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Author Keeps Memories Alive of Lost Quabbin Towns

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Elena Palladino wants everyone who visits the Quabbin — or ever drinks its water — to contemplate the loss and sacrifice involved in its creation.
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Gone but Not Forgotten

Elena Palladino in the house that inspired her book, Lost Towns of the Swift River Valley.

Elena Palladino in the house that inspired her book, Lost Towns of the Swift River Valley.

 

Elena Palladino recalls that, when she and her husband first walked through their stately white home in Ware, they noted that some of the pieces didn’t really seem to fit.

Indeed, the home is Colonial Revival in style, but many of its fixtures, including the pocket doors with ornate brass pulls, were Victorian. Their presence — which made the home even more attractive, and intriguing, in their minds and helped compel them to buy it — presented somewhat of a mystery.

One that was solved when one of their new neighbors referred to the property as the ‘Quabbin house.’

Palladino would eventually learn that this home was built by Marion Andrews Smith, who had lived in Enfield, one of the four towns flooded and essentially wiped off the map to build the Quabbin Reservoir; Dana, Greenwich, and Prescott were the others.

“It’s a very beautiful place. But I do think it’s important to remember that’s it’s a beauty that comes from the loss of those towns and the loss of community.”

Smith, as Palladino would also learn, was the last surviving member of a prominent mill-owning family that actually had a section of Enfield, known as Smith’s Village, named after them. Smith certainly didn’t want to leave Enfield, a town that she and other family members were very involved with, and she was one of the last residents to depart. She wanted to move the large Victorian home in which she lived to another location, but it wasn’t logistically feasible to do so. So she took what she could with her and made those pieces — everything from doors to molding; floorboards to wainscotting — part of the home she built in Ware.

But Smith’s story did far more than solve a mystery surrounding Palladino’s new home.

It inspired her to want to dig deeper into the lives of those who, like Smith, were told to pack up and leave and then watch as their community was obliterated to bring much-needed water to the fast-growing city of Boston and its suburbs. It inspired her to want to know more about what those final years, months, weeks, days, and even hours were like.

So, Palladino, secretary to the board of trustees at Smith College, started the research that would eventually lead to her first book: Lost Towns of the Swift River Valley: Drowned by the Quabbin.

It tells the stories of three individuals who were forced to leave their lifelong homes to make way for Boston’s reservoir — Smith; Willard ‘Doc’ Segur, the valley’s beloved country doctor and town leader; and Henry Howe, Enfield’s postmaster and general-store proprietor.

The book came out in late 2022, and over the ensuing year, Palladino has crisscrossed the state on a book tour of sorts that took her to libraries and historical societies. She talked about her book and the research that went into it, but also about her home and the connection it provides to Smith, and an intriguing bill now in committee that seeks regional equity and recompense for the Swift River Valley and its people (more on that later).

Through the book and the talks, she said she believes she’s created a greater understanding of all that was lost to build the Quabbin. Most understand fully what was gained, she added, but her stories help convey the price that came with this 20th-century engineering marvel.

Elena Palladino says learning the story of her Ware home

Elena Palladino says learning the story of her Ware home inspired her to dig deeper into the lives of those displaced by the Quabbin.

It is this profound loss that she now feels each time she visits the Quabbin, which is only 10 minutes from her home.

“It’s a very beautiful place,” she said. “But I do think it’s important to remember that’s it’s a beauty that comes from the loss of those towns and the loss of community.”

For this issue, BusinessWest talked with Palladino about her home and her book, but mostly about the Quabbin towns and why, 86 years after Swift River Valley residents gathered for a farewell ball to mark the demise of their communities — “A Last Good Time for All” was how it was billed — it’s important that their stories never be forgotten.

 

Flood of Memories

Palladino has never met Marion Andrews Smith — she was born decades after Smith died.

But she feels a very powerful connection to the woman. Living in the home she built and spent her final years in is a big part of it, obviously, but there’s much more.

“It started as a personal project, and the initial research was mostly on our house. As I learned more about Marion … it seemed like every bit of research led to more.”

Indeed, as she came to know more about Smith through her research and then through meetings with Marian Tryon Waydaka, whose parents were Smith’s groundskeeper and chauffeur — and named their daughter after their employer — she came to fully understand both Smith’s taste in home furnishings and her incredibly strong will in the face of not only losing her home to a public-works project, but so much more.

She learned, for example, that Smith had family members who died in 1928, 1929, and 1932 and were buried in the valley, knowing full well they would have to be eventually moved elsewhere as the reservoir became reality.

“It could have been denial or defiance; it may also have been that she hadn’t decided where else she would like to move,” Palladino said. “But I thought that was a very interesting decision.”

She also learned that Smith was one of the very last residents to leave in the summer of 1938 and never did sell her property to the state; her land and home were taken by eminent domain, although she did eventually settle with the state.

Palladino grew up in Sturbridge, just east of the Quabbin, and her father and brother loved to fish the reservoir. So, like most who grew up in the 413, she knew the basics about how that resource was created and how four towns disappeared in the process.

It wasn’t until she and her husband bought the house on Highland Street after she took the job at Smith College — and they learned more about the home and the woman who built it — that her subtle interest in the Quabbin towns and the people who lived there became a fascination, and the subject of a book.

“The book started as research — I’ve always loved history and old homes — but then, because I was able to find out so much about Marion and her story was even more fascinating because it was integrated with the Quabbin towns, it became a much bigger project than I ever thought it would be.

“It started as a personal project, and the initial research was mostly on our house,” she went on. “As I learned more about Marion … it seemed like every bit of research led to more. Because she was from such an important family, there was lots to find about her; she was very involved, as were her family members, in various town organizations.”

Palladino took full advantage of the many resources available to those who wish to know more about the Quabbin towns and those who lived there, including a large collection at the UMass Amherst Library; the Swift River Valley Historical Society in New Salem; the Visitors Center at Quabbin Park in Belchertown; various scrapbooks; several books on the subject, including Donald Howe’s Quabbin, the Lost Valley; and meeting minutes from various organizations, including the Quabbin Club, a women’s club in the valley that existed from the late 1800s until the towns were disincorporated.

 

The Plot Thickens

Palladino’s book focuses on three of the last residents to leave the valley, and through those stories she conveys those final days through their eyes.

“There are many great books about the Quabbin, but this one is a little more personal in nature,” she said. “I was most intrigued by what it like for Marion, and any of the people who lived there, to have to leave; it’s a more personal side of the story.

“It was a long process,” she went on. “The Ware and Swift River Acts were passed in 1926 and 1927, and even before that, for about 30 years, the idea of an enormous reservoir was out there — it was discussed. From 1895 on, people knew this might come to pass and that a reservoir might be built here. When it finally became real, it was devastating for the people who lived there, but it also didn’t feel quite real because there was such a long period of time during which the towns were destroyed, and the dam and the dike were built — it was about 10 years.”

She said some left quickly after their homes were purchased by the state, while others who sold leased them back and stayed in the valley while deciding where to go next. And then, there were some who stayed until the very end.

“I think that must have been a difficult choice to make,” Palladino told BusinessWest. “By 1938, it was a scene of destruction; by then, many homes had been demolished and burned, all of the trees in the valley had been cut down, all of the brush below the water line had been cut and burned, and the buildings that were still standing in 1938 were quite dilapidated because they weren’t being cared for.

“Their town would have been unrecognizable,” she went on, adding that, despite all this, some did stay to the bitter end.

Palladino has tried to convey the hardships and emotions experienced by all those who lived through the demise of the Quabbin towns during talks about her book, more than 40 of them, over the past year or so.

“It was wonderful to speak locally, to people who know a lot about the Quabbin and live near the Quabbin, but it was also good to speak in Eastern Massachusetts towns where the story is less well-known,” she said. “There are plenty of people who know that their water comes from the Quabbin, but far fewer who really know how the Quabbin came to be.”

Elena Palladino wants everyone who visits the Quabbin — or ever drinks its water — to contemplate the loss and sacrifice involved in its creation.

Elena Palladino wants everyone who visits the Quabbin — or ever drinks its water — to contemplate the loss and sacrifice involved in its creation.

Through her talks, she has also made people aware of legislation, now in joint committee, that would, among other things, establish a Quabbin host-community fund through a 5-cent levy on every 1,000 gallons of water drawn from the reservoir.

“It’s pretty modest — it would only raise about $3.5 million a year,” she said. “But those funds could be used by the towns around the Quabbin for infrastructure and other capital improvements.”

 

The Loss Column

Palladino wasn’t at the farewell ball in 1938, obviously. But in some ways, she feels like she was.

Through her research, she has come to understand, as perhaps few can, what it was like to be at Enfield Town Hall when the clock struck midnight, and this wasn’t actually a town anymore.

It was part of a valley that would, over the next several years, be flooded with more than 400 billion gallons of water.

