Mayor Alex Morse Summer Tour 2015 Harvesting the seeds of growth in Holyoke
Mayor Alex Morse
Summer Tour 2015
Harvesting the seeds of growth in Holyoke
New Construction
New Business
More Employment
More Housing
Planning for Growth
LAY OF THE LAND
Outline of Topics
Passenger Rail Platform
Canalwalk II
Lyman Terrace
Streetscape Upgrades
Hampden and Pleasant St.
US Tsubaki
Dirk Auferoth & Associates
Holyoke Commons
Chestnut Park Apts.
Brick Coworkshop
Gateway City Arts
Lower Westfield/Homestead
Skateboard Park
STEAM Building
Mt. Tom Coal Plant Reuse Study
Holyoke Innovation District
Mosher Street Bridge Project
HH Richardson Reuse Study
And many others
LAY OF THE LAND
City Economic Development Projects throughout Holyoke
HARVESTING PROJECTS
Building Permits Issued in the City
1,992
1,878 1,872
2,226 2,213
2,319
$208,211
$245,892
$175,858
$263,592
$250,734
$306,600
1,500
1,600
1,700
1,800
1,900
2,000
2,100
2,200
2,300
2,400
'09 '10 '11 '12 '13 '14
Year
Perm
its
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
$250,000
$300,000
$350,000
Perm
it F
ees
In the last decade Highest number of building permits pulled Highest value of permits pulled
HARVESTING PROJECTS
New Construction Holyoke Hotel Redevelopment
$20 Million Investment
100-150 full time jobs
150-175 construction jobs
$5 Million Investment
10 new jobs
Retention of business
5 year TIF
HARVESTING PROJECTS
New Construction Marcotte Ford Expansion
HARVESTING PROJECTS
New Construction Gary Rome Expansion
$2 Million Acquisition Investment to HG&E
75 full time jobs
35,000 Sq. Ft.
Retention of business
Pride Gas Station
HARVESTING PROJECTS
New Construction Pride Station Redevelopment
$2 Million Investment
Gas Station with convenience store and drive-thru coffee
Major blight reduction in City gateway
$1 Million Investment
2,400 sq. ft. building
3 teller stations, drive-thru, 2 offices, & 24 hr drive-up ATM/night drop
HARVESTING PROJECTS
New Construction - Easthampton Savings Bank
HARVESTING PROJECTS
Business Certificates Issued in the City
119
129
145
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
'12 '13 '14
Year
Bu
sin
ess C
ert
ific
ate
s
Registration made simpler, one stop shop process in 15
HARVESTING PROJECTS
Launching Local Entrepreneurs SPARK Program
Funding from US Federal Reserve Bank, Boston Accelerator program applications due July 8th
Assistance to cohorts of diverse, local entrepreneurs
HARVESTING PROJECTS
Holyoke Unemployment Rate
8.9%
9.8%
8.5%
6.6%
4.0%
5.0%
6.0%
7.0%
8.0%
9.0%
10.0%
11.0%
'12 '13 '14 '15
Year
Un
em
plo
ym
en
t R
ate
Lowest level since April of 2008
HARVESTING PROJECTS
Holyoke Labor Force
16,060 16,03215,942
16,470
14,100
14,600
15,100
15,600
16,100
16,600
'12 '13 '14 '15
Year
Lab
or
Fo
rce
Those having or seeking a job Highest since October of 2008
HARVESTING PROJECTS
Workforce Training HCC Culinary and Hospitality Center
$3.65 Million for construction and equipment
Doubling size of existing programs
Goal to Open by Fall, 2016
Industry ready to hire now
HARVESTING PROJECTS
New Housing Developments in the Pipeline for Downtown
95
21
140
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Devonshire 101 Cabot Current Pipeline
Housing Developments
Un
its
Chestnut Park 55 Units $19 MillionLibrary Commons 55 Units $16 MillionThe Cubit 30 Units ~$2 Million
Cubit
HARVESTING PROJECTS
Mixed Housing & Commercial The Cubit
~$2 Million Investment Canal Market on first floor 700-900 sq. ft. apartments on top 3 floors
Pre-development rehab studies Tax Incentives Land Sales Haz-Mat Cleanup
MORE SEEDS
Work/assistance to get Vacant Mill Space Rehabilitated and Occupied
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
Estimated Vacant Mill Space Assisted for Site Readiness
Ap
pro
xim
ate
Sq
uare
Fo
ota
ge
Approx. 1.5 Million Sq. Ft.
