| Aiken, Raymond J. Alexander, David B. Amell, Jason J. Auclair, Paul M. Avery, Eric P. Banning, Joseph E. Bartlett, Judith T. Bartley, Nancy A. Baskerville, Ruby J. Bates, Danielle B. Benoit, Melany Lynn Bergeron, Monique R. Bessette, Yvon J. Black, Robin E. Blaney, Douglas J. Bliss, Margaret J. Bourque, David A. Brady, Barry H. Brazee, Jason A. Breton, John P. Brisbois, Daniel L. Brohman, Richard D. Brown, Angilene S. Brown, Paul A. Burke, Donna Marie Butler, Wayne E. Calabrese, John P. Camacho, Evelyn Centeno, Crusita Chabot, Lori A. Chartier, Julie T. Christie, Donald S. Cichon, Mary Lou Clapp, Angela M. Clemons, Susan E. Cleveland, Florence Mary Comtois, Jane M. Connors, Steven C. Cookish, Richard F. Coombs, Carrie Courchesne, Robert R. Courtney, Howard W. Craig, Michael J. Cranson, Ralph S. Cruz, Manuel A. Cruz, Maria D. Cruz, Patricia A. Cruzado, Juan Curtis, Randall J. DeGennaro, Regina M. Desjardins, Nathan V. Discawicz, Dennis E. Dodge, Billy J. Doming, Cheryl Ann Doming, Rene A. Dominique, Ross J. Dougherty, James M. Douglas, Florence E. Downey, Scott Driscoll, Cheryl Dube, Lucille M. Duque, Jose H. Duquette, John L. Duval, Bruce A. Dwight, Kathleen M. Dwight, Tori F. Egan, John M. Feliciano, Margarita Ferrara, Christine A. Flathers, Linda L. Fronrath, Roberta J. Gallup, Edward C. Gamelli, Elizabeth P. Garcia, Carmen Gilbert, Nancy M. Giordano, Edward H. Gonzales, Henry Joseph Gonzalez, Adilia Gonzalez, Raul | Gordon, Peter L. Granger, Arthur L. Gravelin, Louis J. Green, Chester Anthony Griffin, Kenneth J. Guthrie, Lorraine E. Guyette, Herbert C. Guyton, Cindy D. Hampton, William Hannum, Peter D. Hansmann, James F. Harris, Linda P. Hendricks, Edward D. Hernandez-Martinez, Rita Hiltbrand, Amy L. Ho, Tuequang Hulla, Virginia Iwanicki, Joan M. Jackson, Cheryl L. Jedziniak, Robert F. Jordan-Bivins, Sally S. Joyce, John T. Karowski, Joan Ann Kellogg, Patricia A. Kendall, Donald P. King, Grace B. Krueger, Karl G. Kuzmeski, Melissa N. Labrecque, Kathryn Marie Labrecque, Peter Girerd Lacasse, Douglas T. LaFleur, Robert E. Lafrance, Thomas A. Lage, James M. Lagimonier, Robert R. Lamontagne, Stella L. Landry, Phyllis J. Ledesma, Julian P. Lucio, John A. Lusignan, Yvon J. Maciolek, Thomas S. Malanson, Virginia Marie Maldonado, Ramon Mangold, Cheryl L. Marshall, Alden E. Martinez, Nansy Maynard, Leah K. Mayo, Wayne R. McCarthy, Charles McGoldrick, Robert S. McIntyre, Kathleen J. Mead, Melany L. Mecteau, Wayne L. Medina, Israel Melendez, Ruben Menard, Terry Messier, Frank W. Milar, William T. Molin, Michelle M. Monette, Aimee Phyllis Montalvo, Carmen M. Moody, Nelson M. Moore, James K. Moore, Linda G. Moran, Kimberly A. Morin, Paul J. Morin, Phillip J. Morith, Bradford J. Moye, Daniel Nareau, Lawrence L. Neale, Marie Doris Beatri Nieves, Eunice J. Nieves, Jose E. Orren, Ellen B. Osgood, Richard M. Otero, Luis H. Ouellette, Beverly J. Ouellette, Theresa | Owens, Ruth Paez, Pablo Page, William C. Pandolfi, Andrew J. Papuga, Donald Parker, Mary G. Passidakis, Nicholas M. Patel, Maheshwari Perez, Jose A. Petrucci, Kelly L. Pike, Sarah Pinero, Juana Provo, Diane Marie Quesnal, Brian R. Quintier, Rita A. Rice, Marcus W. Richard, Jason Philip Rivera, Angel L. Rivera, Luis A. Rivera, Ramon L. Rivera, Rosa E. Rivers, Michelle L. Robert A. Koch Industries Inc. Roberts, Carol J. Roberts, Cecile E. Roberts, Jo-Anne R. Robinson, Lisa A. Rodriguez, Juana Rodriguez, Marilyn Roe, Deborah A. Rogers, Evelyn L. Rogers, Kimberley A. Rogers, Nancy R. Roldan, Brant D. Rollins, John K. Romani, Thomas D. Salazar, Olga Salicrup, Emma N. Sanchez, Marilu Santana, Carlos Santiago, Edwin Medina Savides, Gena M. Scarfo, Paula J Scavotto, David R. Scholpp, Lizbeth A. Sears, Michelle M. Semb, Krisinda S. Shah, Javed A Shattuck, Jason T. Shetty, Shekar T. Siano, Anthony Silva, Ana L. Smigiel, Shawn P. Son, Raith P. Soto, Joseta Starks, Waleska Streeter, Candice Y. Stuart, Jennifer C. Sullivan, Thomas C. Swayger, Thomas C. Tessier-Brown, Denise Tetreault, Mary Ann Thibodeau, Ralph L. Thomas, Beverley N. Vanzant, Charles Vargas, Edgardo L. Vera, Eduardo Villani, Elizabeth A. Vivenzio, Terri A. Vo, Sean T. Walker, Bertha Wall, Scott D. Weibel, Mia R. White, David B. Williamson, Eddie J. Wilson, Curtis Wood, Larry Allan Yergeau, Richard J. Young, Ruth A. Zayas, Elizabeth |
Year: 2004
| The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of April 2004. | |
| AGAWAM Advanced Tactics & Firearms Car Perfections Colcord Coatings Fortune 500 Group Muttis Sheet Metal R. Holmes Construction Scott Mitchell Town Motors II AMHERST Danielle’s Accessing Espresso Time Herbal Commerce, LLC Music Awareness Webmaster Commerce, LLC CHICOPEE B & D Couriers Bill of All Trades CCA Painting Service Country Kettle Cafe DSD Carpentry Health Claim Billing Jennifer Nail MJ Nails Paradise Pizza Sweetwater Cycles Twins Variety EAST LONGMEADOW Americare Inc. Employment Essentials Mary-Jane Kelly Panera Bread Subway Vulcan USA HADLEY Blades Lawnmower Services Lean Business Services Little Bird Daycare Pioneer Valley Upholstery River Valley Realty Services HOLYOKE McDermott’s Soft Serve Neoteric Ventures Piercing Pagoda Racing Mart Revon Management Shell Gas SKDL Design Tony’s Auto Sales Tony’s Shop Whitley’s Fitness Center LONGMEADOW AMS Caren & Company Coughlin’s Concrete & Masonary Inc. North Star Benchmark The Sports Connection Zap Electric NORTHAMPTON Butcher & Briggs Doomsday Promotions Gems & Jewelry by Bobs Good Thyme Deli Homeworks Inspiration Soaps Kosmo Enterprises Lisa Scollan Fine Art/Illustration |
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Since he arrived at Baystate Medical Center 12 years ago and assumed the title of president, Mark Tolosky has made it a habit to attend the facilitys twice-monthly new-employee-orientation sessions. He says he does so to "put a face" on the massive health care system, and share with the newcomers his thoughts on the values and goals he considers most important. Its part of a personal approach to management that Tolosky, now CEO of Baystate Health System and the subject of this months CEO Profile, owes to a childhood spent in a tiny mining town in upstate New York, and the lessons he learned from the people who carved out a life there.
Baystate Medical Center is the second-largest health care facility in the state. More than 5,000 people work there, and 1,000 physicians administer care to the thousands of people who visit the complex every day.
This is a city unto itself, one that is a world make that several worlds away from the place where Mark Tolosky, CEO of the Baystate system, grew up and eventually developed a special interest in health care.
That place is Lyon Mountain, N.Y., an iron-ore-mining town in the Adirondacks near the Canadian border. Its claim to fame is that the cables in the Golden Gate Bridge were made with ore from the Republic Steel mine that gave the community its identity. When Tolosky grew up here in the 50s, the towns population was 900, and dominated by Poles, Lithuanians, and other Eastern Europeans who worked hard to support their families.
"Everybody knew everybody, and life was really simple," said Tolosky, who would become an Eagle Scout and an athletic star at the towns tiny high school. "It was very close-knit, and everyone looked out for each other. I could walk down the street and tell you who lived in every house."