That ball, and the many extreme forms of loss experienced by those who were there — and all those who lived in the Quabbin towns — is what she thinks about when she visits the reservoir.

And she implores all those who visit or even drink the water to do the same.

 

Picture This

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Trees of Hope
Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

 

Trees of Hope

On Feb. 1, Gary Rome Hyundai and Ronald McDonald House of Springfield announced that together they raised $180,333.05 for the Springfield nonprofit at the third annual Trees of Hope event in November. The organizations will partner again in 2024 to host Trees of Hope at the dealership.

Trees of Hope

Pictured, from left: Brittany Zabielski of Gary Rome Hyundai; Emily Brady and Rosemarie Zello of Ronald McDonald House; Gary Rome, president and CEO of Gary Rome Hyundai; Michelle D’Amore, executive director of Ronald McDonald House; and Dara Davignon, Lori Chatel, Cathy Riley, and Brianna Zemrock of Gary Rome Hyundai.

 

 

Helping Students Succeed

On Jan. 31, Holyoke Community College (HCC) opened its new Scholarship Resource Center, the first of its kind among community colleges in Massachusetts. Its purpose is to make it easier for students to apply for scholarships available through the HCC Foundation. Located on the first floor of the Donahue Building, the center is open Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each year, the HCC Foundation awards about $350,000 in scholarships.

Helping Students Succeed

Pictured: Laura Freeman, HCC manager of Stewardship and Donor Relations, and HCC President George Timmons join students in cutting the ribbon for the new center.

 

Fighting Food Insecurity

bankESB announced that its third annual Neighbors Helping Neighbors fundraising drive raised $35,000 for local food pantries, bringing the program’s three-year total to nearly $110,000. Fourteen participating food pantries received $2,500 each. The appeal is part of bankESB’s charitable giving program, the Giving Tree, which reflects the bank’s commitment to making a difference in the neighborhoods it serves.

Fighting Food Insecurity

Pictured: Tenaya Reade, assistant branch manager of bankESB’s Sargeant Street, Holyoke office, presents a $2,500 check to Brenda Lamagdeleine, manager of Margaret’s Pantry in Holyoke.

 

 

Agenda

By
Agenda

Western Mass Runners Hall of Fame Induction

March 8: The Western Mass Runners Hall of Fame (WMRHoF) board of directors announced the inductees of the third class. Since its inception, the WMRHoF has celebrated outstanding contributors to the running community, with its first class inducted in 2020 and the second in 2022. The third class inductees are Ric Bourie, Mary Cobb, Howard Drew, Sue Haryasz, Rich Larsen, Nicole McGilpin, Bob Neil, Bill Romito, Ed Sandifer, and John Stifler. In addition to these distinguished individuals, the charity organization Griffin’s Friends, which has supported children with cancer and their families for decades in the Springfield area by running and raising funds, will be inducted. Also, Neal Lamberton, a runner who has volunteered his time to the running community for years, will receive the Brian Goddu Volunteer of the Year Award, founded in memory of Goddu, a founding board member of the Western Mass Runners Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. at the Holyoke Elks Lodge. The guest speaker will be Bob Hodge, third-place finisher in the 1979 Boston Marathon, multiple Mount Washington Road Race champion, 40-year course record holder on the DH Jones/Amherst 10 Mile Course, and author of Tale of the Times. Tickets for the dinner and ceremony are priced at $20 and are available for purchase at www.runreg.com/w-mass-runners-hall-of-fame-induction-banquet. For those unable to attend but wishing to support the WMRHoF mission, donations are welcome via the RunReg website.

 

Second Chance Dinner Auction

March 23: Tickets for the 25th annual Second Chance Dinner Auction are now available for purchase. This significant fundraising event marks the kickoff of Second Chance Animal Services’ year-long 25th-anniversary celebration, promising an evening of philanthropy and joy to benefit homeless shelter pets in need of veterinary care. The event will take place at the La Salle Reception Center in Southbridge. The evening will commence with a cocktail hour at 4 p.m., giving attendees the opportunity to peruse and bid on myriad silent-auction items and try their luck with raffle prizes. The main event unfolds with dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the highlight of the night, the auction. Tickets are $55 per person with the option to reserve a table of nine for $495. The success of the event relies on the generosity of sponsors and item donors. Second Chance encourages businesses and individuals to consider lending their support by becoming a sponsor or contributing items. As noted, the event features both a silent and live auction featuring hundreds of items ranging from gift certificates for local businesses and restaurants to gift baskets and everything in between. To enhance the auction experience, a selection of gift cards and small, easy-to-ship items will be available for advance online bidding March 14-21. For those interested in sponsoring, donating items, or attending the event, complete information and tickets can be found at www.secondchanceanimals.org/dinner-auction.

 

Women’s Leadership Conference

April 4: Bay Path University announced that real-estate legend, investor, best-selling author, entrepreneur, producer, and Shark Tank shark Barbara Corcoran will be the keynote speaker at the 27th Women’s Leadership Conference (WLC), taking place at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. Corcoran has been an investor/shark on ABC’s four-time Emmy award-winning show Shark Tank for 10 seasons, investing in more than 80 businesses to date. She chronicled her rise from waiting tables in a New York diner to heading a $5 billion real-estate company in her bestselling book, Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business! She’ll bring her personal brand of no-nonsense wisdom and supportive advice to the more than 1,600 attendees who are expected to attend this year’s WLC. The WLC will also feature lunchtime speaker Amy Purdy, a three-time Paralympic medalist in snowboarding for Team USA. Throughout her life, Purdy has taken on obstacles and broken through, making her way into the upper echelons of athletics, onto the dance floor of Dancing with the Stars, and onto the New York Times bestseller list as the author of On My Own Two Feet: From Losing My Legs to Learning the Dance of Life. She co-founded Adaptive Action Sports for athletes with disabilities and is the host of the critically acclaimed podcast Bouncing Forward! Her work has led her to be labeled a “hero” by Oprah Winfrey and has made her one of the most in-demand motivational and corporate speakers on the globe. This year’s conference will also feature breakout sessions led by business experts and authors, including Yvonne Camus, the former COO of SPINCO, Canada’s largest indoor cycling brand and the only female to outperform the Navy Seals in the multi-terrain adventure race known as Eco-Challenge. In addition, the WLC will welcome Sylvia Baffour, an author, podcast host, and emotional-intelligence coach recently ranked by HubSpot among the top 15 female motivational speakers. Additional keynote and breakout session speakers will be announced soon. For further information on the 2024 conference, sponsorship information, and ticket sales, visit baypath.edu/wlc.

 

Difference Makers 

April 10: The 16th annual Difference Makers Gala will be held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Since 2009, BusinessWest has been recognizing the work of individuals, groups, businesses, and institutions through this recognition program. The 2024 Difference Makers — profiled in this issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com — are Matt Bannister, senior vice president, Marketing and Corporate Responsibility, PeoplesBank; Delcie Bean, CEO, Paragus Strategic I.T.; Linda Dunlavy, executive director, Franklin Regional Council of Governments; Dr. Fred and Mary Kay Kadushin, co-founders, Feed the Kids; Scott Keiter, CEO, Keiter; the staff of Rock 102; Shannon Rudder, president and CEO, Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services; and Springfield Symphony Orchestra and Springfield Chamber Players. Tickets cost $95 each, with reserved tables of 10-12 available and available now through March 29. Sponsors for the 2024 Difference Makers include Burkhart, Pizzanelli, P.C., Keiter, Mercy Medical Center/Trinity Health, the Royal Law Firm, and TommyCar Auto Group. For more event details and to reserve tickets, visit businesswest.com/difference-makers/difference-makers-tickets.

 

Hooplandia

June 21-23: Registration is now open for Hooplandia, the second annual 3×3 basketball tournament and festival, at www.hooplandia.com. The three-day event includes levels of play for all ages and divisions. Hooplandia launched in 2023. Taking place in the heart of Greater Springfield, the birthplace of basketball, the event is hosted by Eastern States Exposition (ESE) in West Springfield and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. Most games will be played on the ESE grounds, with special games held at the Hall of Fame. Seventy-five basketball courts will be set up to accommodate more than 650 games played by approximately 2,100 participants of all ages. Divisions of play have been created to provide an all-inclusive environment for players of all ages and playing abilities. The diverse divisions include young girls, boys, women, men, high-school-level, college-level, OGs, veterans, and more. Players are invited to build teams of four, create their own unique team name and uniforms, and register at www.hooplandia.com. Team fees range according to age, and children in the under-8 category are free of charge. Hooplandia will once again partner with Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the region as its designated philanthropic partner, providing $10 from every paid team registration to support the mission and programs of the clubs. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For inquiries, email [email protected].