Approx. 750,000 Sq. Ft.
MORE SEEDS
Cleanup & Site Readiness Auto-Mania
City-owned since 2011$325,000 in resources securedCleanup in 2015Half-acre pad ready site
MORE SEEDS
Cleanup & Site Readiness Parsons Paper
Fire in 2009, $2 Million EPA Cleanup finished in 2010
$250,000 in funds for pre-development secured in 2014. Full environmental assessment finished in 2015, no new conditions
HRA will complete specs for cleanup of known asbestos and debris removal this year
Estimated ~$3.5 Million pad-ready prep project
MORE SEEDS
Private Incentive Program - Renewable Energy Development Fund
Holyoke has access to ~$2 Million in funds for renewable energy generation
Development fund expected in 2016 would provide $ incentive for rooftop solar or other renewable potential, to leverage funds
Program design underway this summer with UMass MAEEI
MORE SEEDS
Placemaking South Holyoke & Springdale Gateway Improvements
Improvement area IDd in 1999 City Master Plan as key gateway
More organized work areas, sculpture garden, public park.
1 of only 10 Infra-Space program locations by MassDOT
MORE SEEDS
Infrastructure Upgrades - Canalwalk connection to South Holyoke
Streetscape upgrades through Cabot St. up to Race, Canalwalk from Cabot to Appleton
Connecting Center City through second key gateway and Willimansett bridge to Chicopee
Seeking design funds now
MORE SEEDS
Industry Section Expansion Tourism Assessment Plan
Prepare to mitigate and/or complement entertainment and hospitality impact of MGM in Springfield
Look at local assets, opportunities to scale them up, ID challenges and next steps
Funding source identified, expected to start in 2015
Education
85 86.1
53.860.2
5155.3
47.5
53.2
27.134.2
37.8
0
20
40
60
80
100
State All students Low income Hispanic Students withdisabilities
ELL
HPS Graduation Rates
2013
2014
22
010
20
30
40
50
60
DIS
TR
ICT
ST
AT
E
DIS
TR
ICT
ST
AT
E
DIS
TR
ICT
ST
AT
E
DIS
TR
ICT
ST
AT
E
DIS
TR
ICT
ST
AT
E
Proficient or
Higher
Advanced Proficient Needs
Improvement
Warning/
Failing
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
DIS
TR
IC
T
ST
AT
E
DIS
TR
IC
T
ST
AT
E
DIS
TR
IC
T
ST
AT
E
DIS
TR
IC
T
ST
AT
E
DIS
TR
IC
T
ST
AT
E
Proficient or
Higher
Advanced Proficient Needs
Improvement
Warning/ Failing
2014 MCAS GRADE 03 - READING2013 MCAS GRADE 03 - READING
Teen Pregnancy Rates
2010-2012: 32% decline in Teen Pregnancy
in Holyoke
These numbers show that were moving in the
right direction, and that sex education
and partnerships with community and
private agencies are having their desired effect
The Future of Holyoke Public Schools
Receiver Stephen Zrike
Graduate of Harvard Universitys School of Education
Focus on working in urban education and specifically Latino children
From 2007-2009, decreased failing grades in elementary MCAs by 20% in
English and 35% in Math at two Boston schools
Public Safety
Collaboration with State and FBI
Rapid response to Hot Spots
Removes known criminals from
streets
Gang Task Force
Mobile Community Policing
Clear officer presence
Interaction and awareness
Building relationships
Case Study: Appleton St and Elm St
40-unit apartment building
Police dispatched 1,274 times between
January 2011-July 2014
Problems include drug activity, robbery, loitering,
street stops, threats, larceny, Suspicious persons,
unwanted guests, domestic disturbances, etc.
