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Greenfield Builds Momentum on Many Fronts

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planned redevelopment of the former Wilson’s department store
Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight

planned redevelopment of the former Wilson’s department store

An architect’s rendering of the planned redevelopment of the former Wilson’s department store into a mix of retail and housing.

Virginia “Ginny” Desorgher is a retired emergency-room nurse, mother of three, and grandmother of nine.

She had no real desire to add ‘mayor of Greenfield’ to that personal profile, but Desorgher, a transplant from the eastern part of the state and, by this time last year, a veteran city councilor and chair of the Ways and Means Committee, decided that change was needed in this city of almost 18,000.

So she ran for mayor. And she won — handily. And now that she’s been in the job for three months, she can see many similarities between being an ER nurse and being the CEO of a city.

In both settings, there is a need for triage, she explained, noting that, in the ER and with this city, there is a steady stream of cases, or issues, to be dealt with, and they must be prioritized.

“You just have to take care of the thing that’s the most important at the time and try to keep everyone happy,” she said while trying to sum up both jobs.

There is also a need for communication.

Indeed, in the ER, Desorgher said she made a habit of visiting the waiting room and talking with the patients here, explaining why their wait was so long and asking them if they needed something to eat or drink or maybe some ice for their broken ankle. As mayor, she sees a similar need to communicate, whether it’s with other city officials, residents, neighbors of the Franklin County Fairgrounds, or business owners — a constituency she heard from at a recent gathering she described as a “listening session,” during which she received input on many subjects, but especially parking.

“You just have to take care of the thing that’s the most important at the time and try to keep everyone happy.”

“I thought I kind of knew how much people cared about parking,” she said. “Now I really know that parking is quite an issue.”

But while that subject remains mostly a sore spot for this community, there is momentum on many different fronts, and what Desorgher and others described as ‘game changers’ — or potential game changers — in various stages of development.

That list includes the much-anticipated adaptive reuse of the former Wilson’s department store into a mix of retail (in the form of an expanded Green Fields Market) and housing, both of which are expected to breathe new life into the downtown.

“The initial impact on foot traffic downtown from 61 new units will be extraordinary,” said Amy Cahillane, the city’s Community and Economic Development director, adding that the project is being designed to bring these new residents into the downtown area.

It also includes the prospects for the city becoming a stop on what’s being called the ‘northern tier’ of proposed east-west rail service — one that will in many ways mirror Route 2 — as well as the pending arrival of both a Starbucks and an Aldi’s grocery story near the rotary off I-91 exit 43 and a massive redesign of Main Street, now likely to start in 2027.

Together, these game changers — coupled with some new businesses downtown; efforts to inspire and support entrepreneurship, including a new pitch contest called Take the Floor; collective efforts to bring more visitors to Greenfield and the surrounding area, especially at its oldest continuously operating fairgrounds in the country; and a greater sense of collaboration among business and economic-development agencies — have created an upbeat tone in this community, with great enthusiasm for what comes next.

Ginny Desorgher

Ginny Desorgher says she wasn’t keen on adding ‘mayor’ to her personal profile, but became convinced it was time for a change in Greenfield.

“What I’m most excited about is that we now have all these people who are thinking collectively about how we can make the most of this momentum,” said Jessye Deane, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and Regional Tourism Council.

For this latest installment of its Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest takes an indepth look at the many developing stories in Greenfield.

 

Tale of the Tape

And we start with a somewhat unusual gathering downtown on the Saturday before Easter.

Indeed, Desorgher, Cahillane, Deane, and others spent several hours in the central business district cleaning the bases of streetlights, an undertaking organized by the Greenfield Business Assoc. (GBA).

All three had somewhat different takes on what they were expecting from this exercise, but the consensus is that it was more difficult, and time-consuming, to remove the remnants from countless posters for events — and the tape used to affix them to the structures — than they thought.

But while the work was a grind, they all said it was important, worthwhile, and much more than symbolism. And it even inspired a thought to create one or more community bulletin boards so individuals and groups would have a place to promote their events other than light poles.

Deane said the cleanup was an example of a greater sense of collaboration within the community and its many civic and business organizations, from officials in City Hall to the chamber; from the GBA to the Franklin County Community Development Corp. (FCCDC).

“What I’m most excited about is that we now have all these people who are thinking collectively about how we can make the most of this momentum.”

“There’s new energy taking place on a partnership level, and it was nice to see Greenfield leaders like the mayor come down and take action,” said Deane, adding that the cleanup was just one example of this energy. Another was the aforementioned listening session, which she said was likely the first of its kind.

“The business owners and community leaders really appreciated having the opportunity to have that kind of forum with the mayor — an open forum where they could say, ‘here’s what’s going really well, here’s what we think needs work, and how are we all going to work together to bring Greenfield forward?’ That was great.”

The streetlight cleanup project and listening session represent just two of many forms of progress, with some steps larger and more significant than others, said those we spoke with, but all critical to that sense of momentum and building toward something better.

And there are many reasons for optimism, especially what most refer to simply as the ‘Wilson’s project.’

For decades, the store represented something unique — an old-fashioned department store in an age of malls and online shopping. When it closed just prior to the pandemic, it left a huge hole in the downtown — not just real estate to be filled, but the loss of an institution.

There’s no bringing back Wilson’s, but the current plan, a proposal put forward by the Community Builders and Green Fields Market, a popular co-op currently located farther down Main Street, will bring retail and housing, specifically roughly 60 mixed-income units, to Main Street.

The housing units, as noted earlier, are expected to bring foot traffic and more vibrancy to the downtown, said Cahillane, noting that this will be foot traffic that doesn’t leave at 5 o’clock and should comprise a good mix of age groups, thus providing a boost for the growing number of restaurants and venues like the Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center.

“The Community Builders is being thoughtful in the way they’re designing this space to encourage folks not to just exit out a rear door, get in their cars, and leave,” she explained. “Instead, they’re going to make it so it’s very easy to get from the apartments onto Main Street; this encourages them to come out into the community.”

Greenfield at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1753
Population: 17,768
Area: 21.9 square miles
County: Franklin
Residential Tax Rate: $20.39
Commercial Tax Rate: $20.39
Median Household Income: $33,110
Median Family Income: $46,412
Type of Government: Mayor, City Council
Largest Employers: Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Greenfield Community College, Sandri
* Latest information available

Meanwhile, several other properties downtown are in various stages of bringing upper floors online for housing, Cahillane explained, adding that this movement will help ease a housing crunch — which she considers the most pressing issue in the community — and generate still more foot traffic, which should help bring more businesses to the downtown.

There are already some recent additions in that area, including a computer-repair store on Federal Street, and, on Main Street, Sweet Phoenix, an antiques and crafts store, and Posada’s, a family-owned Mexican restaurant that the mayor said is “always packed.”

Meanwhile, the plans for Aldi’s and Starbucks, both in the early stages, are generating some excitement, the mayor added, noting that the latter, especially, will provide motorists on I-91 with yet another reason to get off in Greenfield and perhaps stay a while.

 

Getting Down to Business

These additions bolster an already large and diverse mix of businesses in the city, which still boasts some manufacturing — though certainly not as much as was present decades ago — as well as a healthy mix of tourism and hospitality-related ventures, service businesses, nonprofits (Greenfield serves as the hub for the larger Franklin County area), and several startups and next-stage businesses in various sectors, from IT to food production.

One of those long-standing businesses is Adams Donuts on Federal Street, now owned by Sabra Billings and her twin sister, Sidra Baranoski.

Originally opened in the ’50s, Adams Donuts is an institution, well-known — and in many cases revered — by several generations of area families. There have been several owners not named Adams, Billings said, adding that the one before her closed the establishment during COVID with the intention of reopening, but never did.

The two sisters stepped forward to keep a tradition alive — and work for themselves instead of someone else.

“It was kind of crazy; we’d never owned a business before, but here we were buying a shuttered business in the middle of a pandemic,” Billings said. “But it’s been really special to be part of the community, and what we call the ‘Adams community’; there are generations from the same families that are customers.”

Thus, they’re part of what could be called a groundswell of entrepreneurship in Greenfield and across Franklin County, one that John Waite, executive director of the FCCDC, has witnessed firsthand over the past 24 years he’s spent in that role.

He said there is a large, and growing, amount of entrepreneurial energy in Greenfield and across the county, largely out of necessity.

Indeed, since the larger businesses, most of them manufacturers, closed or left, the region and its largest city are more dependent on smaller businesses and the people who have the imagination, determination, and ideas with which to start them.

And the FCCDC is supporting these business owners in many different ways. The agency has several divisions, if you will, including direct business assistance — everything from technical assistance to grant funds to support ventures of various sizes — to a venture center that now boasts six tenants, to the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center, which boasts 66 active clients processing, canning, and jarring everything from salsa to applesauce to fudge sauce.

Overall, the FCCDC served more than 350 clients in FY 2023, loaned out nearly $3 million to 31 businesses, and carried out work that resulted in the creation of 70 jobs and the preservation of 114 jobs, said Waite, adding that one of its more impactful initiatives is its loan program.

The loans vary in size from a few thousand dollars to $300,000, and the agency can work with area banks if a venture needs more. They are offered to businesses across a wide spectrum, including hospitality, a sector where there is often need, Waite noted, citing the example of 10 Forward, a unique performing-arts venue and cocktail bar on Fiske Avenue in the downtown.

“A lot of musicians need a place to play, and they’ll sign them up, and they’ll do comedy once in a while,” he explained, adding that the venue is part of an evolving downtown, one that now has more things happening at night and more events and programs to attract the young people who provide needed energy.

Meanwhile, Take the Floor, a CDC initiative that involves the entire county, is another avenue of support. The Shark Tank-like pitch contest has attracted dreamers across the broad spectrum of business, and the top three performers at three different contests — the latest was in Orange — will compete for $10,000 in prizes in the finale at Hawks & Reed.

“Developing our entrepreneurial infrastructure is very important to this region,” Waite said. “We want to make sure people know where they can go for resources to help them succeed.”

Franklin County Businesses Face Challenges, but Also Opportunity

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Franklin County Special Coverage

Big Ideas in Small Towns

Lucy Damkoehler has developed a strong following from both within and outside Franklin County for her bakery and cooking classes.

When Lucy Damkoehler returned to Western Mass. after 20 years away, she opened a bakery in a town she knew well — Bernardston, to be exact, with its population of 2,000.

That was in 2018. Today, Sweet Lucy’s Bakeshop is thriving, demonstrating, like many other businesses already have, that it’s possible to succeed in a county whose 26 communities total around 71,000 residents — less than half of Springfield alone.

“It took off right away,” she said. “My prices were competitively high. I knew the cost of food was going up and the cost of labor was going up, so I priced it so I didn’t have to change my prices too often. But people didn’t complain about it, and I felt like it was doing pretty well.”

When COVID shut down much of the world, Damkoehler pivoted to a concept called Take & Bake Meals, which, at its height, was sending 50 to 60 meals out the door each day, which wound up expanding her reach and widening her exposure.

“We were getting people from Connecticut, from New York, discovering us,” she recalled, and those days partly explain why her customer base went from 90% local before 2020 to a ratio today of about 60% repeat customers — who come anywhere from every day to once a month — and 40% travelers checking out the bakery for the first time.

And Damkoehler’s success continues; she used a crowdfunded grant and a bank loan to build an addition, doubling her kitchen space and allowing her to begin offering cooking classes last September. She now employs six full-time bakers and six front-of-house staff, and is looking to hire a chef instructor as well.

“It blows my mind that I’ve only had one class that’s had to cancel due to low enrollment. They usually sell out within a couple of weeks, if not days,” she told BusinessWest. “It shows there’s a major need for that part of the business; there’s nothing like that around here. We’re doing kids’ classes now, too.

“I’m amazed every day that we’re able to do this successfully,” she added, especially in a community of just over 2,100 residents. “The prices are not cheap. But people recognize the value, and they appreciate it, and they’re willing to spend more money on something that’s done right. It doesn’t scare people away.”

So that’s what Damkoehler brought to the table: talent, quality, drive, and the instincts to pivot to what the market needed, which, both during the pandemic and with her classes, generated further opportunities for growth. Meanwhile, other businesses throughout this mostly rural county bring their own differentiators, but they also testify to a supportive, if small, community.

“Business owners here who are thriving have really committed, loyal customers. They have customers who love to come out and spend time there, spend their dollars with them, and they’re focused on providing a really great experience every time someone comes in,” said Hannah Rechtschaffen, director of the Greenfield Business Assoc. (GBA).

“One thing that I hear from some business owners is a sense of community and mutual support,” she added, noting that one of the GBA’s goals is to keep building opportunities for business owners to know each other better, so they can recommend each other.

“I think it’s organizations like ours and like the chamber that are able to listen to business owners and respond and really be another set of hands in their business success. That’s not overrated when you’re wanting to have a brick-and-mortar presence. So I hope businesses will think about opening here; I hope businesses will think about opening a second location here.”

“We were getting people from Connecticut, from New York, discovering us.”

To that end, Rechtschaffen added, “when we’re in conversation with Greenfield Community College about getting an internship program going, or when we’re in conversation with the Franklin County CDC about small-business support and entrepreneurship, all of those relationships are so, so crucial. None of us want to feel like we’re toiling away alone. We want to feel like we’re part of a larger ecosystem.”

Jessye Deane, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and Regional Tourism Council, agreed.

“Partnership and collaboration are the special ingredients in Franklin County. The way our communities come together to support our small businesses, it’s not like anything I’ve seen elsewhere,” she said.

“What I love to see here are thoughtful partnerships and strategies around how to best support business owners in filling in some gaps and resources that some more populated areas have, and how to attract different industries to the area,” she continued, touting, as Rechtschaffen did, the partnership between the chamber and GBA, but also Greenfield Community College, the CDC, and various economic-development entities.

“We want everyone’s business to be as successful as possible and have as many resources as they can tap into to ensure that success,” Deane said. “We wake up every day asking how to best support them.”

 

Declining Numbers

Such partnerships and mutual support are especially meaningful in a county that, after years of plateauing population, has seen those numbers start to creep downward, especially in the small towns beyond Greenfield and Deerfield.

“Certainly, population decline — or the projection of population decline we see — is a pretty major threat to many rural parts of Massachusetts,” said Linda Dunlavy, executive director of the Franklin Regional Council of Governments. “As Baby Boomers age, we need help, and not attracting young people to our region will be a concern for us. So we’re working on that.

Double Edge Theatre in Ashfield

Double Edge Theatre in Ashfield is just one example of the many cultural offerings in Franklin County.

“But population decline also hurts Franklin County and its rural areas because so many state and federal funding formulas, the distribution of aid money to municipalities, is based on population,” she continued. “So as our population decreases, the amount of money we have for infrastructure improvements, for education, etc., also decreases, which compounds the problem: how do we get people to come to our region if we’re not caring for our infrastructure, our assets, adequately?”

Dunlavy, who was named one of the Difference Makers for 2024 by BusinessWest, has been working for the benefit of Franklin County for decades, so she understands its assets — from arts and culture to outdoor recreation to that supportive business community others mentioned — but she understands the challenges of an aging, shrinking population base, too.

“Because we’re so rural, we have to work together,” she told BusinessWest. “We are a very collaborative region, probably one of the most collaborative regions in Massachusetts, because all the regional organizations are working together. We combine services of municipalities, our businesses work together, and they are served by strong regional support systems. It’s a great region to live in — if you know about us.”

A.J. Bresciano, first vice president and commercial loan officer at Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB), has been lending in Franklin County for the past 16 years, and he feels good about the current strength of business activity in the region.

“In terms of business lending, I think there’s some growth and some optimism, post-pandemic, in starting businesses and seizing opportunities to capitalize on improving economic markets. I think there is some opportunity for people with great ideas and a passion for what they do to come in and start something new,” he told BusinessWest.

That said, “there are certainly some challenges in the interest-rate environment,” he added, especially on the residential side, where higher rates and a shortage of housing have taken away the ‘churn’ of a vibrant market. “But I think that will change. Hopefully we’ll see rates start to come down in the near future, which will give people an opportunity to go out and seek new opportunities. We’re pretty optimistic about what the future holds.”

On the plus side, “there’s a lot of interest in this market because it’s less expensive than other markets that are overdeveloped. So a lot of borrowers see opportunity here,” said Peter Albero, chief financial officer and treasurer, noting that GSB originated $100 million in commercial loans and $70 million in residential loans last year. “The residential side is still a little bit lower … but the commercial side is very strong. A lot of banks are competing for strong borrowers.”

The aging of the population has created a fair amount of business turnover, Bresciano added, as long-time business owners are looking to retire and move into the next chapter of their lives.

“So there’s definitely opportunity for someone else to come in with new ideas, new ambitions, and to cultivate a new environment,” he said, pointing to one project — the conversion of the former Wilson’s Department Store in downtown Greenfield to a mixed-use property — as an example of forward thinking.

“None of us want to feel like we’re toiling away alone. We want to feel like we’re part of a larger ecosystem.”

For her part, Deane has seen a pipeline emerge of younger leaders in many Franklin County communities as older leaders, like those older business owners, look to retirement. “I’m excited about the leadership we’re seeing step into those roles,” she said.

 

Plenty to Promote

Rechtschaffen is acutely aware of what a spread-out county like Franklin faces in terms of housing, transportation, and access to amenities, but she tends to light up when talking about what she loves about the region — and there’s a lot of that.

“We have so much amazing outdoor arts, outdoor activities, whitewater rafting, skiing, theater … there are so many things. So I always want to make sure that people know what there is to visit up here.”

The target audience isn’t just visitors from afar, though.

“We have an advantage in Franklin County, which is that people really do want to support local, so it’s important that we have the right retail mix and experience mix here for people to be able to do that,” Rechtschaffen said, which is the impetus behind efforts like the “find it in Greenfield” campaign running on Bear Country radio and through other outlets.

“A lot of people don’t realize what’s so close by. So getting the word out can be a challenge,” she added. “We’re really trying to keep beating that drum and making sure that things are affordable, things are accessible, and we’re bringing businesses into Greenfield and Franklin County that people really want. That’s also a crucial part of the puzzle.”

Dunlavy has helped put many pieces in place, from north-south rail to broadband access to a planned partnership with other regional councils of government on a Connecticut River climate-resiliency plan.

“You do nothing alone. Everything takes partnership and many people working together,” she said. “And I like that part of the job. I like that challenge, and I like that focus. I’m never bored, ever. There’s always something to work on and always something to think about.”

Rechtschaffen never stops thinking about Franklin County, either.