Tolosky, the subject of this months CEO Profile, takes the same approach to his responsibilities within the Baystate system, where he succeeded longtime CEO Mike Daly in January. He practices what he calls a very personal style of management, despite the size of the facility and the scope of his responsibilities.
For example, Tolosky often hand-delivers complimentary letters he receives about employees from patients and reads them to the individual in front of his or her co-workers. Meanwhile, he still attends many of the companys bi-weekly new-employee- orientation meetings.
"I like to meet and greet the new employees and talk about values … I want to put a face on the organization," he said, noting that he started attending the sessions soon after he arrived at Baystate in 1992. "I also want to let them know that the leaders that are making decisions about this organization live and work in the community, and you can see them, touch them, and converse with them."
Tolosky assumes the helm of the Baystate system at a very challenging time for this industry. He told BusinessWest that providers are being stretched to the very limits of their capabilities and imaginations, and he doesnt believe the health care system can maintain itself much longer without meaningful reform.
"I know people have been saying that for the past several years, but its clear to me that we cant keep going in this direction," he said. "There is a fundamental belief among people who know this business well that the course were on is not sustainable.
"There are 600,000 uninsured people in this state now thats equivalent to the population of the city of Boston," he continued. "The data is looking continually troublesome, and when you factor in the aging population, the Baby Boomers who are reaching retirement age, and the unbelievable advances coming in technology and interventions in pharamaceuticals, and theres a mismatch between what our capabilities are going to be and what society may want to commit to."
The problems facing health care are so acute and so numerous that, when asked what he would do if he had a proverbial magic wand, Tolosky said leaders in this industry have pondered that very question, and have come to the conclusion that there are no easy answers or quick fixes.
He said that, if possible, the process would begin with a national dialogue about what people expect from the nations health care system, and whether theyre willing to pay for that care.
"In the absence of the war on terror, health care will be, over the next five to seven years, the single biggest state and national political issue," he said, adding that while the presidential candidates have been relatively quiet on the subject to date, that will soon change. "Im very frustrated with some elected officials who have a very short-term view and are simply not dealing with the very predictable long-term consequences of the track that were on."
In a wide-ranging interview, Tolosky talked about the challenges facing the health care sector, his short- and long-term goals for Baystate, and how his upbringing shaped his leadership style.
Lessons in Caring
Tolosky told BusinessWest that he was first drawn into health care, and first considered it as a profession, after listening to the stories told by a longtime friend of his father who managed a small hospital in Southern New York.
"Our families would see each other in the summertime … I would listen to him talk about health care and became intrigued," he said. "When I finally went to visit his hospital, I was absolutely fascinated by what was behind the walls.
"Until that time, when I thought of hospitals, I thought of doctors and nurses," he continued, "but this visit really opened my eyes; I was fascinated by all the different types of people, the different disciplines, how complex the processes were, and the overall business aspect of a hospital. It caught my attention."
Tolosky attended schools in Lyon Mountain (there was one building for all 12 grades) before his father was transferred to another community in New York after the mine closed in the late 60s in the face of heavy foreign competition. He later went on to attend State University of New York in Binghampton, and then Xavier College in Cincinnati, where he earned a masters degree in Hospital and Health Care Administration.
After serving as an administrative resident at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Tolosky took his first job at Franklin Square Hospital in Baltimore. He started as assistant director, moved up to associate director, and later to senior vice president.
During his stint at Franklin Square, Tolosky devoted three summers and countless nights to pursuit of a law degree at the University of Maryland School of Law, and at one time had a small private practice.
"I always enjoyed law, and I think it really helped me develop my analytical skills and my writing and speaking," he said, adding that while he considered joining a large law firm and specializing in health care, he ultimately decided that he would stay in hospital administration. "I enjoyed management, and I enjoyed being part of an organization and leading it, and in 1980 I made a very deliberate decision to stay the course."
From Franklin Square, Tolosky moved on to Faulkner Hospital in Boston, which he served first as chief operating officer and later as president and CEO. In 1987, he took a job as executive vice president of Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge.
Tolosky told BusinessWest that he greatly enjoyed his work at Mount Auburn, and had no intentions of leaving there. But Daly and others actively recruited him for the position of CEO of Baystate Medical Center and senior vice president of the Baystate system.
In the end, it was an opportunity to work at a bigger system and a chance to stay close to his family in New York, and thus it was an offer he didnt want to refuse.
"I wasnt going to go to Texas or Florida or California," he said. "My whole family is from Albany north, and my wifes family is also in New York, and our families are very important to us."
And while Tolosky was soon on a track to succeed Daly, he wasnt thinking that far ahead when he made the decision to come to Springfield. "You never go somewhere for the next job, because something can, and often does, go wrong," he said. "I came here for the job I was hired for."
Getting Personal
That job evolved considerably over the years, he said, noting that, while he was charged with administering Baystate Medical Center, he also had a system role. He was involved, for example, in the broad care delivery system that includes Franklin Medical Center, Mary Lane Hospital, and the Visiting Nurse Association. He was later assigned academic affairs, research, and information technology.
"The scope of my role kept getting more pervasive bigger, broader, deeper and that happened over a period of many years," he said, adding that the depth of his responsibilities left him well-positioned when, about three years ago, Daly initiated the process of selecting a successor.
That search process morphed into what became a lengthy transition period that Tolosky described as "remarkably smooth," in part because of the careful planning that went into it, but also because the two leaders share many of the same visions and management philosophies.
When asked for a job description for the CEO of a system of Baystates size, Tolosky said that individual obviously helps to shape a vision for the institution and is intricately involved with putting together the business plans for meeting goals and objectives. But the bigger assignment, perhaps, is setting a tone for how work will be carried out and how care will be delivered.
"I think thats an important role determining what this leadership team stands for, and what kind of organization were going to be," he said. "Are you going to be driven purely by the numbers, or are you going to be a compassionate organization?
"The CEO puts the stamp on the values of the organization and answers the question: what do you stand for?" he continued. "And how do you, as a CEO, project that in real life, on an hourly basis, in how you conduct your work?"
Tolosky answered his own question by saying that he takes a decidedly personal approach to what he does. Attending new-employee-orientation meetings is part of the equation, but the work continues after the individual is hired.
"I make a deliberate, concentrated effort, which I thoroughly enjoy, of making phone calls to thank people for things," he said. "I send notes, and I hand-deliver complimentary letters to staff members. Those are just some of the ways that I like to personalize my work and not be remote; I think its very important to be visible."
As for Baystates short- and long-term future, Tolosky said he will work in conjunction with the systems board and other members of the management team to shape a strategic plan. Long-term planning is more difficult than ever given the current climate in health care, he said, but health care systems can project a few years out and plan accordingly.
"You cant stop thinking mid- to long-term, but you can wait on your specific commitments as long as you can to make sure you have the best sense of the environment," he explained. "Were always thinking out and looking at demographic trends; we have a five- to seven- to 10-year look, and we keep translating that back into three-year goals and then one-year objectives. We have a multi-layering of how we look at the world.
"Overall, we need to evolve," he continued. "Thats because theres a natural migration of procedures and technology to community hospitals and physicians offices. We need to keep climbing up the sophistication scale, so that were differentiated. If we just sat back and we didnt change over the next eight to 10 years, a lot of our business would go right out the front door."
Critical Condition
As he talked about the situation facing health care providers today, Tolosky spoke as both the CEO of Baystate and the immediate past president of the Mass. Hospital Assoc. In that role, he pressed the case for all the hospitals in the Commonwealth, and became keenly aware of the political, economic, and logistical challenges facing those now seeking reform of the current system.
"The bigger view of the industry is very troubling," he said, "and it doesnt appear that the political ambition to take this on is there at either the state or federal level. We learned with the Clinton administration that a wholesale change in the health care system is not something that is embraced by most Americans."
Summarizing the problem facing the health care industry today, Tolosky said medicine is advancing at a phenomenal pace. New technology and new pharmaceuticals are improving the quality of care that can be provided and, in most cases, the quality of life of individuals receiving that care.
The big problem, of course, is how to pay for it all. Americans want and expect the best, but they are also reluctant or, in many cases, unable to pay for it, said Tolosky, and neither the government nor private insurance companies are moving to pick up that cost.
Reimbursements from public and private payers continue to fall, said Tolosky, while, in the case of insurance companies, double-digit increases in premiums have been placed on individuals and businesses.
There are other problems, as well, starting with shortages of many health care professionals, especially nurses, and lack of any real solution to the problem. In fact, in many areas, including Western Mass., there are more people trying to get into nursing programs than there are seats in the classrooms.
Meanwhile, the environment for physicians has become increasingly uninviting, especially in Massachusetts, said Tolosky. They face reimbursement problems of their own, coupled with skyrocketing malpractice rates that are driving them out of the state or into retirement.
