Urban Renewal – Holyoke Redevelopment

Rail Platform design renderings revealed

At a public meeting on May 21, 2013, engineers from Michael Baker Corporation presented the 25% design plans for the future passenger rail platform to a crowd of roughly 30 people at the Holyoke Transportation Center. The platform will be located at South end of Dwight Street, just south of the intersection of Dwight and Main Streets.

The platform will feature a “butterfly” canopy with runoff directed into rain gardens. The canopy design was modeled after the current canopy and bus ...

Continue Reading → Share

News, Passenger Rail, Transit Oriented Development

Connect. Construct. Create., Passenger Rail, Pop-up, TOD, Train, Transit, Transit Oriented Development, Urban Renewal

Parking Improvements Underway in Center City

In August 2011, the City Council approved the bonding for $6 million for upgrades to two of the City’s largest parking decks located in the Center City. As the area continues to grow the decks will accommodate parking for nearby developments while retaining the dense, walkable infrastructure of the Center City.

The repairs were finished last year on the Ernest E. Proulx Parking Garage on Dwight Street. The renovation included concrete repairs to the precast floor and framing, replacement of all ...

Continue Reading → Share

News

Connect. Construct. Create., parking, Transit Oriented Development, Urban Renewal

Veterans Park Renovations Completed

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held to officially re-open Veterans Park after undergoing $1.4million in renovations over the past 9 months. The speakers included Mayor Alex B. Morse, Ralph Lefebvre, Chaplin of the United Veterans of Holyoke, Jennifer Gilburg, chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission, City Council President Kevin A. Jourdain, State Representative and City Councilor Aaron Vega, and Kurt Gaertner, director of the Commonwealth’s Gateway Cities parks program.

The facelift includes new sidewalks, walkways and ADA ramps, new grass, ...

Continue Reading → Share

News, Veteran's Park

Connect. Construct. Create., holyoke catholic, Parks, Transit Oriented Development, Urban Renewal, Veteran's Park

Redevelopment of former Holyoke Catholic Campus aided by State tax credits

Last month, the development group Weld Management was awarded approximately $1.7 million from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in housing subsidies to complete a funding package that will create 55 units of workforce housing within the former campus and facilities of Holyoke Catholic High School. This recent award compliments $990,000 in federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and other funds in Massachusetts Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits. Construction is projected to begin later this summer.

This project compliments ...

Continue Reading → Share

Housing, News, Transit Oriented Development, Veteran's Park

Connect. Construct. Create., historic, holyoke catholic, housing, TOD, Transit, Transit Oriented Development, Urban Renewal, Weld management

DHCD Approves Economic Development Initiatives in Center City

At a press conference at the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center, Deputy Undersecretary, Arthur Jemison of the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), and Mayor Alex B. Morse announced the launch of the Holyoke Redevelopment Authority’s (HRA) urban renewal plan entitled, “Connect. Construct. Create. – A Plan for the Revitalization of Center City Holyoke” and Holyoke’s Center City Housing Development Incentive Program (CCHIP). These initiatives recently received approval from the State, officially enabling the programs. Mr. Jemison, ...

Continue Reading → Share

Housing, News

CCHIP, Computing Center, Connect. Construct. Create., HDIP, HRA, Urban Renewal

Holiday Holyoke – A Pop Up Shop

Last week (December 14 through 16), a shop popped up at 330 High Street in Holyoke, and Holyoke residents turned out in full force to support it. At Holiday Holyoke all the items for sale were original art, unique hand-craft pieces by local artist and artisans all priced for $100 or less. The selection of goods available ranged from Photographic Prints and Oil Paintings to hand-sewn baby booties and wallets made from duct tape. Works featured were produced by up-and-coming ...

Continue Reading → Share

Creative Economy, Events

Art, Art Sale, Artists, Arts, Creative Economy, Culture, Holiday Holyoke, MIFA, Pop-up, Urban Renewal

City Council approves major redevelopment initiatives

On the evening of December 4, 2012, the Holyoke City Council approved two major initiatives that will help catalyze redevelopment in the Center City. The Holyoke Redevelopment Authority’s (HRA) urban renewal plan entitled, “Connect. Construct. Create.: A Plan for the Revitalization of Center City Holyoke”, received local approval by the Council in order to begin the State’s approval process. Also approved was the Center City Housing Incentive Program (CCHIP), to help draw market rate residential units to the first-four ...

Continue Reading → Share

Housing, News

CCHIP, Connect. Construct. Create., HDIP, housing, HRA, Urban Renewal

$2 million awarded for construction of Passenger Rail Platform

The City of Holyoke was awarded $2 million for the construction of a passenger rail platform through a MassWorks grant. The award completes the funding necessary to make Holyoke a stop on the future North-South Vermonter line. Holyoke was awarded $166,000 for engineering and design of the platform through a portion of the HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant through the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.

The passenger rail stop will be located at the beginning of Dwight Street, south east of the intersection at Main Street. ...

Continue Reading → Share

Passenger Rail, Transit Oriented Development

Passenger Rail, TOD, Transit Oriented Development, Urban Renewal

Public Hearing scheduled for Connect. Construct. Create

As part of the local approval process, a Public Hearing will be held by the City Council Redevelopment Committee to consider the Holyoke Redevelopment Authority’s Urban Renewal Plan entitled, “Connect. Construct. Create.: A Plan for the Revitalization of Center City Holyoke”. The Hearing will take place on Monday, November 5th at 6:30 p.m., at the Holyoke Transportation Center, Room 402-403, 206 Maple Street. Simultaneous English to Spanish interpretation services will be provided.

Since the Plan’s release in early September, the ...

Continue Reading → Share

News

Connect. Construct. Create., HRA, Urban Renewal

Envision Depot Square kicks off with event October 13

With passenger rail service returning to Holyoke, The UMASS Architecture and Design Program is kicking off four community organized events to provide residents with an opportunity to learn more about what that means for economic and community development in their neighborhood. A Pop-up Block Party will be held on Saturday October 13th, 2012 from 4pm-9pm at the corners of Main and Dwight Streets as a kick off event. The next three events will each cover a different topic relating ...

Continue Reading → Share

Creative Economy, Events, News, Passenger Rail, Transit Oriented Development

Art, Arts, Block Party, Canalwalk, Creative Economy, Culture, Depot Square, Discover Holyoke Day, Gateway City Arts, graffiti, Heritage State Park, Latin Jazz Fest, Latin Jazz Festival, Main and Dwight, Open Square, Passenger Rail, Passport Holyoke, Pop-up, TOD, Train, Transit, Transit Oriented Development, UMASS, Urban Renewal, Wistariahurst