“This is really creative work,” she said, “to be problem solving, to be listening, to be connecting people with one another so that their business can thrive, maybe in ways they didn’t think about. I really love all of this work to grow Greenfield and Franklin County in a way that feels good, for as many people as possible.”

 

Thomas Meshako Takes the Helm at Greenfield Savings Bank

By
Franklin County

Putting the Focus on Community

Thomas Meshako

Thomas Meshako says Greenfield Savings Bank plans to grow organically and with a strategic expansion of its footprint.

Thomas Meshako acknowledged it was a quite a change moving from the large, regional institutions where he worked the first 30 or so years of his career in financial services to Greenfield Savings Bank.

But it’s a change he wanted.

“I decided I wanted to get out of the buying and selling of banks and really wanted to become part of the community — something I always felt was missing when you’re working in a bank and dealing with mergers and acquisitions and always trying to make the next quarter’s earnings,” he said, noting that most of the banks he’s worked for have been absorbed by larger institutions. “I wanted to be at a bank where we invested in the future, for the long haul, and that cares about the community it serves.”

He’s found all that GSB, where he arrived in 2016 as chief financial officer and serves now as president and CEO, new titles he was awarded late last fall following the search for a successor to John Howland.

Since arriving, and especially since becoming president and CEO, Meshako has been out in the community, taking part in events ranging from the Hatfield Bonfire music festival fundraiser to Northampton’s Pride Parade to Tapestry Health’s recent auction. As he talked with BusinessWest, he was gearing up for the Green River Festival, the massive three-day music fest (Little Feat is among the headliners) set for June 23-25 in Greenfield; the bank is a major sponsor.

He’s been at so many events, especially on weekends, that he’s spending far less time at his cabin in Vermont than he expected to be, but he acknowledged that “this is where I need to be.” By that, he meant Greenfield and GSB, an institution that crashed through the $1 billion assets mark in 2020 and is now focused on the next milestones — $1.5 billion and $2 billion — and what it will take to get there.

“When I looked at Greenfield Savings, I decided that it’s where I wanted to be. It’s a little different, but it’s exciting to work for a bank that was growing.”

The bank was celebrating its 150th anniversary when it passed the $1 billion milestone; when asked when he thought GSB might get to $2 billion, he joked, “sooner than 150 years.”

Elaborating, and turning more serious, Meshako said the bank plans to grow organically, and he is looking at expanding its footprint, specifically in Hampshire County, where five of its 10 branches are located. He didn’t pinpoint specific communities for new branches, but did say they would be towns deemed ‘underbanked’ by recent feasibility studies.

Meanwhile, GSB will be rolling out some new products, including a new rewards program for debit-card users, and continually upgrading its technology, with a new online product for loans and deposits, for example, to stay current and provide customers with what they want and need.

“Most people are looking for more convenience to bank from home, and we’re trying to make sure we offer that,” he said, adding quickly that brink-and-mortar branches, which provide visibility and other forms of convenience, are still a big part of GSB’s growth strategy.

For this issue and its focus on Franklin County, BusinessWest talked at length with Meshako about his new role, his long-term outlook for GSB, and his thoughts on Greenfield, Franklin County, and how this gem of a region is making major strides when it comes to economic development — and as a destination.

 

Generating Interest

As he talked with BusinessWest, Meshako gestured out the windows of GSB’s main conference room toward the other side of Main Street and the properties on either side of the Greenfield Garden Cinemas, one of the signature redevelopment projects of the past decade in this community.

“Just a few years ago, most of those storefronts were vacant,” he said, noting that they are now occupied, with everything from a book shop to a pop-up store that are, collectively, contributing to a new sense of progress and vibrancy in this city of almost 18,000 residents.

The GSB senior management team

The GSB senior management team includes, from left, Lori Grover, Mark Grumoli, Thomas Meshako, Steve Hamlin, and Shandra Richardson.

And there is more coming, he said, noting the highly anticipated redevelopment of the former Wilson’s Department Store, a few blocks down Main Street from the bank, into a mix of retail (specifically the Green Fields Market) and housing, which he believes is sorely needed in this community.

“Availability of housing is very tight in Greenfield and all of Franklin and Hampshire counties,” he explained. “This is something we desperately need, and that’s one of the reasons why this project is so exciting.”

Getting involved in a community at this level was an element missing for most of Meshako’s career, one that, as noted earlier, was marked mostly by work at larger, regional banks that have since been absorbed by larger institutions.

Most recently, he served as chief financial officer of Merchants Bancshares in Burlington, Vt., a commercial bank with branches throughout Vermont and the Springfield market. Prior to that, he served in several positions, including principal financial officer, at Brookline Bancorp in Boston. There were also stints at Union Bankshares in Vermont and Chittenden Corp. and the institution that acquired it, People’s United Financial.

After nearly three years at Merchants Bancshares, Meshako was a looking for a new and different challenge, and found it at GSB.

“When I looked at Greenfield Savings, I decided that it’s where I wanted to be,” he told BusinessWest. “It’s a little different, but it’s exciting to work for a bank that was growing.”

And it has continued that growth pattern, he said, noting that the bank posted record earnings in 2021 and 2022. It won’t continue that streak this year amid spiraling interest rates that are negatively impacting both the residential and commercial loan portfolios and tightening margins, but it will be another solid year, he said.

And while achieving solid growth on the bottom line, the bank has also been able to increase its contributions within the community by 10% a year since he arrived — a pattern of improvement Meshako is committed to continuing.

Looking ahead, he said the bank has essentially ruled out additional expansion in Franklin County, where there are currently five branches, and instead will focus its sights on Hampshire County, where GSB currently has a physical presence in Northampton (two branches), Amherst (two branches), and Hadley (one location).

“We’re always the number-one lender in Franklin County, and we’re now the fourth-largest lender in Hampshire County,” he explained. “And we hope to continue to grow that market share as well. Within the Five College community, there is a need for housing, and being primarily a commercial real-estate lender, that’s a niche that I think we can fill; we’ve done very well there.”

GSB has conducted feasibility studies on which communities would make suitable landing spots, he went on, adding that he considers some communities underbanked because of some of the recent mergers and acquisitions which have left fewer banks in some markets and larger institutions in others.

In the case of community banks, and especially this one, the investment — and the commitment — in a new location involves much more than brick and mortar that goes into the actual branch building.

“We don’t just put a branch up … when we move into a community, we give to the local organizations, we hire local people, and we try to make sure that everything we do makes us part of that community,” he explained. “So it’s more expensive than just opening a branch or putting people in a location.”

 

By All Accounts

Getting back to that view out the conference-room windows, Meshako said Greenfield, and Franklin County as a whole, is seeing progress on many fronts, from tourism to Greenfield’s downtown, which has many new businesses and projects in various stages of development, from a new town library and fire station to the aforementioned Wilson’s redevelopment initiative.

“Greenfield is on its way up; it has a lot of character, and I hope it continues to grow and evolve,” he told BusinessWest, citing not only the new building projects and the new storefronts, but a greater livability — and relative affordability — that is attracting residents and entrepreneurs alike. “The people moving here want to be part of a community, and that’s what they find — community.”

And he believes more people are finding it these days, and will be finding it in the future, especially as technology, and changing attitudes in the workplace, enable more people to live where they want and work where they want at the same time.

“Because more people are now able to work remotely, we’ve definitely seen an increase in the number of people buying properties and moving to Greenfield,” he said, adding that, while this trend will certainly impact housing prices in the long run, it will also bring more support businesses, hospitality-related ventures, and general vibrancy to the region.

As Meshako talks about his bank, its plans for the future, and its involvement in the community, and also as he talks about Greenfield and the many positive developments there, it’s clear why he made that career change seven years ago.

As he said, he wanted to be at a bank that didn’t just have a mailing address on Main Street, but a stake in everything that that is happening on Main Street — and many other streets as well.

As Meshako said, it was a big change, but a change he wanted — and needed — to make.

And he has never looked back.

Franklin County Thrives Through Connection

By
Brolin Winning, general manager of the Shelburne Springs
Cover Story Franklin County

Northern Exposure

Brolin Winning, general manager of the Shelburne Springs

Brolin Winning, general manager of the Shelburne Springs luxury hotel, sees many signs of new life along the Mohawk Trail.

Brolin Winning and his wife used to run a barbecue stand on the Mohawk Trail, and he’d occasionally look up at the abandoned building next door, a mansion built in 1914 that later operated for decades as the Anchorage Nursing Home before closing in 2011.

“We’d look up the hill at this place — which had been abandoned for a decade — and just think, ‘man, that’s a sweet spot.’ But it was just melting into the ground.”

But then a friend came into some money and was looking for an investment project. “I said, ‘you should buy the nursing home,’” Winning recalled. So they did — and begin fixing it up.

That was early 2020, when COVID hit, but the ensuing shutdown of the hospitality economy gave the team — owner Hilltown Lodge LLC, Thomas Douglas Architects of Northampton, and Tristan Evans Construction of Greenfield — time to redesign the space, gut the building down to its studs, and restore it with seven spacious suites; a kitchen, bar, and upscale but cozy lounge areas; and outdoor relaxation and recreation space across 38 acres. Among the next plans is a big stage up the hill for weddings and other events.

“I couldn’t wait to come back, just to be in the woods again and on the river again. It’s just, like, the best place to live.”

But while Winning is gratified that the hotel, called Shelburne Springs, has had a successful first few months, he doesn’t view the property in a vacuum, but as part of a renaissance along the Mohawk Trail that includes renovations and reopenings at the Sweetheart Restaurant in Shelburne Falls, the Duck Pond antique shop in Shelburne, the Blue Vista Motor Lodge just over the Berkshire County line in Florida, and more.

“There’s a lot of stuff going on, whereas I feel like it was … I wouldn’t say run-down, but quiet for a while,” Winning said. “COVID obviously affected everybody in this area, but a lot of people were coming out here even more because we’re like in the country and away from the crowd, and there’s a lot of outdoorsy stuff.

Jeff Sauser (left) and Jeremy Goldsher

Jeff Sauser (left) and Jeremy Goldsher have expanded Greenspace CoWork to a second location on Main Street in Greenfield.

“I’ve lived all over the country; I’ve lived a long time in California, Boston, Chicago, and different cities,” he went on. “But I’ve always loved it here. I grew up in Amherst and Northampton, but I used to come up here to fish when I was a kid. That’s how I got into the Mohawk Trail. To me, there’s nowhere like it. I was in San Francisco for a long time, and I would come back here twice a year. And I couldn’t wait to come back, just to be in the woods again and on the river again. It’s just, like, the best place to live.”

He’s not the only one who feels that way about this county of 71,000 residents — fewer than half the total of Springfield — spread across 26 communities.

“It’s stunningly beautiful. That can’t be overlooked,” said Hannah Rechtschaffen, recently appointed coordinator of the Greenfield Business Assoc. (GBA). “And I think there is a wonderful, long history up here of people being very engaged in their communities. When you travel from town to town, you find a lot of residents and business owners who feel very passionate about that, about the town that they’re in.”

“I feel like if you wanted to kill as many birds as possible with one stone, a robust housing strategy would be the way to do it.”

Rechtschaffen cited draws like the county’s outdoor recreation experiences and attractions like Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls and Poet’s Seat Tower in Greenfield, but said tourists find much more.

“People come for these beautiful experiences, and they’re also finding other cool stuff, from whitewater rafting to restaurants. So the challenge is to reach out to people up and down the Valley and let them know there are really lovely experiences close to them,” she said. “All these towns have something special to offer, but together, we can offer something really beautiful.”

For residents and business owners, she added, “because it’s a small county, it has a bit of history of people needing to go to neighboring communities for different things. When you have that history of people stepping to the community next door to find something, you have this nice connectivity, which has gotten more robust over time. You have an opportunity for towns in Franklin County to work together in a unique way.”

Hannah Rechtschaffen, Franklin County CDC Executive Director John Waite, and Lisa Davol

Some of the players invested in a more robust Franklin County are (from left) Greenfield Business Assoc. Coordinator Hannah Rechtschaffen, Franklin County CDC Executive Director John Waite, and Lisa Davol, marketing manager of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce.

Jessye Deane, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and Regional Tourism Council, agreed.

“I think one of the major strengths of Franklin County is that we have a comprehensive set of supportive services around business development,” she said, citing robust connections between the chamber, local businesses, workforce-development and entrepreneurship-focused agencies, and legislators.

“Collaboration is really the only way forward for us. I think Franklin County has always used partnership and collaboration as a special sauce, and I think that served us well during the pandemic. And part of the chamber’s job is to continue to fuel those collaborations and help make those connections.”

Clearly, it takes a village — well, 26 of them — to create a culture in the northernmost county of Western Mass., one that faces challenges, but also has more to offer than many outsiders realize.

 

Challenge and Opportunity

Deane said many of Franklin County’s challenges are no different than those seen across Western Mass.

“Of course, housing is a challenge. And transportation is particularly troublesome in more rural communities because that’s a barrier to a lot of our entry-level employment. And childcare is huge; there is a lack of high-quality childcare in this area.”

“One of the things I appreciate about Franklin County is that we can keep our identity — we have the nature, the beauty, the rural luster of it — but there’s increasing opportunity.”

Hiring also continues to be a challenge across industries, she added — another issue being felt across the state.

“I think we have a unique twist on that because we are a rural community, so it’s a little more exacerbated on this side of the state. One of the challenges I’m particularly concerned about is the population-decline projections. So we’re working overtime in collaboration with our legislators to make sure the Commonwealth is more equitably funding projects and initiatives across the state and, as a chamber, making sure that we’re doing our best to shine a light on why Franklin County is such a great area to live and work, and hopefully attracting new families to the area.”

She said the Regional Tourism Council’s task is to attract more tourism to a county that already brings more than $79 million in tourism dollars every year to destinations ranging from Berkshire East in Charlemont to Northfield Mountain and Sugarloaf Mountain; from Yankee Candle and Tree House Brewing Co. — and its slate of summer concerts — in Deerfield to Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield and Double Edge Theatre in Ashfield.

Ashley Evans

Ashley Evans says reopening the Farm Table in Bernardston was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.

“Tourism is really about OPM: other people’s money. And we want to make sure that we are helping them spend that here. And there is so much to do,” said Deane, who calls Franklin “the fun county,” and wants more people to know about that.

“There are endless opportunities for fun in Franklin County. And in terms of our work in the Regional Tourism Council, we’ve made some significant strides. In the past year, we branded our tourism side. We worked with a local company to give Franklin County a really great visual presence, with the tagline ‘more to Franklin County,’ because one of the things that we found when we did that investigative work is that folks said there’s always more to do: ‘I didn’t expect there to be so much. We’ve got to come back.’”

The council is also in the process of launching a standalone tourism website, Deane added.

“We want to make it easy as possible for people to plan their trip, and we’re working with our hospitality vendors to do itinerary planning based on any given interest. So if you’re really into craft beverages, this is what you can do for a weekend. If you’re really into outdoor recreation, this is what we recommend you can do for a weekend.”

A member of the Greenfield Business Assoc. who is about to join the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, and whose family owns Hawks & Reed, Jeremy Goldsher also co-owns Greenspace CoWork with Jeff Sauser, so he has a broad perspective on business life in Greenfield and its environs.

“We’ve seen already that Hawks & Reed started a bit of a new music and cultural renaissance in downtown, to the point that now you can’t walk around in any given weekend without seeing kids running up and down the streets of different local venues,” Goldsher noted.

As the owners of Greenspace CoWork, which now has two facilities on opposite sides of Main Street in downtown Greenfield, Goldsher and Sauser have cultivated key business connections through programs like the monthly Business Breakdown networking events.

“It’s developed quite a bit, from ‘I need some emotional support from my business peers’ to a really fun, informal gathering of a lot of our favorite business leaders, business owners, and a group of young, entrepreneurship-minded folks that we’ve never met,” Goldsher said. “We always get new folks at each meeting. We’re now in our 14th or 15th run of it, and I think the Business Breakdown has been a gateway for us to really get onto the map of Franklin County in a bigger way than our co-work business was permitting us.”

With programs like Business Breakdown and a six-month accelerator program, Goldsher is starting to see a “domino effect” of key connections. “We’re starting to see the Franklin County CDC, which has been a great partner of ours, become a lot more visible in their entrepreneurial work and various programs starting to revolve around specific topics, which is great.”

 

Planting Roots

Emerging from the pandemic, those connections are more crucial than ever, Sauser said.

“We’ve had our ups and downs with the economy. We got through COVID. I think we’ve been an important part of the downtown revitalization, especially with the move to remote work and more flexibility. That’s important to the economic-development story of Franklin County in general, along with getting broadband access out there and just making this a place people can do a job that’s based anywhere, so they can live where they want to live.”

After all, while tourism is critical to the economy, Sauser said, tourism can’t be all Franklin County offers; it has to be a place people want to live and work, and where they find it affordable and rich enough in amenities to do both.

As an urban planner who has done a lot of policy and analysis work in housing, he said housing is the biggest issue.

“I feel like if you wanted to kill as many birds as possible with one stone, a robust housing strategy would be the way to do it. People are moving here in part because they can’t find the housing they’re looking for; nationwide, there’s a huge shortage.”

So there are real opportunities for growth, he said, adding that municipalities need to be smart with not only strategies for housing development — the residential units coming online in the former Wilson’s Department Store building in downtown Greenfield is a “game changer” for the city, he said — but with property taxes as well. The other big draw for families is school systems, and Sauser said many communities still have room for improvement there.

“That can hold places back. There are other options out there, private schools and charter schools, but the core of the public school system isn’t as successful as it could be.”

For every challenge, though, there are business success stories, Deane said.

“One that comes to mind is Sweet Lucy’s Bakeshop in Bernardston,” she said. “Lucy moved back into the area from Seattle. She crowdfunded to start her business. She’s now expanding. And that’s in partnership with support from the chamber, from the great folks at CISA, from the CDC. She’s really taken this bake shop and made it famous across the county. And she’s now expanding to include a community center so that she can help teach cooking courses or baking classes.”

A stone’s throw from Lucy’s is the Farm Table, the iconic Bernardston eatery on the Kringle Candle property that closed in 2020 but is reopening this month under the management of serial restaurateur Ashley Evans, who grew up in Turners Falls and was intrigued by the possibility of reopening the Farm Table while on a visit from her home in the state of Florida.

“When I came to this property, how could I pass it up? It’s just absolutely breathtaking, everything about it,” Evans said, adding that the goal is to offer an elevated culinary experience, with many ingredients locally sourced, but at a less elevated price than before.