And for facilities like Baystate, there is another issue to contend with capital, or lack thereof. "When we look at some of the great things that are coming to the marketplace, as well as our need to rebuild some of our facilities, our tremendous need for information technology, and capital equipment to take care of patients, its going to be a real challenge to afford all that and were one of the three strongest organizations in the state," he said. "Some smaller institutions just have no access to capital."
Add it all up, and its not a pretty picture, he said, adding that many in the industry have trouble even deciding where and how to begin fixing the system.
"When you talk about waving a magic wand, or asking people what they would do to solve the problem, thats the question that causes the best and the brightest people to glaze over," he said. "What should we do? That question is so big, so interdependent, so complex, no one can take three minutes and say, this will fix our health system."
Tolosky told BusinessWest that, while waiting for that larger solution, elected leaders should refrain from quick fixes, which is how he categorized the national drug legislation that was recently passed.
"I think theres going to be a revolt in this country by seniors when they figure out what this national pharmacy benefit is and what it isnt," he said. "The average American thinks its first dollar, every dollar thats covered by this proposal, and thats not what it is thats nowhere near what it is, and thats why I think that issue will get revisited, and soon."
Healthy Approach
Tolosky admitted that he certainly doesnt know everyone at the Baystate Medical Center, let alone the rest of the system, on a first-
ame basis. But he knows many of them, and can usually recognize people by face and the department they work in.
Hes delivered letters from patients to some of these employees, and hes met hundreds of others at new-employee-orientation sessions. When asked how and why he takes such a personal approach, Tolosky replies simply, thats me … thats how I was brought up."
Its a style of management that has put Tolosky at the helm of the largest Massachusetts health care facility west of Boston, and one of the Top 100 hospitals in the country. Its also made him Lyon Mountains other claim to fame, besides the cables in the Golden Gate Bridge.
George OBrien can be reached at [email protected]
Richard Goyette was sworn into office as Chicopee mayor in January after surviving a close (350-vote) race with former mayor Joseph Chessey. He assumes the corner office at a time when Chicopee remains in an expansion mode, with a new high school nearing completion, a new city library set to open, and Wal-Mart planning to come to Memorial Drive. These are all projects set in motion during the administration of Richard Kos, who is credited with taking Chicopee, the regions second-largest city, out of the doldrums and putting it on the road to sound fiscal health and economic vitality. Goyette, who served on the Board of Aldermen during the Kos years, says his predecessor built a solid foundation. Now, he wants to build a house on top of it. BusinessWest talked with the new mayor about his goals for the city, his strategies for reaching them, and his thoughts on everything from Wal-Mart to a planned womens prison.
BusinessWest:Before we get into a deep discussion about business, economic development, and your vision for Chicopee, tell us why you wanted this job, and at this time in your life and career.
Goyette:"This is something Ive always had an interest in. I told my wife this, and when Mayor Kos announced that he was not going to run, she and I sat down and had a long talk about it. I didnt want to look back 20 years from now and say, wouldve, couldve, shouldve. Being mayor is something I always wanted to do, and this was my opportunity."
BusinessWest:Youre following Kos, a man who is credited with having not only vision, but the ability to make that vision reality. Is he a hard act to follow?
Goyette:"He is. He did a wonderful job for the city. He built a wonderful foundation not only with the citys finances but with a number of projects across the city and now Im hoping to build a house on top of that foundation."
BusinessWest:What did you do in the private sector, and do you believe any of those experiences will help you handle the duties of being mayor?
Goyette:"I was sales manager at the Springfield Sheraton for a few years, and before that I was in the aerospace industry; I was in charge of manufacturing at a company called Fountain Plating in West Springfield. After Sept. 11, things in the aerospace industry took a real nosedive, so I took a career change. And I really think my job as a sales manager will help me here. When youre in the hospitality industry, customer service is important you have to deal with people on a one-to-one basis. Its very similar when youre mayor; Im basically the salesman for the city.
BusinessWest:How else would you define your responsibilities in this position? Give us your job description.
Goyette:"The mayor is the chief executive officer, so obviously, you have to make a number of financial decisions. Beyond that, though, the mayor sets the agenda and tries to move forward with a vision for the city and what it should be. Ive lived in Chicopee most of my life Im the fourth generation of my family living in the same house in Aldenville and I have a vested interest in this city. I want businesses to locate here, I want to see investment in my community, and Im the point person for that."
BusinessWest:Speaking of moving agendas forward, what are your priorities when it comes to economic development in Chicopee?
Goyette:"Like every community in the area, we want to attract companies that are going to bring good-paying jobs. Weve had some good success stories in the past few years Channel 22, Williams Distributing, MassMutuals conference center, and some businesses in the Westover industrial parks. We want to build on that. We have an attractive location, and we have some places for companies to go. There are some lots left in the Westover parks, and we have the Chicopee River Technology Park, as well.
"In addition to attracting new, larger companies, we want to take in some smaller companies and give them the space to get to that next stage. There is room in Cabotville for this type of development. I know Springfield has been successful with very small businesses in the STCC incubator; were looking at trying to market Cabotville and some of our other old mills as the place to take the next step when a company outgrows its space in a smaller facility, we want it to think about Chicopee."
BusinessWest:Wal-Mart is coming to town in the former Fairfield Mall complex. What does this mean for Chicopee and for Memorial Drive?
Goyette:"I think this is going to work out very well for this city. One of the biggest complaints that I hear from people is that they live in the second-largest city in the region, but they have to go to Holyoke or Springfield to do their shopping. There are no major stores here. Wal-Mart is just going to be the start. There is room at the site for six small boxes, and I think youll see a lot of interest on the part of major retailers our first national chain, the Ninety Nine, is going into the spot in front of the old mall.
"This development is also going to bring more people into Chicopee; its going to be a huge boost for the businesses currently there. Because of its location just off the Turnpike, its very accessible, and people will be coming to Memorial Drive who havent come that way in the past. I think this will develop the same way Riverdale Road did first you had Home Depot, and then Costco, and it took off. Now, you have Chilis, an Outback, and a lot of other restaurants. Were expecting similar things.
BusinessWest:Is that good or bad? Can Memorial Drive handle the kind of development thats being talked about? Are there fears that you could have traffic problems similar to those seen on Riverdale Road?
Goyette:"I think its good. People want to spend their dollars in their own community. As far as the traffic goes, I think we have a better arrangement than Riverdale Road theres better access and better traffic flow. Once Wal-Mart is in place and those box stores fill up, things are really going to take off; it will be great for our tax base and great for our residents, and it will provide jobs.
BusinessWest:Chicopee is an industrial city that has many large employers. But is fast running out of developable land. What does this mean, and how can the city continue to attract jobs with this apparent handicap?
Goyette:"As our land gets filled up, were going to look at redevelopment of existing buildings and underutilized parcels. One site were looking at for the long term is the former Uniroyal complex and the adjacent Facemate property (see related story, page 22). There are some environmental concerns, but down the road, this will become space that we can utilize."
BusinessWest:Plans to build a womens prison at the site of the former canine control center are now on hold due to the states budget problems. Most people dont think of a prison as economic development, but you and your predecessor both believe this is an opportunity for Chicopee. Why?
Goyette:"It does represent economic development its going to bring jobs, probably 100 or more, into the city. And that project brings a number of infrastructure improvements with it. There are plans for a major reconstruction of Center Street from the Springfield line to downtown. That project is on a separate track from the jail, but, realistically, it wont happen until the jail does."
BusinessWest:Is there a new timetable for the jail?
Goyette:"Not that Im aware of. The state is currently conducting a needs assessment of its correctional facilities, and doesnt want to spend money on projects like this if it doesnt have to. Obviously, were hoping this project gets back on track."
BusinessWest:Unlike many cities and town in this region, and especially Springfield, Chicopee is in good fiscal health. How did it get that way, and how will you keep the city on that course?
Goyette:"Four or five years ago, the mayor and the Board of Aldermen worked on a lot of things, and while many communities were just handing out things and creating new jobs like Springfield adding 100 new police officers we were tightening our belts and looking at the situation and saying, the good times arent going to last forever we need to save for a rainy day and put some money away.
"When I took office as an alderman, the stabilization fund had $5,000 in it. Now, its got $10.5 million. Obviously, we worked very hard to do that, and now that times are tougher, we may not be able to save a lot of money. We may have to continue to scale back, but at least we have that cushion."
BusinessWest:What else do you have on your to-do list?
Goyette:"One of the projects in front of us is redevelopment of the old (current) Chicopee High School. When we move into the new one this fall, were going to have a very large, vacant building on our hands. Were looking at combining some city departments in there, or perhaps a senior center, or even moving the school administration offices in there. Theres a lot of consolidation that can take place, and a lot of options for us to look at.
"Ultimately, I think were looking at mixed uses for that building, and there are a lot of things we have to take a look at. Thats why the city is paying to have a facilities study done of all city buildings, including the schools, City Hall, any municipal building. Once we get that back, then we can determine what our options and priorities are, and decide where and how to spend money on these buildings. To this point, weve never had something like this; weve traditionally waited until something is broken and then found the money to fix it."