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Claudia Pazmany

Claudia Pazmany

The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce announced the resignation of Executive Director Claudia Pazmany, effective Feb. 28. Pazmany has led the chamber for the past five and a half years, growing it to over 400 members while leading it through the pandemic. The chamber will launch a search for its next executive director immediately. With Pazmany’s help, the Amherst Area Chamber has built a strong foundation with deeply rooted partnerships year after year and a dedicated staff focused on meeting the needs of its members and the business community. The chamber has hosted valuable events for members and the broader community to network, enjoy locations in the Greater Amherst area, and meet new people. Events such as Margarita Madness, the annual golf tournament, and the A+ Awards have all grown in recent years. Under her leadership, the chamber also established a diversity, equity, and inclusion task force and has advocated with local town governments on items of interest to its members. The chamber has continued its outreach to members in an effort to promote their businesses through workshops and monthly Arrive at 5 networking events. In 2023, Pazmany and Gabriele Gould from the Amherst Business Improvement District were recognized by BusinessWest as Difference Makers for their joint work on pandemic relief for small businesses.

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Liz Larson, currently director of Operations at the Amherst Business Improvement District (BID), has been named interim executive director, effective Feb. 26. Larson has been with the BID for six years and has worked closely with departing Executive Director Gabrielle Gould, creating events for the community, revitalizing downtown, and ensuring the health of the BID’s finances. She is the creative force behind the Makers’ Market at the annual Sip and Shop Stroll and the recently launched “Take a Dino to Dinner” campaign. With a background in arts administration and nonprofit management, Larson moved to Amherst with her family in 2007 and has been active in the community, serving on several boards and committees, including professional growth objectives for the public schools and the city’s Participatory Budgeting Commission. She is currently a trustee and board treasurer for the Amherst Historical Society. Prior to moving to Amherst, she spent 20 years in New York and Tokyo.

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Mary McGovern

The board of trustees of Country Bank announced the appointment of Mary McGovern as president and chief operating officer, effective April 1. She will oversee the bank’s operations and drive its strategic growth initiatives. Paul Scully, who has been the president and chief executive officer, will remain the CEO. McGovern brings more than 30 years of experience in the banking industry, making her a valuable asset to Country Bank. She holds degrees from Emmanuel College and Babson College, and her extensive knowledge and expertise have been instrumental in the bank’s success. Mary joined Country Bank in 2011 as its chief financial officer and has since been an esteemed member of the bank’s Leadership Group. McGovern recently attended the American Bankers Assoc. (ABA) Wharton Leadership Lab at the University of Pennsylvania, earning an ABA Wharton Leadership Certificate. This accomplishment further solidifies her commitment to excellence and continuous professional development.

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Emily Maher

MCLA Physics Professor Emily Maher, one of 65 scientists in the MINERvA collaboration at Fermi National Accelerator Lab (Fermilab), has published work that has been chosen as one of the “Top 10 Physics Breakthroughs of 2023” in Physics World. Over a 10-year span, the MINERvA detector recorded the interactions of neutrinos and antineutrinos, the antimatter partners of the neutrino. The physicists working on the MINERvA experiment used the data to make a groundbreaking new measurement, which was published last February in Nature. The study, led by Tejin Cai at the University of Rochester in the U.S. and Canada’s York University, shows how information about the internal structure of a proton can be gleaned from neutrinos scattering from a plastic target. The team focused on isolating the signal from neutrinos scattered off lone protons within the background of those scattered off protons bound in carbon nuclei. Their innovative approach involved simulating and subtracting the carbon-scattered signal from experimental data. This provides insights into proton structure and enhances the understanding of how neutrinos interact with matter.

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Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed Elizabeth Ollson as its manager of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving. Ollson is a 2018 graduate of HCC and also holds a bachelor’s degree in women, gender, and sexuality studies from UMass Amherst. She joined HCC’s division of Institutional Advancement in November. She came to HCC from Boston College, where she was the senior associate director of Annual Giving Programs. Prior to that, she worked at Amherst College as the Amherst Fund coordinator.

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Lisa Zarcone

Lisa Zarcone

Lisa Zarcone, an author, speaker, and child mental-health advocate honored in December as one of BusinessWest’s Women of Impact for 2023, has released her second book, titled The Book of Joann: A Novel Based on Her Life Story, and the Lifetime Battle She Endured with Mental Illness and published by Joshua Tree Publishing of Chicago. “The Book of Joann is a powerful story of darkness and light, defeat and victory, hope and faith,” said Zarcone, whose first book, The Unspoken Truth, is a memoir of her experiences with — and overcoming — years of abuse. Zarcone is currently the Massachusetts National Ambassador for the National Assoc. of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse. She is dedicated to spreading awareness of child safety/abuse, as well as mental illness and the stigma that surrounds it. She is committed to educating people and promoting change in a flawed system as too many children continue to fall through the cracks. She is also a public speaker, radio personality, social-media influencer, and blogger on her own website, lisazarcone.net. The Book of Joann can be found at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee Co. announced that its CEO, Beth Spong, has been appointed to serve on the board of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA), a global organization dedicated to empowering women in the coffee industry, fostering gender equality, and promoting the inclusion of women at all levels of the coffee supply chain. Now in its 20th year, IWCA is committed to creating an equitable coffee industry by empowering women in chapters serving 33 countries around the world through leadership development, strategic partnership, and amplified market visibility. Spong brings a wealth of experience with nonprofit boards and a passion for promoting equity to her new role. Under her guidance, Dean’s Beans continues to be at the forefront of advocating for fair-trade practices, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility within the specialty coffee industry. As a board member, she will contribute her expertise to further IWCA’s mission and initiatives supporting women coffee farmers, exporters, importers, roasters, and entrepreneurs.

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Amara Barbiero

Amara Barbiero

The law firm of Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley (PSRB) announced the appointment of Amara Barbiero as an associate attorney. Barbiero graduated from Quinnipiac University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting prior to obtaining her juris doctorate from Western New England University (WNE) School of Law. As a law student, she was awarded the prestigious CALI Award in Workers’ Compensation, given to the highest-scoring student in each law-school class. She also worked as a clinician for the WNE Small Business Clinic in Springfield. Barbiero spent four years working as a legal assistant in Connecticut before joining PSRB as a law clerk in 2021. That immersion into the practice of law has helped her develop an experience-based sensitivity to issues of equity and justice across diverse communities. She is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and awaits her admission to the bars of Connecticut and New Jersey.

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New England Public Media (NEPM) promoted Elizabeth Román into the role of managing editor – daily and digital news. Although her title did not dramatically change, her responsibilities have evolved, and she will now take the lead on delivering daily news programming on the radio, NEPM’s website, and social-media channels. Román is continuing to focus on expanding the diversity of sources in news coverage and opportunities to create more Spanish-language news content. As the daughter of Puerto Rican parents who migrated to Massachusetts more than 40 years ago, she has intended throughout her career as a journalist to provide accurate representation of communities of color in Western Mass. She has felt empowered to do this at NEPM, and in this new role, with the addition of supervisory responsibilities, she looks forward to sharing her expertise with other journalists. Román is a graduate of Holyoke Community College and UMass Amherst. Prior to working at NEPM, she was a reporter at the Republican for almost two decades, edited El Pueblo Latino, co-founded Colectivo de Medios Latinos, and appeared as a panelist on NEPM’s “The Short List” and “Connecting Point.” She joined NEPM in 2022.

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Friends of Children Inc. (FOC) announced it has appointed new leadership at the organization. Debi Belkin, MSW, LICSW and Sarah Segura, MSW, LCSW are the new co-executive directors of the nonprofit organization that works to support children and young adults whose lives have been affected by the child-welfare system. Belkin and Segura are both current employees of the organization. Belkin has more than 40 years of experience advocating for court-involved children and adolescents in Massachusetts, including more than 30 years as a supervisor at the Department of Children and Families. She has most recently been the director of Programs at FOC. Segura has been with FOC since 2021, sharing her experience in advocacy, case management, and program development, as well as a passion for working with individuals and families of diverse cultural backgrounds. She has most recently been the CASA program manager at FOC. This new co-directorship comes after the organization’s founder, Jane Lyons, retired in July 2023.

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Jack Antkowiak

Jack Antkowiak

Paige Auger

Market Mentors, LLC, a fully integrated marketing, advertising, and public-relations agency, recently added two new specialists to its multi-disciplinary team. Jack Antkowiak joined the agency as a digital marketing specialist, and Paige Auger started her role as a financial administrator. As a digital marketing specialist, Antkowiak manages, reports on, and optimizes paid digital ads and SEO campaigns. This involves taking deep dives into ad performance and website analytics data to uncover actionable insights and trends that can be used to improve both campaign performance and the overall user/customer journey. A graduate of the University of Connecticut, Antkowiak combines tried-and-true best practices with a deep understanding of the target audience to build engaging and impactful campaigns. With a degree in business administration as well as management experience in accounting, Auger joined the Market Mentors finance team to handle accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing, reconciliation, and 1099 reporting. She collaborates across departments to ensure accuracy in data input and is skilled at summarizing large amounts of data and presenting meaningful information for review. A graduate of Western New England University, she received the 2017 Lawrence H. Nath Management Award.