“We plan on having a similar menu, but redone and more adapted to the market in this community. Instead of a fine-dining establishment, we want to make it an everyday establishment. You can stop by and get something, and the bill’s not $300.”

Evans also plans to host events, from outdoor movies to Hawaiian nights; from outdoor clambakes to a haunted house in the event center.

“We have a lot of ideas to bring the community together,” she said, adding that, despite the workforce pains plaguing the hospitality industry, she was able to staff up quickly, which says something about the establishment’s reputation.

“That speaks to what this property is. It almost speaks for itself,” she noted. “I didn’t have to do a ton of marketing; we said we’re hiring, and people were anxious to work here, which is a beautiful thing.

“I’m so pumped. I’m excited,” Evans added. “I just walk in and feel grateful every day.”

 

Grit and Gratitude

So does Rechtschaffen, who spent almost two decades away from Western Mass. before returning in 2018 and immediately immersing herself in Franklin County life, chairing the Sustainable Greenfield Implementation Committee, which supports the use and implementation of the city’s master plan, and serving on the Downtown Greenfield Alliance and the Local Cultural Council.

She was director of Placemaking for W.D. Cowls in North Amherst before taking on her current leadership position with the GBA, where she’s focused on how businesses in this largely rural county can thrive in the post-pandemic years.

“We’re looking at how people are locating themselves, especially with remote work, with proximity to Boston. We are seeing people come into this area with a different sense of how they’d like their lives to be,” Rechtschaffen said. “We welcome people in who are looking to move out of city-centered life without sacrificing the feeling of community and connectedness and available amenities.”

Deane said the past few years have taught resilience to residents and businesses here, but also new ways forward.

“Economic development is really a long game. So we’re having these conversations now that hopefully will impact the next 15 or 20 years,” she explained. “And we’re doing that with a fresh understanding that, at any point, those plans can go completely rogue and be blown up by whatever comes next. So we’re being cautiously optimistic as we plan and prioritize on a regional level.”

To Sauser, the county’s value is evident in its people, its businesses, its quality of life, and the places that bring those people — and visitors — together.

“I feel like it’s a place to watch,” he said. “I’ve been told, when I moved here, that Greenfield is the kind of place that always feels like it’s about to turn the corner, but it never actually does. I’m getting a lot of signals now that it’s looking pretty good.”

Rechtschaffen agreed.

“One of the things I appreciate about Franklin County is that we can keep our identity — we have the nature, the beauty, the rural luster of it — but there’s increasing opportunity,” she said. “It’s becoming easier to say, ‘this is what Greenfield is all about, this is what Franklin County is all about, and you’re welcome to be here.”

Greenfield Envisions a Future-focused Downtown

By
MJ Adams
Community Spotlight Special Coverage

Community Spotlight

MJ Adams

MJ Adams, seen with one of Greenfield’s signature bees, says commercial and residential development are equally important downtown.

 

MJ Adams recalled a community event in February 2020 called “A Deliberate Downtown: Growing by Design.”

“Because so many interesting things were happening downtown at that time, and we were getting ready to launch a downtown-revitalization effort, we wanted to engage everyone in the community conversation about downtown,” said Adams, Greenfield’s director of Community and Economic Development.

Then the pandemic struck, the world went into lockdown, and the city pressed pause on its plan, she said. But only a pause.

“The COVID-19 pandemic changed many things about the city’s growth plans for the short term, all of 2020 and most of 2021, but it did not change the grit, determination, and resiliency of our city’s business and government leaders,” Mayor Roxann Wedegartner said in a recent state-of-the-city address, noting that municipal leaders moved forward with construction and revitalization programs, aided by a rush of state and federal money intended to pump life into the economy and infrastructure.

During that time, the city broke ground on a new, $20 million library (set to open this spring), solidified a location for its new $21 million fire station (expected to open early next year), and built a temporary fire station to ensure continued service.

“These projects are a testament to the willingness of Greenfield citizens to fund essential services that serve our city and surrounding communities,” she said, adding to that list a skate park soon to open between Chapman and Davis streets downtown, funded with a combination of state grant money and city capital-improvement funding.

It’s all part of what the mayor calls the city’s ‘rurban’ lifestyle, an appealing combination of urban amenities and a rural feel, all highlighted by a downtown set to undergo significant changes to make it more liveable, walkable, and attractive for businesses and visitors alike.

“Downtown areas throughout the nation are changing; some have dried up completely, while others, like ours, are focusing on recognizing demographic and business shifts and are embracing that change,” Wedegartner said in her address. “We have a robust downtown-redevelopment strategy focused on transformational change incorporating available and new housing, new infrastructure improvements, and retail and commercial opportunities. Here is where we merge our economic-development, infrastructure, and housing efforts into a cohesive plan.”

 

What’s in Store?

A significant element in the downtown mix is the former Wilson’s Department Store site, which is being converted into an intriguing mixed-use development.

The city brought together the Community Builders and MassDevelopment in the acquisition and redevelopment of the former Wilson’s property, originally built in 1882. The redevelopment will create approximately 65 residential rental units and will reactivate prominent first-floor and basement retail spaces through the relocation and expansion of Franklin Community Co-op’s Greenfield store, Green Fields Market.

“In addition to creating much-needed, high-quality housing in Greenfield, relocating and expanding Green Fields Market will provide the community with access to healthy food in an area of Greenfield currently without a full-service grocery store,” said Rachana Crowley, director of Real Estate Development at the Community Builders, when the project was announced. “We’re proud to be a part of this team which will create new housing and employment opportunities and invest in a strong and robust Main Street in Greenfield.”

Adams said attracting a combination of commercial and residential tenants through mixed-use development has been important in the ongoing downtown plan. “What happens downtown, how we perceive it, is how the region perceives us as a community. So we knew we had to work on downtown. And we knew we couldn’t leave Wilson’s sitting empty.”

Jessye Deane

Jessye Deane says Greenfield businesses thrive through connections with myriad agencies that provide technical, financial, and other forms of support.

Adams called upper-story redevelopment “a significant building block in our efforts to create more business development and housing in Greenfield.” But the Wilson’s project is only one piece; another 36-unit development on Wells Street will hit the construction phase soon, and developers are eyeing other potential residential-development sites both within and outside of Greenfield’s downtown sector.

“We know we need to take a look at the missing middle-market supply of housing that serves working people who are not eligible for subsidized housing but are also struggling to find housing in any market now,” she said. “This is an issue for the whole state. Everyone is feeling, quite accurately, that we’ve made progress with affordable rental housing, but now we need to work on other aspects of the market.”

Adams feels like Greenfield is an attractive market for people looking for a place to live because it’s considered more affordable than other communities and boasts strong transit links to the rest of the region and beyond.

A $7.8 million, state- and federally funded multi-modal Main Street improvement project should only lend momentum to that perception, she and Wedegartner believe. The mayor appropriated $288,900 in capital funds for engineering and design of the project, which begins 100 feet to the east of Colrain Street and ends at High Street. The project is on track to be included in MassDOT’s Transportation Improvement Program, with construction slated to begin as early as fall 2026.

“While this project is underway, the city will also be able to upgrade underground utilities, primarily our water and sewer infrastructure. This will save the city money as we will not need to dig up Main Street twice,” the mayor noted, adding that additional grant money is being used to fund a parking-management study for the downtown area.

One significant goal of all this, she told BusinessWest, is to make Main Street more pedestrian- and bike-friendly, including continued efforts to make Court Square a pedestrian plaza. “Route 2A can never be pedestrian-only; Main Street has to be open to all traffic. But there’s significant work being done curb to curb.”

“I’m fond of saying that, in five years, you’re not going to recognize Main Street.”

Wedegartner stressed that development activity in Greenfield extends well beyond downtown. The Planning Department and City Council continue work to rezone about 40 acres across Route 2A from the I-91 Industrial Park as additional industrial space geared to attracting more advanced manufacturers and sustaining existing manufacturers who have run out of space in the current industrial park.

Jessye Deane, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and Regional Tourism Council, said one of the city’s selling points is its balance between that industrial sector and the sorts of small, locally owned shops and eateries that dot the downtown, as well as attractions ranging from Greenfield Garden Cinemas, which recently celebrated its 94th birthday, to Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center.

Greenfield at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1753
Population: 17,768
Area: 21.9 square miles
County: Franklin
Residential Tax Rate: $19.65
Commercial Tax Rate: $19.65
Median Household Income: $33,110
Median Family Income: $46,412
Type of Government: Mayor, City Council
Largest Employers: Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Greenfield Community College, Sandri
* Latest information available

The owners of Greenspace Co-work, located upstairs from Hawks & Reed, have been bringing local businesses together at a monthly event called Business Breakdown, and Deane has been impressed with what they’re saying.

“The Business Breakdowns are so interesting; we’re hearing how many people not originally from this area chose to start a business in Greenfield because there are so many resources available — partnerships with the chamber and the Franklin County CDC and the city — and how glad they are that they did choose Greenfield.

“Greenfield is the seat of Franklin County,” she added. “When Greenfield does well, all of Franklin County does well. So it’s good to see Greenfield making such a concerted effort to revitalize the downtown.”

 

Partners in Progress

With technical and financial assistance and other resources provided to businesses through agencies like the CDC, Common Capital, the chamber, and others, and workforce-development efforts at Greenfield Community College, Franklin County benefits strongly from a culture of partnership, Deane said.

“It feels like there’s this collective effort to really build on the partnerships; it’s one of the things Franklin County generally does very well,” she explained. “Working through the pandemic, we had effective partnerships, and I’m really seeing those grow as we’re able to share resources and think more strategically about the next generation of Greenfield and what the city should look like.”

That said, “I’ve been really impressed with the energy and momentum I’m seeing in Greenfield,” she told BusinessWest. “We’ve seen the city of Greenfield creating an environment more attractive to businesses, while simultaneously supporting the outstanding businesses we already have to make sure we’re ensuring their success.”

That’s Wedegartner’s goal too, of course, even as she asks people for patience as all the visible signs of progress come together downtown over the next few years, from the new library and fire station to new housing and a more walkable city center.

“I’m fond of saying that, in five years, you’re not going to recognize Main Street,” she told BusinessWest. “It’s going to be so different and so much more vital in so many ways. But it’s going to take time.”

 

Yankee Candle and Its Deerfield Village Remain Powerful Draws

By Contributor
Franklin County Special Coverage

Lighting the Way

 

 

Yankee Candle has long been a national and even global powerhouse in the scented-candle business, but the company will always have special appeal in Western Mass., where Michael Kittredge launched it more than a half-century ago. That appeal is partly — perhaps largely — due to Yankee Candle Village, which has become a significant attraction over the years, one that continues to raise the profile of Deerfield and other Franklin County destinations.

 

By Mark Morris

 

Yankee Candle Village may be best-known for its Christmas-themed displays around the holidays, Wade Bassett sees plenty of promise in the spring as well for a company — and tourist destination — that holds year-round appeal, especially as COVID-19 numbers continue to trend downward.

Bassett is the director of Sales and Operations at the Village, Yankee Candle’s flagship store located in Deerfield. Additionally, the company maintains a manufacturing facility in Whately, a distribution center in South Deerfield, and its flagship store on Route 5. Year-round employment totals nearly 600 people, and as the manufacturing and retail operations get busier for the holidays, the number of employees can reach as high as 750.

During the pandemic, staff at Yankee Candle Village incorporated extra cleaning protocols and made sure to always have masks for anyone who requested one. Bassett said the focus remains on providing a safe and worry-free shopping experience for guests who are looking forward to getting out and celebrating traditions with family and friends.

“We’re seeing daycationers, people who aren’t ready to jump on a plane yet. Instead, they are spending time visiting local attractions like Yankee Candle Village.”

“We’re seeing daycationers, people who aren’t ready to jump on a plane yet,” he said. “Instead, they are spending time visiting local attractions like Yankee Candle Village.”

Wade Bassett

Wade Bassett says Yankee Candle’s relationships with the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Springfield CVB, and local businesses have driven traffic to the site.

He credited the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau for keeping Yankee Candle Village top of mind as a key regional destination. “Their efforts focus on a collaborative approach to drive traffic and tourism to the area, and we couldn’t be prouder of our partnership with both of them.”

Last year’s arrival of Tree House Brewing Co., located a half-mile north on Route 5 from Yankee Candle Village, has contributed to the amount of traffic in Deerfield, which benefits all local destinations.

“We have a great relationship with Treehouse Brewery, and we’re excited to have them as another strong and prosperous business in our community,” Bassett said, pointing out that guests can visit Powder Hollow Brewery at Yankee Candle Village, then head up Route 5 to Tree House Brewery, and from there it’s a short trip to Berkshire Brewing Co. located close by in the center of Deerfield. “It’s essentially a mini-beer tour right here in our own backyard.”

Deerfield Town Administrator Kacey Warren, who credits Yankee Candle Village for being a strong tourism draw that benefits Deerfield and Western Mass., made a similar observation on the potential mini-beer tour.

“We now have three fun brewing spaces in town that we hope people will visit to make them all successful,” she told BusinessWest.

 

The Nose Knows

Guests to the flagship store in Deerfield will also find more than 150 fragrant candles on hand. Bassett said many visitors enjoy the treasure hunt of discovering new seasonal candle fragrances such as Sakura Blossom Festival as well as traditional favorites like Clean Cotton, Pink Sands, and McIntosh, a personal favorite of Bassett’s.

The new Well Living Collection are candles designed to transform the mood in the room, he added. “It’s a collection we created to help find balance at a time when wellness is more important than ever.”

Over the last two years, as people were spending more time at home, the Yankee Candle manufacturing facility in Whately stayed busy. Demand for fragrant candles increased during that time, and Yankee Candle products saw plenty of movement off retail shelves. As more people transitioned into working from home, Bassett explained, they were looking to create a space of relaxation and comfort.

“Through fragrance, we are able to help our customers transform their homes into a space that’s happier, fresher, and more inviting,” he said. “Our passion for fragrance helps make your house feel more like a home.”

“Our programs are all about celebrating traditions with families. We are looking at more events that will appeal to all the families who visit us.”

While Yankee is obviously in the candle business, it is also clearly in the home fragrance business. That leads to developing products that may not be candles but help reinforce the Yankee Candle brand in new and different ways, such as the ScentPlug Fan.

“The ScentPlug Fan circulates fragrance throughout every corner of the room and has a built-in light sensor that provides a soft glow when the lights are low,” Bassett explained. Depending on the season or mood, a variety of scents can be easily swapped out of the fan unit.

The new Signature Candle line

The new Signature Candle line features new scents in redesigned vessels.

As April approaches, Bassett discussed several events planned for Yankee Candle Village, beginning with the arrival of the Easter Bunny on April 2, as well as Easter Bunny greetings every weekend leading up to Easter Sunday. There are also events planned for April school vacation week.

“Our programs are all about celebrating traditions with families,” Bassett said. “We are looking at more events that will appeal to all the families who visit us.”

This year, the Franklin County Chamber moved its office and visitor center to Historic Deerfield, a move designed to bring more tourism activity to Deerfield and surrounding towns. Before the pandemic, Historic Deerfield would attract nearly 20,000 visitors every year. Diana Szynal, executive director of the chamber, said the new visitor center is an opportunity to encourage people to explore the area further and stay longer in the county.

“Part of our mission as a regional tourism council is to encourage people to extend their stay,” she said. “Yankee Candle, Historic Deerfield, and other great attractions give people a reason to spend that extra time in our area.”

 

Making Scents of It All

While visitors come to Yankee Candle Village all year, fall and the holiday season are still the busiest times for guests.

“When you grow up in New England, there’s the smell of fall, the feel of Christmas, and the traditions that come with it,” Bassett said. “It’s like no other time of the year.”

A highlight every year at Yankee Candle Village is the arrival of Santa Claus, who makes his way there by either helicopter or fire truck. Bassett said he enjoys talking with the families who attend this event every year.

“In some cases, the kids who came here years ago are now parents, and they are bringing their own children,” he noted. “It’s become a generational event for lots of families.”

The holidays are just one time when the loyal fanbase of Yankee Candle shoppers will visit the flagship store. But it’s not unusual for people to go there several times a year. “Fragrance evokes memories which are extremely powerful for our guests,” Bassett said.

Now a 30-year employee, he expressed gratitude to be working with “such an amazing company.” And he’s looking forward to spring and the opportunity to talk about another new Yankee Candle product line, the Signature Candle.

“It’s a line featuring new scents in redesigned vessels,” Bassett said. “My personal favorite is Iced Berry Lemonade, a mix of strawberry, lemon, and grapefruit aromas that will be my go-to fragrance for spring.”

As soon as the snow melts in the hilltowns, Bassett plans to make sure an Iced Berry Lemonade candle will have a prominent place on his backyard patio — a reminder that Yankee Candle, both its products and its famous Village, remain a year-round draw for people in Western Mass. and well beyond.

Incorporations

By
Incorporations

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

AGAWAM

The Five Stones Venture Inc., 417 Springfield St., Suite 124, Agawam, MA 01001. Ryan McLane, same address. Human civil rights organization.

CHICOPEE

United Traffic Control Inc., 13 Catherine St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Alejandro Rosado, same address. Flagger traffic control.

EAST LONGMEADOW

More Than Mom Inc., 287 Prospect St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Caitlin Van Doren, 28 Edson St., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Community organization.

GREENFIELD

People’s Music Network for Songs of Freedom and Struggle Inc., 195 Chapman St., Greenfield, MA 01301. Erland Zygmuntowicz, 245 West 104th St., Apt. 12-C, New York, NY 10025. Music education.

HOLYOKE

Wellesley Aesthetic Dental Group, P.C., 330 Whitney Ave., Suite 740, Holyoke, MA 01040. Craig Saltzman D.M.D., same address. Dental practice.

INDIAN ORCHARD

OM Gulf Racing Mart Inc., 363 Main St., Indian Orchard, MA 01151. Falguni Patel, 5 Patriot Ridge Lane, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Gas station and convenience store.

LONGMEADOW

The Niko Sierra Athletic Scholarship Fund Inc., 65 Belleclaire Ave., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Betsy Sierra, same address. Athletic and educational scholarships.

LUDLOW

Strength by Sami Inc., 297 East St., Rear, Ludlow, MA 01056. Samantha Runshaw, 42 Cedar Glenn, Belchertown, MA 01007.

SPRINGFIELD

Funny Bunny Inc., 250-270 Worthington St., Springfield, MA 01103. Andrew Brow, 30 High St., #2, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Restaurant.