BusinessWest:Youre wrapping up those proverbial first 100 days in office. What has the experience been like? Is being mayor about what you expected when you decided to run for the seat?
Goyette:"It was a real advantage to me to be on the Board of Aldermen for six years, two years as president. I had a chance to work with a lot of the department heads and cope with the issues the city was confronted with; I was part of the process, and as a result I had a pretty good handle on things.
"That said, theres a lot to do, and much of it is things that people dont see or fully appreciate. People dont see the nights, the weekends, and the events youre expected to attend the Boy Scouts, the banquets, the church services … theres so much, and people expect to see the mayor there; its part of the job, and an important part.
BusinessWest:How long do you think you want to do this?
Goyette:"I just got here, so its really hard to say how long I might want to keep this job. I hope its a while. I very much enjoy the job, but it puts some constraints on how much time I can spend with my wife and family I have two children and five stepchildren. Weve tried to make this experience fun for the kids. During the campaign, they would come out and hold signs … it was a learning experience for them in how government works; its one thing to go in the classroom and talk about how people get elected, but its another thing to be part of the process."
BusinessWest:One more question: Youre one of the very few Republican mayors in this state. Is that going to help you or the city in any way?
Goyette:"The governor and I are on a first-name basis, but Im not sure being a Republican is going to be a big help. But at the moment, it doesnt hurt, either."
| Abdow, Joseph J. Adorno, Miguel A. Albano, Carl Alicea, Eddie Alicea, Yasmin L. Altimo, David Alves, Francisco M. Amato, Jamie L. Annino, Charles J. Annino, Louis J. Antonuzzo, Deborah Lynn Arbelaez, Carlos A. Arnold Ward, Kathleen M. Arroyo, Braulio Barnes, Tammy L. Barry, Robert K. Bass, Eric M. Belton, Wynter P. Beyer, David Robert Binkley, Kathleen A. Birriel, Carlos Bolduc, Brandon J. Bonzagni, Francis A Boucher, Donna J. Bragg, Stephen W. Brinkmann, Holly A Brodeur, Donald A. Buck, Joann S. Bui, Kevin Khoa Burgess, Dana E. Butler, Wayne E. Buxton, Scott T. Byrum, Susan F. Caceres, Josefina R. Candido, Kathleen M. Card, Thomas A. Carroll, Sonja M. Chartier, Johanna Lea Cintron, Michael A. Cole, Milton R. Colon, Osvaldo Comforte, Judith A. Concepcion, Hector L. Connor, Donald Cortina, Rocco Costigan, Michele Lee Cruz, Felix R. Curtis, Lucille Yvette Dart, Daniel J. Davis, Linda M. Davis, Marilyn Dean, Alden L. Demers, Mary Ellen Dodge, Garvin Duca, Jacqueline K. Eberlein, Christopher Robert Engelson, Christine M. Falcon, Lois Fasolino, Giovanna N. Fields, Dwayne R Figueroa, Eric Fischer, Blanche Lauria Fitzpatrick, Betty L. Flores, Federico Flynn, Barbara A. Fondakowski, Sandra J. Forrester, Rose C. Francis, Lucien J. | Gadreault, Lisa K. Garrigan, Duane C. Gendron, Ellen J. Glancy, Cheryl M Glasgow, Robin K.F. Golenski, Amy Beth Gonzalez, Rafael Goyette, Katherine A. Graham, Terri Graveline, Barbara J. Grigsby, Joseph T. Guilbault, James J. Guzman, Luis A. Hamilton, Jeffrey C. Harris, Ronald C. Hart, Joseph P. Haynes, Sandra Healy, John S. Hebert, Scott Allen Hemminger, Sylvia Ann Herring, Claire Hetu, Lionel Howell, Ann V. Hundley-Slater, Lisa Hunting, Brandi K. Hutchinson, Aimee E. Johnson, Russell E. Johnson, Tammie M. Jordan, Toni Keenan, Julie Kelley, Deborah Kelley, Todd W. Kenney, Wallace A. Kindness, Christopher J. Smith, Frances Staltare, Paul E. Stanley, Kenneth H. Stasiak, Thomas Francis Stasiowski, Gary Steven Sullivan, Joanne M. Surian-Villalvazo, Yissel Szklarz, Linda B. Taft, Beverly M. Talbot, Paul A. Texidor, Carmen A. Thomas, Tracey Monique Tierney, Timothy N. Tobiasz, Nancy Tomasauckas, Todd Raymond Tomolillo, Richard David Torres, Elizabeth Vanderpool, Jean M. Verdejo, Celestino Washington, Patricia R. Wawrzyniak, Evelyn L. Williams, Nathaniel Wilson, Nangwaya K. Young, Kerry Ann Young, William G. Zades, George C. Kuphal, Denise M. Kurzeski, Jason M. Ladouceur, Joylene Lamagdelaine, James E. Langley, Caroline Joan Larussa, Rose A. Lavalle, Robert W. | Lavigne, Francis Paul LeBlanc, Dennis W. LeClair, Raymond E. Lenkowski, Farilyn Lipinsky, Edward K. Liverseidge, Jay M Lopez, Hector L. Lucey, Dorinda Kerns Lyden, Raymond J. Lynch, Christopher M. MacDonald, Bruce R. Madru, Brian Keith Magurn, Brian W. Malcolm, Walter F. Maleshefski, Richard T. Mancini, Rosemary B Manuel, Dean A. Marcano, Hector J. Mathieu, Richard J. McAlpine, Jennie T. McCray, Diane M. McCullough, Diane G. McGovern, Mark R. Meara, William R. Medina, Elizabeth Mendez, Alejandro Miller, Jennifer L. Montes, Abigal Moorman, Jennifer E. Murry, Melvin Nareau, Jason A Nolan, Thomas James Norton, Frank E. Otero, Thelma Joy Palsa, Richard H. Parzych, John R. Paul, Erin H. Pelletier, Peter J. Pena, Carlos Ramon Pendergrast, Damien A Perez, Jesus Phelan, Deborah J. Phillips, Herman L. Powers, Jennifer Dawn Price, Sylvia A Redfern, Christopher Ripley, Debra Jean Roberts, Roy E. Robinovitz, Daryl Rodriguez, Jacqueline Rowell, William E. Rudzik, David P. Ryan, John J. Ryan, Robert E. Sadlowski, Mark A. Sample, Randy W. Sanchez, Ana I. Sanchez, Miguel A. Sanderson, Todd N. Santana, Juan Santerre, Robert E. Santiago, Adelaida Santiago, Elsa Savoy, Brenden T. Schools, Heather C. Scibelli, Mary T. Scott, Gregory Anton |
The following building permits were issued during the month of March 2004.
AGAWAM
Quail Meadow Holdings
270 Main St.
$127,250 — Fire sprinklers
Town of Agawam
109 Perry Lane
$50,000 — New locker room and bathrooms
AMHERST
Amhad Developement Corp.
23 Greenleaves Dr.
$100,000 — Construct garage for 10 vehicles
Amherst Nursing Home Inc.
150 University Dr.
$22,000 — Convert existing lounge to two-bed patient room with bathroom
Town of Amherst Recreation
179 Triangle St.
$49,000 — Storage building
Trustees of Hampshire College
Enfield House 57 & 58
$99,000 — Renovations, install sprinkler
Trustees of Hampshire College
793 Farm Center
$25,000 — Support beams, renovate stairwell, smoke alarms, emergency lighting
CHICOPEE
Nextel Communications
481 Center St.
$50,000 — Install antennas, lines and equipment
Paul Amaral
1271 Memorial Dr.
$9,500 — Convert to Domino’s Pizza
EAST LONGMEADOW
Saga Communications
45 Fisher Ave.
$91,000 — Install modular unit
HOLYOKE
Holyoke Prudential Plaza
276 High St.
$6,000 — Renovate first floor
Holyoke Water & Power Co.
1 North Canal St.
$13,566 — Pour concrete slab
South Street Plaza Assoc.
287 South St.
$41,000 — Interior renovations
NORTHAMPTON
American Legion Post #28 Home
63 Riverside Dr.
$18,000 — Convert storage space to office, renovations
Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$17,500 — Interior renovations to McCallum building
Leeds Village Associates
260 Main St.
$35,500 — Replace flat roof
Northampton Co-operative Bank
67 King St.
$12,000 — Install new roof and insulation
Smith College
44 Green St.
$9,400 — Construct built-in counters, benches, shelves in Chocolate Store
Strong Block Partners LLP
10 Strong Ave.
$148,000 — Interior build-out for five stores
SPRINGFIELD
AIC
15 Montrose St.
$16,000 — Bathrooms
Ames Design Inc.