landlord funded crackdown currently taking place,
Modeled after 5 Adams Street success
Case Study: 5 Adams Street
Landlord-funded crackdown
with police assistance
Over 110 arrests in a single weekend
With a shrinking budget, these sorts of
partnerships are effective and essential
Other Initiatives
K9 Units
Bike and foot patrols
Books in police cars
Community policing
sub-stations
Local
Development
Initiatives &
Funding
They all connect, and they are
about intentionality in shaping
our future
-Former Governor Deval
Patrick
Holyoke
City Hall
Reorganization
Office space
streamlining
Increased
accessibility
Improved customer
service
Cost saving
Holyoke Stained Glass Windows
Holyoke Stained Glass Windows
Two windows restored and installed in August 2014
$136,000 being used for restoration: $65,000 from
Massachusetts Historical Commission, $50,000 from
Holyoke Public Library, $21,000 from Holyoke
Department of Public Works
Ongoing fundraising to restore the remaining nine
One panel removed and stored while fundraising occurs
Blight Reduction
Cleaner streets
Increased property values
Improved quality of life for all Holyokers
Honest Budgeting Practices
Realistic numbers
Better planning
Cost saving
Buy Holyoke Now Incentives
Public-private-nonprofit partnerships
Over fifty retail partners
Entering fourth year
Urban Tree-Planting Program
Funding for up to 5,000 trees
No cost to City if on private land
Over 100 already planted
Funding through 2015
Street Resurfacing in Ward One
Dwight Street from Main Street to 1st
Level Canal
Race Street from Appleton Street to Main Street
Street Resurfacing in Ward Two
Main Street from Kens Auto to Gary Rome
Temple Street from Vernon Street to james Street
Vernon Street from main street to the end
Street Resurfacing in Ward Three
Brown street from south street to laurel street
Ridgeway from arden to lorraine
South street from northampton to chapin
Westfield from rhode island to 1-91
Willow from laurel to brown
Street Resurfacing in Ward four
Appleton street from pleasant to beech
Hampden from lincoln to northampton
Hampden from linden to beech
School street from suffolk to hampden
Street Resurfacing in Ward Five
Charles hill from homestead to end
Homestead from Westfield intersection
OConnell from Sterling to Clayton
Quinn from charles hill to mayer
Rock valley from apremont to keyes
Sunset from westfield road to ashley
Street Resurfacing in Ward Six
Baystate from winthrop street to end (south)
Howard from hampden to Beacon
Lynwood from dwight to st. james
Sargeant from beech street to magnolia
Shawmut from northampton to st. jerome
Street Resurfacing in Ward Seven
Liberty from jefferson to marie
Marie from dartmouth to liberty
Meadowview from hillview to bemis
Pearl from lincoln to hampden
Community Development Block Grant Spending
Board of Health : $51,200
Boys & Girls Club: $5,000
Care Center: $10,000
Chamber of Commerce: $92,300
Community Education Project: $5,000
Department of Public Works: $200,000
Enlace de Familia: $15,000
Girls Inc.: $11,500
Holyoke Housing Authority: $2,000
Holyoke Police Department: $10,000
Community Development Block Grant Spending
Homework House Inc. : $8,000
Nuestras Raices: $13,252
Office for Community Development: $259,500
Parks and Recreation: $305,000
Planning & Economic Development: $208,000
Providence Ministries for the Needy: $28,000
Soldiers Home: $5,000
Square One: $22,000
Therapeutic Equestrian: $5,000
Western MA Council Boy Scouts: $5,000
Community Development Block Grant Spending
Womens Center/Compaeras: $14,500
YMCA: $9,000
Total: $1,429,252
Broader Themes in
Holyokes Growth
Long-term vision
Strategic investment
Innovation
Creativity
Q & A