J & C Music House Records Inc., 177 Northampton Ave., Springfield, MA 01109. Jeffery D. Morgan, same address. Record production and contracts.

Kase Investment Group Inc., 8 Emmet St., Springfield, MA 01119. Shannon Glenn, same address. Real estate investment.

WESTFIELD

DLP Holdings Inc., 539 North Road, Westfield, MA 01085. John J. Dion Jr., same address. Own, hold, control, manage and operate businesses.

Jason L. Levine Law, P.C., 43 Broad St., Westfield, MA 01085. Jason L. Levine, same address. Law practice.

Real Estate Transactions

By
Real Estate

The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

BERNARDSTON

525 Bald Mountain Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $1,100,000
Buyer: Michael P. Cohrs
Seller: Scott M. Digeorge
Date: 12/20/21

19 South St.
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Alexander F. Fiorey
Seller: Paul C. Skiathitis
Date: 12/22/21

BUCKLAND

25 Birch Road
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Joseph Moynihan
Seller: Raymond E. Scott
Date: 11/29/21

30 Franklin St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $271,600
Buyer: Melissa Plesnar
Seller: William Leitner
Date: 12/03/21

8 Goodnow Road
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Honor Mosher
Seller: Mosher, Constance Z. B., (Estate)
Date: 12/20/21

COLRAIN

121 Call Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Sarah Davenport
Seller: Brothers, Sr. Duane E., (Estate)
Date: 12/20/21

205 Greenfield Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Richard R. Hebert
Seller: C. Leigh Morrell
Date: 11/30/21

16 High St.
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Yolanda Romero
Seller: Preecha Srisupa
Date: 12/22/21

2701 Shelburne Falls Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: John Berard
Seller: Bear River Investments LLC
Date: 11/30/21

3 York Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Cory M. Dale
Seller: Lori Regienus
Date: 12/03/21

DEERFIELD

Conway Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $636,500
Buyer: Matthew Ramon
Seller: Joann M. Denehy
Date: 11/30/21

19 Graves St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Michael C. Pascoe
Seller: John W. Kinchla
Date: 11/30/21

Greenfield Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $636,500
Buyer: Matthew Ramon
Seller: Joann M. Denehy
Date: 11/30/21

250 Greenfield Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Dale & Jay Whitney LLC
Seller: Doris A. Bilodeau TR
Date: 12/21/21

252 Lower Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Sara A. Simmons
Seller: Jocelin Cesar
Date: 12/17/21

Mill Village Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $636,500
Buyer: Matthew Ramon
Seller: Joann M. Denehy
Date: 11/30/21

176 North Main St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $636,500
Buyer: Matthew Ramon
Seller: Joann M. Denehy
Date: 11/30/21

123 River Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $720,000
Buyer: Dawn Tenney
Seller: Lois S. Gates
Date: 12/01/21

Route 10
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Dale & Jay Whitney LLC
Seller: Doris A. Bilodeau TR
Date: 12/21/21

Route 5
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Dale & Jay Whitney LLC
Seller: Doris A. Bilodeau TR
Date: 12/21/21

19 West St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Charles E. Stacy
Seller: David Prystasz
Date: 11/30/21

ERVING

3 Central St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $282,900
Buyer: Alma J. Escott
Seller: Franklin Technical School
Date: 12/03/21

GILL

20 Walnut St.
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Andrew Paige
Seller: Harris IRT
Date: 12/17/21

GREENFIELD

345 Chapman St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $257,500
Buyer: Justin R. Ducharme
Seller: Brunette, Steven P., (Estate)
Date: 12/20/21

638 Colrain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $580,000
Buyer: Old Gorge NT
Seller: Starkey, Richard E., (Estate)
Date: 12/17/21

309 Conway St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Chankroeusna Kry
Seller: Peter Lapa
Date: 12/22/21

176 Federal St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: ZN Realty LLC
Seller: Alexander F. Fiorey
Date: 12/17/21

16 Oak Hill Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Louis Vinci
Seller: Arthur R. Sumner
Date: 12/03/21

39 Phillips St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Jason R. Penfield
Seller: Robert G. Penfield
Date: 12/17/21

36 Sunset Square
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: John P. Doleva
Seller: Matthew D. Parody
Date: 12/01/21

51 Vernon St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Kelley Ives
Seller: Eagle Home Buyers LLC
Date: 12/20/21

53 Washburn Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Gwen Gannon
Seller: Monkeith E. Arnold
Date: 12/21/21

33 Washington St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Bonnie J. Tuthill
Seller: Grink TR
Date: 11/30/21

55 White Birch Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jessica A. Barnes
Seller: Darlene A. Holland
Date: 12/17/21

HAWLEY

10 Forge Hill Road
Hawley, MA 01339
Amount: $690,000
Buyer: Adam L. Littman
Seller: Craig Shrimpton
Date: 11/30/21

12 Forge Hill Road
Hawley, MA 01339
Amount: $690,000
Buyer: Adam L. Littman
Seller: Craig Shrimpton
Date: 11/30/21

HEATH

11 Bellor Road
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: 11 Bellor LLC
Seller: Gallup INT
Date: 12/20/21

8 West Main St.
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Donald Lebreux
Seller: Lisa C. Burke
Date: 11/30/21

LEYDEN

240 Eden Trail
Leyden, MA 01337
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Carol Michelfelder
Seller: Pedro J. Borgos
Date: 12/21/21

MONTAGUE

5 Bulkley St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Sandi H. Graves
Seller: Mary K. Dillon RET
Date: 11/30/21

128 East Chestnut Hill Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Richard Drohen
Seller: Deborah A. Rose
Date: 12/21/21

18 Highland St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $311,000
Buyer: Emily Tareila
Seller: Jonathan M. Kopera
Date: 12/17/21

46 Vladish Ave.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jeffrey E. Burt
Seller: Burt Family Trust
Date: 12/23/21

NEW SALEM

185 Moosehorn Road
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $202,500
Buyer: Todd Blake
Seller: Anna J. Bergmann
Date: 12/01/21

182 Neilson Road
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Nicholas J. Curry
Seller: Anderson, Pauline, (Estate)
Date: 11/29/21

30 New Main St.
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Kathleen J. Lawless
Seller: Susan G. Arnold
Date: 12/21/21

NORTHFIELD

52 Ashuelot Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Jared J. Erho
Seller: Susan H. Garland TR
Date: 12/22/21

753 Mount Hermon Station Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Jonathan M. Kopera
Seller: Ivan Doncev
Date: 12/20/21

23 Saint Marys St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Elaine Toomey
Seller: McCollester INT
Date: 12/03/21

ORANGE

4 Meadow Lane
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Francisc Santiago-Rivera
Seller: Glenn A. Skorb
Date: 12/17/21

162 Memory Lane
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Dana Soroka
Seller: Pamela J. Bellar
Date: 12/17/21

70 Prentiss St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Prentiss Street Real Estate LLC
Seller: Brian R. Newton
Date: 12/03/21

91 West River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Patricia M. Lee
Seller: Katherine A. Stemm
Date: 12/22/21

SHELBURNE

208 Smead Hill Road
Shelburne, MA 01340
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Jeremy L. Johnson
Seller: Robert C. Fish
Date: 12/22/21

SHUTESBURY

409 West Pelham Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Jeffrey C. Bird
Seller: Bradford Spry
Date: 12/17/21

SUNDERLAND

70 South Main St.
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Gregory C. Pipczynski
Seller: Thomas F. Devine
Date: 11/30/21

WENDELL

493 New Salem Road
Wendell, MA 01379
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Douglas Simon
Seller: Sullo, Sandra L., (Estate)
Date: 11/30/21

WHATELY

79 State Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Glen Skorb
Seller: Andrew F. Gianino
Date: 12/20/21

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

85 Chestnut Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $304,500
Buyer: Adam Gravel
Seller: Andrew S. Mayo
Date: 11/30/21

95 Corey St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Fisnik Halili
Seller: Hitas, Peter Andrew, (Estate)
Date: 12/22/21

102 Cricket Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $515,000
Buyer: Lee A. Papadimitriou
Seller: Gary Szczebak
Date: 12/03/21

64 Day St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Robert E. Wojcik
Seller: Jeremy D. Kislus
Date: 11/29/21

24 Deering St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $287,500
Buyer: Christine B. Turrini
Seller: David S. Gold
Date: 11/30/21

35-37 Hope Farms Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Carmino J. Mineo
Seller: Denis H. Surprenant
Date: 12/01/21

117 Maple St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Karla M. Dejesus
Seller: Joseph T. Martin
Date: 12/03/21

196 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $288,000
Buyer: Uduak Enyiema
Seller: Carmino J. Mineo
Date: 11/30/21

1149-1151 North Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Kevin D. Ghareeb
Seller: Dino R. Mercadante
Date: 11/30/21

204-206 North St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Vadim Plotnikov
Seller: Jessica Mongeau
Date: 11/29/21

61 Parker St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $267,500
Buyer: Benjamin E. Nuzzolilli
Seller: Andrew Lopez
Date: 12/23/21

80 Ridgeway Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Ihsan Salman
Seller: McIntyre, Florence A., (Estate)
Date: 11/30/21

375 River Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $218,500
Buyer: Donna M. Tauro
Seller: Felicia Germain
Date: 11/30/21

321 Rowley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Janice A. Matias
Seller: Marco Scibelli
Date: 11/29/21

23 Samuel St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Kristina M. Healey
Seller: Charles A. Calabrese
Date: 12/03/21

450 Silver St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Scott Swenson
Seller: Carl A. Zingarelli
Date: 11/30/21

611 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Thomas A. Montagna
Seller: Deborah Auld
Date: 12/20/21

616 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $315,900
Buyer: Timothy A. Bates
Seller: Alyssa L. Febo
Date: 12/20/21

750 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Josues DeLeon
Seller: Manchester Enterprises LLC
Date: 11/29/21

23 Walter Way
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Robert A. Oldberg
Seller: Ruslan Kuzmenko
Date: 12/17/21

BLANDFORD

76 Main St.
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Kyle Bean
Seller: Leah A. Priest
Date: 12/02/21

1-R Old Chester Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Olamide Oladosu
Seller: Deborah A. Dion
Date: 12/03/21

BRIMFIELD

9 Crestwood Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Paul Dibaro
Seller: Squires, Richard L. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 12/20/21

85 Dunhamtown Palmer Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Judith H. Jaeger
Seller: Charles E. Hornbuckle
Date: 11/30/21

28 East Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $667,000
Buyer: Jennifer E. Mormile
Seller: Nicole Escolas
Date: 12/17/21

80 Lyman Barnes Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Daniel McCabe
Seller: Mark E. Kifer
Date: 12/22/21

116 Paige Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $862,000
Buyer: Weisheng Xu
Seller: Howlett, Oliver L., (Estate)
Date: 12/20/21

146 Wales Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Joshua A. Patraw
Seller: Everett C. Rubel
Date: 12/20/21

CHESTER

146 Bromley Road
Chester, MA 01050
Amount: $267,000
Buyer: Aaliyah DeJesus
Seller: Eugene L. Turner
Date: 12/23/21

CHICOPEE

89 9th Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Center For Human Development Inc.
Seller: Elaine A. Delisle
Date: 11/30/21

9th Ave. #654
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Center For Human Development Inc.
Seller: Elaine A. Delisle
Date: 11/30/21

17 Adams St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $900,000
Buyer: Esha Farm LLC
Seller: Deslauries, David, (Estate)
Date: 12/23/21

27 Adams St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $900,000
Buyer: Esha Farm LLC
Seller: Deslauries, David, (Estate)
Date: 12/23/21

21 Alvord Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: 21 Alvord Ave. LLC
Seller: Kirby A. Ward
Date: 12/03/21

57 Baltic Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $295,500
Buyer: Luis A. Reyes
Seller: Bruce R. Brun
Date: 12/17/21

8 Bennett St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Nancy E. Gosselin
Seller: Andrea Theriault
Date: 12/03/21

126 Bostwick Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Tracey C. Ward
Seller: Denis Andre
Date: 12/02/21

24 Cadieux Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Nanette E. Figueroa
Seller: Lena J. Lamagdeleine
Date: 12/03/21

92 Carew St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Matthew L. Flood
Seller: Michael S. Miner
Date: 12/02/21

247 Carew St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Michael N. Penna
Seller: Paul T. Gebbie
Date: 12/02/21

449 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Yailene Otero
Seller: Robert W. Yates
Date: 12/17/21

818 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $900,000
Buyer: Esha Farm LLC
Seller: Deslauries, David, (Estate)
Date: 12/23/21

939 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $1,200,000
Buyer: KOR Realty LLC
Seller: Standex International Corp.
Date: 12/17/21

132 Clairmont Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Stephanie D. Lepsch
Seller: Dan G. Wilder
Date: 12/23/21

711 East Main St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $10,471,450
Buyer: Agilent Technologies Inc.
Seller: Oxford Investment LLC
Date: 12/21/21

391 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Victor J. Garriga
Seller: Phoenix Development Inc.
Date: 11/30/21

292 Frontenac St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $322,000
Buyer: Tasha Rivera
Seller: Miguel Rodriguez-Cortes
Date: 12/22/21

110 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Amyleeann Muniz
Seller: Wendy S. Markham
Date: 12/17/21

281 James St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Vantage Home Buyers LLC
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 12/02/21

97 Lombard St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Kaali Huang LLC
Seller: Hartling, Evelyn L., (Estate)
Date: 12/20/21

307 Mandalay Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Felix Andino
Seller: Kristen M. Gauthier
Date: 12/17/21

28 Marble Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $226,101
Buyer: Tyler Vaccaro
Seller: John F. Barry
Date: 12/21/21

70 Medford St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Nana K. Agyemang-Duah
Seller: Linda L. Parlee-Chowns
Date: 12/17/21

1692 Memorial Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: MD&PB Properties LLC
Seller: 896-900 Prospect St. Inc.
Date: 12/20/21

704 Memorial Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: AG Brothers LLC
Seller: Kyprea LLC
Date: 12/23/21

46 Mount Vernon Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Natanael Crespo
Seller: Ganna Boyko
Date: 12/20/21

88 Narragansett Blvd.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Arben Keka
Seller: Erik T. Pereira
Date: 12/20/21

196 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $216,000
Buyer: Jeremy A. Torres
Seller: Kevin A. Jemiolo
Date: 12/03/21

80 Providence St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Vianiee Gonzalez
Seller: Cy Group LLC
Date: 12/02/21

584 Sheridan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Franky Soto
Seller: DGL Properties LLC
Date: 11/30/21

85 Southwick St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Luise M. Nieves
Seller: Thomas E. Dart
Date: 12/20/21

47 Taylor St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Jose M. Casimiro
Seller: Melissa Grasakis
Date: 12/01/21

40 Warregan St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: William Gonzalez-Crespo
Seller: Jacqueline Rivera
Date: 12/17/21

25 Western Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $271,000
Buyer: Joel E. Duron-Coca
Seller: Richard B. Elmer
Date: 12/17/21

1628 Westover Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Maria I. Rosario-Torres
Seller: Michele T. Oparowski
Date: 12/17/21

2024 Westover Road
Chicopee, MA 01022
Amount: $900,000
Buyer: Steel City Sisters Group
Seller: Lee Regional Visiting
Date: 12/03/21

EAST LONGMEADOW

Bella Vista Dr. #14
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $204,900
Buyer: Adnan Dahdul
Seller: John J. Papale
Date: 12/20/21

27 Bunker Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01108
Amount: $421,000
Buyer: Octavio Seijas
Seller: David S. Preste
Date: 12/01/21

11 Edmund St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $316,000
Buyer: Margaret G. Finnegan
Seller: Robert A. Black
Date: 11/29/21

25 Granby St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $237,500
Buyer: 25 Granby Street LLC
Seller: John Occhialini
Date: 12/21/21

37 High St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Bryce A. Peritz
Seller: Thomas J. Stewart
Date: 12/23/21

12 Holly Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Dennis A. Zambrano
Seller: Alan Notre
Date: 12/23/21

245 Maple St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Joaquim Costa
Seller: Michael J. Cook
Date: 11/30/21

14 Peachtree Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Charles W. Suglia
Seller: Paul D. Traina
Date: 12/03/21

48 Pine Grove Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $765,000
Buyer: Victoria K. Pepper
Seller: Karen M. Phelan
Date: 12/02/21

216 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Angel L. Vega-Maldonado
Seller: Steven M. Suse
Date: 12/03/21

48 Tufts St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01108
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Lauren J. Heaton
Seller: Darlene M. Demorad
Date: 11/30/21

62 Tufts St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01108
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Nana Anowuo
Seller: FNMA
Date: 12/17/21

GRANVILLE

128 Crest Lane
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Benjamin J. Reddall
Seller: Shaun Troy
Date: 12/17/21

1542 Main Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Morgan K. Ireland
Seller: Deborah A. Dallaire
Date: 12/22/21

19 Old Westfield Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Timothy E. Fedora
Seller: Juan Ochoa
Date: 12/23/21

290 Water St.
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Autumn Allen
Seller: Terry A. Dillon
Date: 12/03/21

HAMPDEN

51 Genevieve Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Tia Lafromboise
Seller: Brittany A. Moreland
Date: 12/03/21

180 Glendale Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Wayne E. Phaneuf
Seller: Prior, Jacqueline J., (Estate)
Date: 12/23/21

357 North Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $635,000
Buyer: Jason P. Dionne
Seller: Kenneth J. Berthiaume
Date: 11/29/21

HOLLAND

21 Craig Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: John D. Sciacca
Seller: Preston J. Gilpatrick
Date: 11/30/21

23 Craig Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $671,000
Buyer: Anthony A. Marini
Seller: Mark S. Yaglowski
Date: 12/03/21

34 Craig Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Mary C. Scannell
Seller: Michael J. Woznicki
Date: 11/30/21

56 Kimball Hill Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $296,900
Buyer: Sara Meier
Seller: Scribner Management LLC
Date: 11/30/21

HOLYOKE

4 Anderson Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Sierra Vaughan-Gabor
Seller: Angela T. Sweeney
Date: 12/02/21

77 Brookline Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Lucila Bruno
Seller: Martinelli Martini & Gallag
Date: 12/21/21

139 Hillside Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Hattie L. Adastra
Seller: Meghann A. Jurkowski
Date: 12/23/21

102 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Nathan B. Lapointe
Seller: Eric M. Rogers
Date: 11/30/21

366 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Francisco Rivera
Seller: Ethel M. Kennedy
Date: 12/17/21

34 King St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Tyler C. Nelson
Seller: Linda L. Audet
Date: 12/20/21

2133 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $259,900
Buyer: Jordan Dill
Seller: Adam J. Braunschweig
Date: 12/03/21

