Wait Until Next Year

Simple Gifts Farm, aka North Amherst Community Farm.  Pine Street on right

What some neighbors have dubbed "The Forever Project" -- the Pine Street renovation -- a major east/west thoroughfare just north of UMass, our #1 employer, continues to live up to the name.

The $4 million project will not be totally completed by Thanksgiving the drop dead date for construction projects because asphalt plants close for the season.

Since tax money (both Agricultural Preservation Restriction and Community Preservation Act) assisted in purchasing/preserving the North Amherst Community Farm it took a little longer to get permission to intrude on their land for the sidewalk and crosswalk construction.

By the time permission was obtained the squash had already been planted so now the construction project will have to wait until next year.  Don't want to mess with a farmer's squash crop.

The road itself, however, will be completed by first snowfall.

Another project that is starting to join the realm of forever projects is the intersection of Triangle/East Pleasant at the up and coming north end of downtown.

Guilford Mooring out of the hot seat at last night's PWC meeting

Last night the Public Works Committee discussed the item (along with a bevy of concerned neighbors) for the 8th time over the past 1.5 years.

Intersection of Triangle and East Pleasant Streets will go the way of roundabout

The Committee continues to wholeheartedly support the idea of a roundabout but have not yet seen a detailed enough plan to vote on it.  Neighbors have continually expressed concern about pedestrian/bicycle safety and the town losing its "small town character" via a roundabout.

The Public Works Committee will, probably, vote in favor of the project at their next meeting in November.  The PWC is only an advisory committee appointed by the Select Board, who has final say over "the public way."

Click to enlarge/read

 7/10/14 vote was taken before the town acquired $1.5 million state grant for construction work near the intersection

We're #1

 Amherst's new them song:  "Where have all the hippies gone?"

So this is certainly not the kind of Internet poll result you will see our Chamber of Commerce, Business Improvement District or UMass Office of News & Media Relations proudly hype in a press release.

But, considering the source, maybe they should.

Internet troll and anonymous provocateur Turtle Boy Sports named us #1 on the list of his (obviously he's a he)  "Top Ten Hippie Towns in Massachusetts Where Turtle Boy Would Lose His Mind"

Not that he has much of a mind to begin with.  But hey, at least he can count to ten.

First of all Amherst has the lowest median age in the state, with 58% of our population comprised of "college aged youth."  The "hippie" demographic died off a while ago.

These days we have more homeless hanging out in town center than we do hippies.

In other words the Vietnam war is l-o-n-g over.  And Turtle Boy should know that since he -- like Barstool Sports -- revels in bad boy, party hardy, rowdy student behavior.

If immaturity was a good thing, Turtle Boy would be a saint. 

But that's kind of the modus operandi for Turtle Boy:  Cite a cliche or two, add a pinch of snark and a few lousy photos and voilà, you have a listicle "story."  Now bring on the hits. 

Funny thing is in his "takedown" of little old me last spring he clearly says, "Downtown Amherst has tons of cool shops, restaurants, and bars, none of which would exist were it not for the fact that 20,000 carpetbaggers live there in three out of the four seasons."

And he even closed with, "it’s actually got a nice downtown area with tons of nice looking things."

But that's Turtle Boy: spew so much verbiage that you soon forget what you have said in the past.  And he's too lazy to bother with a simple Google search -- even of his own website.

And w-a-y too cowardly to stand by his opinions under his own name.

Attention To Detail

Chestnut Court on the northern outskirts of Amherst town center

Residents of Chestnut Court brought their complaints to a Board of Commissioners meeting last week (10/5/15) about outside renovations done during the summer that left a lot to be desired with some of the final details, like landscaping.

 Rocks in a large bald patch of lawn 10/6/15

Interestingly the Department of Housing & Community Development had given Precise Paving a "Notice To Proceed" on May 7, 2015 for the project, which had a 90 day completion date built in. 

The contractor did not actually start until July 13, 2015 but was still under contract to complete the project by August 5, 2015.

The loam used appeared substandard with too many rocks and pebbles and the grass seed was planted in a haphazard hit-or-miss manner.

