Electric Company will use Kendrick Park as a staging area
The DPW was out at Kendrick Park this week trimming trees to make way for the heavy equipment Eversource will be using to underground all the unsightly power lines and cables in the north end of downtown.
Amherst received a $1.5 million Mass Works grant for the project and
Governor Patrick even came calling to deliver the good news in person.
North end of downtown will benefit by burying utility lines
Of course conspiracy theorists will say it was all an inside job to assist Archipelago Investments with improving the street appeal of their new five-story mixed-use building with expensive apartments making up the lion's share of the facility.
A few years ago the town was twice turned down for a $4 million Mass Works grant to rehabilitate Pine Street in North Amherst.
Town Meeting had voted down a pro-development Form Based Zoning article leading the state to believe we did not deserve a significant infusion of money to assist with collateral development issues, i.e. infrastructure improvements.
Kendrick Place was bitterly opposed by usual NIMBY/BANANA contingent
So in a sense Kendrick Place probably did lead to the acquisition of the grant. Not to mention
One East Pleasant now preparing for construction at the former Carriage Shops just down the road.
Roundabout proposed for Triangle/East Pleasant intersection
On Monday night the Select Board will approve a roundabout design for Triangle/East Pleasant Streets in the shadow of Kendrick Place, and a gateway to our #1 employer, UMass.
Hope will move to a safer pasture across the street
Realignment Park (bottom center/left)
The Select Board, as "keepers of the public way" will also approve the relocation of Hope the Cow from in front of the slated-for-destruction Carriage Shops to Realignment Park across the street.
Hold on to your hard hats, good things are happening. Finally!