May 2014

Grants Support Revitalization of Main Street Properties

1095 Main Street

DevelopSpringfield recently awarded a $20,000 grant for façade improvements to 1095 Main Street, property owned by 1095 Main Street Irrevocable Trust. Building tenants include Square One Family Center and Santos Family Chiropractic.

The recently awarded funds were used to revitalize and improve the existing façade and included new windows, doors, and signage. The grant is supporting a substantial investment for improvements to the building by the property owner.

Click here for a link to the press release.

1600 Main Street

A $10,000 grant was also awarded for façade improvements to New England Farmworkers' Council for renovations for the new International Bier Garten located at 1600 Main Street.

The funds were used to revitalize and repair the existing façade to meet building code and safety standards, and to comply with Springfield Historic Commission requirements. The full project is a partnership of New England Farm Workers' Council and the Fort Restaurant and is a key component efforts toward revitalization in downtown Springfield.

Click here for a link to the press release.

The grant is made possible under DevelopSpringfield's Corridor Storefront Improvement Program which provides grants of up to $10,000 per storefront for exterior improvements to first floor businesses located on State and Main Streets in Springfield. Click here for information on the program.

Leadership Partner Spotlight

The Partnership Investment Program is designed to provide an opportunity for ongoing investment in DevelopSpringfield's work toward the revitalization of Springfield. Leadership Partners have the opportunity to engage at a high level in shaping organizational goals and policies and in developing project strategies to further advance economic development in the City of Springfield.

We are grateful for the generous support of Baystate Health, one of the first Partners to pledge their support at the Leadership Partner level in our first year of launching the program. This commitment is coupled with strong support of DevelopSpringfield initiatives.

Baystate Health, a not-for-profit health care provider, and its 10,000 employees touch well over a million lives a year in fulfilling their mission.For over 130 years, Baystate Health has been a keystone of the western Massachusetts community, evolving, growing, and emerging as one of the highest-quality and most effective health care providers in the nation. In addition, they deliver $98 million in unreimbursed care and community-benefit funding to strengthen, steward, and culturally enrich our cities, towns, and neighborhoods.

Berkshire Bank Provides Grant for Gunn Block Project

Gunn Block ~ inside work underway

Berkshire Bank recently pledged a grant of $10,000 to support DevelopSpringfield's rehabilitation of the historic Gunn Block at 473-477 State Street.

Currently, the Gunn Block Redevelopment is in its first phase of rehabilitation, which includes selective demolition, emergency structural repairs to stabilize the building, hazardous materials remediation, and development of architectural and engineering plans. The grant from Berkshire Bank will help to support these first phase stabilization efforts.

A $200,000 grant from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission through the Environmental Protection Agency's Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund is supporting the remediation clean-up efforts.

Click here for a link to the press release.

Recent Media Highlights DevelopSpringfield Projects

BusinessWest published a feature story in their April 21, 2014 edition highlighting many of DevelopSpringfield's projects. George O'Brien interviewed our President and CEO, Jay Minkarah who shared details of our work along with some insights on our strategies for revitalization and redevelopment in Springfield.

Click here for a link to the article, "Building Blocks - DevelopSpringfield Targets 'Impactful' Projects"

Click here for a link to their editorial, "Some Steps in the Right Direction."

DevelopSpringfield was also featured on a segment of WGBY Public Television's Connecting Point on May 5. Click here for a link to the segment.

Please forward this newsletter to others in the Springfield community to help spread the news!

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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