 Bigger rocks and globs of seed 10/6/15

AHA Director Denise LeDuc had complained to the contractor a few days before the residents appeared at the meeting.   She was pretty much told to go pound sand.

But after sending photographs of the lousy workmanship to the architect and telling them she would be withholding payment on the $300,000 contract, a worker showed up the very next day to rerake the lawn areas to remove the abundance of rocks and then he hydroseeded the entire area.

 Although they could have been a little more precise with the application 10/9/15

Oldest rule in the book:  If you wish to get someone's attention, threaten their pocketbook.

 AHA Commissioner Peter Jessop and Director Denise LeDuc at sight visit Friday 10/9/15

Prime Parking Rehab

Amity Street lot yesterday afternoon, Jones Library top center

Amherst Town Meeting, which starts November 2,  will be asked to spend $200,000 to completely renovate one of the busiest parking lots in town, the 33 space Amity Street surface lot.


The centrally located lot is contiguous with the Amherst Cinema, with the Jones Library directly across the street.  A 2007 parking study found it was 96.5% full between the hours of 11:00 AM until 6:00 PM.

Of course what Amherst really needs to do is increase the supply of parking in the downtown, which doesn't come cheap.

There's been increasing talk about building a parking garage behind the CVS, which was the original preferred location back when the town ended up constructing the tiny Boltwood Walk Garage on the other side of North Pleasant Street.

  CVS parking and town owned lot would require Town Meeting zoning change for a garage

Skin Of The Earth

Sculptured artwork "Essential Voyage" Amherst North Common

Perhaps it's fitting that in one of his final acts as Town Manager John Musante approved the placement on our historic North Town Common the fragile artwork "Essential Voyage," a life sized sculpture made of raw clay, hemp fiber, chicken wire and wood.

Artist creator Valerie Gilman sees it as microcosm of life and, all too inevitably, death:

"As the clay dries it will shrink and crack and as the rainwater falls on it, it will wash away the clay.  This process of decay is part of the piece.  We are part of the skin of the earth and our lives are temporary here."

Ms. Gilman has dedicated this timely public art project to the memory of John Musante, gone from this life far too soon.  

There will be an open reception during the Chamber of Commerce Art Walk on Thursday, October 1st with the artist and her collaborator Margaret Bowrys, who was the model for the sculpture.  Bowrys will also perform an improvisational dance.

Over the course of the next few months the artwork will, by design, degrade.  And on December 1st, that which remains will be removed. 

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

   Amherst "Essential Voyage Artwork

Well I Hate That Dirty Water

UMass dredged the Campus Pond last month

UMass Landscape Architecture students have set up a living laboratory on North Pleasant Street near the Bertucci's parking lot directly across from Kendrick Park to demonstrate a simple solution to the storm water run off that oozes into Tan Brook and then dumps into the UMass campus pond.

Plants can provide natural water filtration

Some plants actually like yucky gray water and by planting them in the flow path of Tan Brook  they would naturally absorb some of the pollutants before they do damage to the pond.

The space required is pretty minimal, as little as five square feet.   A series of these green patches could be planted along the path of the underground brook, brightening our downtown street scape while improving the environment.

 Balloons on Kendrick Park above Tan Brook represent the Campus Pond

You Can Always Go

Amherst after dark, North Pleasant Street

If the Business Improvement District keeps this up the Celebrate Amherst Block Party will become a downtown tradition, much like the Taste of Amherst or Merry Maple Tree lighting ceremony, which also brings thousands of folks to the heart of our town for a family friendly event.

 

She flew through the air ...

And have for quite a long time now.

5:30 PM

8:45 PM

While the Block Party is the new kid on the block -- with four winning events now in the record books --   the secret to success is the same:  bring lots of people together in a controlled but wide open area for a feel good event.

Kendrick Park on the far north end of town looked like Christmas

The weather of course is a major factor.   Mother Nature should win an award as best supporting actress in last night's event.