1 Park Slope
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Danielle Schmidt
Seller: L. Mara Dodge
Date: 11/30/21

63 Pine St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Nathaniel James
Seller: Lisette Velez
Date: 12/17/21

13 Roland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Daniel R. Poulin
Seller: Michael J. Fitzgerald
Date: 12/02/21

20 School St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: Nelson Figueroa
Seller: Lisa Rosario
Date: 11/30/21

95 Wedgewood Ter.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Katrina Turner
Seller: Jorge R. Diaz-Figueroa
Date: 11/29/21

108-110 West St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Dorline Diaz-Garay
Seller: 4 Harps LLC
Date: 12/22/21

LONGMEADOW

32 Arcadia St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $347,800
Buyer: Robert Mimaki
Seller: Nancy E. Croteau
Date: 12/17/21

Arcadia St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Vicki L. Shotland
Seller: Orr, Sara J., (Estate)
Date: 12/17/21

242 Burbank Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Marta Flavin
Seller: Brett D. Pendragon
Date: 12/01/21

56 Cambridge Circle
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Custom Home Development Group LLC
Seller: Leon W. Bailey
Date: 11/30/21

153 Edgewood Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $287,500
Buyer: Joseph P. Kocot
Seller: Lauren J. Heaton
Date: 11/30/21

42 Elm Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Grace V. Helmich
Seller: Benjamin J. Barker
Date: 12/21/21

142 Elmwood Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $223,500
Buyer: Edward F. Cassell
Seller: Swinski, Kenneth S., (Estate)
Date: 12/22/21

101 Ely Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Evan Dalton
Seller: Mingqi He
Date: 12/20/21

182 Englewood Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Larry R. Cloutier
Seller: Nissenbaum, Steven A., (Estate)
Date: 12/23/21

11 Forest Glen Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Rabih E. Yafawi
Seller: Baiqing Li
Date: 12/03/21

126 Greenacre Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jane Barrett
Seller: Tower, Anne M., (Estate)
Date: 12/03/21

162 Greenmeadow Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Jennifer M. Hirst
Seller: Hsiang-Ching Kung
Date: 12/20/21

267 Kenmore Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Brandon Harris
Seller: Robert L. Suttmiller
Date: 12/17/21

217 Laurel St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Randolph S. Yanoshak
Seller: Lauren Rollins
Date: 12/01/21

21 Lincoln Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $361,000
Buyer: Tai T. Huynh
Seller: Rajendrasinh S. Mahida
Date: 12/17/21

857 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $755,000
Buyer: Benjamin Kraus
Seller: Robert A. Walsh
Date: 12/20/21

168 Maple Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Alan Notre
Seller: Samantha M. Dubner
Date: 12/23/21

737 Maple Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: VK Heritage LLC
Seller: Sandra L. Olko
Date: 12/17/21

111 Nevins Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Saosokrith Pech
Seller: Brianna J. Butcher
Date: 12/21/21

184 Nevins Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: SA Holding 2 LLC
Seller: David Ronaldson
Date: 12/22/21

216 Overbrook Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $1,137,500
Buyer: Daniel M. Flynn
Seller: R. Scott Smith
Date: 12/17/21

103 Quinnehtuk Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $602,500
Buyer: Syed M. Owais
Seller: James A. Fehily
Date: 11/30/21

89 Silver Birch Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: O. Nadazdin-Boskovic
Seller: Michael R. Kessler
Date: 12/17/21

125 South Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Edward J. Thomas
Seller: Paul F. McLaughlin
Date: 12/17/21

26 Tennyson Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $822,000
Buyer: Rakesh Talati
Seller: Lisa M. Campbell
Date: 12/02/21

359 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Murdock
Seller: John G. Bagley
Date: 12/20/21

173 Wolf Swamp Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Zachary Ferrara
Seller: Robin S. Odentz
Date: 12/23/21

LUDLOW

1st Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $754,500
Buyer: Brownbox Properties LLC
Seller: Westmass Area Development Corp.
Date: 12/17/21

549 Alden St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $208,884
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Patricia A. Messier
Date: 12/21/21

41 Arch St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Kyle Roy
Seller: Mary C. Gero
Date: 12/17/21

12 Autumn Ridge Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Arthur Ralph Gaudio TR
Seller: Hemlock Ridge LLC
Date: 12/03/21

132 Barna St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Brian Morris
Seller: John Fortune
Date: 11/29/21

52 Bliss St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Homestead Connections LLC
Seller: Ahearn, J., (Estate)
Date: 11/30/21

534 Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Haviland Pond LLC
Seller: Haviland Pond LP
Date: 12/01/21

676 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Andreas
Seller: Drew R. Ledwith
Date: 11/30/21

1102 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Joao A. Dias
Seller: Thomas, Amy Elaine, (Estate)
Date: 12/17/21

172 Edison Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $418,000
Buyer: Derya Tanriverdi
Seller: Jeffrey A. Touchette
Date: 12/20/21

150 Highland Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $248,500
Buyer: Barbara E. Thompson
Seller: Michelle Elliot
Date: 12/21/21

70-84 Hubbard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: BK Investment LLC
Seller: Gary R. Guilmette
Date: 12/02/21

12 Keith Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $241,000
Buyer: Brenda M. Opielowski
Seller: Matthew G. Nay
Date: 11/30/21

3 Leland Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $670,000
Buyer: Michael P. Richardson
Seller: Michael L. Banville
Date: 12/17/21

125 Munsing St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Torretti Builders LLC
Seller: Mary Rarogiewicz
Date: 12/21/21

48 Nash Hill Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $359,900
Buyer: Matthew W. Beaudette
Seller: Carole C. Dighello
Date: 12/01/21

41 Stevens St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Grace Dias
Seller: Ruth L. Pancotti
Date: 11/30/21

223 Woodland Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $630,000
Buyer: Raymond MacDonald
Seller: Luis C. Martins
Date: 11/29/21

MONSON

74 Bethany Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Meghan L. Chotain
Seller: Andrew B. Johnston
Date: 12/20/21

141 Brimfield Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $288,000
Buyer: Peter D. Davenport
Seller: Heather M. Hartman
Date: 11/29/21

29 Bumstead Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Dominique P. Batiste
Seller: Sheena M. Carney
Date: 12/03/21

4 Carpenter Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Robert T. Morrin
Seller: Emma Ladd-Shepherd
Date: 11/30/21

47 Cote Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Trevor E. Wentworth
Seller: Daniel W. Zglobicki
Date: 12/03/21

109 Cote Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Kenneth Chaplin
Seller: US Bank
Date: 12/02/21

179 Fenton Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $333,000
Buyer: Jason M. Seybold
Seller: PB Partners Development LLC
Date: 12/17/21

28 Main St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $444,244
Buyer: SBA Management LLC
Seller: Margaret S. Glassman
Date: 12/23/21

8 Margaret St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Karl J. Gunther
Seller: Bonnie E. Turnberg
Date: 12/02/21

231 Munn Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Gary W. Barrows
Seller: Terri A. Anderson
Date: 11/30/21

16 Pinnacle Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Kourtney Senquiz
Seller: David P. Ruiz
Date: 12/02/21

43 Robbins Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Stanley R. Lamb
Seller: Nissenbaum, Steven A., (Estate)
Date: 12/03/21

PALMER

261 Barker St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Matthew Brotherton
Seller: Eric M. Nacsin
Date: 12/23/21

25 Belchertown St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Chandra Jackson
Seller: David Oliveira
Date: 12/01/21

139 Boston Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Richard A. Houle
Seller: Stanley R. Lamb
Date: 12/03/21

141 Breckenridge St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Medgine Fleury
Seller: Travis J. Richer
Date: 12/01/21

1084 Central St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Nicholas R. Smick
Seller: Ryan P. Ratcliffe
Date: 11/30/21

106 Flynt St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Maribel Ortiz
Seller: Laura A. Martin
Date: 12/22/21

8 George St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Jenna Dziok
Seller: Aaron McKee
Date: 12/17/21

4037 Hill St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Max E. Bock
Seller: Peter J. Kuzontkoski
Date: 11/30/21

2 Pioneer Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $439,700
Buyer: Judith T. Tumusiime
Seller: Dustin T. Hermann
Date: 12/03/21

2014 Quaboag St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $259,900
Buyer: Allison A. Flebotte
Seller: Brital 1987 LLC
Date: 12/23/21

382 Rondeau St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Mandi Laisure
Seller: Brenda M. Opielowski
Date: 11/30/21

RUSSELL

1440 Blandford Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $204,450
Buyer: Rondell Stauffer
Seller: Henry W. Mikucki
Date: 12/01/21

260 Blandford Road
Russell, MA 01070
Amount: $535,900
Buyer: Adam J. Braunschweig
Seller: Jason S. Fiddler
Date: 12/03/21

1441 Blandford Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Footit
Seller: Jesse M. Veprauskas
Date: 12/22/21

25 Blandford Stage Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Austin W. Fortier
Seller: Luke Paull
Date: 12/01/21

SPRINGFIELD

375 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $2,223,281
Buyer: Gregory Springfield LLC
Seller: NDA 385 Allen St LLC
Date: 12/03/21

645 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Loriann Ruiz
Seller: Theresa A. Zheleznyakov
Date: 12/20/21

127 Ambrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Pascacio Reynoso
Seller: Jose R. Martinez
Date: 12/03/21

35 Andrew St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Raquel Reyes
Seller: Carlos Duran
Date: 12/02/21

137 Bellevue Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Fred Swan
Seller: David J. Maradyn
Date: 12/23/21

293 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Ericka Vasquez-Lopez
Seller: Tuan Tran
Date: 12/21/21

486-494 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $840,000
Buyer: JK Wave Inc.
Seller: Carriage Funeral Holding Inc.
Date: 12/20/21

855 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Invest Best Lending LLC
Seller: Ether Properties LLC
Date: 12/01/21

79 Benz St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Thi N. Huynh
Seller: Vito M. Dellaera
Date: 12/20/21

586 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Sanchez Family Enterprises LLC
Seller: David Haluch
Date: 12/01/21

58-60 Bither St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Reilly
Seller: Stephen M. Reilly
Date: 12/17/21

216 Breckwood Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Kevin S. Diaz
Seller: Jesmaniel Bermudez
Date: 12/03/21

26 Brookside Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: Jorge L. Rodriguez
Seller: Biagio Cordiano
Date: 12/03/21

40 Bulat Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Loudine Alty
Seller: Felicia Griffin
Date: 11/30/21

25 Burke St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Aisha K. Gonzalez
Seller: Veronica M. Reyes
Date: 11/30/21

386-388 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $293,000
Buyer: Kimberly Paine
Seller: Paul E. Carmody
Date: 12/02/21

417-419 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Maira Silva
Seller: Cindy R. King
Date: 12/21/21

834 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Kelnate Realty LLC
Seller: 834 Carew Street LLC
Date: 12/03/21

1061 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Jose Colon-Torres
Seller: Denali Properties LLC
Date: 11/29/21

157 Carver St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Michael Riggins
Seller: Mizraim Rodriguez
Date: 12/03/21

33 Castle St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $267,700
Buyer: Rebecca L. Rothberg
Seller: David Lussier
Date: 12/17/21

63 Chauncey Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Perry Dulude
Seller: Skwisz, R., (Estate)
Date: 12/22/21

17 Chilson St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Paula Medina
Seller: Angel M. Senquiz
Date: 12/02/21

9-11 Cloran St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Kathiana Mathieu
Seller: Michael Gardner
Date: 12/02/21

117 Cloran St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Prime Partners LLC
Seller: Estella M. Lyons
Date: 12/03/21

95 Clough St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Victor Diaz
Seller: Joseph J. Neff
Date: 12/02/21

246-248 College St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Shane A. Rhiney
Seller: Alicia H. Porter
Date: 12/23/21

147 Colton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Summers Sunshine
Seller: 147 Colton Street LLC
Date: 12/23/21

595 Cottage St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Brockway Realty LLC
Seller: G&R Properties LLC
Date: 12/23/21

24 Craig St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Khyam Darjee
Seller: Freedom Mortgage Corp.
Date: 12/02/21

30 Craig St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $128,700
Buyer: JCG Investments LLC
Seller: Pennymac Loan Services LLC
Date: 12/20/21

14 Dalton Place
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $171,000
Buyer: Daina Rosa
Seller: Robert V. Swanson
Date: 12/03/21

6 Delaware Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Jennife Gonzalez-Morales
Seller: Homes RE Vent LLC
Date: 12/02/21

725 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Chastity Nieves
Seller: Arthur H. Helmus
Date: 12/23/21

17 Earl St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Romanus C. Maduabuchi
Seller: Michael Molinari
Date: 11/30/21

129 Eddy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Roger J. Ramsey
Seller: Bonnie J. Lynch
Date: 12/22/21

55 Edendale St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Normari Rivera
Seller: Equity Trust Co.
Date: 12/20/21

84 Edgewood St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Maria P. DeLeon
Seller: Hayder Alhamdani
Date: 12/17/21

36 Eldridge St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Venancio Ramos
Seller: Brenda J. Burgess
Date: 11/29/21

133 Entrybrook Dr.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Ebonee Ganious
Seller: Roseline C. Chiuwa
Date: 12/23/21

24-26 Ferris St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Huiqing Zhu
Seller: Mark T. Laramee
Date: 12/22/21

102 Florida St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: John S. Marrero
Seller: Paula Nowick
Date: 11/30/21

30 Ford St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Anthony C. Demaio
Seller: Kathleen R. Duncan
Date: 12/20/21

148 Glenoak Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $283,500
Buyer: Jose Gonzalez
Seller: James Schmidt
Date: 11/30/21

868 Grayson Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Ryane Babyak
Seller: William H. Keet
Date: 12/01/21

38 Greenbrier St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Mohamed Ali
Seller: Victor M. Rojas
Date: 12/01/21

239 Gresham St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Magaly Lopez-Ramos
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 12/20/21

207 Groveland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Jessica M. Laboy
Seller: Stephanie A. Meekin
Date: 12/02/21

19 Hawthorne St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Lakisha Collins
Seller: Magdalene Kelly
Date: 12/03/21

228 Hermitage Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Michael P. Lamoureux
Seller: Bell L., (Estate)
Date: 12/01/21

90 Hillside Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Hector R. Rosado
Seller: Mary T. Critelli
Date: 12/02/21

412 Island Pond Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: M&F Vazquez Home Improve
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 12/22/21

25 Ivan St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Kyle Menard
Seller: John H. Keith
Date: 11/29/21

70 Jonquil Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Vanessa Lima
Seller: Stephen W. Wyszynski
Date: 11/30/21

60-62 Kamuda St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Zhi Huang
Seller: Paula C. Deferreira
Date: 11/30/21

72 Kensington Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Richard C. Ferullo
Seller: Kan Zhang
Date: 12/03/21

86 Kirk Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Damaris Melendez
Seller: Frederick Barile
Date: 12/21/21

66 Larchmont St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jose M. Riveraortiz
Seller: Madeline Rodriguez
Date: 12/02/21

109-111 Leavitt St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Angel L. Reyes
Seller: Moises Zanazanian
Date: 11/30/21

1225 Liberty St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $23,000,000
Buyer: 1277 Liberty 10190746 LLC
Seller: Albany Road Springfield Plaza LLC
Date: 12/22/21

158 Littleton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Juan Bermudez
Seller: James W. Scott
Date: 12/20/21

2460 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: Isla Associates 1 LLC
Seller: Brightwood Development Corp.
Date: 12/03/21

57 Manchester Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Jose Rosado
Seller: Albert C. Kalmbach
Date: 11/29/21

8 Marlborough St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Tyeschiea L. Richards
Seller: Rita Gil
Date: 12/03/21

28 McBride St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Jose Cotte
Seller: Smith, Drew M., (Estate)
Date: 12/03/21

53 Merrill Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: James Poreda
Seller: Garland Smith
Date: 12/21/21

75 Mohegan Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: James J. Silva
Seller: William Harrison
Date: 12/02/21

20 Monticello Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Dolores Hale
Seller: Arianna L. Cage
Date: 11/30/21

323 Morton St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Chloe J. Cincotta
Seller: Homes Real Estate Ventures LLC
Date: 11/30/21

56 Mulberry St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $289,500
Buyer: Daniel P. Thibeault
Seller: Jennifer Nwaifejokwu
Date: 11/30/21

113 Newland St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Friday Williams
Seller: Serge Dikan
Date: 12/21/21

23 North Hood St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Patrick Ogilvie
Seller: Patricia A. Pepin
Date: 12/01/21

196 Oak Grove Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Maritza Delgado-Rivera
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 12/03/21

78 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Om Belmont Ave. LLC
Seller: Amaan Realty LLC
Date: 11/30/21

84 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Joann Agramonte
Seller: Lisa M. Sarno
Date: 12/17/21

32 Overlea Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Nediem N. Velez-Acevedo
Seller: Smith, Kathleen M., (Estate)
Date: 11/30/21

24-26 Palmer Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Belkis Alvarez
Seller: AJN Rentals LLC
Date: 12/22/21

132 Parkerview St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Cristiane Fischer
Seller: Richard E. McNabb
Date: 12/03/21

85 Penncastle St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $274,000
Buyer: Leonard J. Giannetti
Seller: Jason M. Seybold
Date: 12/17/21

23 Pennsylvania Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Omar J. Olmo-Valles
Seller: Justin R. Bullard
Date: 12/03/21

31 Pheland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Shawn Alexander
Seller: Emmanuel Tete-Donkor
Date: 11/30/21

247 Pheland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Maria D. Nunez
Seller: Lissette M. Rivera
Date: 12/22/21

172 Quincy St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $216,000
Buyer: Marilou B. Krause
Seller: Wilson Tejeda
Date: 12/17/21

27 Reed St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Nikayla A. Chapman
Seller: Gerome K. Gore
Date: 12/20/21

49 Rimmon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Michael Martinez
Seller: Ryan Deland
Date: 12/02/21

49-51 Rittenhouse Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Simone D. DosSantos-Alves
Seller: Allan M. Maende
Date: 12/23/21

34 Rutledge Ave.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Rodman Capital Group LLC
Seller: Paul R. Stevens
Date: 12/17/21

1200 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Lamont C. Thomas
Seller: Idelramon Izquierdo
Date: 11/30/21

197 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Hector Martinez
Seller: Christine A. Johnson
Date: 11/29/21

228 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Victor Lopez
Seller: Round 2 LLC
Date: 11/30/21

33 Sherbrooke St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Jose A. Dilone
Seller: Benny Crespo
Date: 12/17/21

60-62 Suffolk St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Wilfredo Arvelo-Ruiz
Seller: Genevieve Construction Development Group
Date: 11/29/21

