 Gateway Cities Innovation Awards
Congratulations to Jay Minkarah, President and CEO of DevelopSpringfield and Armando Feliciano, Chairman of the Springfield Redevelopment Authority and member of DevelopSpringfield's Board of Directors. The two were presented with Gateway Cities Innovation Awards on November 12.
Jay and Armando are pictured here with Melinda Phelps, Partner, Bulkley, Richardson & Gelinas. Attorney Phelps is Vice Chair of the Board of DevelopSpringfield and a Fellow with MassINC Gateway Cities Innovation Institute; she presented the awards to the pair.
They were honored for their collective work, and as representatives of the Springfield community, for the collaborative work around the Rebuild Springfield Plan.
Click here for a link to a video that includes their remarks.
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Valley Gives Day
DevelopSpringfield will be participating in Valley Gives Day this year. A community wide e-philanthropy event to raise funds on-line for charitable organizations throughout the Pioneer Valley.
Please mark your calendars for 12/12/13 (Thursday, December 12) as a reminder to plan to visit the Valley Gives website to make your contribution. Gifts made ONLY on this special day will help to leverage additional bonus gifts to participating charitable organizations like ours! So, please plan ahead by marking your calendar and stay tuned for additional updates from us on the simple process for making your gift.
We will be promoting the opportunity to contribute to support the work of DevelopSpringfield on this day especially as we join together with the communities of western Massachusetts for this extraordinary charity fundraising event.
As a social media event, all of the participating organizations will be spreading the word through e-newsletters, facebook and Twitter.
Please "Like" us on facebook and "Follow" us on Twitter and also share our posts and tweets with your own network. The success of this event will rely on expanding our reach, and inspiring you and others to help support the revitalization of Springfield by making a gift to DevelopSpringfield.
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Rebuild Project Highlights
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From the Rebuild Plan -
Conceptual rendering of Central St.
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Progress on rebuild efforts on Central Street
Central Street is one of the most heavily impacted areas from the tornado of June 2011. The street includes a concentration of vacant, city-owned and tornado damaged lots. A priority of the Rebuild Springfield Plan in this area is to work to transform the neighborhood with new infill housing. Through a financing program provided by the City, developers are now in the process of building seven new single-family homes. Viva Development LLC is currently constructing four new homes on former city-owned vacant lots. North End Housing Initiative Inc., purchased three city-owned lots (formerly the Spruce Manor Nursing Home) and will build three single family homes. City Councilor Melvin Edwards, the Maple High Six Corners Neighborhood Council and Gerry McCafferty, the City's Housing Director, have taken a lead role in implementing these critical rebuild initiatives.
An enormous amount of work has been done by Mayor Domenic Sarno and the City's Development team together with countless individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations to advance the rebuilding and revitalization of Springfield since the June 2011 tornado. We are pleased to be a part of the ongoing process and to highlight some of the extraordinary work being done.
The Rebuild Springfield planning process provided a framework for community engagement and collaboration with recommendations for advancing common goals and priorities for revitalization in Springfield.
The City is also planning for $13 million in federally-funded projects from the disaster relief block grant funds to support repaving on Central Street, construction of 15 additional single family homes, improvements to Nathan Bill Park and purchasing the Mt. Carmel School for use as the South End Middle School.
- Click here for a link to MassLive article for more details
Links to the Rebuild Plan can be found at www.developspringfield.com. Just click on the Rebuild Springfield logo on our homepage. If you have news or updates to share, please let us know!
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Planning Project Underway for 
Worthington Street Area
Through the efforts of the Mayor and the City's Chief Development Officer Kevin Kennedy, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts/NiSource has provided a $200,000 grant to DevelopSpringfield to support a comprehensive redevelopment plan for the area impacted by the November 2012 Gas Explosion together with neighboring commercial and residential blocks.
DevelopSpringfield is working with the planning and architectural firm Utile, Inc. together with a steering committee comprised of City Officials, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, the BID, neighborhood representatives and other stakeholders to address land use issues, infrastructure and redevelopment alternatives that address the Worthington Street area's challenges while leveraging key assets such as the Union Station improvements now underway.
Click here for a link to the enlarged planning area map.
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Renovations Underway at the Gunn Block
This fall has been exciting for DevelopSpringfield as we are now working on some exterior improvements to two historic properties acquired earlier in the year. Be sure to visit our website for details on the Ansel Phelps House at 83 Maple Street featured in our last e-newsletter.
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473-477 State Street -
The Gunn Block
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The Gunn Block at 473-477 State Street is currently undergoing phase one stabilization work focused on removal of dilapidated porches on the rear of the property as well as structural repairs to the front of the building. Significant structural repairs on the interior will also be required to ensure stable and appropriate placement of load bearing walls.
Be sure to drive by these properties to watch the progress! |
 Partnership Investment Program
We recently launched our Partnership Investment Program providing an opportunity for businesses, nonprofits and individuals to invest in the work of DevelopSpringfield and engage with us to further our mission.
We invite you to invest in the work of DevelopSpringfield by joining our new annual Partnership Investment Program. By joining us as a Partner, you will help to provide a foundation of financial support to strengthen our work while having the opportunity to participate in strategic planning and advisory groups that help shape our direction and focus in areas such as real estate strategy; urban development and design; and the creative economy.
Plus, you can double your investment with a match! Our board members have pledged to match new Partner contributions (up to a total of $15,000) in this first year of the Partnership Investment Program. The DevelopSpringfield Board of Directors' Matching Challenge Fund will provide a 1:1 match, doubling your contribution in this first year to ensure a successful launch of the program.
Click here for more details! You can make a real difference today in doubling your gift as just $9,750 remains in the matching challenge fund. Leverage your support even further by making your contribution through the Valley Gives Initiative on 12/12/13--not only will you double your gift through our Board of Directors' Matching Challenge; you will also improve our chances of winning bonus prizes throughout the day!
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Please forward this newsletter to others in the Springfield community to help spread the news!
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 Our mission is to help create conditions that encourage private development, with a bricks-and-mortar focus and always with an eye toward understanding and meeting Springfield's unique and diverse redevelopment needs. | |
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