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Following an extensive and thorough search process, Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts announced the appointment of Theresa Lynn as its new CEO. Lynn brings a wealth of experience in nonprofit leadership, having most recently served as senior vice president of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, where she focused on fundraising, communications, and some large grant-making opportunities. Her dedication to community engagement is evident through her roles as executive director for Back on My Feet, addressing homelessness and job insecurity in Boston, and executive director for ReadBoston for 14 years. She currently serves as a board member for the Worcester Education Collaborative and BioBuilder Education Foundation. Lynn holds a master of public administration degree from the Harvard Kennedy School, an MBA from Boston University, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the College of Holy Cross. Her contributions in the community have been recognized by the Boston Celtics, who presented her with a Heroes Among Us award, and by the Boston Business Journal, which acknowledged her as a Top 40 Under 40 leader in Boston.

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Bill Mertz has been appointed Tighe & Bond’s next Transportation Business Line leader. Mertz joined the firm in 2023 with the acquisition of WorldTech Engineering. He has nearly 30 years of experience on a wide variety of roadway, bridge, transportation, and utility infrastructure projects. Throughout his career, he has overseen the financial performance, project management, and technical delivery of transportation and infrastructure projects. Additionally, he has worked on notable projects for state agencies, including the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and MassDOT, as well as local communities throughout New England. Mertz is based out of Tighe & Bond’s Woburn office. Outside of work, he serves as a member of the American Public Works Assoc. and the American Society of Civil Engineers, as well as local boards.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

The Markens Group Certified by Great Place to Work

SPRINGFIELD — The Markens Group Inc. (TMG) has been certfied by Great Place to Work for the ninth consecutive year. The award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at TMG. This year, 95% of employees said it’s a great place to work — 50% higher than the average U.S. company. Great Place to Work is a global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention, and increased innovation. According to Great Place to Work research, job seekers are four and a half times more likely to find a great boss at a certified great workplace. Additionally, employees at certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the company’s profits, and have a fair chance at promotion. According to the Trust Index survey taken by the staff, many noted the company ‘fundamentals’ — a set of valued behaviors within TMG — are one of the biggest reasons employees enjoy working at the Markens Group.

 

Bay Path Recognized Among Top Online Women’s Colleges

LONGMEADOW — The American Women’s College (TAWC), Bay Path University’s online college for adult women, has been recognized by the business-media outlet Forbes as one of the top three online women’s colleges in the nation. The ranking cited TAWC’s strong retention rate and called out Bay Path’s WELL (We Empower Learners and Leaders) program, a three-course leadership curriculum unique to the college, designed to equip women with the leadership skills and experience to excel in any career path. Forbes uses 16 data points to evaluate colleges in the categories of credibility, affordability, student outcomes, student experience, and application process. Bay Path, along with Simmons College and Brenau University, made the top three.

 

Rotary Club Supports Revitalize CDC Project

SPRINGFIELD — Revitalize Community Development Corp. (CDC) announced it has received a $2,000 grant from the Springfield Rotary Club to support development of a new warehouse and distribution center at its 240 Cadwell Dr., Springfield location, where it moved in early 2023. Springfield Rotary Club funding will be allocated toward construction supplies for the warehouse and distribution center. The center is essential to supporting Revitalize CDC’s program expansion so it may meet the growing demand for healthier, safer homes and neighborhoods for low-income residents throughout the Greater Springfield area. The 3,200-square-foot center will have two bays for vehicles and provide sufficient space to store program materials and supplies and refrigerated units to store food for Revitalize CDC’s Nutrition Rx program that provides nutrition and diabetes education and helps to address food insecurity. LaPlante Construction of East Longmeadow is the contractor for the project, expected to be completed by Dec. 31. Since 1992, Revitalize CDC has repaired and rehabilitated more than 1,500 homes in Greater Springfield with the help of 10,000 volunteers, investing $54 million into Western Mass. In 2022-23, Revitalize CDC served 826 households (more than 2,300 individuals) consisting of low-income families with children, older adults, military veterans, and individuals living with disabilities.

 

Rotary Club Awards Grant to the Zoo in Forest Park

SPRINGFIELD — The Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center has received a $3,000 community grant from the Springfield Rotary Club to upgrade its website. While the new website will include advanced booking capabilities, more intuitive registration forms, and the addition of an online store, the upgrade is also designed to enhance the guest experience at the zoo. With the money awarded through the community grant, the zoo plans to expand the educational material available on its website through the addition of interactive webpages for each animal. QR codes will be available at each exhibit, linking guests to a corresponding page for the animal they are viewing. Visitors will have access to photos and videos as well as more in-depth information about the species, including its conservation status, threats in the wild, and coexistence efforts.

The Zoo in Forest Park has been a part of the Springfield community for 130 years. With 225 animals in its care, it is dedicated to inspiring the community to respect and value the natural world through education, conservation, and rehabilitation.

 

Eversource Submits Roadmap to Achieve Clean-energy Goals

SPRINGFIELD — With a focus on energy equity, environmental-justice communities, and transparency, Eversource submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) its final Electric Sector Modernization Plan (ESMP) to modernize the electric distribution system and help meet the Commonwealth’s decarbonization goals after incorporating feedback from the Grid Mod Advisory Council (GMAC) and dozens of stakeholders. The energy company’s ESMP is a comprehensive roadmap to transform the region’s power grid, enhance its resiliency, and strengthen reliability for customers by increasing renewable-energy production and electrifying the heating and transportation sectors. Focused on achieving both equity and clean-energy objectives, the ESMP also establishes a Community Engagement Stakeholder Advisory Group (CESAG) and expands efforts for proposed clean-energy infrastructure projects to engage all potentially impacted stakeholders. Eversource’s 10-year plan helps meet the Commonwealth’s decarbonization milestones through 2040 by achieving a 180% increase in electrification hosting capacity, which will provide additional capacity to enable 2.5 million electric vehicles statewide, 1 million residential heat pumps within the company’s territory, and an incremental 2.2 GW of additional solar hosting capacity, bringing the total distributed energy resource hosting capacity systemwide to 5.8 GW.

 

Berkshire Bank Foundation Reports on 2023 Philanthropy

BOSTON — Berkshire Bank announced that nearly $2.5 million in philanthropic investments were provided from its foundation in 2023 to support more than 500 nonprofit organizations. During the fourth quarter, more than $642,000 in grants and scholarships were awarded to foster upward economic mobility, support overall well-being, and enhance opportunities for individual success in the communities the bank serves. During 2023, more than 500 local nonprofits received grants to assist with a range of critical projects in the areas of health and wellness, housing, food insecurity, and economic enrichment. The Berkshire Bank Foundation is committed to supporting programs that work toward providing equitable opportunities for economic prosperity. In addition, it supports programs that align with Berkshire Bank’s Center for Women, Wellness, and Wealth.

 

MassDevelopment Issues Bond for MHA Headquarters Project

CHICOPEE — MassDevelopment has issued a $6,543,000 tax-exempt bond on behalf of Mental Health Assoc. Inc. (MHA), which will use the proceeds to buy and renovate a 78,378-square-foot building at 350 Memorial Dr. in Chicopee, where it will relocate its headquarters from Springfield and house its mental-health programs and residential and support services. The building originally housed the Charles River West Psychiatric Hospital and most recently served as the MassMutual Learning and Conference Center. The move will allow MHA to keep pace with growth and locate its staff in one office. Renovations to the building will include interior wall reconfiguration, office construction, HVAC and sprinkler-system updates, added reception-area security, and painting, flooring, and information systems improvements. Construction began in November and is expected to be complete by February 2024. MHA expects to create 45 full-time jobs and 20 part-time jobs over the next three years. Florence Bank purchased the tax-exempt bond, which helped MHA achieve a lower cost of capital. Founded in 1960, MHA provides access to therapies for emotional health and wellness; services for substance use recovery, developmental disabilities, and acquired brain injury; services for housing and residential programming; and more. MHA serves more than 3,000 people, from ages 5 to 90, each year.

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.

BELCHERTOWN

Belchertown Eye Care and Sunglass Shop Inc., 142 North Main St., Belchertown, MA 01007. Eye care and glasses.
Charissa C. Brown, 140 Oakridge Dr., Belchertown, MA 01007. Sales of eye and sun glasses.

CHICOPEE

Pole Position Petroleum Inc., 1869 Memorial Dr., Chicopee, MA 01020. Mohammed Mehdi, 125 Cambridge Park Dr., Suite 301, Cambridge, MA 02140. Marketing and distribution of petroleum products.

EAST OTIS

Knox Trail Bar & Grill Corp., 1898 East Otis Road, East Otis, MA 01029. Brook Tame, 24 Brookman Dr., Blandford, MA 01008. Restaurant.