30 Sumner Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $312,000
Buyer: Orlando Mora
Seller: Kevin J. Kaczynski
Date: 11/29/21

1357 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Kerri-Ann Warren
Seller: Reinaldo Guzman
Date: 12/20/21

34-36 Sylvan St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Melinda A. Carey
Seller: Keron K. Baker
Date: 12/20/21

45 Talmadge Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Paul F. Carmody
Seller: James J. Silva
Date: 12/02/21

85 Tamarack Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Idaliz Melendez
Seller: McCarthy, Stephen F., (Estate)
Date: 12/21/21

99 Tavistock St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Marie C. Molina
Seller: Cynthia C. Shaughnessy
Date: 12/17/21

71-73 Tulsa St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: David J. Audet
Seller: Eric D. Ainsworth
Date: 12/22/21

83 Vann St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $311,000
Buyer: Julio A. Viruet
Seller: Ryan A. Brown
Date: 12/03/21

Vanness Ave.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: JJJ17 LLC
Seller: JJJ17 LLC
Date: 11/30/21

50 Wason Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $26,762,981
Buyer: Baystate Medical Center Inc.
Seller: Wason Ave. Partners 3 LLC
Date: 12/01/21

241-243 Water St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: 552 West High LLC
Seller: MS Homes LLC
Date: 12/02/21

245 Water St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: 552 West High LLC
Seller: MS Homes LLC
Date: 12/02/21

131 Welland Road
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Thomas Noonan
Seller: Debra L. Crepea
Date: 12/23/21

36 Weymouth St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Trey Cushman
Seller: Mary L. Disantis
Date: 12/21/21

230-232 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Alpina Williams
Seller: Equity Trust Co.
Date: 12/22/21

742-744 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Geovanni Montesino
Seller: Fred M. Cocchi
Date: 12/20/21

393 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Gama Investments LLC
Seller: Trinh T. Tran
Date: 12/20/21

56 Winding Lane
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Michelle Stuart
Seller: Harvey, Jay L., (Estate)
Date: 12/03/21

86 Winding Lane
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Tek B. Budathoki
Seller: Laura A. Braica
Date: 12/20/21

120 Winton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: Walter L. Martinez
Seller: SRV Properties LLC
Date: 12/17/21

72 Woodrow St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $225,999
Buyer: Mary I. Rodriguez
Seller: Jason Nicholson
Date: 11/29/21

1182 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: BRVS LLC
Seller: MS Homes LLC
Date: 12/02/21

1188 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: BRVS LLC
Seller: MS Homes LLC
Date: 12/02/21

1417 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Porfirio Molina
Seller: Alycar Investments LLC
Date: 12/17/21

787 Worthington St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Yarmin G. Colon
Seller: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Date: 12/03/21

889 Worthington St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Nathaniel James
Seller: RWM RE Investment LLC
Date: 12/17/21

SOUTHWICK

64 Buckingham Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Gloria J. Collazo
Seller: Barowsky, Charles L., (Estate)
Date: 12/21/21

31 Coes Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Jesse Veprauskas
Seller: David M. Meyer
Date: 12/23/21

49 Coes Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Michael Werman
Seller: Wolfe, Theodore H., (Estate)
Date: 12/01/21

49-R Coes Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Michael Werman
Seller: Wolfe, Theodore H., (Estate)
Date: 12/01/21

175 College Highway
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $202,500
Buyer: Benjamin V. Arcangeli
Seller: Thomas A. Montagna
Date: 12/17/21

14 Fenton Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Jarrod N. Goss
Seller: Stephen Pelkey
Date: 12/17/21

89 Hillside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $502,000
Buyer: Michael S. Grobe
Seller: Gina M. Page
Date: 12/02/21

18 Shaggbark Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $307,400
Buyer: Daniel J. Gelina
Seller: Keith A. Long
Date: 12/23/21

Silvergrass Lane #11
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $142,500
Buyer: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Seller: Fiore Realty Holdings LLC
Date: 12/22/21

Silvergrass Lane #8
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $127,500
Buyer: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Seller: Fiore Realty Holdings LLC
Date: 12/22/21

281 South Longyard Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $439,900
Buyer: Jason S. Fiddler
Seller: Andrew S. Felix
Date: 12/03/21

TOLLAND

120 Brook Lane
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $415,500
Buyer: Robert Archer
Seller: Karen E. Mernoff
Date: 12/02/21

WALES

41 Lake George Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $216,300
Buyer: Yakov Kronrod
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 11/30/21

33 Sizer Dr.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Emily Dunbar
Seller: Katie S. Martin
Date: 11/29/21

148 Stafford Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Michael Delnegro
Seller: Thomas, Robert V., (Estate)
Date: 12/17/21

198 Stafford Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $212,800
Buyer: GJL RNL NT
Seller: Shannon M. Blando
Date: 12/20/21

90 Stafford Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Jonathan G. Carbonneau
Seller: Mary A. Grueter
Date: 12/22/21

15 Walker Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Brett A. Ouimette
Seller: Petrie Rubio Ent. LLC
Date: 12/20/21

WEST SPRINGFIELD

35 Armstrong St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Caroline Novelli
Seller: Jennife Gonzalez-Morales
Date: 12/02/21

24 Bear Hole Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $357,000
Buyer: James R. Regnier
Seller: Morytko, John A. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 12/21/21

62 Blossom Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Sandra E. Pinkham
Seller: Guistina, Rhea C., (Estate)
Date: 12/17/21

99 Bosworth St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Nargiza Afrailova
Seller: David F. Piangerelli
Date: 11/30/21

8 Bretton Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $414,000
Buyer: Felecia Griffin
Seller: Lane, Nancy E., (Estate)
Date: 11/30/21

323 Cold Spring Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Lindsay Abdelmaseh
Seller: Harry Kalamarakis
Date: 12/22/21

59 Day St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Andrii Tverdokhlib
Seller: Sergey A. Kripakov
Date: 12/17/21

120 Hampden St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Alycar Investments LLC
Seller: Abare, Thomas M. Sr., (Estate)
Date: 12/22/21

35 Morningside Ter.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Raj Dhimal
Seller: Nicholas Larivee
Date: 12/17/21

40 Moseley Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Kiran Gotamay
Seller: Man B. Rana
Date: 12/03/21

150 Pine St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Gagan Naubag
Seller: Mandhoj Gurung
Date: 12/03/21

1407 Piper Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $406,500
Buyer: Thomas P. Silva
Seller: Nancy M. Nadeau
Date: 12/01/21

55 Redden Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Erica Cadiz
Seller: Daniel K. Carney
Date: 12/17/21

28 Smith Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Alexander Shaver
Seller: James P. Nestor
Date: 11/30/21

39 South Blvd.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Dream Realty Group LLC
Seller: Nicole E. Eutiquio
Date: 12/22/21

145 Upper Beverly Hills
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Cecelia Kryzwick
Seller: Denise M. Labelle
Date: 12/23/21

WESTFIELD

45 Breighly Way
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Alexander Fagnand
Seller: Spencer Loftus
Date: 12/02/21

276 Buck Pond Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Nancy Handy
Seller: Ronald St Marie
Date: 12/17/21

29 Cedar Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $174,305
Buyer: Bank New York Mellon
Seller: Ernest Dupee
Date: 11/30/21

46 Crane Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Ismael Rivera-Diaz
Seller: Michael J. Sweeney
Date: 12/02/21

22 Dry Bridge Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $246,900
Buyer: Eugene A. Swift
Seller: Daniel J. Gelina
Date: 12/23/21

80 Elizabeth Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Lizette Rodriguez
Seller: Donald Appleton
Date: 12/20/21

107 Farnham Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Vasiliy I. Okhrimenko
Seller: Louis J. Annino
Date: 11/30/21

25 Gary Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $477,500
Buyer: Marco Liquori
Seller: McGovern, Robert P., (Estate)
Date: 11/30/21

55 Gifford Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $389,000
Buyer: Nathaniel L. Nunez
Seller: Richard P. Harrison
Date: 12/21/21

187 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Karen H. Payne
Seller: Alexander D. Fagnand
Date: 12/01/21

19 High St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Brian G. Desilets
Seller: Nathaniel L. Nunez
Date: 12/21/21

46 Janelle Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: Morgan Sanders
Seller: Brian D. Sanders
Date: 12/23/21

14 Jessie Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Brian Whitman
Seller: Cassandra Sgueglia
Date: 11/30/21

40 Knollwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Brice W. Herrick
Seller: Richard W. Gast
Date: 12/17/21

180 Little River Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $248,000
Buyer: Daniel Batir
Seller: Anthony C. Bannish
Date: 12/03/21

12 Maria Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Ian Sullivan
Seller: Normand V. Champagne
Date: 11/30/21

164 Montgomery Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Mike Covileac
Seller: Wendell P. Dickinson
Date: 12/23/21

49 Northwest Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Peter Garstka
Seller: Eric Harshbarger
Date: 12/17/21

55 Northwest Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Michael Hunt
Seller: Kelly J. Silvestri
Date: 12/02/21

28 Old Feeding Hills Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Katelyn Mcgovern
Seller: Constance B. Carson
Date: 11/29/21

22 Otis St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $184,900
Buyer: David L. Letellier
Seller: Stuart M. Conner
Date: 12/01/21

45 Pequot Point Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $298,629
Buyer: Kyle J. Cyr
Seller: Egloff, John J. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 12/17/21

19 Princeton St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Kemar Dwaynes-Stephens
Seller: Joseph R. Moynihan
Date: 12/22/21

200 Reservoir Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $168,165
Buyer: Jay M. Bushey
Seller: Jay M. Bushey
Date: 12/21/21

57 Rosedell Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Iris Febres-Dompreh
Seller: Avery J. Sheehan
Date: 12/01/21

222 Russellville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Jennifer Yanyuk
Seller: Kathryn Cowles
Date: 12/02/21

246 Russellville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $645,000
Buyer: Jennifer Yanyuk
Seller: Kathryn Cowles
Date: 12/02/21

65 Shannon Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Troy Adams
Seller: Shirley A. White
Date: 12/02/21

309 Southwick Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Charles Beaulieu
Seller: Margaret A. Cavanaugh
Date: 11/30/21

81 Yeoman Ave
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Michael J. Rigali
Seller: Jacqueline Paye
Date: 11/30/21

WILBRAHAM

2 Brooklawn Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Jamie L. Fiorentino
Seller: Kathleen M. Brenner
Date: 12/03/21

4 Daniele Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Brendon Fontanella
Seller: Carol Daniele
Date: 11/30/21

8 Dollar Ave.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: SMC Properties LLP
Seller: Harris Properties LLC
Date: 12/23/21

10 Highridge Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $546,000
Buyer: Karen M. Hall
Seller: Catherine W. Labine
Date: 12/20/21

9 Linwood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: Marla J. Jarrell
Seller: Barbara Robert
Date: 11/30/21

384 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Andrew A. Jacque
Seller: SK3 Realty LLC
Date: 12/03/21

8 Meadowview Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Michael J. Stirlacci
Seller: Madalena L. Diniz
Date: 12/03/21

15 Southwood Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $433,000
Buyer: Jennifer Puhalski
Seller: Susan B. Aiken
Date: 12/22/21

106 Springfield St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Madison M. Chmyzinski
Seller: Melinda S. Oleksiak
Date: 12/17/21

335 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $296,400
Buyer: Vantage Home Buyers LLC
Seller: Katie Klem
Date: 12/01/21

89-91 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: Stony Hill LLC
Seller: BK Invest LLC
Date: 11/30/21

 

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

55 Baker St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $604,055
Buyer: Colin J. Gleason
Seller: Benjamin A. Surner
Date: 11/30/21

1175 Bay Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Marco Monoc
Seller: Robert W. Ritchie
Date: 11/30/21

367 Bay Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $455,000
Buyer: Jarrod Thompson
Seller: Gladys L. Rodriguez
Date: 11/29/21

10 Bridle Path
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Kevin C. Klement
Seller: Oates, Stephen B., (Estate)
Date: 11/30/21

338 College St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $1,510,000
Buyer: 338 College Street LLC
Seller: Spirit Corp. Of Amherst
Date: 12/01/21

86 Dana St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $496,500
Buyer: Gonen Dori-Hacohen
Seller: Kenneth W. Samonds
Date: 12/17/21

269 Lincoln Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Natalie Stephenson
Seller: Zephaniah Varley
Date: 11/30/21

Lindenridge Road #20
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Countryside Home Builders Inc.
Seller: Bercume Construction LLC
Date: 11/29/21

710 Main St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Karyad B. Hallam
Seller: Loren Wellesley-Walker
Date: 12/17/21

19 Research Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $736,000
Buyer: Amherst Office Park LLC
Seller: Sand Dollar RT
Date: 12/23/21

46 Sunset Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $950,000
Buyer: Amherst Colleg
Seller: Lucy Wilson Benson RET
Date: 12/17/21

BELCHERTOWN

433 Amherst Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Robert H. Adair
Seller: Diane M. Lemire
Date: 12/20/21

62 Barton Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Jake Swinicki
Seller: John M. McCue
Date: 12/21/21

74 Bay Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Benjamin D. Gross IRT
Seller: Thomas A. Bliss
Date: 12/17/21

81 Bay Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $257,000
Buyer: Noel E. Acevedo
Seller: John Coelho
Date: 12/17/21

29 Depot St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Antonio Carvalho
Seller: Jared Moriarty
Date: 12/03/21

12 Dogwood Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $572,000
Buyer: Basil A. Stewart
Seller: Yang Liu
Date: 11/29/21

16 Grela Ter.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Gerald S. Bolduc
Seller: Henrichon, Robert J., (Estate)
Date: 12/21/21

56 North Main St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Shawn E. Rivard
Seller: Robert H. Adair
Date: 12/20/21

401 North Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $343,000
Buyer: Felicia Siclari
Seller: Heidi M. Bradway
Date: 12/22/21

590 North Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Elizabeth H. Skelly
Seller: Michael Teixeira
Date: 12/17/21

191 Orchard St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: David G. Higgins
Seller: Douglas W. Adler
Date: 12/20/21

270 State St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Denise A. Pooler
Seller: Paula M. Kirkpatrick
Date: 12/03/21

60 Woodhaven Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Dat H. Nguyen
Seller: Derek M. Sullivan
Date: 11/30/21

CUMMINGTON

1 Honey Hill Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Christine M. Brandon
Seller: Bonnie A. Hunt
Date: 12/20/21

75 Mount Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $486,000
Buyer: Lauren E. Bullis
Seller: John W. Gurney RET
Date: 12/03/21

Trouble St.
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Christine M. Brandon
Seller: Bonnie A. Hunt
Date: 12/20/21

EASTHAMPTON

4 1st Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $337,500
Buyer: Christopher Heon
Seller: Amberlynn Inglis
Date: 11/30/21

3 Button Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $505,000
Buyer: Andrew M. Blefeld
Seller: Debbie L. Patterson
Date: 12/01/21

6 Carol Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $322,500
Buyer: Jonah S. Vorspan-Stein
Seller: Joseph Korza
Date: 12/17/21

20 Florence Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $607,000
Buyer: Dylan Rickles
Seller: Gigi Rentals LLC
Date: 12/21/21

14 High St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Victoria Gumaer
Seller: David Y. Cohen
Date: 11/30/21

17 Laurin Lane
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $417,000
Buyer: Paul McMillan
Seller: Antti R. Kaisla
Date: 12/20/21

1 Louise Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Robert Scott
Seller: Cassy A. Cohoon
Date: 12/17/21

18 Strong St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Mario R. Paiva
Seller: Cole R. Pouliot
Date: 12/01/21

34 Ward Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Sarah A. Sullivan
Seller: Chelsea M. Dann
Date: 12/17/21

19 Westview Ter.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: Dale A. Canon
Seller: Andrew M. Blefeld
Date: 12/01/21

GRANBY

10 Deerbrook Dr.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $398,000
Buyer: Joyce Beaulieu
Seller: Peter M. Brown
Date: 12/03/21

139 New Ludlow Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $277,500
Buyer: Matthew Appleton
Seller: David B. Rafferty
Date: 12/03/21

5 Norman Ave.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Tedeschi Properties LLC
Seller: Joseph Suleski TR
Date: 11/30/21

7 Pleasant St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Kevin Musiak
Seller: Harvey A. Smith
Date: 11/30/21

HADLEY

4 Phillips Place
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $484,000
Buyer: Jun Wang
Seller: Michael A. Stone
Date: 12/17/21

HATFIELD

2 Prospect Court
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Mill River Ventures Inc.
Seller: HNE LLC
Date: 12/03/21

4 Prospect Court
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Mill River Ventures Inc.
Seller: HNE LLC
Date: 12/03/21

164 West St.
Hatfield, MA 01088
Amount: $5,770,000
Buyer: SV Property 1 LLC
Seller: Gleason Johndrow Group LLC
Date: 12/20/21

NORTHAMPTON

212 Chestnut St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Amelia S. Moore
Seller: Robert A. Aquadro RET
Date: 12/22/21

547 Easthampton Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $10,815,000
Buyer: NSA Property Holdings LLC
Seller: Meetinghouse Realty
Date: 12/23/21

30 High St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $508,000
Buyer: Melissa Revell
Seller: Douglas J. Wheat
Date: 12/01/21

46 Hubbard Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Kevin G. Cote
Seller: Helene FT
Date: 11/29/21

Kennedy Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Robert S. Fletcher
Seller: Robert A. Borawski
Date: 12/21/21

177-181 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $2,750,000
Buyer: Ampersand Sprout LLC
Seller: Essex Corp.
Date: 11/30/21

10 Michelman Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Scher Mass. LLC
Seller: Marlene A. Morin
Date: 11/30/21

299 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Scher Mass. LLC
Seller: Marlene A. Morin
Date: 11/30/21

45 Prospect Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Elizabeth B. Hannigan
Seller: Stacey L. Novack
Date: 11/30/21

49 Prospect St.
Northampton, MA 01063
Amount: $536,000
Buyer: Bianca Sena
Seller: Robert P. Hincks
Date: 12/20/21

13 Rust Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Kate H. Mcintosh
Seller: David A. Paine
Date: 11/30/21

605 Ryan Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Thomas P. Keane
Seller: Margaret N. Broughton
Date: 11/30/21

75 Spruce Hill Ave.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Marc A. Bobrow
Seller: Michael A. Wishnow
Date: 11/30/21

24 Water St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Julia Cafritz
Seller: Joseph W. Garland
Date: 12/20/21

81 Water St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Linwood A. Williams
Seller: D. & Jeanette Williams FT
Date: 12/03/21

11 Winter St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Raquel Kosovske
Seller: Pamela R. Davidson
Date: 12/23/21

