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HRA hears mixed progress on housing and site‑readiness work; staff pressing MassDevelopment scope on grant
Summary
Staff told the Holyoke Redevelopment Authority on Feb. 19 that Southland Homes’ phase 2 is contracted and proceeding while phase 3 financing remains uncertain, MassDevelopment’s site‑readiness grant scope is being renegotiated to emphasize remediation and market analysis, and developers at Appleton Street and UVP sites are advancing design and demolition planning.
Staff briefed the Holyoke Redevelopment Authority on Feb. 19 about an array of property projects and a pending site‑readiness grant scope from MassDevelopment.
On Southland Homes, staff said phase 2 is contracted and financed and is proceeding, while phase 3 remains uncertain because of HUD and federal financing changes. Staff presented a draft letter of support for Southland Homes phase 3 and the board authorized the chair to execute that letter (see "Votes at a glance"). Staff emphasized they intend to continue supporting Southland Homes' work regardless of federal timing and to provide boilerplate and project-specific language requested by board members.
Staff reported activity at several development sites. At the Appleton Street property (216/37 Appleton), developers have a model apartment and completed walk‑throughs with the mayor and staff; discussions continue about rail property easements and potential relocations. A developer has bifurcated a larger conversion project into phase 1 (storage/repairs) and phase 2 (historic federal-component work). Staff said the developer is evaluating demolition of certain buildings, with preliminary demolition estimates between $500,000 and $1.2 million and active engagement with the National Park Service on historic-structure processes.
Staff also described site‑readiness grant work managed by MassDevelopment, which selected Scantec to produce a scope of services. HRA staff and consultants pushed back on an early draft scope that proposed heavy public‑engagement work, arguing that prior studies and public outreach reduce the need to repeat basic engagement and that more of the grant budget should fund remediation, title work, surveys and market analysis that will make properties attractive to private investors. Staff said the draft program under discussion included a $200,000 plan component and asked the board for input on prioritizing demolition, environmental assessments, title work and targeted market analysis over repeated community surveys.
Board members asked staff to add more specific local context to the Southland letter — for example, quantifying rental demand and explaining how the project aligns with the city’s redevelopment plan. Staff said they would draft suggested language and circulate a final letter to the chair for signature. Staff also said they are awaiting a personal representative appointment in one estate that currently blocks access for environmental investigation; once appointed, staff said they will pursue an access agreement to perform environmental testing.
On the HAPCO building, staff said they will send a certified letter to the owner to open conversations about redevelopment. Multiple board members said they were dissatisfied with a MassDevelopment site‑readiness draft that repeated engagement already done and asked staff to push for more actionable scope and more funds allocated to site remediation and preparation.
