtures, consistent patterns and heights of poles.
“We realized that improved lighting was a crucial issue for our business community, and will be a welcome addition to visitors coming to enjoy all that downtown Springfield has to offer,” said Connors.
Also of interest to the business community has been the issue of on-street parking. Once the improvements are fully complete the city plans to introduce a limited number of on-street parking spaces on Main Street for a trial period. Those plans are currently in development.
The last piece of news is that the city has scheduled the start of the demolition of 141-147 Chestnut Street, a notoriously problematic location in the past, but just a vacant eyesore in recent history. Come downtown for a visit and watch this piece of history disintegrate before our very eyes beginning today. The view is about to change significantly for neighboring businesses and residents.
“Taken by the City for non payment of taxes in May 2006,” the city’s release states, “the Building Department ordered the building condemned December 27, 2006. The building, which stood vacant and abandoned for more than five years, at one time housed a bar.”
Accu-Tech of Ludlow (whose site is, appropriately, under construction) was the low bidder for the demolition project at $121,000, the release notes. The work will be paid from the city’s demolition bond.
“Located in the Apremont Triangle area [pictured below] of downtown,” the city’s release reminds us, “the demolition 141-147 Chestnut Street contributes to the neighborhood development taking place in that area. Other efforts include working with the Parking Authority and the developers of the Birnie Building LLC for an urban grocer for the area.”