PELHAM

25 Shutesbury Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Jade River-King
Seller: Anne M. Hazzard
Date: 12/17/21

SOUTH HADLEY

514 Amherst Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Sean Sentenn
Seller: Russell P. Mariani
Date: 11/30/21

43 Dale St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $333,000
Buyer: Myra Cardona-Grammo
Seller: Raymond J. MacDonald
Date: 11/29/21

5-7 Ingram St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $331,240
Buyer: Steven A. Carra
Seller: Alexander C. Thiel
Date: 12/17/21

37 Ludlow Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $413,800
Buyer: Zachary T. Odonnell
Seller: NAR Realty LLC
Date: 11/29/21

15 Margaret St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Michael McLain
Seller: Mary P. Beaudreau
Date: 12/03/21

6 Midway St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Marianne Neal-Joyce
Seller: Stephen Friedman
Date: 11/30/21

6 Paul St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Robin L. Brochu
Seller: Derek W. Hogan
Date: 11/30/21

33 Pershing Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Tyler Turschman
Seller: Kathleen M. Nevins
Date: 12/03/21

69 Pond Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: James Defond
Seller: Roger Tetreault RET
Date: 12/20/21

9 San Souci Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: Bruce J. Camrie
Seller: Walter W. Haynes
Date: 12/20/21

24 West Parkview Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $346,700
Buyer: Nickolas E. Anderson
Seller: Lesley M. Kelly
Date: 12/17/21

SOUTHAMPTON

262 County Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Olivia Wakefield-Colly
Seller: Emerald City Rentals LLC
Date: 12/01/21

77 Gunn Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: New England Remodeling
Seller: Cecelia Ann Mantia TR
Date: 12/17/21

69 High St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: CTNA Construction LLC
Seller: Parsons, David H., (Estate)
Date: 12/22/21

46 Line St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $359,900
Buyer: Alex P. Morris
Seller: Gail A. Gehm RET
Date: 11/30/21

133 Pomeroy Meadow Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Wendy J. Allen
Seller: Joseph G. Lafreniere
Date: 12/02/21

WARE

95 Beaver Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Robert Burstein
Seller: Brsuo, Richard A., (Estate)
Date: 12/03/21

13 Clifford Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $233,900
Buyer: Corrina G. Stoddart
Seller: Kelly M. Millier
Date: 12/21/21

8 Gareau Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Margaret Haluska
Seller: Vernon M. Flynn
Date: 11/30/21

48 Gould Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $139,900
Buyer: Wendy M. Stearns
Seller: Gail M. Martel
Date: 11/30/21

59-63 Pulaski St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $218,621
Buyer: John Paull
Seller: Luke Paull
Date: 12/03/21

252 West St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $1,550,000
Buyer: 5 Apple Mill Lane LLC
Seller: Frank P. Desantis FT
Date: 12/17/21

WILLIAMSBURG

10 Judd Lane
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Nicole C. Farach
Seller: Kyle J. Schwartz
Date: 12/02/21

88 Main St.
Williamsburg, MA 01039
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: David M. Nehring
Seller: Darrin E. Pensivy
Date: 12/17/21

19 Williams St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Jennifer Brotman
Seller: Steven E. Clark
Date: 12/03/21

WESTHAMPTON

288 Chesterfield Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Daniel Perry
Seller: Cynthia Crooks-Garcia
Date: 12/20/21

20 South Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Nicole Demarey
Seller: David W. Demarey
Date: 12/23/21

172 Southampton Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Playe RET
Seller: Jennifer L. Lennon
Date: 12/03/21

WORTHINGTON

217 Huntington Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Mary Ott-Dahill
Seller: Kenneth E. Andersen
Date: 12/21/21

East-west Rail Along Route 2 Could Reap Myriad Benefits

By
The Greenfield Amtrak stop
Franklin County Special Coverage

All Aboard

The Greenfield Amtrak stop

The Greenfield Amtrak stop will be busier this month with the restoration of Vermonter service and a second Valley Flyer train. Photo courtesy of Trains In The Valley

While a proposed east-west rail line between Pittsfield and Boston has gotten most of the train-related press recently, another proposal, to incorporate passenger rail service on existing freight lines between North Adams and Boston, has gained considerable momentum, with a comprehensive, 18-month study on the issue set to launch. Not only would it return a service that thrived decades ago, proponents say, but expanded rail in the so-called Northern Tier Corridor could prove to be a huge economic boost to Franklin County — and the families who live there.

 

State Sen. Jo Comerford has spoken with plenty of people who remember taking a train from Greenfield to North Station in Boston to catch Bill Russell’s Celtics.

They stepped on at 2:55 p.m. — one of as many as 12 boardings on any given weekday — and the train was already half-full after stops in Troy, N.Y., North Adams, and Shelburne Falls. Then they’d arrive at North Station at 5:15, “and you’d still have time for dinner before the game started,” Comerford said. “That was our reality in Franklin County in the 1950s.”

She shared those words last week at a virtual community meeting to discuss a comprehensive study, soon to get underway, of passenger rail service along the Northern Tier Corridor, a route from North Adams to Boston via Greenfield, Fitchburg, and other stops.

Ben Heckscher would love to see expanded train service in Western Mass.; as the co-creator of the advocacy organization Trains In The Valley, he’s a strong proponent of existing lines like Amtrak’s Vermonter and Valley Flyer, north-south lines that stop in Greenfield, as well as more ambitious proposals for east-west rail, connecting Pittsfield and Boston along the southern half of the state and North Adams and Boston up north.

Like Comerford, he drew on the sports world as he spoke to BusinessWest, noting that travelers at Union Station in Springfield can order up a ticket that takes them, with a couple of transfers, right to the gates of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. “But there’s no button to push for the Red Sox,” Heckscher said. “It seems funny — we’re in Western Mass., and you can take a train to see the Yankees, but you can’t get to Fenway.”

But sporting events aren’t highest on his list of rail benefits. Those spots are dedicated to the positive environmental impact of keeping cars off the road, mobility for people who don’t own cars or can’t drive, and the overall economic impact of trains on communities and the people who live and work in them.

People want to access rail for all kinds of reasons, Heckscher said, from commuting to work to enjoying leisure time in places like New York, Philadelphia, and Washington without having to deal with navigating an unfamiliar city and paying for parking. Then there are medical appointments — many families living in Western Mass. have to get to Boston hospitals regularly, and don’t want to deal with the Mass Pike or Route 2 to get there.

“People are just really tired of driving Route 2 to Boston, especially at night or in the winter, and they want another way back and forth,” he said. “So they’re going to do a really robust study, and we’ll see what comes of that.”

In addition, as the average age of the population ticks upward, many older people might want to travel but be loath to drive long distances. In fact, that kind of travel is increasingly appealing to all age groups, Heckscher added. “You can ride the train, open your computer, take a nap. You can’t do that operating a car — at least not yet. So, rail definitely has the potential to become even more important.”

State Rep. Natalie Blais agrees. “We know the residents of Central and Western Mass. are hungry for expanded rail service. That is clear,” she said at last week’s virtual meeting. “We are hungry for rail because we know these connections can positively impact our communities with the possibilities for jobs, expansion of tourism, and the real revitalization of local economies.”

Ben Heckscher

Ben Heckscher

“People are just really tired of driving Route 2 to Boston, especially at night or in the winter, and they want another way back and forth.”

Makaela Niles, project manager for the Northern Tier study at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, said the 18-month study will evaluate the viability and potential benefits of rail service between North Adams, Greenfield, and Boston.

The process will document past efforts, incorporate market analysis (of demographics, land use, and current and future predicted travel needs), explore costs and alternatives, and recommend next steps. Public participation will be critical, through roughly seven public meetings, most of them with a yet-to-be-established working group and a few focused on input from the public. A website will also be created to track the study’s progress.

“We know it’s critical that we have stakeholders buying in,” said Maureen Mullaney, a program manager with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments. “We look forward to having a very robust, inclusive participation process.”

 

Making Connections

Comerford has proposed rail service along Route 2 as a means for people living in the western counties along the corridor to more easily travel to the Greater Boston region, and a means for people living in the Boston area to more easily access destinations in Berkshire, Franklin, and Worcester counties. In addition to direct service along the Northern Tier, the service could provide connecting service via Greenfield to southern New Hampshire and Vermont.

The service would operate over two segments of an existing rail corridor. The first segment, between North Adams and Fitchburg, is owned by Pan Am Southern LLC. The second segment, between Fitchburg and Boston North Station, is owned by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). Any new service would be designed so that it does not negatively impact the existing MBTA Fitchburg Line commuter rail service or the existing freight rail service along the entire corridor.

State Sen. Jamie Eldridge asked Niles at last week’s meeting about potential tension between freight and passenger interests and whether commuter times will be thrown off by the needs of freight carriers.

“We’ll be looking at how those two intersect and make sure any additional service that could occur along the corridor doesn’t impact with freight or current commuter operations along the corridor,” Niles responded. “We’ll look at how all the services communicate and work together.”

Other potential study topics range from development of multi-modal connections with local bus routes and other services to an extension of passenger rail service past North Adams into Adams and even as far as Albany, although that would take coordination with officials in New York.

“My hope is that these communities would suddenly become destination spots for a whole new market of people looking to live in Western Massachusetts and work in Boston.”

Comerford first introduced the bill creating the study back in January 2019, and an amendment funding it was included in the state’s 2020 budget, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of the study until now.

And it’s not a moment too soon, she recently said on the Train Time podcast presented by Barrington Institute, noting that rail service brings benefits ranging from climate effects to economic development to impact on individual families who want to live in Franklin County but work in Boston (see related story on page 39).

With average salaries lower than those available in Boston often making it difficult to settle in Franklin County, availability of rail affects people’s job prospects and quality of life, she noted.

“My hope is that these communities would suddenly become destination spots for a whole new market of people looking to live in Western Massachusetts and work in Boston,” Comerford said, noting that, longer-term, she hopes to see greater business development in Western Mass. due to expanded rail, as businesses that need access to Boston, Hartford, and New York could set up shop here and access those cities without having to deal with traffic.

The bottom line, she said, is that it’s environmentally important to get cars off the road, but there are currently too many gaps in public transportation to make that a reality.

“There was a time when you could work in Boston and live in Franklin County,” she said. “I’ve heard story after story about what life was like up until about the late ’60s. It changed abruptly for them.

“When I was elected, one of the first things I researched was passenger rail along Route 2,” she went on. “I thought, ‘we have to explore starting this again. This is really important.’”

 

Chugging Along

Of course, east-west rail is only part of the story right now in Western Mass. Running north-south between New Haven and Greenfield are Amtrak’s Valley Flyer and Vermonter lines.

On July 26, Amtrak will restore a second train to its daily Valley Flyer service 16 months after cutting a train due to COVID-19. Southbound trains will depart Greenfield at 5:45 a.m. and 7:35 a.m., and northbound trains will return to the station at 10:23 p.m. and 12:38 a.m.

The Vermonter will return to service in Massachusetts on July 19. A long-distance train originating in Washington, D.C., it has gone no further north than New Haven since March 2020, also due to the pandemic. Amtrak is also reopening three other trains which offer service between New Haven and Springfield.

According to Amtrak, ridership on the Valley Flyer fell by more than half at the Holyoke, Northampton, and Greenfield stations in 2020, but the company is optimistic it will return to past numbers. That’s critical, since the Flyer is part of a DOT and Amtrak pilot program, which means its funding depends on its ridership. The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) will launch an advertising campaign this fall in an effort to boost interest in the service.

“The pandemic really tanked ridership — all forms of public transportation, actually,” said Heckscher, noting that most travelers felt much safer in their cars last year than among groups of people. “But since the vaccine came out, there’s been a comeback in ridership in the Valley Flyer service.”

MJ Adams, Greenfield’s director of Community and Economic Development, said the city has been waiting a long time for the Valley Flyer, “and we don’t want to be just a pilot.”

She feels the city, and the region, will benefit from a perception that people can get anywhere from the Greenfield area, and they may be more willing to move there while continuing to work in the city. Many of those are people who grew up in Franklin County and have a connection to it but still want to feel like they can easily get to work far away or enjoy a day trip without the hassle of traffic or parking.

There’s an economic-development factor related to tourism as well, Adams said. “People in New York City, Hartford, or New Haven can spend the day up here in the country — it’s not just us going down to New York, but people from New York who get on a train, enjoy a nice stay in rural Massachusetts, have a blast, and get back on the train to go home. It’s a two-way street.”

A recent report commissioned by Connecticut’s Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), in consultation with the PVPC, reinforced the idea of rail as an economic driver, finding a nearly 10-to-1 return on investments in passenger rail between New Haven and Worcester via the Hartford-Springfield metro area.

“In so many ways, the findings of this study confirm what we have seen with our own eyes for decades here in the Valley — regions connected by rail to the major economic hubs of Boston and New York City are thriving, while underserved communities like ours have lagged behind,” PVPC Executive Director Kimberly Robinson said. “We now know what the lack of rail has cost us economically, and this trend cannot continue further into the 21st century.”

Though she was speaking mainly of proposed routes along the state’s southern corridor, Heckscher believes in the economic benefits — and other benefits — of numerous projects being discussed across Massachusetts, including along Route 2.

“With rail, everyone has the ability to travel long distances,” he said — and the impact, while still uncertain in the details, could prove too promising to ignore.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Pandemic Doesn’t Halt Greenfield’s Progress

By Contributor
Community Spotlight Special Coverage

Community Spotlight

By Mark Morris

For MJ Adams, 2020 felt like someone had pushed a ‘pause’ button.

Adams, director of Community and Economic Development for the city of Greenfield, had taken part in a dynamic public forum early in the year titled “A Deliberate Downtown” that focused on revitalization plans for Greenfield.

Then the pandemic hit. And when it became clear the pause would last for more than a few weeks, she and her staff shifted their focus.

“We knew there was going to be an immediate cash-flow problem for local businesses, so we moved quickly to develop a small-business assistance program to provide micro-enterprise grants,” Adams said.

Working with other Franklin County towns, Greenfield pooled its available block-grant funds with those from Montague, Shelburne, and Buckland.

“Because small businesses are such a critical piece of the economy in Greenfield and Franklin County, we worked together to quickly design a program that didn’t exist before,” Adams said. “The micro-enterprise grants provided a cash source for small businesses until they were able to access funds from the federal Paycheck Protection Program.”

On the public-health side of the pandemic, Mayor Roxann Wedegartner credited the emergency-management team in Greenfield for their early and quick action.

“We were one of the first communities in the state to attempt to manage the public-health side of COVID-19 from the get-go,” she said, adding that her team also set up contact tracing early in the pandemic. The John Zon Community Center has served as an emergency-command area for COVID testing for Greenfield and surrounding communities. First responders are now able to receive COVID-19 vaccinations at the facility.

Greenfield Mayor Roxann Wedegartner

Greenfield Mayor Roxann Wedegartner says major projects along Main Street speak to a sense of momentum despite pandemic-related obstacles.

Like most communities, Wedegartner admits Greenfield has taken an economic hit due to the pandemic. She pointed to the micro-enterprise grants as an important early step that prevented a tough situation from becoming worse. Inaugurated to her first term as mayor a year ago, Wedegartner said finding herself in emergency public-health and safety meetings a month later was quite a shock.

“While I’m pleased that we started planning early for the pandemic, I have to say it’s not where I thought I would be in my first year in office.”

 

Great Outdoors

Wedegartner is not letting COVID-19 challenges dampen the many good things happening in Greenfield. She pointed with pride to the approval of a new, $20 million library and the ongoing construction of a new, $17 million fire station. Groundbreaking at the library is scheduled for April 21, while firefighters are expected to move into their new facility in July. Once complete, Adams noted that both ends of Main Street will be anchored with major public investments.

“It’s a clear statement that the town is very much committed to public safety, as well as culture and education,” she said.

These qualities, and a resilient business community, are why Greenfield is poised to bounce back quickly, according to Diana Szynal, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. She specifically mentioned the area’s many outdoor recreation options as assets that contribute to the local economy.

“Because small businesses are such a critical piece of the economy in Greenfield and Franklin County, we worked together to quickly design a program that didn’t exist before.”

“For spring and summer, we will put a strong focus on outdoor recreation because it’s a safe and healthy thing to do,” Szynal said. “You don’t have to travel far, and you can access some of the best river rapids around. We have ski areas and great golf courses — basically four seasons of outdoor activities.”

Before the pandemic, Adams and her staff were working with local restaurants to consider outdoor dining. Of course, COVID-19 accelerated those plans as moving outside was one way eateries could generate at least some revenue. With restaurants scrambled to figure out ad hoc ways to set up outside, Adams said now is the time to see how to make this concept work better for everyone for the long haul.

“We’re looking at Court Square to see if we can shut down the street that runs in front of City Hall to make that a more permanent outdoor dining space,” she said, admitting there are traffic-impact and access issues that need to be considered before the street can be closed. “We’ve been wanting to do this for some time and even have conceptual drawings to see how that space would look.”

Szynal emphasized that restaurants are one key to bringing more people to downtown Greenfield, so she hopes to draw more places to eat. While outdoor dining presents challenges, she believes the net result is positive. “Dining outside helps the downtown become a little more pedestrian. It’s a different vibe, a good vibe.”

Greenfield at a Glance

Year Incorporated: 1753
Population: 17,456
Area: 21.9 square miles
County: Franklin
Residential Tax Rate: $23.55
Commercial Tax Rate: $23.55
Median Household Income: $33,110
Median Family Income: $46,412
Type of Government: Mayor, City Council
Largest Employers: Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Greenfield Community College, the Sandri Companies
* Latest information available

Wedegartner promotes the fact that Greenfield has a walkable downtown and plenty of housing within a short walk of it. A former Realtor in Franklin County, she still has contacts in real estate who tell her that houses in Greenfield barely hit the market before they are sold.

Adams said the city is poised to take advantage of welcoming new people to the area. “As we start to emerge from the pandemic, there’s a discussion about how much people miss the feeling of community and how to re-establish that. At the same time, there are people who want to live closer to nature and further away from the heavily populated cities. Greenfield can satisfy both of those concerns.”

Because the pandemic has resulted in so many people working from home, Szynal predicts a shift in where people choose to live.

Wedegartner concurred, citing the example of a couple who recently moved to Greenfield from the Boston area after learning they would be working from home for the next two years. “They bought one of the more beautiful homes in town for a fraction of what they would have paid for that type of home in the Boston area.”

While real-estate sales have been brisk across Western Mass., Franklin County has been particularly robust. Szynal shared statistics from October that compared sales among Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties. Total sales for all three were up 9.2%, while in Franklin County alone, sales increased more than 32%. She credits that growth to a number of factors, including the affordability of housing and an active arts and culture scene.

