Thursday, June 30, 2011

ARA stays the Gateway course


Tonight the Amherst Redevelopment Authority voted unanimously to:
  1. Adopt "the vision" put forth by our consultant for the Gateway Corridor
  2. Continue to be the lead agency charged with realizing that vision
  3. Request the Town Manager prioritize this project and provide town staff support
The emphasis will be narrowed to focus on the 2 acre former Frat Row currently owned by UMass--what Gianni Longo described as a "catalyst". And with the added good news that Robert Holub will continue as UMass Amherst Chancellor for another year, this ambitious signature project can now move forward with all due speed.

ACP consultant Gianni Longo


Chancellor Robert Holub
at

12 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 1, 2011 at 1:40 AM

    Bob Holub is still Chancellor???

    His contract ended today...

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  2. Larry KelleyJuly 1, 2011 at 6:10 AM

    One more year--time enough for Gateway to get going.

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  3. AnonymousJuly 1, 2011 at 7:48 AM

    Thank goodness some common sense prevailed. This project was really overreaching with its prior talk of potential eminent domain takings. Now it can more rightly focus on the vacant land that was frat row.

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  4. AnonymousJuly 5, 2011 at 11:45 AM

    Why the thoughtful planning process with neighbors for the Gateway and then the pell mell roughshod ride over neighbors for the solar project?

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  5. Larry KelleyJuly 5, 2011 at 11:49 AM

    Oh, I think if you asked around there are still a few Gateway neighbors who think of it a government-gone-wild scenario.

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  6. AnonymousJuly 6, 2011 at 12:43 PM

    That doesn't answer the question, just fog it up a bit. The differences in the two processes are stark, so what's the justification?

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  7. AnonymousJuly 6, 2011 at 9:51 PM

    When have we ever had a decision-making process that wasn't characterized by some group in town as a "pell mell roughshod ride"?

    There are still some folks in town who want to slow down construction of the parking garage.

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  8. AnonymousJuly 8, 2011 at 11:27 AM

    More fog. The parking garage was years in the making. Still no one can answer the question. These two decision processes are starkly different. The solar project contract was announced and approved for signing by town meeting in less than 2 months. Tell me why.

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  9. AnonymousJuly 9, 2011 at 11:06 AM

    No one can give any reasons because there aren't any logical reasons to treat these projects and neighborhoods differently. There may be political reasons that no one wants to talk about publicly or just incompetence and lack of thinking by the town.

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  10. Larry KelleyJuly 9, 2011 at 2:27 PM

    Gateway could amount to a $100 million project generating $1.5 million in taxes at current rates, while the Solar Farm will perhaps be $10 million generating $150,000; and even with the deal on electricity will still generate less money than Gateway so, I think if the town was going to shove a project down your throats it would be Gateway over the Solar Farm.

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  11. AnonymousJuly 10, 2011 at 11:17 AM

    Still no reasons.

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  12. AnonymousJuly 11, 2011 at 10:09 AM

    Why not start a real public process now?

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