132 Wollaston St.
$10,000 — Build two-car
garage
Bernie’s TV & Appliance
1522 Boston Road
$430,000 — Interior
renovations
Better Built Transmission
1201 South Branch Parkway
$10,000 — Two-car garage
Dollar Dreams
756 State St.
$20,000 — Interior
renovations
Durham Mfg.
5 Fisk Ave.
$60,000 — Install concrete pad
Hampden Dodge
1414 State St.
$140,000 — Re-roof
Mountain Development
1655 Boston Road
$55,000 — Interior renovations
Richard Hartman
4 Bernie Ave.
$20,000 — Fix loading dock foundation
Ryder Truck Rental
220 Tapley St.
$52,983 — Interior renovations
Ultra Sound Diagnostic School
365 Cadwell Dr.
$26,000 — Handicap ramp
WEST SPRINGFIELD
1150 Union St. Corp.
1150 Union St.
$160,000 — Fit-out 20,450 square feet for retail
Beth El Temple
37-39 Pipin Road
$11,700 — New roof
Dollar Dreams Management Co.
1150 B Union St.
$100,000 — Interior renovations and sprinklers
Equity Residential
Properties
51 Van Deene Ave.
$50,000 — Renovate office space
Zi Gao Chau
364 Westfield St.
$10,000 — Renovate for restaurant
WESTFIELD
E. Brouse/Berkshire Ind.
109 Apremont Way
$511,500 — Addition
Lawry Realty
140 Apremont Way
$92,395 — Re-roof
Shaker Farms
866 Shaker Road
$50,000 — Renovations
The groups involved with development of Springfields riverfront issued a request for proposals, or RFP, for the old Basketball Hall of Fame last month. The old Hall is the last piece in the new Hall development project, and officials thought that after 18 months of futility, they would shake the trees, in a manner of speaking, and see if the development community had any new ideas on what to do with the former Hall of Fame building.
The RFP has already generated one, very unofficial response. In a letter to theRepublican, an area resident proposed turning the old Hall into a transit center for the region. He argued that the site was well-positioned right on the railroad tracks and right off I-91 and had plenty of parking, and abundant space for the buses, trains, and whatever else would run out of a transit hub in Springfield. And he argued that the project would cost a fraction of what it will take to turn the long-vacant Union Station into the intermodal transportation center envisioned by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority.
The letter writers arguments are valid, although there are two large problems. First, it is highly unlikely that planning officials would take a facility they have designated for a tourist-oriented use and relegate it (thats the word they would use) to a future as a transportation center. The hope is for the old Hall to be used as a museum or retail center that will bring a wider demographic to the riverfront and not merely those who like basketball or the food at Maxs Tavern.
The second problem is that the state and federal money to be used for Union Station which will constitute a large portion of the projects $100 million price tag has already been committed. The wheels are in motion, as they say, literally and figuratively, and Union Station is moving forward.
We really wish it wasnt.
From the start, we have tried to find the logic in taking the 80-year-old station, vacant since the early 60s, and bringing it back to life. But we really cant find any. This is a project rooted far more in nostalgia than it is in common sense, and we fear that those state and federal dollars may well wind up being wasted.
It isnt the transportation component of this project that has us skeptical. People will go to wherever the buses and trains are centered; currently, the trains run out of a small depot at Union Station while the buses are run out of the Peter Pan terminal across Main Street. Consolidating the buses, trains, and taxis at one facility makes sense although the price of renovating Union Station for this purpose is quite steep.
Which is why the scope of this project has been broadened. Indeed, like other old train facilities around the country many of them named Union Station Springfields landmark is being eyed as an economic development engine.
Plans call for filling the vast spaces above the main concourse with offices, retail outlets, a Challenger Learning Center, and other facilities. The goal is to make the grand old train station a destination, and this is where we turn skeptical.
Union Station is only a half-dozen blocks from downtown, but it might as well be a few miles. People will need some compelling reasons to visit the station, and were not sure they will have them. Very few individuals ride the train these days, and in this part of the state, the buses are used primarily by those who dont have cars.
Thus, it will take a first-class restaurant (or maybe two) and a fine shopping experience to get most people to visit Union Station. And while a restaurant is possible, we dont see retail succeeding in that space not without a critical mass of daily visitors with disposable income. As for office space, there is already a glut of Class B and C space in the downtown area, and more is planned.
We sincerely hope that were wrong about Union Station. It would be great if it becomes not only a transportation hub, but a true destination worthy of a state/federal investment of nearly $100 million. It would be a great boost for Springfield if its train station could become what Union Station in Washington, D.C. has become the largest tourist attraction in that city, a facility visited not only by commuters, but many looking for a place to grab lunch, do some shopping, or have a business meeting.
Unfortunately, we see this project as a nostalgic leap of faith, one we dont consider worth taking.
| Alicea, Daniel | Leigner, Arthur R. |
| AGAWAM |
| AGAWAM |
| Acevedo, R. Antonio | LaPlante, S. Leisa |
As he goes about the task of righting the fiscal ship in Springfield, Mayor Charles Ryan will solicit the help of the citys business community. Specifically, he wants to tap into the competitive nature of business leaders and their focus on customer service.
Charlie Ryan stressed that the city of Springfield is not Ford Motor Co. "Were not making cars, or widgets, or anything else," he told BusinessWest. "Were educating children, were providing public safety, and were offering basic services. Thats not the same as running a company; some of the rules that apply to business dont apply to a municipality."
That said, Ryan, the citys 76-year-old mayor who returned to City Hall in January 36 years after he left it following three terms as Springfields top executive, believes his administration can, indeed, borrow lessons from the corporate world.
At the very least, it can benefit from its expertise and competitive nature, said Ryan, who has embarked on an intriguing initiative to involve members of regions business community in his multi-faceted effort to return the city to sound fiscal health and, in general, enable it to operate more efficiently.
"The business community consists of men and women who are, out of necessity, competitive," he said. "They wouldnt survive if they werent successful in beating the competition. Whatever attributes make them competitive persistence, tenacity, imagination, and others are very rare indeed.
"To whatever extent these individuals turn their attention to our problems," he continued, "were going to benefit."
Specifics of the plan are still coming together, and ordinances for the program must be drafted and approved by the City Council. But what is known is that Ryan wants to tap the talents of area business leaders to address some of the citys many ills and he believes that free assistance is crucial to the citys efforts to right its financial ship.
For starters, Ryan intends to make use of three individuals from MassMutual in what he calls a "loaned-executive program." These volunteers will be reviewing various city departments with an eye toward creating efficiencies.
Once the 90-day review process is completed, the next, still-evolving stage of the process will take place.
Russell Denver, president of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield, told BusinessWest that Ryan approached the Chamber and the Springfield Business Development Council after last falls election and asked about the recruitment of business volunteers to work on projects within City Hall. Denver said that to date, he has enlisted more than 100 such individuals who are willing to offer some form of assistance in project-specific situations.
"This is a great opportunity for the city to take advantage of some free consulting," he said, noting that, while that word consulting is the one being tossed around by those involved with this initiative, he prefers to say that business leaders would be partnering with city department heads and other employees.
But will this work? Can the private sector and public sector come together and achieve progress? Some city councilors have questioned whether department heads will feel threatened by the intrusion of business leaders, while others have expressed concern about chain-of-command and collective-bargaining issues.
But both Ryan and Denver believe there will be collaboration, not intrusion, and that the business communitys help is needed to fix the citys bottom line and enable departments to provide better service to residents.
"Fundamental things are not being done, or not done as well as they could be," said the mayor of day-to-day activities at City Hall. "And this is everywhere I look."
Executive Decisions
Ryan acknowledged that his plans to enlist the business community are unusual and rather extraordinary but those are some of the same words he would use to describe the citys current situation.
Springfield is getting plenty of ink these days, and most of it isnt good. The headline on the cover of the winter issue of Commonwealth magazine, put out by the Mass. Institute for a New Commonwealth (MassInc.), screams, Springfield: Has It Hit Bottom?
Without directly answering that question, Ryan said the citys fiscal state is precarious to say the least. He told BusinessWest that the city can generate about $3 million in new tax revenues this year under the guidelines of Proposition 2 1/2, but hes already looking at an additional $6 million in debt service and $6 million to $7 million in additional health insurance expenses. "We just continue to lose ground."
During last falls campaign, Ryan dared to utter the R-word receivership and was accused by rival Linda Melconian of trying to scare voters and greatly exaggerating the problem.
He insists that he was doing neither, and a month after taking office, he is using the same language.
"I dont know if we can head this off," he said, referring to the prospect of receivership. "Id like to say that we can, but I just dont know the news keeps getting worse."
Indeed, in the budget he outlined late last month, Gov. Mitt Romney calls for level funding of aid to cities and towns, this at a time when Ryan is begging for a real increase.
The mayor said some people understand and appreciate the bind Springfield finds itself in, but many dont. "When we end a contract or dont fund a certain position, there still seems to be a lack of understanding as to why those things are happening," he said. "The answer is simple; we cant afford those things anymore."