“If you have the ability to work remotely,” she asked, “why not relocate to somewhere that is beautiful and more affordable?”

 

Downtown Vision

Wilson’s Department Store, a mainstay in Greenfield for more than a century, wrapped up its final sales and closed last February. While that came as sad news to many, Wedegartner and Adams are hopeful about interest in the building from Green Fields Market, the grocery store run by the Franklin Community Co-op. While Green Fields representatives have not committed to the Wilson’s site, they have shown an interest in locating downtown.

“I would love to keep the co-op downtown,” Adams said. “A grocery store where you have residents living is an important part of a livable, walkable downtown.”

A former brownfield site, the Lunt Silversmith property has been cleaned up and will be available for redevelopment later this year. The site is near what Adams called “the recovery healthcare campus” where Behavioral Health Network and a number of other social-service agencies provide care and support for people in recovery.

Another redevelopment project involves the First National Bank building across from the town common. Adams said the initial vision was to make the building an arts and cultural space. After studying that as a possibility, it now appears that’s not going to happen.

The building is important, Adams noted, because it provides a face to the town common. “While the First National Bank building won’t be what we originally hoped it would be, our challenge is to figure out the right use for it.”

Just before COVID-19 hit, Adams and her team conducted a survey of residents and businesses to help define the future of downtown Greenfield. The large number of responses from both residents and businesses impressed even the survey consultants.

“The high rate of return on the surveys speaks to people’s interest and engagement of what our future will look like,” Adams said.

As people start receiving the vaccine, she believes the region will be able to put the coronavirus era in the rear-view mirror fairly soon.

“I’m a planner, so it’s exciting that there is a plan to get people vaccinated and that we are headed in the right direction,” she said.

Which would finally get the city off that pause button — and into ‘go’ mode.

County’s Attractions Begin to Open in a Different Kind of Summer Season

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Scenes like this one are nowhere to be found right now at Historic Deerfield
Community Spotlight Franklin County Special Coverage

Waiting Game

Scenes like this one are nowhere to be found right now at Historic Deerfield

Scenes like this one are nowhere to be found right now at Historic Deerfield, which is developing plans for a September opening.

Magic Wings is a year-round operation, Kathy Fiore said — even when its doors are shut.

“This is different from a clothing store,” said Fiore, who co-owns the butterfly conservatory in Deerfield with her brother. “When we closed our doors, we still needed to have staff here, because we have to take care of whatever is happening. Butterflies are laying eggs every day. Caterpillars are hatching out every day. We need to feed and care for the lizards, tortoises, birds, fish … all sorts of animals have to be taken care of.”

And that means expenses that don’t disappear when no visitors show up — which they haven’t since the facility closed to the public in mid-March, part of a state-mandated economic shutdown in response to COVID-19.

“We kind of saw it coming, and then it just happened,” she said of the closure. “As owners of the business, we’ve tried to remain positive and upbeat and assure our staff, assure our customers.”

As for when Magic Wings will be allowed to reopen, phase 3 looks most likely, which means very soon. But the state’s guidance is only one consideration. The other is keeping visitors safe and helping prevent a viral flareup in a region that has effectively depressed infection rates, as opposed to states like Florida and Texas that were more lax about regulating crowds — and have seen cases spike in recent weeks.

“When we closed our doors, we still needed to have staff here, because we have to take care of whatever is happening. Butterflies are laying eggs every day. Caterpillars are hatching out every day. We need to feed and care for the lizards, tortoises, birds, fish … all sorts of animals have to be taken care of.”

“My brother and are watching how things are going,” Fiore said. “We’re certainly watching other businesses open back up, but we’re also hearing about the resurgence in certain places, about people getting together and going right back to a situation we don’t want to be in.”

Historic Deerfield, which shuttered its buildings to the public a few weeks before the start of its 2020 season, doesn’t expect to reopen most of them until September.

“We had a lot of different challenges and things to figure out,” said Laurie Nivison, director of Marketing, explaining why the organization’s leadership isn’t rushing back before they feel it’s safe. “Just thinking ahead to when it might be possible to open again, we decided to move some bigger things to the fall. The fall season is always a big time for us. That’s when people start thinking they want to come to Deerfield, so we said, ‘let’s look at opening around Labor Day weekend.’”

Losing an entire spring and most of summer is a considerable financial hit, of course, and the center was forced to lay off dozens of staff. But at the same time, it has looked to stay relevant and connected to the community in several ways, including putting a series of ‘Maker Monday’ workshops online, taking a virtual approach to teaching people how to stencil, make their own paper, or building a decoupage box, to name a few recent examples.

Meanwhile, museum curators have been sharing plenty of interesting artifacts from the collection online, while the director of historic preservation recently took people on a virtual tour of the attic of one of the historic houses.

“People never have the opportunity to do that, so that was great,” Nivison said. “We’ve become really creative trying to think of what we can do to bring Historic Deerfield to people when they can’t come here. Being closed down, we still want to have people engaged.”

Many Franklin County attractions, especially of the outdoor variety — such as Zoar Outdoor and Berkshire East in Charlemont, where people can engage in ziplining, biking, kayaking, and other outdoor activities — are already open. But indoor attractions face different challenges and are on a different reopening pace, due to both state guidelines and their own sense of caution.

But a wider reopening is the goal, as area tourism officials consider the region a connected ecosystem of activity that draws visitors to take in multiple sites, not just one. In short, the more attractions are open, the more each will benefit.

Kathy Fiore says Magic Wings won’t reopen

Because it’s an indoor attraction, Kathy Fiore says Magic Wings won’t reopen until she’s confident visitors will be safe.

“We’re talking a lot about how we can convince visitors to come back when the time is right because there’s so much outdoor fun you can have here,” said Diana Szynal, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. “We have hiking, cycling, fly fishing, regular fishing, walking trails — there’s so much opportunity for things to do here that are perfectly safe and healthy.”

Safety First

Szynal was just scratching the surface when she spoke to BusinessWest. From retail destinations like Yankee Candle Village to museums, golf courses, wineries, and covered bridges, it’s a region that has plenty to offer, and attractions like Magic Wings and Historic Deerfield certainly sense anticipation among fans and potential visitors when they connect with the community on social media.

But they also don’t want to jump the gun and see the region turn into another Houston.

“It’s been a little unnerving, but from the beginning, my brother and I didn’t want to reopen until we feel it’s safe, even if the government lifts the regulations for businesses like Magic Wings. We don’t mind waiting it out a little bit to make sure everything is safe,” Fiore said.

“We normally can take in a lot of people, but we’re different because we’re an indoor facility,” she added, noting that Magic Wings will follow the state’s guidelines for social distancing, masks, and crowd count, while considering options like visiting by appointment as well. “We’re trying to think of all the different things we can do to make sure people are really safe but still have a pleasant experience.”

It helped, she said, that the conservatory procured a Paycheck Protection Program loan to keep its staff paid, and now that reopening approaches, she’s hoping to get everyone back on the regular payroll. “We’re responsible for the livelihood of a lot of people.”

But the shutdown also posed an opportunity, she added. “It’s beautiful here — it’s in pristine shape, because we were able to do some cleanup things, different projects, that we don’t have the opportunity to do when we’re open every single day. We hope to welcome people back to a nice, fresh environment that’s better than they remember.”

While the museum houses of Historic Deerfield remain closed for now, the organization got a boost from the reopening of Deerfield Inn and Champney’s Restaurant & Tavern. The week she spoke with BusinessWest, Nivison said the restaurant already had more than 100 reservations lined up for the following week.

Those facilities will benefit from September’s museum reopening, but this fall may still look a little different than most, as tours may be limited — or be smaller, self-guided experiences — while outdoor tours may be expanded. Demonstrations of trades like blacksmithing may be moved outdoors, while the annual Revolutionary muster event, typically held on Patriots’ Day in April, will likely happen this fall as well.

“We’ve become really creative trying to think of what we can do to bring Historic Deerfield to people when they can’t come here. Being closed down, we still want to have people engaged.”

“We want to be able to give a good experience to folks and really take advantage of all the outdoor things they can do,” Nivison said. “There are a lot of things we can do.”

One thing people aren’t doing as much as they normally would is getting married — with crowded destination receptions, anyway. Because Magic Wings is a popular spot for weddings and receptions, that was another significant revenue loss this spring and summer, Fiore said.

“Couples had to shift everything, and a couple bumped their weddings into 2021. One couple canceled altogether,” she told BusinessWest, noting that weddings already have a lot of moving parts, and couples are simply unsure right now how many guests they’ll be allowed to include until the state offers more guidance.

All Aflutter

That said, Fiore has been buoyed by the number of people calling since the closure. In addition to its social-media presence, Magic Wings also recently ran a television commercial featuring soothing sights and sounds inside the conservatory — to put a smile on viewers’ faces more than anything.

“It was an opportunity for people to take a deep breath,” she said. “We’re all in the same boat, we’re all experiencing something totally new, and we’re all concerned and feeling anxious about what’s going to happen — what’s safe and what’s not.

“People love butterflies, and they do come see us from all around,” she added. “But they also want to know it’s not going to be a huge health hazard, and that’s what we’re working toward.”

Szynal understands the concerns, too.

“People are taking this seriously,” she said. “I see the masks. When people are out on errands, walking through stores, they’re giving each other space. As long as this behavior continues, people will feel better moving around a bit more” — and that includes visiting Franklin County attractions.

“I feel people respect this virus and respect each other,” she concluded. “So far, they’re taking the steps they need to keep Massachusetts on the right track.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Greenfield Presents Blend of Familiar and New

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M.J. Adams says Greenfield’s status as a 4/20-friendly community is one of many forces driving economic development in the city.
Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight

M.J. Adams says Greenfield’s status as a 4/20-friendly community is one of many forces driving economic development in the city.

M.J. Adams says Greenfield’s status as a 4/20-friendly community is one of many forces driving economic development in the city.

The phrase ‘4/20-friendly’ has been around a while now.

April 20 las long been an international counterculture holiday of sorts, when people gather to celebrate and consume cannabis. In recent years, it was also a day to call for legalization of the drug, and even more recently, as legalization spread, the term has morphed into a form of acceptance and, yes, business-friendliness when it comes to the many types of ventures within this industry.

Greenfield could now be considered 4/20-friendly, said M.J. Adams, the city’s director of Community Development and Economic Development, adding that there is already a medical marijuana dispensary, Patriot Care, located within the community, and it is poised to become a recreational dispensary next month. And there are many other parties expressing interest in establishing different forms of cannabis-related businesses within Franklin County’s largest community.

“Our zoning is pretty flexible, and we have the opportunity to issue eight [cannabis] icenses, and we already have nine entities that are interested in accessing those licenses.”

“We’ve had a lot of interest from people that want to grow and do recreational retail,” said Adams, noting that Greenfield’s efforts to build a cannabis cluster, if you will, are bolstered by its status as one of the 29 communities across the Commonwealth designated as “an area of disproportionate impact,” as defined by the state’s Cannabis Control Commission.

Such communities — Amherst, Springfield, Holyoke, West Springfield, and Pittsfield are among some of the others — have been deemed “disproportionately harmed by marijuana-law enforcement,” according the commission, and therefore, priority review is given to applicants who can meet several criteria involving these areas, including residency.

“We’re quite 4/20-friendly,” she went on, adding that this has become code for communities that are “pretty OK” when it comes to marijuana use. “Our zoning is pretty flexible, and we have the opportunity to issue eight licenses, and we already have nine entities that are interested in accessing those licenses.”

But cannabis and the prospect of more businesses in that intriguing industry is just one of positive forces shaping the picture in this community of 18,000 people.

Diana Szynal says Greenfield’s downtown is an attractive mix of new businesses and stalwarts that have been part of the landscape for decades.

Diana Szynal says Greenfield’s downtown is an attractive mix of new businesses and stalwarts that have been part of the landscape for decades.

Others include the opening of a long-awaited parking garage on the west end of downtown; the arrival of many new restaurants and clubs downtown, punctuated by the emergence of the Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center as a force for attracting diverse audiences to Greenfield; emerging plans to expand the city’s industrial park amid heightened interest in space for manufacturing and warehouse ventures; some new ventures, including the conversion of a Roadway Inn into a 90-bed Marriott Grand Hotel and plans for UMassFive College Federal Credit Union to build a branch within the city; ongoing redevelopment of the former Lunt Silversmith property; and perhaps some forward progress in efforts to forge a new life for the long-dormant First National Bank building on the stretch known as Bank Row.

Meanwhile, from the big-picture perspective, the broad economic-development strategy for the city involves making the community, and especially its downtown area, more of a destination for many constituencies, including tourists, entrepreneurs and small-business owners, and families.

That’s the assignment for the city, but also for the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, said its new executive director, Diana Szynal, who takes the reins in somewhat ironic fashion. Indeed, she succeeds Natalie Blais, who was recently sworn in as the state representative for the First Franklin District. Szynal, meanwhile, was the long-time district director for the late Peter Kocut, long-time state representative for the First Hampshire District, and was unsuccessful in her bid to win that seat last fall.

She inherits a chamber that will celebrate its centennial this year, and while a good deal of her time will obviously go toward marking that milestone, another priority will be helping to get the word out on all that Greenfield and Franklin County have to offer.

“One thing we have to do is spread the word about all the things that happen here and some of the opportunities that are here,” she said. “And Franklin County is a place that young people and young professionals just starting out and looking for a place to put down roots should consider; this is the perfect place for that.”

For this, the latest installment in our ongoing Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at Greenfield and the many forms of progress being seen there.

Getting Down to Business

Szynal told BusinessWest that she worked in downtown Greenfield a quarter-century ago, and that moving into the chamber’s office on Main Street is like coming home again.

“I just came from lunch at Taylor’s [Tavern] and was at Wilson’s [department store] recently,” she said, mentioning two mainstays in the downtown for decades and noting that there are many more that fit that category. “Downtown has many of the same businesses it had years ago; it hasn’t lost its charm — it has that same old feeling.”

But there are also many new ventures in the city that are giving it a somewhat new and different feeling as well, she said, especially in the broad realm of hospitality and entertainment.

“There’s Indian food, there’s Thai food, there’s some fabulous Mexican food,” she noted. “So in a way, it has that perfect balance; things you can count on like Wilson’s, combined with new places.”

Building upon this balance and creating an ever-more diverse mix of businesses in the downtown is one of the main strategic initiatives for the city, said both Szynal and Adams, adding that that there are many components to this assignment.

“There are a number of properties that have remained vacant longer than we would have liked them to remain vacant, and one of my major goals for this spring is to get a handle on that and fill some of those spaces.”

They include everything from efforts to bring high-speed broadband service to more neighborhoods within the community — a prerequisite for attracting many types of businesses — to formal and informal efforts to help spread the word about all this city and this region have to offer; from making the most of that “area of disproportionate impact” designation when it comes to cannabis to making the First National Bank building a fitting final piece to the puzzle that has been Bank Row.

Indeed, while significant progress has been made in rehabbing and repurposing the buildings along that stretch across from City Hall — the so-called Abercrombie building, now home to the Franklin County district attorney, being the latest — the former First National Bank remains a stern challenge, said Adams.

So much so that the city applied for, and received, a technical-assistance grant from MassDevelopment that will fund a consultant charged specifically with blueprinting a reuse plan for the structure.

Greenfield at a Glance

Year Incorporated: 1753
Population: 17,456
Area: 21.9 square miles
County: Franklin
Residential Tax Rate: $22.36
Commercial Tax Rate: $22.36
Median Household Income: $33,110
Median Family Income: $46,412
Type of Government: Mayor, City Council
Largest Employers: Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Greenfield Community College, the Sandri Companies
* Latest information available

Built in 1929, the building has been essentially unoccupied for the better part of 40 years, said Adams, adding that the Greenfield Redevelopment Authority took ownership of the property in 2017 with the goal of determining the best reuse option.

“We’re waiting for the consultant that’s been assigned to us to come aboard, and we expect that to happen later this month, and have that individual work through this spring on a potential-reuse study of the building,” she said, adding that she expects this work to be completed by June. “We’re also spending some funding on some engineering to take a look at the building envelope — the structure, the fire-protection systems, and more — and then doing some preliminary cost estimates for getting a clean shell that can be developed.”

The project is important, she said, because the property has a prominent place in the city’s history and a prominent location as well. Its redevelopment could act as a catalyst for other investments and make the city more of a destination.

Speaking of catalysts, the cannabis industry could become one as well, Adams went on, adding that retail operations could help create still more vibrancy in the downtown, and the cultivation businesses could help fill various types of commercial properties, including old mill buildings.

Overall, the goal downtown, and just outside it, is to attract a diverse mix of businesses, said Adams, adding that, while there are have been some new arrivals, there are still many vacant storefronts in the central business district — more than city officials would prefer.

“We did an inventory about two years ago that looked at the properties downtown and especially the ground-floor retail spaces,” she noted. “There are a number of properties that have remained vacant longer than we would have liked them to remain vacant, and one of my major goals for this spring is to get a handle on that and fill some of those spaces.”

As for the chamber, as it celebrates its centennial, it will focus on a number of initiatives, including efforts to support and promote not only Greenfield but the entire county. One key to doing so is through collaboration with other entities involved in promoting business and economic development, said Szynal.

“There’s an active business association for Shelburne Falls, there’s one for Greenfield, Nortfield has a business association … there are several of these organizations,” she said. “One of my top priorities is to figure out how to work collaboratively to promote more business growth and keep our businesses strong county-wide.”

One challenge to overcome is enabling Greenfield, and the rest of the county, to shed its ‘best-kept secret’ status.

“We have some incredible outdoor recreation opportunities in Franklin County, and that’s something we’re looking to highlight in the coming year,” she said. “It’s a big part of the economy, and it can be even bigger; there are some people who don’t know that these opportunities are here in Franklin County and that you don’t have to drive far to experience them.”

Balancing Act

Reflecting upon her return to downtown Greenfield a quarter-century since she last worked there, Szynal said she is impressed by, and increasingly enamored with, its mix of old and new.

“To some extent, Greenfield is growing and changing, but it’s also staying true to its roots,” she explained. “There’s a familiar feeling as you walk down the street, but there is exciting change as well.”

Moving forward, the goal is to create … well, much more of that, and there has been considerable progress in that regard as well as the promise of more.

Some might result from being 4/20-friendly, as the saying goes, but the bulk of it will come from being plain old business-friendly and willing to take advantage of the opportunities that develop.

George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]

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