FLORENCE

Aikido of Northampton Inc., 30 North Maple St., Florence, MA 01062. Ellen Wallin, same. To teach, spread, and perpetuate the fundamental philosophy, principles, and techniques of aikido as established by its founder, Master Morihei Ueshiba.

HAMPDEN

Loomis and Loomis, P.C., 235 Ames Road, Hampden, MA 01036. John Drost, Jr., 46 Center Square, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Engineering services.

LONGMEADOW

Blackwood Vascular Inc., 103 Woodside Dr., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Stuart Blackwood, same. Staffing agency offering healthcare solutions for hospitals in need of vascular surgeons and other vascular-surgery personnel.

NORTH BROOKFIELD

Mile 61 Tavern Inc., 30 Gilbert St., North Brookfield, MA 01535. Jason Pietrzak, same. Bar and restaurant.

PALMER

Finesse Garage and Fabrication Inc., 1652 North Main St., Palmer, MA 01069. Jason Methe, same. Auto-body shop.

PITTSFIELD

Home Care Advantage Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Michael Gehosky, 929 Two Gates Circle, Chesapeake, VA 23322. Temporary staffing services.

Plainid Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Oren Harel, same. Information-security solutions.

Verbal Fabrik Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Cornelius Poole, same. A nonprofit organization seeking to empower, educate, and preserve the heritage of the hip-hop culture and its forefathers, and dedicated to fostering positive change by providing innovative programs and resources that cultivate artistic excellence, cultural understanding, and community engagement.

SPRINGFIELD

Apkin, Inc., 115 Stevens St., Springfield, MA 01104. Joseph Apkin, 611 North State Road, Cheshire, MA 01225. Scrap-metal recycling.

Learning Friends Inc., 366 White St., Springfield, MA 01108. Jennifer Godin, same. Nonprofit organization formed to provide financial distributions to organizations that qualify as tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations and provide a supportive and enriching educational environment for homeschooling families through collaborative teaching, shared resources, and engaging activities.

Omnipoint Technology Digital Equity Inc., 1666 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103. Rev. Timothy Paul-Baymon, same. To pursue broadband and digital economic-development initiatives that will help close the digital divide; increase access to digital education for those who have been traditionally shut out or limited in their access to quality education; create job opportunities for those who have traditionally been unemployable or underemployed; establish ventures that will generate wealth that will be used for the pursuit of the foregoing objectives; support such efforts of others, especially as pursued by nonprofits and faith-based organizations; and engage in other charitable or educational activities.

WESTFIELD

Priority Billing Partners Inc., 64 Pineridge Dr., Westfield, MA 01085. Michelle Dugre, same. Billing services.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Nazar Corp., 884 Westfield St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Okan Bozbas, same. Gas station and convenience store.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of January 2024.

AMHERST

Alice Briggs Illustration
18 Birchcroff Lane
Alice Briggs

Alpine Commons
133 Belchertown Road
Mass Alpine Commons LLC

Amherst Chinese Medicine
409 Main St., #111
Xiaoqiang Zhao

Amherst Welding Inc.
330 Harkness Road
Darrin Brown

Canterbury Farms Assoc.
839 Bay Road
Samantha Burns

CoQuest
528 Pine St.
Michael Howard

Joshua Hornick Coaching
94 Summer St.
Joshua Hornick

Mei Jiang
17 Shumway St.
Mei Jiang

My Focused Mind
16 Alpine Dr.
Alicia Kuzia

The Next Street
6 University Dr., Suite 200
Garrett Waldron

Norwottuck Chamber Concerts
366 Station Road
Ernest May Sr.

Oscar’s Odd-jobs
346 North Pleasant St., #1
Oscar Saravia

Pioneer Ed Strategies
11 Amity Place
Gregory Runyan

Rafah Jewelry
29A Montague Road
Riswan Raufdeen

Thrym & Ellen
106 North Whitney St.
Marian Walker

Wagner Wood
305 North East St.
James Wagner, Joseph Wagner

BELCHERTOWN

GDM
80 Oakridge Dr.
William DeSantis

Ginnybrook Farm
226 Turkey Hill Road
Ken Hislop

KDT Assoc.
243 Green Ave.
Kevin Magill

The Prime Food Store
235B Amherst Road
Juan Carlos Vasquez Carmona

Uncommon Cuts
7 Brandywine Dr.
Grete McGinnis

GRANBY

Brier Farm
83 East St.
Brier Farm

Discover You Travel
55 Pleasant St., #12
Discover You Travel

Dollar General Store #20007
180 West State St.
Dollar General Store

Halo K9 Services
174 Batchelor St.
Halo K9 Services

Houle Property Services
20 Trompke Ave.
Houle Property Services

Smith Brothers Carpentry
175 South St.
Smith Brothers Carpentry

Regal Virtual Tours
16 Griswold Circle
Regal Virtual Tours

GREAT BARRINGTON

Anthony’s and Cary’s Barbershop
611 Main St.
Rosa Chica

Aroma Bar and Grill
485 Main St.
Barinder

Berkshire Hearth Realty
50 Dresser Ave.
Marguerite DeSantis

Canary Blomstrom Insurance Agency
333 Main St.
Douglas Goudey

Jamie McDermott Training and Coaching
168 Main St.
Jamie McDermott

Jess Cooney Interiors Inc.
2 State Road
Jessie Cooney

JRC Remodeling
195 Main St.
Joseph Roth

JWS Art Supplies
38 Railroad St.
Tom Levin

Kairos Psychotherapy LLC
291 Main St.
Lisa Solomon

Larkin LTD Enterprises LLC
974 Main St., Suite 1
Ryan Larkin

Larkin Racing
974 Main St., Suite 1
Ryan Larkin

The Lighthouse
10 Beacon Hill
Carol McGlinchey

Maiden Flower Farm
304 North Plain Road
Georgene Poliak, David Long

Naji’s Catering
401 Stockbridge Road, Suite 2
Naji Nejaime

Norbert’s Locksmith Service
138 Bridge St.
Norbert Ruthel

Paul Kleinwald Art & Antiques
578 Main St.
Paul Kleinwald

Rebel Town Productions
North Plain Road
John Segella

Sweet Tree Service LLC
65 Seekonk Road
Christopher Sweet

Tanveer Ahmed, MD, PLLC
168 Main St., Suite 3
Tanveer Ahmed

Tight Lines
214 Highland St.
Christopher Windram

Vault Gallery
322 Main St.
Marilyn Kalish, Alan Kalish

Windy Hill Farm Inc.
686 Stockbridge Road
Judith Mareb

SOUTH HADLEY

Airsoft Outlier
130 Main St., Unit 2
Ryan Dion

Centerfold Anthony’s
500 New Ludlow Road
Anthony’s Dance Club

Evolve Medical Aesthetics
439 Granby Road
Shannon Kurzeski

Howls & Happy Tails
276 Hadley St.
Ashley Miller

Human Agenda Theater
540 Granby Road, Unit 63
Kevin Van Develde

ING Design & Consulting
40 Ashton Lane
William Ingham

Janjua Beer & Wine
19 Bridge St.
K2K Corp.

Liquor Town
506 Granby Road
Amherst Market TK

Olde Towne Entertainment
103 Mountainview St.
Olde Towne Entertainment

Pioneer Valley Lifestyle Management
45 Ludlow Road
Theresa Isenhart

Walz Realty
58 Old Lyman Road
Timothy Walz

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Asher, Jeffrey
48 Taylor St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Date: 01/05/2024

Barnard, Patricia A.
39 Hopkins Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/31/2023

Barrows, Debra K.
45 Willow St., Apt. 434
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Date: 01/03/2024

Brown, Melissa Ann
2 Culdaff St., Apt. D
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Date: 01/10/2024

Cameron, Lucretia
48 Champlain St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Date: 01/12/2024

Collazo, William
58 Gold St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Date: 01/02/2024

Deprey, Olivia J.
a/k/a Deprey-Allen, Olivia
22 New Ludlow Road
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Date: 01/12/2024

Dubois, Philip J.
55 Walnut St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 01/02/2024

Innis, Gideon
Capital One Building Services
47 Grande St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Date: 01/08/2024

Jordan, Patrick
137 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Date: 01/09/2024

Meriyem’s LLC
Yetts, Caleb J.
Yetts, Rania
a/k/a Rhaddaoui, Rania
43 Cherry Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Date: 01/10/2024

Monette, Kelsea J.
127 Wheeler Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Date: 01/05/2024

Snow, Darin Mark
123 Glendale Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 13
Date: 01/10/2024

Speenburgh, Robert J.
3118 South Main St.
Bondsville, MA 01009
Chapter: 7
Date: 01/04/2024

Wilcox, Ashley R.
24 Crystal St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 13
Date: 01/03/2024