 Downtown restaurants did a booming business

 AFD Central Station is always a popular attraction

 AFD Engine 1 and A2 staged at DPW building a mile away to respond to calls

And the town too deserves major kudos for their supporting role by providing the stretch on North Pleasant street running through town center and the town employees -- Police, Fire and DPW -- to assist with making things go as smoothly as possible.

Build, Baby, Build

Amherst Carriage Shops, AKA One East Pleasant Street, coming soon!

The August 12 Summary Judgement slapdown to the lawsuit against One East Pleasant filed by abutter/competitor Joel Greenbaum and paid for by dozens of fellow NIMBYs has NOT been appealed to the Massachusetts Appeals Court, where a panel of three judges would review the trial Court's decision; therefor the lawsuit is dead, Dead, DEAD.

   One East Pleasant, Amherst by Larry Kelley

Developer Kyle Wilson said yesterday the first order of business will be hazardous waste abatement in the former downtown hotel turned commercial strip mall, as any building constructed over fifty years ago has asbestos.  Then comes the demolition.

The Carriage Inn was very successful in the early years but fell victim to increased competition for the lucrative academic market from the University Lodge just down the road and the tax exempt Campus Center Hotel.

 

Amherst Carriage Inn circa 1960 

Meanwhile Archipelago's other nearby five-story, mixed-used building, Kendrick Place, is now over 75% occupied and thus far no major problems to report with either rowdy late night partying or a parking Armageddon.

 Kendrick Place 1st weekend of occupancy

At last week's Public Works Committee meeting DPW Chief Guilford Mooring presented up to date plans for the roundabout in front of Kendrick Place.

The curbline immediately in front of Kendrick leading onto Triangle Street will be pushed further north into the intersection to improve traffic flow and all allow better streetscape infrastructure (grass,lighting, benches, trees, etc)  if the town goes with a roundabout.

 Curbline (circled) will move northward a few feet

During the public comment period the PWC heard John Fox request an underground tunnel for the intersection whether it becomes a roundabout or not, citing safety concerns over students commuting to UMass.

 DPW Chief Guilford Mooring assuring Jeff Brown none of his commercial property is needed for roundabout

This of course would probably double the cost of the intersection, and the PWC has already gone on record at their 7/10/14 meeting saying they unanimously support a roundabout -- but only if it is constructed without any town funds.

 Most up to date intersection plan (roundabout)

Although Public Works Committee Chair Christine Gray-Mullen did say the previous recommendation was made over a year ago when the town was in a far different financial situation with road repairs.

Her Committee will continue discussion of the roundabout at their October 15 meeting and will take another vote on a intersection recommendation at that meeting or the following one.

The town is trying to incorporate some of the intersection work using the $1.5 million MassWorks project money already in hand.  The relocation of those ugly above-ground utility poles to an underground location is expected to start soon.

   Amherst NIMBY Court Case

But Will The Residents Complain?

 West Cemetery:  The most historic/sacred ground in Amherst

The Agricultural Commission was receptive to DPW Division Director of Trees & Grounds Alan Snow's  proposal to allow sheep grazing in town cemeteries, an all natural way of keeping the green green grass at an acceptable height.

Ideally the town would use a mix of sheep and goats, since the latter "browse" and would consume weeds, shrubs and invasive species.

 Our Civil War dead are buried in West Cemetery

The proposal is still very much in the preliminary stages.  The next step is to seek permission of the Historical Commission.  Snow believes there may be grant money available to help pay for the experiment, and if all goes well the critters could be munching away next spring.

This section of West Cemetery kept in a more "natural" state

Historic West Cemetery, where the older area is already kept in a more "natural" condition  (cut only once per year) is envisioned as a test site.

Don't worry, the critters would not be given a key to the Dickinson family plot.

Emily Dickinson, "The Belle of Amherst," 2nd from left

Can't Forget

 Commemorative flag flies from downtown utility pole

The commemorative flags went up in the downtown yesterday at the crack of dawn to mark Labor Day, and for the first time in 14 years I hope they come down on Tuesday.

That way, when they go back up on Thursday or early Friday morning it sends the clear signal that they are returning to their perch to remember 9/11, a morning unlike any in our history.

