Final Stretch

Kendrick Place nearing completion

Maybe we should take up a betting pool to see which new building opens for business first -- Atkins North, Kendrick Place or Amherst Office Park new addition.

 Atkins North almost ready for an influx of cars

With Amherst often being criticized as having a "7 month economy" due to our reliance on higher education it's a well known fact that September 1st is go time.

 Amherst Office Park new 30,000 square foot building hoping for September occupancy

And most businesses like to have a soft opening a couple weeks early before the deluge begins, just to work out the kinks.   So I would not be surprised if the winner opens by mid-August. 

Last Measure Of Devotion

Flags across the Commonwealth are flying at half staff today to remember and honor Captain Richard W. Vincent, D Company, 2nd  Battalion, 18th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, United States Marine Corps.

He was killed in action the first day of bloody fighting on the far flung island of Tarawa, but his remains were recovered only last October.  He will be buried today in his hometown, Westfield.

Semper Fidelis Captain.  Welcome home. 

Last Minute Big Ticket Items

Crocker Farm Pre-School play area will cost $270,000

The Amherst Community Preservation Act committee briefly discussed three new proposals last night that have just come in vying for the $1.273 million they have left in their piggy bank.  If all three receive CPA and then Fall Town Meeting approval,  it comes to just over $600,000.

Last Spring -- the usual cycle for CPA spending -- Town Meeting approved all 9 new projects endorsed by the CPA committee for a total of $523,346.

One of those 9 projects included $25,000 for making Crocker Farm pre-school playground ADA compliant.  But town and school officials have decided that would simply be a band aid, so this new proposal is a complete tear down and renovation from the ground up with all new commercial quality equipment.

Assistant Town Manager Dave Ziomek submitted the expected request for 30% matching funds required by the state for a $500,000+ proposal to rehabilitate the historic North Common in front of equally historic Town Hall.  That will cost the town between $150,000 and $165,000.

The proposal that came somewhat out of the blue, submitted only the day before the CPAC meeting, came via Carol Gray:  $190,000 to $240,000 for the moving of the Amherst College owned "Little Red Schoolhouse", built in 1937, and now standing in the way of a $100+ million Science Center.

Little Red Schoolhouse facing east

Back on May 19 the Amherst Historical Commission hit Amherst College with a half-hearted "one year demolition delay," but suggested if the College really can't see any workable alternative after trying really hard, then they could probably tear it down sooner.

 South East Street Alternative High School was mentioned as possible home for Little Red

Ms. Gray suggested the solid brick building could be moved to town owned property.

 Greenway Dorm construction

Amherst College is currently busy with construction on the new Greenway Dorms, which are not expected to open until the Fall of 2016.Construction on the new Science Building would start pretty much the next day.

 Amherst Community Preservation Act Committee meeting last night

The Community Preservation Act Committee will devote their next two meetings (8/25 and 9/8) to hear presentations, discuss, and then vote on the three proposals.

A majority of Amherst Town Meeting must also vote in favor for the money to be released.

Can You Find Me Now?

New sign near Sweetser Park

Three new signs were installed yesterday at both ends and the middle of the long stretch of frontage at the Emily Dickinson Homestead Museum, perhaps Amherst's greatest cultural asset.

Not that small businesses in the downtown would mind having foreign travelers stopping in to ask direction and grabbing a cup coffee.  The Museum attracts 15,000 visitors annually.
 

Click photos to enlarge

Original Signage:  Large one left will be removed small one in driveway replaced by slightly larger one moved down closer to sidewalk

New sign in driveway installed yesterday

Last September the Amherst Planning Board gave Site Plan Approval for renovations at the Museum and waived restrictions about the signs over size and placement.

Corner of Main & Triangle Street

Sweetser Park: now if we could just get the town to spruce up some of their signs ...

Festive Family Fourth of July

South Amherst Town Common.  South Congregational Church (top left)

The historic South Amherst Common comes alive the morning of July 4th, as it has done for over 100 years, with the sights and sounds of a Children's Parade.  

Happy kids, with their awesome steeds all dressed up in red white and blue taking a few laps around the bucolic common.

Rockwell would be ever so proud. 

Another Sleeping Beauty DUI

 Tyrone Sanders, age 32, stands before Judge John Payne

For the second time this month Amherst police had to awaken a driver so they could arrest him for Driving Under the Influence.

On the one hand you would rather have a drunk asleep behind the wheel of a parked vehicle, but the problem of course is prior to pulling over and passing out, he was a scud missile.

In Eastern Hampshire District Court yesterday, after being arraigned before Judge John Payne, Mr. Sanders took the Commonwealth's offer of a Chapter 24D disposition, available only to first time offenders.

He will lose his license for 45 days, pay over $650 in fines/fees and be on probation (at $65/month) for the next year.

Transportation For All

Downtown Amherst

The Amherst Transportation Task Force held their first meeting yesterday since the Planning Board voted to absorb the Amherst Transportation Plan into the town's Master Plan.

The committee was first appointed by the Town Manager in 2011 and consists of six members, two each from the Public Works Committee, Planning Board, and Public Transportation and Bicycling Committee.

The meeting started with a moment of silence for Vice Chair Charlie Moran who recently lost a battle with cancer.

Town Manager John Musante (rt), DPW Chief Guilford Mooring (left)

Town Manager John Musante was in attendance at the request of Chair Richard Roznoy to give  some direction on what the future holds for the Task Force.  "Let's not have the report collect dust" said Musante, who then suggested the Task Force concentrate on "Bringing to life a traffic calming toolkit."

But the first question was does the Task Force continue to meet as an official committee and work in a leadership role to implement structural changes highlighted in the Transportation Plan, or simply make recommendations back to their home committees?

DPW Chief Guilford Mooring confirmed the consultants Nelson/Nygaard had signed a three year follow up  hourly consulting contract.  Task Force Chair Roznoy said he would arrange a conference call with them at their next July 13 meeting  to "pick their brain" in regards to moving forward.

Either way "traffic calming" will be a major focus of the Task Force in the near future.  Guilford Mooring pointed out that involves the "Three E's":  Education, Enforcement, Engineering.

He also pointed out that "80% of the problems (speeding, bad driving, etc) are caused by people who live there, so that's an education thing."