[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6330863,"mediaKeyId","2313443-c381939c10c545d888a3ed7e5c988b7d","parentId",2313443,"title","Springfield staff reintroduce District Improvement Financing as option for financing downtown infrastructure","audioSeconds",1309,"startMs",894000,"endMs",2203000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2313443-c381939c10c545d888a3ed7e5c988b7d&start=894&end=2203","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2313443-c381939c10c545d888a3ed7e5c988b7d/thumbnail_894000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6330863/Springfield-City/Hampden-County/Massachusetts/Springfield-staff-reintroduce-District-Improvement-Financing-as-option-for-financing-downtown-infrastructure","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6330863-18111b96c50bfea63c946758538de2d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1773628731&Signature=HO9RxrvLRHFgYhbzm~dcsGZyLvVDMrPQJHYjFZy3r0hlULmelCaxx0kRdmtK9~-x9mdheRo8tXl8rybNNQughzvI065P5mTglYEyIYMGgX0NwGlcxo3y5T-1YXIODtWEw9YTq6YXEU~80DbLtgvwoVkdxPgCJkoMHAI6a5RFhciCMZqcYnpUQo2rr9WfMS~UNHdYf5N1~DtLwZwUIO4KNY~R8TnREHMecfT2Igdgj55dNliVikO0WETWCmZ21DEGMa-23cFi5pk5KxL8uEdi6j8x6xa2z6FiEgzlL0NanGPIyhr6g1z06QItJOMJc1bKBJ9eYcw1hTz67e9mnzRlQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Springfield City, MA","date","2025-02-13T21:07:02Z","article","Economic development staff briefed the Springfield City Economic Development Subcommittee on District Improvement Financing, a Massachusetts financing tool officials said could be used to capture tax revenue from new development within a defined district and direct it toward infrastructure investments.

Brian Connors of the economic development department told the subcommittee, “This is a program that’s existed in Massachusetts for quite some time. We just haven’t used it in Springfield in quite some time.” Staff said the DIF differs from the city’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) approach because DIF captures the increment from new growth across multiple properties inside a district and can be used to finance public infrastructure or to support private development through a district-level financing structure.

Staff described key program parameters discussed during the meeting: districts may cover up to 25% of a community’s geography and financing terms can extend up to 30 years. Officials said the program only captures new tax revenue generated by a development project or new real estate value — it does not capture ordinary annual tax increases. The subcommittee was told that each DIF deployment requires legislative approval and that the assessor’s office and finance department would be closely involved in any district proposal.

As an example of prior use, staff cited the roadway built to serve the Smith & Wesson Industrial Park, financed using a DIF structure tied to new revenue from Performance Food Group. Staff also mentioned that a DIF could be structured to support projects in South Main, including the McCaffrey’s development, by capturing new growth inside a district and bonding infrastructure so the debt is repaid from captured revenues rather than through the city’s general-obligation borrowing.

Committee members asked about public opposition and the potential for displacement; staff said public engagement is part of the DIF process and acknowledged concerns such as gentrification would need to be addressed through outreach and project design. Staff estimated it could take several months to assemble the background work needed for a district and that the city might be able to use a DIF for projects within the next year if work proceeds.

No formal action or vote occurred at the meeting. Staff said they would return to the committee with draft materials once they have a concrete proposal and asked to circulate the meeting slideshow to councilors for review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Springfield City Council- Economic Development Subcommittee 02/13/25","oneSentenceSummary","Economic development staff briefed the Springfield City Economic Development Subcommittee on District Improvement Financing, a Massachusetts program that would capture new tax growth inside a defined district to finance infrastructure.","taxTitle","Springfield City, Hampden County, Massachusetts","taxId",3703,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6330868,"Springfield to open new garage in March; Bruce Landon Way redesigned as pedestrian-first event street",2340,50000,2390000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2313443-c381939c10c545d888a3ed7e5c988b7d&start=50&end=2390","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2313443-c381939c10c545d888a3ed7e5c988b7d/thumbnail_50000.jpg","/articles/6330868/Springfield-City/Hampden-County/Massachusetts/Springfield-to-open-new-garage-in-March-Bruce-Landon-Way-redesigned-as-pedestrian-first-event-street","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6330868-2fdc33bfd301f3f27f85eb15c645158f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773628731&Signature=DSmC7vBEN7UMfNYqt6TYH3NOssr3Ay-GwmnH66Pn72BdrOfpM1MbMJXPnepcsj34PjEiFztHoMMj-B8hQnR0ez8DkIwPRu6kDHIjkGfm11Xc75DG-wewHouhAi~~mDG4JShM4YZxf-qPq4iSoxVmW-dWQUV8aoe2BHsMDokqL6hWrH~EFolhlEzx5x~H8wthf0-BOr8HJpMC1KkjBuoKSMTGDZrs3dTbfa36m13YoPBjC0v0JXUx~DhzH-C8oM9D2nrS2OwoRY0ubCxQU4p2wD0yDsr5CGs1cX48OnKPM-woYiTTmq3r7GDQ~jUo90bg82e9pC1hanWyYuDqQlLQbg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Springfield City economic development staff updated the Economic Development Subcommittee on progress to convert Bruce Landon Way into a pedestrian-first street and to activate an adjacent former surface parking lot as programmed green space.

Tim Sheehan, director of economic development, said the garage serving the area is nearing completion. “The punch list work is being done on the garage. We expect the garage to open in March,” Sheehan said. He added most street infrastructure is in place and the green space created from the surface parking lot is expected to be finished by summer.

The city has negotiated a draft easement agreement with the Convention Center Authority that would allow the authority to close Bruce Landon Way for events without filing a separate street-closure permit. Under the easement, the authority would give the city advance notice (described in the meeting as 28 or 48 hours) before a scheduled closure and would be required to maintain the infrastructure inside the easement area. The city would retain reserved programming days for municipal or nonprofit events.

Sheehan described the street redesign as deliberately pedestrian-focused: sidewalks and the roadway are now at a single grade so the area reads as an activated public realm rather than a conventional curb-and-street configuration. Different surface materials will mark the boundary between the pedestrian zone and areas intended for vehicle use.

Committee members asked about public-safety review. Sheehan said affected departments — including police, fire and the Department of Public Works — reviewed the plans and raised no objections to the closure mechanism.

The Convention Center Authority intends the adjacent redevelopment to support pre- and post-event programming for MassMutual Center events. Sheehan said the authority is seeking a restaurant operator — likely a sports-bar concept — to locate with its primary access facing Bruce Landon Way and the new green space; the retail won’t have direct access from Dwight Street. He also said some handicap parking spaces will be retained to serve the convention center.

Council members and staff emphasized the project’s potential to increase downtown activation. Vice President of the City Council Tracy Whitfield praised the city’s response time on other initiatives and said the improved lighting and new public spaces have already drawn visible nighttime activity.

The subcommittee did not take any formal votes on the Bruce Landon Way items during the hearing. Staff said they will circulate supporting documents and return to the committee with additional materials as work proceeds.","City economic development staff told the subcommittee the new parking garage is near completion, a former surface lot will become programmed green space by summer, and the Convention Center Authority will have an easement allowing temporary closures of Bruce Landon Way with short notice.","actionData","errors"]

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Springfield staff reintroduce District Improvement Financing as option for financing downtown infrastructure

Springfield to open new garage in March; Bruce Landon Way redesigned as pedestrian-first event street