Today is one of those 9/11-like days: late summer, our little college town swelling in size with an influx of college aged youth, all under a severe clear blue sky.  The bright yellow sun slowly arcing east to west.

Perhaps if the weather had not been so stunningly beautiful that morning the untested kamikaze pilots may have had a tougher time hitting their otherwise hard to miss targets.

Yes, we could probably come up with a few "what if" scenarios that could have changed the outcome that fateful morning, which only adds to the sorrow. Life moves on -- it always does.

So when you see those 23 commemorative American flags in town center on Friday (no matter what the weather is like) pause for moment to remember our innocent dead, perhaps say a prayer.

And hope it never happens again.

The main town flag will fly at half staff on 9/11 as will all municipal flags nationwide

Sign Of The Times?

Parking enforcement on scene Town Hall for beheaded sign (left).  At least they left the pole

Yes one of the more minor aggravations we will have to put up with as our population begins to double with the return of "college aged youth": stolen street signs.

 Sign near Hastings still there

Why you would want a "15 minute parking" sign in your dorm room is beyond me -- especially if you  place it near a bed.

Property owner Jeff Brown is hoping the town will install those 15 minute (free) parking signs in front of his commercial building on Triangle Street immediately adjacent to Kendrick Place.

 Jeff Brown owns the concrete contiguous with Triangle Street

This would keep tenants and or contractors of the new building from tying up valuable parking spots.

And with the town's highly efficient Parking Management doing the enforcement, increasing revenues to the town over violations.

Living in the shadow of Kendrick Place

A double win.

Kendrick Place: Open For Business

Kendrick Place, Saturday

Kendrick Place, Sunday

The mixed-use five story building that has forever changed the face of downtown Amherst's north end is now open, having been issued a Certificate of Occupancy last night by Building Commissioner Rob Morra.

Phased move ins for the 36 badly needed housing units began this morning.

 Kendrick Place Monday:  Front Check in station (minus the ladder of course)

 Hallway art:  painting of an aerial view of salt mine (different view on each of five floors)

In addition to paying the town $150,000 in property taxes (based on a value of around $7.5 million) the upscale building will also house 100 tenants who are potential customers for nearby businesses.

 Kendrick Place, Tuesday:  moving in day

The revitalization of downtown Amherst is now off to a good start.

Signs of Summer's End

Black Lives Matter group protest in front of APD at high noon today

Yes when you live in a "college town" there are some unmistakable signs that summer is quickly coming to a close and our population is about to double with students flocking to our three institutes of higher education.

From the ubiquitous  "Welcome Back Students" signs in shopkeepers windows to the downtown traffic jams created by a co-mingling of cars and college aged youth.

Political activism will pick up where it left off last spring with the current cause de jour being "Black Lives Matter."  Today at noon a group of about 30 marched around and through the Town Common and set up shop in front of the Amherst Police Station at 111 Main Street.



They were pretty much ignored by APD, although not by the local bricks and mortar media or pedestrians in the downtown.  Which, I suppose, is the general idea.

Thuggery Continues

War Memorial Pool.  DPW Tree Division immediately north

In addition to break ins at downtown LimeRed Teahouse, the Monkey Bar and an apartment nearby on Thursday night, the town owned War Memorial Pool (now closed for the season) was also the victim of an overzealous agile perp who climbed the perimeter fence, broke through security glass in an inside door and then trashed the place in search of cash -- which he didn't find.

 All outside windows are gated security glass

Unfortunately the town does not have security cameras installed at the War Memorial building, although the DPW operation next door will soon have them, and one camera will point directly at the pool.

Our downtown has been plagued by this unsophisticated type of criminal activity for far too long now.

And while the students return next week does not necessarily increase this brutish type of behavior, the other alcohol fueled rowdy activities college aged youth routinely engage in -- albeit a small minority but of a large overall number -- will keep police distracted until first snow. 

 Eastern Hampshire District Court

Thursday night's break in spree seemed to be worse than the entire weekend as Monday morning in Eastern Hampshire District Court had a total of three APD arraignments, two for motor vehicle charges and one for a violation of abuse prevention order.