Using a decidedly somber tone, Ryan described a collective bargaining session that occurred just prior to his meeting with BusinessWest. Most City Hall employees are overdue for raises, said the mayor, noting that the city simply doesnt have the $4 million needed to pay for contracted pay hikes. "In a few months, were going to be starting a new fiscal year," he noted. "And unless a miracle happens, were not going to have the $3 million to $4 million to pay for the next round of increases. The IOUs keep piling up."
Ryan isnt looking for miracles from the business community. He is, however, looking for some good advice, the kind of consulting that the city couldnt afford if it had to pay for it.
Denver believes the business community can provide that brand of help, and wants to, because it understands that a healthy Springfield is vital to the prospects of further economic development in the Pioneer Valley.
"They know how important it is for Springfield to turn itself around," he said. "Thats why youre seeing so many people come forward and volunteer their services."
In Good Company
Ryan told BusinessWest that he had several discussions last fall with MassMutual CEO Robert OConnell about ways the financial services giant might assist the city. One byproduct of those discussions is the planned loaned-executive program, which could commence over the next several weeks.
Plans subject to approval by the council call for MassMutuals involvement to be led by Theresa H. Forde, senior vice president of sales and marketing, and John F. Abbott, vice president of state government relations and policy holder relations. They will meet with department heads and other employees to review operations and identify areas where changes can be made and improvement realized.
Ryan, who stressed to the City Council that the project was not a witch hunt, said that the MassMutual executives will be working with him in what he called a "dynamic process that will identify better ways for us to carry out our business.
"Its fundamental that people understand that this is not a study by the MassMutual people that will be presented to me at the end of 90 days," he explained. "They will work, day by day, in concert with me, as together we make this very necessary analysis and identify the strengths and weaknesses of our city operation."
The hope is that the department-by-department review will yield strategies that do not involve additional personnel or other expenditures.
"We want to focus on remedies that are practical and affordable," Ryan said. "Im sure there will be some where they say, you could do a better job if you had 30 more police officers. Well, right now, thats not an option we dont have the money to hire 30 more police officers.
"What we have to do is look at what our economic capacity is and, within those significant constraints, try and improve our effectiveness," he continued. "And Im sure there will be a lot that we can do, even with our empty pocketbook."
Once individual remedies have been identified, the city could call on some of the companies the Chamber has enlisted to take on specific projects. For example, area banks could assist with cash-flow or debt-refinancing issues, said Denver, while property-management companies may be able to identify economies of scale or other means of reducing costs.
Law firms may offer pro-bono services in a number of areas, said Denver, including the collection of overdue property taxes or the taking of properties. Meanwhile, accounting firms, marketing agencies, staffing companies, and the areas colleges have services they can offer.
Even retail outlets can be of assistance, he explained, noting that such businesses know a lot about inventory control and customer service.
Denver told BusinessWest that, in early discussions with the mayor on the subject of business volunteers, Ryan focused on the broad subject of productivity.
"In our local economy, the numbers are improving, but unemployment is not, because companies are increasing productivity thats why theyre calling this a jobless recovery," said Denver. "Companies are doing more with the same number of people, or fewer, and this is what intrigues the mayor."
While he acknowledged that there are vast differences in how a company and a municipality are managed, Denver said he thought area business leaders can make whatever adjustments are necessary and make some solid contributions to the kind of progress the mayor is seeking.
"Youve already seen a number of companies lend practical assistance to the School Department and to individual schools," said Denver, listing MassMutual, American Saw & Mfg., and other businesses in the same category. "This is the same thing, but on a much larger scale.
"Besides," he continued, "a number of business people have served on boards or commissions in the communities they live in, and some have held elected office; they know how a municipality operates."
When asked to what extent he will utilize the business community, Ryan said, "in whatever legitimate and responsible ways I can."
He told BusinessWest that it is as important for business leaders to help as it is for the city to seek their assistance.
"They have a lot at stake," he said. "It is intolerable that the main city in Western Mass. continues to limp; we need a strong, vital central city."
View Toward Progress
Gesturing to the thick layer of crud on the outside of the windows of his second-floor office in City Wall, one that appeared to be years in the making, Ryan joked that he wouldnt mind if the Chamber could get a window-cleaning company to do some "consulting" work.
If those business executives who do contribute some time and energy to the citys management can help devise strategies to improve services and make progress in the quest for better fiscal health, then Ryan might enjoy the view out the windows in both a literal and figurative sense.
George OBrien can be reached at [email protected]
John Bonavita, restaurateur and developer, says he enjoys the challenge of rehabbing old, historic structures. He spent two years and $1 million to convert an old fire station in Springfields South End into the Tavern restaurant. His latest undertaking is the 90-year-old former Post Office building in Westfield, an attractive but challenged site that is now home to his second Tavern.
John Bonavita says he first fell in love with the old Post Office building in Westfield in 1997. Thats when his Tavern Inn restaurant on Columbus Avenue in Springfield was in the process of being taken by eminent domain to make way for the new Basketball Hall of Fame and related riverfront developments, and he was looking for a new home for that venture.
He liked the historical and architectural aspects of the 90-year-old building more on that later and he really liked its location in the center of the city, as well as the growth potential of the Westfield market.
"I like old buildings," said Bonavita, with a classic bit of understatement. "And I really like bringing them back to life. I enjoy blending the past with the present, and with this building I saw nothing but great potential."
But he couldnt make the parking or lack thereof work, and so he turned his attention elsewhere, specifically the long-vacant fire station on Mill Street in Springfields South End, which became home to the Tavern in 2000 after a year-long, $1 million renovation effort.
Bonavita didnt forget about Westfields old Post Office, however, and after concluding that he wanted to build a second Tavern, his thoughts returned to the building on Broad and Main streets.
And this time, he made the parking work.
Indeed, Bonavita struck a deal with the city in late 2002 to lease him 37 spaces in a parking lot across the street from the structure and adjacent to the citys green. Fourteen months and more than $1 million in renovations later, the Tavern-Westfield is nearly ready to open.
The facility housed a reception prior to Mayor Richard K. Sullivans inaugural ball in mid-January and is slated to open its doors later this month. When it does, it will become part of a growing arts and entertainment district in Westfield and a revitalization of its downtown.
It will also usher in a new era for the Post Office building, one of the citys more enduring landmarks, which has been the site of several mostly unsuccessful ventures since the Post Office moved out in 1980, and has been vacant for the past several years.
Meanwhile, it will be an important entrepreneurial stepping stone for Bonavita, who now has a restaurant group, if you will, and is currently putting together a management team to run the enterprise. When asked if there might be a third or fourth Tavern, he said, "I never thought there would be a second when I see an opportunity develop, I move on it."
Stamp of Approval
As he offered BusinessWest a tour of his Westfield Tavern, Bonavita, speaking over the constant roar of an electrical sander trying to bring new life to an old hardwood floor, pointed to teller windows with signs above them reading money orders and registry.
"Back at the turn of the century, people did a lot more of their banking work at the Post Office," he explained, adding that he has kept the windows in their original state to provide part of the atmosphere for the restaurant.
Bonavita has learned quite a bit about old post offices (and this one in particular) in the past 15 months. He said renovating the landmark has been an extreme challenge, but he enjoys such assignments. "There are a lot of easier sites I could have chosen, believe me," he acknowledged. "But none of them had this location or this kind of history."
Bonavita first gravitated to the restaurant business 25 years ago, while working in the familys used car dealership in Springfield. "I bought and sold cars for 11 years," he said, adding that when auto sales, and the economy in general, suffered in the late 70s, he looked for a new business opportunity.
He opened Pub 91 in Springfields South End, and later opened the Tavern Inn on West Columbus Avenue, which thrived for nearly 15 years thanks to a loyal clientele.
But Bonavita was sent looking for a new home when the city took the property and several others to make way for the Hall of Fame project. And while Bonavita desired a location in Springfields South End, from which he drew many of his customers, his search took him to Agawam, West Springfield, Enfield, Conn., and Westfield, where the old Post Office was his first preference.
At the time, the site was vacant, but the subject of much speculation because it was adjacent to the former H.B. Smith boiler complex, which was soon to be demolished to make for a Stop & Shop. Andrew Crystal, vice president of OConnell Development in Holyoke, which had acquired both the H.B. Smith complex and the Post Office site, told BusinessWest that there was a great deal of interest in the latter, especially from national restaurant chains.
"They all saw what John (Bonavita) saw," said Crystal, "an incredible structure with a lot of potential. But there wasnt any parking, and there was no real way to acquire any." Bonavita had a purchase-and-sale agreement on the Post Office, but could not resolve the parking issue.
So he reset his sights on the South End of Springfield, and the block at the top of Mill Street, which consisted of a vacant fire station and an adjoining manufacturing facility in rather poor condition that housed a company which made motorcycle chains.
