Northampton Housing Partnership resolution on the Hilton Garden Inn at the Round House

The Northampton Housing Partnership, at its meeting of June 27, 2007, voted unanimously in support of the following

Resolution:

Given the City’s long term commitment to affordable housing, the difficulty of creating and preserving such housing, and the particular value of the New South Street Apartments, the Northampton Housing Partnership expresses its deep concern about the impact of the proposed Hilton Garden Inn and parking garage on the quality of life of current and future residents of those apartments, and on the continued financial viability of the property, in which significant public resources have been invested.[1]

The Northampton Housing Partnership strongly urges the Planning Board to exercise its authority, under all available Ordinance and Code provisions, including Section 350-11.6 items A and C, and Section 350-12 (Site Plan Approval Criteria), to mitigate the negative impacts of this project on the current and future residents of the New South Street apartments and to help insure the continued viability of this important affordable housing project.

We are particularly concerned about blockage of natural light, potential noise impact, poor air quality, building and automobile exhaust and other factors that might affect the health and quality of life of the residents, thereby putting this affordable housing resource at risk. We also note that a major construction and excavation project, of this scale and duration, so close to the New South Street Apartments may have a significant negative financial impact on the successful operation of the Apartments. The presence of a multi-story wall (as promised in the site plans currently under discussion) that will block the view of Pulaski Park now available to residents from their porches, and the creation of an alleyway with dumpster right below their windows, raises the possibility that the property will become much less desirable to all current or potential residents, thereby affecting its financial viability.

We encourage all parties, including the Mayor, the Office of Planning and Development, the Planning Board, the neighbors and the developer, to look at creative design approaches such as step-backs and other changes in scale to allow this project to co-exist in harmony with its neighbors, as is required by the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Northampton.

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[1] Funding for the acquisition and rehabilitation of the property has included the following: