26 Spring Street is currently an open lot
Archipelago Investments has invested greatly over the past few years filling in the Amherst skyline with five story mixed use buildings that are mostly residential: Boltwood Place, Kendrick Place and One East Pleasant which is now under construction.
On March 1st they go before the Planning Board for yet another similar project at 26 Spring Street in the heart of downtown for a 38 unit five story building with 1,000 square feet of commercial on the ground floor.
Commercial in yellow
Although located in the Municipal Parking District and therefor exempt from the usual 2 parking spaces per unit bylaw they will be providing 17 parking spaces.
And since the property is located in the (BG) General Business District they are only requesting two Special Permits from the Planning Board under Site Plan Review to increase lot coverage from 70% to 77% and a rear setback of 1' vs. 0 or 10'.
All in all very modest requests. Especially considering the significant property tax increase to town coffers and the increase in badly needed rental housing stock.
Since the property is nestled among commercial buildings (Lord Jeff, Police Station, Grace Church) NIMBY noise should not be overly deafening
21 comments:
Oh joy.
fugly enuf?
Looks terrific! Especially, since all that is there now is an empty rock-strewn lot.
I'm trying to picture where that is. Is it behind the police station and across the street from the side of the Lord Jeff?
Yes.
It is behind the Masonic Lodge.
is the "commercial" going to be more barely used office space? because if so, meh.
is the "commercial" going to be there in case someone needs it, for offices or otherwise, evaluated in advance by business people making the investment? Because if so cool. It is hard to find places to run a decent business and make jobs, especially in the days of community planning by non-business people.
Why do you care? You don't own it.
And now ... for the Ugliest Building in Amherst Award ....
anon 541 - If the argument for this kind of "multi-use" is based in part on the idea of "commercial" meaning stores and whatnot, then what we got at the cheeze wedge doesn't really satisfy.
Another "ugliest of the year" award to Archipelago! And they call themselves architects! 1000 sf. of commercial space is a joke. Who can afford these rents? and what are the unintended consequences of so much expensive housing in the downtown. What if these folks go broke? then what?
Can Archipelago afford to hire an architect? Please, please try to design a building that fits in with the beautiful buildings around it.
Again? Janet? With strings of questions? Have you considered therapy?
I finally give up... I"m throwing in the towel. The Amherst I came to love is NO WAY THE SAME and continues to change to what I didn't want in a town that I live in.. I liked the small town we had with EVERY KIND OF STORE you needed.. NOW,,, I can buy a pizza and a beer at every door.. I'll have to walk there because there is rarely parking for where I wish to go.. I see the town has been taken over by people who never really knew the REAL AMHERST.. Can't wait to find a way to get out of this stinking town.. Can't stand anything about it.. I am deeply settled into this town with a business and grandchildren.. It breaks my heart to have to leave... The move won't be soon enough for me.. I may never be able to get out of here.. AND THAT WILL KILL ME.. RIP Town of Amherst
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I highly recommend Douglas Funeral Home.
Larry, this increases the downtown parking deficit BY ANOTHER 59 SPACES!
If there's such a shortage that they have to tow little old ladies cars while they are at church, then no variances should be granted.
(Or make the developer prepay a portion for a 2nd story on the garage.
What's the misleading expanse of green in the first depiction- The lawn of the Lord Jeff Inn?
To walk from the parking garage on Kellogg Ave. to attend St. Brigid's church with my cane and my handicap sign because I can't walk very far seems cruel. It's sad because I was baptized there, made my first communion, was married there and now the Town thinks there isn't any reason I should be able to park close enough to attend mass.
Maybe I can find a spot to park near Kendrick Place.
Until the population starts declining we will require more housing every year. The trick is to prevent development in Amherst until then. Shouldn't take long.
If you want to make AMH vibrant and attract people to live and spend their $ here then you have to make it an attractive place to live in and visit. There should be amenities w/in walking distance (true village living) and this building is trying to do just that. It will increase housing and provide taxes that the lot does not. As far as what businesses it will attract? Who knows. This town needs to bend and become more business friendly so I don't have keep getting zinged w property taxes.
This is called progress..you want a small quaint town this isn't going to be it. The writing is on the wall. You wanted CHANGE.. this is it. Call UHaul you snowflake bitches.
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