"The city really wanted something to happen with that block … the fire station had been vacant for nearly 30 years, and the building next door was in disrepair," said Bonavita, who told BusinessWest that he acquired the fire station from the city for a dollar and relocated the manufacturer into a building he purchased in East Springfield.
He then spent the next year rehabbing the station, built in 1894, which at that time was in horrendous condition.
"There was no heating and no plumbing," he recalled. "About 600 square feet of roof decking was completely rotted and missing, which rotted about 1,000 square feet of the second floor decking; so we had a skylight in the building pigeons were roaming free and flying in and out."
Bonavita eventually invested more than $1 million in the building, which is now home to four offices as well as the restaurant. He acknowledged that most developers would have passed on the adventure, but he enjoys a good challenge.
Food for Thought
And he found another one in Westfields old Post Office, which he acquired from OConnell in 2002 for $300,000.
He said the building lends itself well to a tavern/restaurant with its high ceilings and numerous rooms, but it needed a good deal of work to meet all of todays codes and accessibility standards.
For example, one work area at the former Post Office behind those teller windows Bonavita pointed out had to be gutted to make way for a new entrance that was handicapped-accessible.
Working with the Chicopee-based architectural firm Caolo & Bienek Associates, Bonavita says he has kept as much of the original post office intact as possible, including the marble and hardwood floors, as well as the mahogany front entrance (now an emergency exit).
"Theyve really helped me tame this old building," he said of the architects, noting that the bar area maintains the arches and curved windows of the original lobby area of the post office. "We took some things and moved them or used them for different things; what we disassembled, we reassembled in other places."
The Tavern-Westfield will have a main dining room that will sit about 80, as well as a private dining room the old postmasters office that will seat another dozen. Meanwhile, as with the fire station in Springfield, Bonavita will create some office space to lease out. He said hes already had inquiries from an engineering firm and a financial services company.
The old Post Office was adapted for several different uses after its closure. In the early 80s, it housed a variety of small shops in an indoor-mall format. Later, a restaurant was opened in the basement area. It enjoyed initial success, but closed only a few years after opening.
In the late 80s and early 90s, the site became an antiques center, with dozens of individual vendors leasing pockets of space. The lack of parking eventually doomed that venture as well, and the building sat vacant for a number of years.
With the parking problem solved, Bonavita expects his new venture to become one of the cornerstones figuratively speaking of Westfields emerging entertainment district. Several restaurants have opened in the past few years, and Bonavita expects that in time (and not much time), the citys depth of offerings will draw people from across the region, as Northampton currently does.
"I think Westfield can make something happen," he said. "Springfield has made its entertainment district work, and it can happen here, too."
Pushing the Envelope
As he showed BusinessWest the view from the balcony above the main lobby, Bonavita reiterated why he took on the many challenges posed by the old Post Office. "This building makes a statement," he said.
The same might be said of Bonavitas developments, which have enabled two communities to take underutilized properties and put them back on the tax rolls and into productive use.
"I get a lot of satisfaction from doing this," he said. "Its a labor of love."
George OBrien can be reached at [email protected]
| AMHERST HADLEY |
Charles Ryan was sworn in as Springfields 53rd mayor this month, pledging to restore fiscal order and make ethics his top priority. Thats music to our ears.
He received a standing ovation as he said there was a "new ethic" in City Hall and that /images of FBI investigators hauling boxes of records out of city offices would be a thing of the past. The loud applause was an indication of just how much Springfield has been hurt by the transgressions of members of the Albano administration, and how much hope there is that, with Ryan in office, things will be significantly different.
Greater Springfield can use a little fresh air.
If you talk with development leaders in the area, they will be diplomatic (sometimes), but they will admit that Springfields lengthy run of corruption-related headlines has not been good for business. There have been other factors that have slowed the import of new jobs to the city including the prolonged economic downturn and the sharp decline of the tech sector but FBI raids and arrests of city officials and friends of the former mayor didnt help the cause.
With Ryan, planning officials hope and we expect that Springfield can restore its image and project confidence and progress, not stagnancy, bad politics, and greed.
A renewed focus on ethics is part of Ryans larger plan to move Springfield forward, and in some ways there will be pain before there is actual gain. The Albano administration habitually spent more than it took in, and now tough decisions will have to be made.
Ryan made one when he announced that the citys Community Development Department would no longer fund the salary of Spirit of Springfield director Judy Matt. This was a hard decision because the Spirit of Springfield runs a number of fine programs, including Bright Nights, the balloon parade, and the Taste of Springfield, and Matt has done an admirable job of pumping some life into Springfield.
But in a way, it was an easy decision because a city like Springfield cannot fund every program and every salary that people want funded a point lost on Albano and many members of his administration. Sometimes, a city has to say no and turn to the private sector and the business community for support. By using some imagination, Matts salary will certainly be funded, and the city will have about $85,000 to either put somewhere else or cut from the budget.
Inspiring imagination and innovation is another cornerstone of Ryans plans for the city. Inspired by MassMutuals Center for Innovation, a new department created to encourage the flow of ideas and facilitate the implementation of the concepts generated, Ryan wants to do something similar in Springfield City Hall.
This will be an interesting development to watch. In many city halls, workers are too overwhelmed by day-to-day responsibilities to think outside the box. Meanwhile, its often difficult to maneuver new ideas through an undercurrent of politics, red tape, and competing interests.
We hope Ryan is successful in eliminating those roadblocks to progress and creating an environment where ideas are listened to and then acted upon. This city could use some creative thinking.
Although there has been some progress made in the citys downtown, and there are exciting projects in the works, such as the new federal courthouse, the MassMutual Center project, and Union Station, it would be fair to say that Springfield is in many ways stagnant.
By initiating a program encouraging innovation, Ryan could unearth some imaginative economic development proposals it seems that most of the old ideas are not working and also come up with some methods for serving city residents (and business owners) more completely and effectively.
Another priority for the Ryan administration is to challenge individuals and businesses to step forward and help the city where possible. He said residents can no longer be spectators, and hes right.
At his inaugural address, Ryan said he was offering the city the "torch of idealism, not cynicism; of excellence, not mediocrity; of gratitude, not resentment." This would be a refreshing change from the past several years, and an Albano administration that seemed all too cynical, mired in mediocrity.
Charlie Ryan says Springfield is on the verge of a breakthrough. We hope hes right, and believe hes setting the proper course. Before Springfield can step ahead, it must repair its image, restore its fiscal health, get people excited about what can be done in this city and get residents and business people involved in that process.
And the time to start is now.
| AMHERST |
| AGAWAM |
| Alvarado, Rosa | Horstman, Steffen O. Jones, Gina Marie Kowal, Dennise M. LaFleur, Richard R. | Salgado, Mary Lou Timms, Brenda A. |
Its been nearly 20 years since Tim Daggett scored a perfect 10 on the horizontal bar to clinch a gold medal for the U.S. mens gymnastics team in Los Angeles. Today, hes a diversified entrepreneur, balancing life as business owner, coach, broadcaster, and motivational speaker. He says success comes from bringing the same intensity to those assignments that he did to his Olympic quest.
But as nearly everyone from this region knows, he didnt just get into gymnastics; his perfect 10 on the horizontal bar helped propel the U.S. mens team to a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, putting the West Springfield native into the national spotlight in the process.
And because of his ambitious/aggressive nature, not to mention a strong commitment to excellence, Daggett has made the very most of the opportunities presented to him by that day in the Olympic sun and what happened in the years to follow.
Indeed, he has enjoyed success as a diversified entrepreneur, with ventures ranging from TV commercials to a gymnastics school that bears his name. He has gained acclaim as a motivational speaker, centering his talks not so much on the triumph in 1984, but his ultimately unsuccessful effort to return to the Olympics in 1998 and the lessons he learned from that experience. Meanwhile, he is a successful television commentator now preparing for next summers Olympics in Athens and a coach of many aspiring gymnasts.
In a wide-ranging interview, Daggett told BusinessWest that his Olympic experience like other moments that catapult individuals into fame certainly opened some doors. But those same doors can close quickly if people fail to commit the same time and energy to their new endeavors that they did to the ones that earned them their fame, he noted.
"There were probably 50 Americans who won gold medals at that Olympics who could have honed their story to be just as good as mine," he said of the public-speaking aspect of his business career. "But within a year, the phone stopped ringing for most of them because they didnt apply the same energy to their business that they did to becoming an Olympic gold medalist."
Two decades later, Daggetts phone still rings hes actually had to cut back on his speaking engagements to spend more time with his family because he continually hones his message to provide value to his audiences, which include business groups, individual companies, and sales teams.
And he applies that same formula to his other ventures, knowing that if one stands still, opportunities to advance will be lost.
"A lot of people told me after the Olympics that I had to take advantage of my opportunity while I could, because it wasnt going to last for long," he said. "Every time someone said that to me, I said to myself, Im going to prove you wrong. And I believe I have."