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

BUCKLAND

13 Bray Road
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Sarah Davenport
Seller: Janice E. Morin
Date: 01/19/24

43 Hog Hollow Road
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $798,500
Buyer: Lauren D. Few
Seller: Brian C. Rose
Date: 01/09/24

Hog Hollow Road (off)
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $798,500
Buyer: Lauren D. Few
Seller: Brian C. Rose
Date: 01/09/24

14 Upper St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Stephen Gang
Seller: Bruce Lessles
Date: 01/17/24

COLRAIN

45 Dwight Cross Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $123,700
Buyer: Federal National Mortgage Assn.
Seller: Paul G. Grechel
Date: 01/11/24

15 Griswoldville St.
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $206,718
Buyer: Mortgage Equity Conversion TR
Seller: Lucille V. Johnson
Date: 01/17/24

DEERFIELD

564 Greenfield Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $361,000
Buyer: Michael B. Antonellis
Seller: Ciesluk, Maryanne, (Estate)
Date: 01/19/24

34 Mathews Road
Deerfield, MA 01341
Amount: $413,590
Buyer: John McAvene
Seller: Jaime R. Jackman
Date: 01/08/24

39 Sawmill Plain Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $417,000
Buyer: Meagan Murphy
Seller: Danyluk RT
Date: 01/12/24

ERVING

10 Ridge Road
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Emily E. Malsch
Seller: Shane M. Linscott
Date: 01/18/24

GREENFIELD

108 James St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Parody Builders LLC
Seller: Sara C. Fishbur
Date: 01/12/24

15 Maple St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Vladimir Agapov
Seller: Scott A. Landry
Date: 01/17/24

49 Oak Hill Acres
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Kevin J. O’Neil
Seller: Bridgitte R. Cochran
Date: 01/12/24

51 Orchard St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Steven Lanciani
Seller: C. S. Maniatty RET
Date: 01/12/24

54 Riddell St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $286,900
Buyer: Cody S. Reynolds
Seller: Chandra Sanchez
Date: 01/17/24

13 Wisdom Place
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Christopher Gordon
Seller: JCT Corp.
Date: 01/19/24

Wisdom Way
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Nstar Electric
Seller: Brenda L. Ament
Date: 01/17/24

LEVERETT

187 Long Plain Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Sofia Buford
Seller: Dixon, Wendy Ann, (Estate)
Date: 01/16/24

18 Montague Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $545,000
Buyer: Sophia Normark
Seller: Sofia I. Buford
Date: 01/16/24

MONTAGUE

51 Swamp Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Christopher T. Goldhill
Seller: Robert L. Boulanger
Date: 01/08/24

NEW SALEM

178 West St.
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Joseph D. West
Seller: Mark Svetaka
Date: 01/11/24

NORTHFIELD

20 Riverview Dr.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $341,000
Buyer: David R. Byron
Seller: John Kalas
Date: 01/12/24

ORANGE

50 Clifton St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Cory Rathier
Seller: Bessie A. Stowell IRT
Date: 01/12/24

3 McCarthy Lane
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Russell J. Wheeler
Seller: Hurtle, Donald, (Estate)
Date: 01/18/24

Royalston Road, Lot 1
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Tedesco FT
Seller: Fred L. Heyes
Date: 01/12/24

222 West River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $273,000
Buyer: Marwa Al-Rebaueei
Seller: Austin Mercier
Date: 01/10/24

WENDELL

55 Plain Road
Wendell, MA 01379
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: John T. Fountain
Seller: Justin Fellows
Date: 01/11/24

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

106-108 Silver St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Chenevert Properties LLC
Seller: Michelle A. Rosa
Date: 01/17/24

283 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Diane I. Habekost
Seller: Robert B. Toriani
Date: 01/09/24

63 Tina Lane
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Beatriz S. Rosario
Seller: Juan E. Lopez
Date: 01/19/24

BRIMFIELD

87 Lyman Barnes Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Fredap RT
Seller: Paul L. Dirosario
Date: 01/16/24

CHESTER

309 Route 20
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Apif-Massachusetts LLC
Seller: Dennis Forgea
Date: 01/10/24

CHICOPEE

49 Beverly St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Hector Y. Ortiz
Seller: Daniel J. Durand
Date: 01/19/24

9 Canal St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Daviau & Robert Properties LLC
Seller: You & Me Investment LLC
Date: 01/08/24

169 Casey Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Michelle A. Rosa
Seller: Martin J. Iwasinski
Date: 01/17/24

106 Clark St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Francisco J. Rosario
Seller: Rebecca A. Kessler
Date: 01/12/24

55 Columba St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Skyspec Holdings LLC
Seller: Victoria C. Daborowski
Date: 01/18/24

180 Crestwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $164,000
Buyer: Malia Homebuyers LLC
Seller: Odette A. Greenberg
Date: 01/12/24

4-6 Dale St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Ishika LLC
Seller: Helenes Variety Inc.
Date: 01/16/24

325 Dale St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Melanie Gray
Seller: Jeffrey Flowers
Date: 01/09/24

93 Davenport St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Zannie D. Mann
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 01/17/24

62 Dayton St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Matthew T. Baran
Seller: Roland A. Lavallee
Date: 01/12/24

68 Dunn St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: Leyna Boucher
Seller: Christos Tsandilas
Date: 01/09/24

13 Dwight Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Cheryl Moore
Seller: Joanne M. Cebula
Date: 01/18/24

23 Frontenac St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Cooper Dalton
Seller: Caplette, Donald B., (Estate)
Date: 01/11/24

1360 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Congamond Management LLC
Seller: Daniel R. Laflamme
Date: 01/17/24

64 Hampshire St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Moreau Real Investments Inc.
Seller: Burton B. Burger
Date: 01/17/24

46 Lachine St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: Daniel A. Rodriguez
Seller: Sean M. Livingstone
Date: 01/12/24

21 Leslie St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $366,000
Buyer: Cristal Rodriguez
Seller: Goulding-Huang Properties LP
Date: 01/16/24

51 Meeting House Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Angela Cole
Seller: Duval, Rosalie C., (Estate)
Date: 01/09/24

104 Newbury St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $168,750
Buyer: Marcel R. Lapierre
Seller: Marcel Lapierre
Date: 01/10/24

69 Polaski Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Christy A. Davis
Seller: Carolyn Wojcik
Date: 01/09/24

119 Prospect St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $367,500
Buyer: Dhaval Patel
Seller: Macmar LLC
Date: 01/17/24

5 Ridgewood Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: Raasean L. Antoine
Seller: Francis M. Disanti
Date: 01/16/24

148 Woodcrest Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Flowers
Seller: Donald L. Robitaille
Date: 01/09/24

EAST LONGMEADOW

13 Holy Cross Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Linda M. Shea
Seller: Niznik, Ann Marie, (Estate)
Date: 01/17/24

11 Meadow Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Tavernier Investments LLC
Seller: Blomfield, Jean, (Estate)
Date: 01/12/24

519 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $264,999
Buyer: Phan010314 LLC
Seller: Pozos, Dolores, (Estate)
Date: 01/19/24

HAMPDEN

66 Chapin Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $250,100
Buyer: Elaina M. Pos
Seller: Patricia L. Williford
Date: 01/08/24

386 Glendale Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Freddy Roy
Seller: Brian M. Webster
Date: 01/17/24

27 Kibbe Lane
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Gregory D. Hanson
Seller: Custom Home Development Group LLC
Date: 01/09/24

Wilbraham Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Bay Street LLC
Seller: Casey, Edith J., (Estate)
Date: 01/18/24

152 Wilbraham Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Bay Street LLC
Seller: Casey, Edith J., (Estate)
Date: 01/18/24

HOLLAND

77 Vinton Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $267,000
Buyer: Dan Mason
Seller: Kuzmeski, David C., (Estate)
Date: 01/11/24

HOLYOKE

11 Anderson Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jack M. Burch
Seller: Rachel M. Davini
Date: 01/19/24

384 High St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: WF Real Estate Holdings LLC
Seller: Msns Limited Co. LLC
Date: 01/17/24

324 Hillside Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Sonia E. Negroni
Date: 01/12/24

346-350 Maple St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Xiaoqian Gong
Seller: John Tansey
Date: 01/10/24

98 Lyman St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Andrea G. Plazas
Seller: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Date: 01/19/24

65 Norwood Ter.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Thomas E. Casartello
Seller: John J. Presto
Date: 01/12/24

257 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $357,500
Buyer: Gregorio Y. Chimbo
Seller: Behnam Roohi
Date: 01/10/24

204-206 Sargeant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Kelley Properties LLC
Seller: Foxy Properties LLC
Date: 01/17/24

60-62 Shawmut Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Liam O’Brien
Seller: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Date: 01/10/24

135 Sheehan Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: James M. Kennedy
Seller: Brittany Wajda
Date: 01/19/24

64 Waldo St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Casey Curtis
Seller: Feng Gao
Date: 01/17/24

187-189 West Franklin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Jeremy M. Dejesus
Seller: Frankstone Group LLC
Date: 01/10/24

