If You Build It ...

Political sign on public property

One of the other benefits of "The Retreat," a proposed student housing project in northeast Amherst, besides hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual property tax revenues is the short term shot in the arm for jobs, not that Amherst is now hurting with its usual low unemployment rate standing at 3.1%.

But the Hampshire/Franklin district average is 6%, only a little better than state average of 6.8%, and presumably a construction project like The Retreat will draw local labor from all across Western Massachusetts.

   Amherst Bid Solicitation for "The Retreat"

Trouble In Paradise?

290 Lincoln Avenue for sale ... again

You-Pang Tzeng, one of the more recent carpetbaggers come a calling to Amherst with full pockets of cash to invest in our highly sought after housing stock, has made some interesting business maneuvers in the past few months.

For the first time in his illustrious career he has put a property up for sale, specifically his controversial purchase of 290 Lincoln Avenue, where he quickly demolished a historic -- to some anyways -- barn in the backyard to create a separate building lot (which also scares the Hell out of the neighborhood).

Last June You-Pang Tzeng purchased 290 Lincoln Avenue for $429,000, well below its assessed value of $465,000.  The property is currently valued at  $408,400 but that does not include the building lot which was formerly the "historic barn."

That property is valued at $135,400 or a total value for the house and building lot of $543,800.

So if You-Pang Tzeng is simply trying to make money on flipping property, rather than renting it, he certainly will accomplish that goal when these two choice pieces sell.

Interestingly back in November Tzeng had planned to build an addition between two adjacent homes, 60/62 and 64/66 Railroad Street, but withdrew his Special Permit Zoning request shortly before the matter would be discussed by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

290 Lincoln Avenue is now for sale at $440,000 and probably will not last long at that price.   Of course the house itself is still a "single family," meaning one "family"-- as large as that may be -- or no more than 4 "unrelated" housemates, which usually means "students."

At that price and with a Special Permit required to expand to a two family, chances are better than average the property will not be snatched up by a slumlord looking to pack it with college aged youth.

The adjacent lot could be another story, but at that assessed value just for the lot it would be kind of a waste to build a cheap structure on it simply for student rental stock.

Either way, the neighborhood hopes and prays for an upper middle class family with two kids, a dog ... and no more than four cars.

Greatness Recalled

"The Greatest Generation:  A Visual Tribute" by artist Chris Demarest

A Military Portrait Art show kicks off its national tour here in Amherst, a town not always known as a bastion of old fashioned patriotism, in the sun splashed atrium of our own Jones Library, "the people's living room."

Hometown artist Chris Demarest, a cross between illustrator Norman Rockwell and writer Tracy Kidder,  has put brush to canvas on over 80 scenes of our WW2 generation going about their daily business of contributing to the war effort.  A hard won victory only made possible by teamwork, skill and unwavering dedication to the cause that defined a generation.

And with more than an equal share of the paintings highlighting the significant contributions to the war effort made by our secret weapon: women.

Some 350,000 women served in US Armed Forces during WW2

255th Starts Just Fine

Amherst Finance Committee

Like a proud army marching off to war across the comfortable confines of familiar territory, the opening night of Amherst's 255th Annual Town Meeting started off just grand.  The question is how well will the army look a month from now after endless combative discussions ... almost always coming down to money.

With a few articles put off to other nights, a few more placed on an automatic "yes" consent list and the benefit of non-controversial articles stacked at the begining of the 45 article warrant, Town Meeting managed to make it to article #16, THE BUDGET.  $68 million worth in total.

 Amherst Select Board making a hasty retreat

Tonight the Jones Library's tiny percentage of that overall budget came up for discussion.  Library Director Sharon Sharry closed her bubbly presentation with, "We're here because of you and for you." The $1,741,512 budget item passed unanimously.

  Jones Library Director Sharon Sharry

And since it was now 10:00 PM, Town Meeting would have to vote approval to continue discussion of THE BUDGET.  The "yes" votes were 4 or 5, the "no" votes 150 or more.  Town Meeting called it a night.

Excellence Once More

 Amherst Police Department, 111 Main Street

To no great surprise to anyone who has been paying attention over the past three years, the Amherst Police Department last week received the good news that their state accreditation has been renewed.

Back in 2001, not long before the terrorist attack underscored the ultimate sacrifice all of our first responders face on a daily basis, the Amherst Police Department first achieved accreditation -- only the second department in the state to do so.

Of course the downside to being such a highly-trained, well-regarded department is town officials figure they are sort of like the Texas Rangers "one riot, one ranger" routine, and as a result can continue to keep the department understaffed. 

Party House of The Week

 188 Sunderland Road

Yes that's right, I had to change the "Party House of the Weekend" headline just to cover these three Wild Women, as their over the top party occurred on a WEDNESDAY night.

Must have been an ode to "hump day".  Yikes!

Weekend Wrap Up

 Occupants of downtown Lincoln Building party on nearby roof

In spite of it being the last weekend UMass is still in session and picture perfect weather throughout, overall the weekend went well from a pubic safety perspective:  lots of fender benders, numerous noise complaints -- but relatively few arrests -- and only one DUI, but it was a doozy.

On Sunday afternoon (only minutes after someone sent me the above photo) police responded to a complaint about a large gathering of college aged youths from Lincoln Building apartment #201 on the adjoining roof of Bueno Y Sanyo.  Police told the 30 or so perps to shut off the radio and get inside.

Which they did.  Quickly.

 Police broke up a party at 202 College Street early Sunday morning leaving each of  the two responsible tenants with $300 civil violation tickets for both "noise" and "nuisance" or a cool $600 each.  Probably could also have issued them tickets for littering. 

200/ 202 College Street early Sunday morning

And of course our young exuberant friends at the rowdy house located on well traveled North Pleasant Street (#800) were out during the day Saturday with the "You Honk We Drink" sign.

 Not a lot of honks, but they drank anyway

 

800 North Pleasant early Sunday morning 

Someone recently decorated the house on the corner of Meadow Street and North Pleasant (1190 North Pleasant), recently purchased by Jamie Cherewatti with a slogan.   Consider it, I guess, a rallying cry for Amherst Town Meeting when they take up discussion of the Rental Registration & Permit system on May 20.

"Eyesores" days are numbered.