Exercise in Commitment
While the perfect 10 in 1984 is what Daggett will be remembered for, he told BusinessWest that the defining moment in his life came a few years later as he was attempting to return to the Olympics.
While executing a vault at at the World Championships in Rotterdam, Holland in 1987, he shattered his left leg, breaking both the tibia and fibula. The injury was so severe "I looked down and saw the bone sticking out of my leg" that amputation was a real possibility and the talk among doctors wasnt about whether hed compete again, but whether hed walk again.
But nine months later, Daggett was leading the field after two events in the Olympic trials in Salt Lake City. The pain in his leg would eventually force him to withdraw from that event, but merely making it back from that horrible injury to world-class competition was the highlight of his athletic career.
Daggett retells the story of his recovery during many of his motivational speeches, during which he talks about commitment to excellence and the hard work it takes to succeed at anything.
"My talks all vary with the audience and the circumstances," he said. "But there are common threads about teamwork, overcoming adversity, and not letting go of dreams. There are messages there for everyone in business."
Daggetts exploits on the lecture circuit are just part of a multi-faceted enterprise. He also does commentating on both mens and womens gymnastics for NBC, and he is the hands-on owner of his school in Agawam, Tim Daggetts Gold Medal Gymnastics. Hes also co-written a book, a memoir titled Dare to Dream, and coaches a number of young gymnasts, many of whom have enjoyed success at the collegiate level and beyond.
He attacks each of these pursuits with a passion similar to his drive for the gold medal. For his broadcasting exploits, for example, he devotes several hours each week to keeping track of not only the U.S. gymnasts, but those from around the world. The workload will only escalate as the Summer Olympics approach and Daggett must prepare himself to not only comment on what happens on the gym floor, but know and tell each athletes personal story.
Meanwhile, hes at his home office at 7 each morning, and then at his gymnastics school by noon, often to stay well into the evening. Hes also there every Saturday. Daggett has expanded the school twice since he and a partner purchased it in 1990, and hes now exploring plans to franchise the business regionally and perhaps nationally.
"I could always hire someone to run the school, and maybe someday I can," he said. "But I like being there, and I feel I need to be there to make this as successful as it can be."
Daggett, who studied psychology at UCLA while on a gymnastics scholarship, and says his business experience prior to the Olympics was limited to working in the familys music store as a youth, said success in his various endeavors has come the hard way as in gymnastics through work and commitment. Its also a result of making the most of the opportunities that his fame has afforded him.
And those opportunities started coming hours after his performance on the horizontal bar.
Indeed, in the days to follow, Daggett was on every morning news show, and many of the evening talk shows. He never got his face on a Wheaties box, but there were several other opportunities to get in the spotlight and make some money.
"For about four months after the Olympic games I was in at least one city a day, sometimes two or three," he said. "I was doing appearances, television, exhibitions, demonstrations, and motivational talks."
There were some regional and national endorsements and sponsorships, said Daggett, noting that he had contracts at one time or another with Nissan, Coca-Cola, several apparel makers, and some local car dealers. There were so many opportunities, hes actually lost track of them.
"Its embarrassing … I dont even remember some of the products I endorsed, there were so many of them," he said, adding that the intense travel schedule often led to some confusion as well.
Off The Mat
Indeed, a few years after the triumph in Los Angeles, Daggett remembers waking up in a hotel room not knowing what city he was in.
"It was scary; I looked out the window and said to myself, where am I? I had no idea," he said. "I started rifling through my stuff looking for clues that might tell me where I was. Thats when I realized that I still wanted to be a gymnast."
And it was then that he started preparing for the 1988 Seoul Olympics, which he thought would be his best, only to incur setbacks that would in many ways inspire his later business success and help him inspire others.
The first came when, while practicing for the 1987 American Cup, he fell 15 feet from the horizontal bar. Landing on his head, he ruptured a disc in his neck and incurred a tremendous amount of nerve damage on his left side. While most neurosurgeons told Daggett his career was over, he found one who thought otherwise and followed his advice. He was in traction for 10 days, followed by aggressive steroid injections and intense physical therapy. Only a few months later, however, he found himself in medal contention in two events after the first day of the World Championships in Rotterdam.
He told BusinessWest that when his feet hit the ground after that fateful vault, he heard a sound like the crack of a rifle shot. In the process of breaking two bones in his left leg, he also severed an artery and lost a life-threatening five pints of blood.
"I knew I suffered a super-serious injury," he recalled. "While I was in the hospital, one of the doctors said to me in broken English, were going to have to operate immediately.
"I said to my trainer, dont let them cut me over here let me get home," he continued. "And he said, then youll lose your leg. So I reconsidered."
After five surgeries to repair the considerable orthopedic and vascular damage, Daggett was back in competition at the Olympic trials. He recalls with great frustration having to withdraw in the second day of that event, but he says his comeback which no one thought was possible yielded the most memorable and special moments in his life, save for his marriage and the birth of his children.
"That whole experience taught me more about life than anything that I had done prior to that," he said. "I used to say that in many ways it is what defines me; now I say that it does in all ways.
"I know what it took to make it to the Olympic games and win a gold medal," he continued. "And I know what it took for me to come back from that injury and make it to Salt Lake City and the comparison is ridiculous."
Daggett knew after Salt Lake City that he was through in gymnastics, but he was really just getting started in business. He went back on the road, keeping a pace similar, if not more grueling, than the one he set after the 84 Olympics.
He developed a one-man gymnastics show often doing six performances a day that he took to malls across the country. Meanwhile, he did exhibitions for Nissan, IBM, Coca-Cola, and an electronics franchise called the Incredible Universe. The work was lucrative, but also exhausting.
Meanwhile, he ramped up his motivational speaking exploits, and was at one point enrolled with 35 different speakers bureaus. He said offers to speak kept coming in because his message, while outwardly about sports, easily translates to the world of business.
Balancing Act
In fact, for some of his motivational speaking engagements, Daggett will borrow a pommel horse from a local gym and actually conduct a short routine for his audience. He says he does so to drive home points about such things as strength, flexibility, balance, change, and critical mass and how they apply to business as much as they do to gymnastics.
This is part of the "program," as he calls it, which also includes video of both his triumphs and tragedies in gymnastics. And by honing that package, Daggett has remained an in-demand speaker earning $7,500 or more for each appearance years after nearly every other member of his Olympic class and most subsequent classes have faded from public view.
"I can show business people how change is important, and how they should think outside the box when it comes to their performance," said Daggett. "One of the reasons Ive been so successful and Im still doing this is that I keep the message relevant; Im very opinionated on being successful and the ways to get there."
But life on the road isnt easy, as he learned in the months just after his Olympic triumph, and Daggett said he knew years ago that even though he could, he didnt want to spend 200 or more days a year away from home.
Thats why he decided to diversify his business interests more than a decade ago and purchase a small gymnastics school in West Springfield called New England Gymnastics. Daggetts name was soon put over the door, and the business was moved to Gold Street in Agawam and a site that was eventually expanded to its present 80,000 square feet.
Daggett said the school serves a number of functions for him personally and professionally. First, it gives him a chance to stay close to gymnastics, something he knew he wanted soon after he officially retired. But it also allows him to stay in this area code, and it gives him what should be a reliable revenue stream for down the road, when his endorsement and speaking work slows down.
The school itself has diversified over the years, adding a martial arts component and some dance to the repertoire, but it is mostly about gymnastics, with more than 1,000 children coming in for lessons each week. And while instructing the young people in proper tumbling techniques, Daggett and his staff are offering life lessons as well.
"As the kids grow through the program, the object for them is to still have fun, but it becomes a lot more about having dedication, making some sacrifices, having commitment, and learning how to have a goal," he said. "We help them, step by step, to accomplish those goals.
"School is important," he continued, "but I firmly believe that many of the tools that our children need to become successful individuals in society can be more easily learned in an environment where play is more prevalent."
For the future, Daggett says he will limit his speaking engagements to a few a month, while continuing to work for NBC. Meanwhile, he says his gym, which is unique in many ways because it is more personal than the huge facilities in some parts of the country and more comprehensive than small, mom-and-pop outfits, could eventually be franchised.
For now, he is focused on keeping his business enterprises diverse, while maintaining the image that he has so carefully crafted.
"My image is who I am," he said, noting that he has turned down a number of opportunities to pitch products locally. "And all these things I talk about when I speak to different groups theyre real. Thats why if I dont think something is a good match for me, then I wont do it."
Sticking the Landing
On the surface, Dare to Dream would appear to be a book about winning an Olympic gold medal. Its not.
Its mostly about what happened after that perfect 10. Its a story about overcoming adversity and finding success after gymnastics. And the best part about that story is that its still being written, said Daggett, who told BusinessWest that he is exploring a number of other entrepreneurial opportunities and has new goals to meet and dreams to dream.
Hes proven to everyone who said the door of opportunity would close quickly on him that he can keep it open but only if he continues to apply himself as he did when going for the gold.
George OBrien can be reached at [email protected]