LONGMEADOW

159 Bliss Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $263,653
Buyer: Mortgage Equity Conversion TR
Seller: Arlene D. Weitz
Date: 01/19/24

362 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Andrew J. Wise
Seller: Hang Lui
Date: 01/12/24

28 Hawthorne St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Vanessa Raster
Seller: Marilyn P. Pinto
Date: 01/12/24

110 Hopkins Place
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Chelsea E. Ferguson
Seller: Christen L. Brownlee
Date: 01/19/24

103 Laurel St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Connor C. Ostrander
Seller: Kelly Freeman
Date: 01/12/24

127 Nevins Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Joe Hawley
Seller: Linda M. Shea
Date: 01/17/24

16 Roseland Ter.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $248,000
Buyer: 620 Parker Street LLC
Seller: Richard A. Serafino
Date: 01/12/24

LUDLOW

51 Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $202,220
Buyer: Cathedral Of Life Inc.
Seller: Union Church Of Christ
Date: 01/16/24

150 Edgewood Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Allison M. Acerra
Seller: Meuse, Richard Michael, (Estate)
Date: 01/17/24

68 Letendre Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Jennifer Wright
Seller: Donald C. Snyder
Date: 01/11/24

Turning Leaf Road, Lot 96
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Tomasz Karas
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 01/18/24

173 West Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Owen M. Burke
Seller: Joseph S. Lyons
Date: 01/16/24

MONSON

30 Cedarhurst Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Kyle Garron
Seller: Hewinson, Bruce Earle, (Estate)
Date: 01/12/24

14 Hampden Court
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Franklin A. Centeno-Medina
Seller: Larry Desreuisseau
Date: 01/19/24

174 Palmer Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Patrick Donovan
Seller: Frank Hull
Date: 01/18/24

PALMER

1026 Chestnut St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Hayley M. Lawrence
Seller: Laurie A. Bessette
Date: 01/16/24

174 Chudy St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Janice M. Skura
Seller: Jessica Walker
Date: 01/16/24

5 Countryside Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Jeremy S. Hill
Seller: Luis A. Maldonado
Date: 01/17/24

1089 Pleasant St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: House Hack Helpers LLC
Seller: Wicked Deals LLC
Date: 01/17/24

410 Springfield St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Phillip C. Andlauer
Seller: Anthony M. Shea
Date: 01/16/24

SPRINGFIELD

44-46 Algonquin Place
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: Elizabeth G. Hernandez
Seller: Loraine Sopena
Date: 01/12/24

540 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Kyara E. Linares
Seller: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Date: 01/12/24

4 Ashbrook St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Justine Aljoe
Seller: Mathew A. Hathaway
Date: 01/19/24

1226 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Lavienjha Grier
Seller: Flebotte, Dorothy G., (Estate)
Date: 01/12/24

174-176 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Presley Williams
Seller: Christopher A. Serra
Date: 01/10/24

60 Braddock St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Stephen Eaton
Seller: Olga Bauman
Date: 01/11/24

43 Brookline Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Jaidys L. Troncoso
Seller: Michael Simmonds
Date: 01/16/24

25-27 Calhoun St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Dealexcell LLC
Seller: Chenevert Properties LLC
Date: 01/09/24

169 Carver St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: SH Properties LLC
Seller: Rocca, Roger Hugo, (Estate)
Date: 01/19/24

74-76 Clantoy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $469,000
Buyer: Massiel Rodriguez
Seller: Marcelo P. De Aguiar-Silva
Date: 01/10/24

89 Cliftwood St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Wicked Deals LLC
Seller: Spring Forth Properties LLC
Date: 01/19/24

91 College St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Miguel A. Narvaez
Seller: Yellowbrick Property LLC
Date: 01/19/24

265 Cooper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Marco R. Papallo
Seller: Maria Papallo
Date: 01/18/24

20 Crosby St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Abdi Kabir
Seller: Jjj17 LLC
Date: 01/11/24

77 Derryfield Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Philip M. Kiefer
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 01/19/24

127 Eastern Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Pedro A. Espinal Almonte
Seller: Ernesto Santos
Date: 01/18/24

140 Ellendale Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Roberto Rivera-Negron
Seller: Joy C. Crenshaw
Date: 01/17/24

144 Fenway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Nataliya Sevastyanova
Seller: Katherine Felix
Date: 01/16/24

10 Ferncliff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Joseph M. Santaniello
Seller: Richard D. Liasse
Date: 01/17/24

130 Fieldston St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Migdalia F. Rosa
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 01/08/24

31 Fitzgerald Road
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Walter A. Sanchez
Seller: Joshua Flores
Date: 01/10/24

101-103 Fountain St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Tac Diep
Seller: Wicked Deals LLC
Date: 01/11/24

89 Fox Hill Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Anthony N. Pellegrino
Seller: Eleanor S. Randall
Date: 01/18/24

89 Gatewood Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Jose A. Laboy
Seller: Diaz Properties LLC
Date: 01/08/24

39-41 Genesee St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Rama Alasmi
Seller: David Maynard
Date: 01/18/24

35 Gladstone St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Patricia A. Davis
Seller: Fu Q. Deng
Date: 01/12/24

17-19 Governor St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Silvia Lopez
Seller: Santana Real Estate Inc.
Date: 01/16/24

121 Hartford Ter.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Daniel Ferguson
Seller: Chelsea E. Ferguson
Date: 01/12/24

58 Kenwood Park
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Winnie F. Olivo
Seller: Marth-E LLC
Date: 01/12/24

4 Langdon St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Morgan Stanley
Seller: Pablo J. Paulino
Date: 01/12/24

15 Leete St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Marie-Rose L. Lamour
Seller: Rejuvenate Re LLC
Date: 01/17/24

17-21 Lockwood Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Luz C. Gonzalez
Seller: Jorge M. Ganhao
Date: 01/18/24

25 Manitoba St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Erica Dachinger
Seller: Campagnari Construction LLC
Date: 01/17/24

11 Mary St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Zuleika M. Figueroa
Seller: Cheryl A. Butler
Date: 01/08/24

14-16 Massachusetts Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Emmanuel Pinywah
Seller: Bert V. Wright
Date: 01/19/24

99 Milford St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Samantha A. Genao
Seller: Eich Estates Inc.
Date: 01/12/24

101 Miller St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $495,500
Buyer: Bernard Davis
Seller: Frank C. Salas
Date: 01/10/24

841 Newbury St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Richard J. Brasil
Seller: Mathias T. Anim
Date: 01/12/24

278 Newton Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Jacqueline Robles
Seller: James Coombs
Date: 01/18/24

344-348 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Mirzai 171 LLC
Seller: Vivenzio Brothers RT
Date: 01/19/24

63 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $239,701
Buyer: RCF 2 Acquisition TR
Seller: Martin K. Rzeznik
Date: 01/19/24

1638 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Christopher James
Seller: Mayra L. Quinones
Date: 01/19/24

203 Pheland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: SR Properties LLC
Seller: Clay K. Canning
Date: 01/17/24

278 Pheland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: James Fiore
Seller: Scavone, Claire M., (Estate)
Date: 01/17/24

35 Pine Hill Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Adhip Siwa
Seller: Liliya Sadovaya
Date: 01/11/24

945 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Uvalyn Davis
Seller: Barbara Wright
Date: 01/10/24

114 Shady Brook Lane
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: James P. Murray
Seller: High Ridge Real Estate LLC
Date: 01/16/24

268 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: 268 Shawmut St. RT
Seller: Jamie S. Kulas
Date: 01/11/24

1530-1534 State St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Sherlock Suban
Seller: Ramani Realty LLC
Date: 01/12/24

154 Sunrise Ter.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Eric A. Ruiz
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 01/19/24

145 Temby St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Pearwood LLC
Seller: Courageous Lion LLC
Date: 01/12/24

18-20 Wareham St.
Springfield, MA 02136
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Emmanuel Massenat
Seller: Uziel G. Da Silva
Date: 01/19/24

12-14 Waterford Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Veraina Diaz
Seller: TL Bretta Realty LLC
Date: 01/16/24

51 White Oak Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Lydia Touchette
Seller: Phuong M. Nguyen
Date: 01/17/24

52 Westbanks Court
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $352,500
Buyer: Jesus R. Hernandez
Seller: Anita S. Ross
Date: 01/10/24

163-171 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Mirzai 171 LLC
Seller: Vivenzio Brothers RT
Date: 01/19/24

523 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Wendy S. Solano
Seller: Frank Vazquez
Date: 01/08/24

76 Wilshire Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $281,900
Buyer: Sean Cavanaugh
Seller: Kayla Levreault
Date: 01/16/24

SOUTHWICK

43 College Hwy.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $338,000
Buyer: Bretta Ryan
Seller: Malia Homebuyers LLC
Date: 01/12/24

42 Depot St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $1,925,000
Buyer: Shri Hari Holdings LLC
Seller: Right Hand Clyde Real Estate LLC
Date: 01/19/24

TOLLAND

207 Lakeside Dr.
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Eric D. Salk
Seller: Edwin J. Hudson
Date: 01/10/24

WALES

61 Lake George Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Nathaniel W. Croke
Seller: Thomas J. Marshall
Date: 01/09/24

48 Main St.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Marron W. Smith
Seller: Wicked Deals LLC
Date: 01/10/24

227 Union Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Jacob Palmer
Seller: David A. Heck
Date: 01/19/24

WESTFIELD

4 Bates St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Skyspec LLC
Seller: No Limit Assets LLC
Date: 01/19/24

41 Camelot Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $810,000
Buyer: Aytekin Kuruca
Seller: Ronald I. Sullivan
Date: 01/11/24

1102 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: James Currie
Seller: Douglas M. Simone
Date: 01/18/24

39 Hillside Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Brandon Soto
Seller: Dawn M. Girroir
Date: 01/09/24

16 Malone Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Flipping Best LLC
Seller: Robert J. Eak
Date: 01/09/24

86 Montgomery St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Robin R. Sheldon
Seller: Jacqueline M. Coon
Date: 01/17/24

9 North Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Nancy Vander Veen
Seller: Brian E. Fanion
Date: 01/08/24

92 Pequot Point Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $580,000
Buyer: Sergey Stakhnyuk
Seller: Eduard Loboda
Date: 01/12/24

18 Pinehurst St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: John Dean
Seller: Vanessa Couture
Date: 01/17/24

12 Ridgeway Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Dawn M. Girroir
Seller: Gayle M. Kolodziej
Date: 01/09/24

Russellville Road, Lot 16
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Zack & Sons LLC
Seller: James O. Perry
Date: 01/11/24

Russellville Road, Lot 17
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Zack & Sons LLC
Seller: James O. Perry
Date: 01/11/24

265 Springdale Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: John F. Tuohey
Seller: David Racicot
Date: 01/12/24

64 Wildflower Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Joanne Kennedy
Seller: Robert Levesque
Date: 01/18/24

WILBRAHAM

1 Brookside Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Mikayla Harris
Seller: Kary Ft
Date: 01/10/24

2 Oakland St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Portia S. Bonner
Seller: Yaritza L. Robar
Date: 01/19/24

112 Sandalwood Dr., Lot 112
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $489,900
Buyer: Allen Bousquet
Seller: Ac Homebuilding LLC
Date: 11/17/23

7 Stonegate Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $549,900
Buyer: Arnab Saha
Seller: Rosemarie A. Szalai TR
Date: 01/18/24

144 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Yrvin Filsaime
Seller: Fyxer Up Properties LLC
Date: 01/09/24

WEST SPRINGFIELD

29 Church St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Vanessa L. Rodriguez
Seller: Alan N. Sharpe
Date: 01/16/24

52 Heritage Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Alexander J. Weiss
Seller: John P. Weiss
Date: 01/09/24

179 Nelson St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Kathleen R. Ferguson
Seller: Stephanie Galda
Date: 01/16/24

88 Spring St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Mhi Properties LLC
Seller: Sonia E. Steele
Date: 01/09/24

83 Upper Beverly Hills
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Laurel A. Tewes
Seller: David V. Brennan
Date: 01/09/24

65 Van Horn St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Gladys T. Kazalski
Seller: Michael T. Hahn
Date: 01/16/24

153 Verdugo St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Matthew C. Hastings
Seller: Judith B. Simpson
Date: 01/16/24

192 Wolcott Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Nicolas J. Carrier
Seller: Rice, Virginia I., (Estate)
Date: 01/12/24

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

1178 North Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $730,000
Buyer: Julie A. Green
Seller: Daniel P. Burbine
Date: 01/16/24

221 Northampton Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Michael M. Lee
Seller: Good Daves LLC
Date: 01/12/24

BELCHERTOWN

41 Dressel Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $245,905
Buyer: Lakeview Loan Servicing LLC
Seller: Gerard A. Provost
Date: 01/10/24

22 Munsell St., Lot 6
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $482,885
Buyer: Edward J. Cayo
Seller: M&G Land Development LLC
Date: 01/10/24

170 North St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $925,000
Buyer: Linda B. Lastoff
Seller: Jonathan J. Franz
Date: 01/08/24

183 Rhode Island Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $4,600,000
Buyer: Golf Blues LLC
Seller: Assawompsett Golf Company
Date: 01/11/24

11 Sunny Crest Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Kayla A. Busse
Seller: M&G Property Group LLC
Date: 01/19/24

161 Turkey Hill Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Laura I. Bourdeau
Seller: Doryn Kelly FT
Date: 01/19/24

EASTHAMPTON

1 Droy Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $381,900
Buyer: Madison C. Picard
Seller: Dominic O’Connell
Date: 01/19/24

6-12 Irving St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Christopher Thompson
Seller: Daniel S. Whiteley
Date: 01/12/24

10 Lawndale St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Hasan Comert
Seller: Carolyn W. Benson
Date: 01/19/24

278 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Ctna Construction LLC
Seller: Lawler Jr., William P., (Estate)
Date: 01/19/24

21 Paul St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $404,500
Buyer: Salah E. Khelfaoui
Seller: Robin Lariviere
Date: 01/11/24

17 Wright St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Emily S. Fuller
Seller: Williston Northampton School
Date: 01/12/24

CUMMINGTON

2 Lilac Ave.
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $769,000
Buyer: J. S. Bryant School Inc.
Seller: Jack E. Morse
Date: 01/12/24

GRANBY

147 Carver St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: Thomas P. Silva
Seller: Sabino D. Rebelo
Date: 01/12/24

95 Cold Hill Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Andrew T. Normand
Seller: Philip T. Braese
Date: 01/19/24

HADLEY

38 Huntington Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Jodi M. Hoover
Seller: Sharon L. Fetler
Date: 01/08/24

HATFIELD

56 Bridge St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Lizard Ii LLC
Seller: Labbee, Paul A., (Estate)
Date: 01/17/24

NORTHAMPTON

47 High St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $685,000
Buyer: Rachel Mazur
Seller: Healthy Neighborhoods Group LLC
Date: 01/10/24

47 Leonard St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Shannon L. Ryan
Seller: Joel & Mary Lee Emrick FT
Date: 01/12/24

49 Redford Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Thomas W. C. MacLachlan TR
Seller: Zoe R. Johnson
Date: 01/17/24

82 Redford Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Alison Schoen
Seller: Neal B. Vitalis LT
Date: 01/10/24

567 Sylvester Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Background Examine LLC
Seller: Nathan Moczulewski
Date: 01/12/24

PELHAM

179 North Valley Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $975,000
Buyer: J. & Martin Miller FT
Seller: Graves FT
Date: 01/17/24

PLAINFIELD

19 Broom St.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Roberta Wooldridge
Seller: Matthew A. Shippee
Date: 01/16/24

SOUTH HADLEY

299 East St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Eric Jimmo
Seller: Linda V. Swenson
Date: 01/17/24

Hadley St., Lot 12
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Philip G. Fortin
Seller: Jonathan P. Lizotte
Date: 01/19/24

41 High St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Hernandez
Seller: Marissa Montemagni
Date: 01/12/24

22 Jewett Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $232,400
Buyer: Vivlan Ostrowski
Seller: Anne L. Moore
Date: 01/08/24

65 Woodbridge Ter.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $672,000
Buyer: Linda Ross
Seller: Guy B. Berfield
Date: 01/19/24

SOUTHAMPTON

17 Pequot Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Tricia Kiefer
Seller: Rochelle D. Benoit
Date: 01/12/24

WARE

45 Greenwich Plains Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $355,800
Buyer: Debbra S. Hite-Forkey
Seller: John C. Soper
Date: 01/16/24

WESTHAMPTON

230 Northwest Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Christopher P. Rolin
Seller: Fumi Realty Inc.
Date: 01/19/24

WILLIAMSBURG

22 Village Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $711,300
Buyer: Eric G. Driver
Seller: Mary C. Paige
Date: 01/11/24

WORTHINGTON

5 West St.
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Peter N. Donatelli
Seller: Diane J. Bartlett
Date: 01/17/24

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of January 2024.

CHICOPEE

ARC FECPEMA001 LLC
140 Lonczak Dr.
$100,000 — Install new concrete pavement and dock door

Mark Germain
44 Arlington St.
$30,000 — Siding

Charles Sourmaidis
467 Memorial Dr.
$1,300,000 — Build new Golden Nozzle car wash

EASTHAMPTON

Easthampton Chamber of Commerce
33 Union St.
$398,457.70 — Demolish most interior walls, existing kitchen, bathroom and storage room, existing storefront, acoustic tile ceiling, and finishes; install new interior walls, paint, flooring, bathroom, skylights, facade

Wemelco Development LLC
19 Wemelco Way
$42,000 — Construct wood-framed vault in existing cannabis facility, install sprinklers and cooling system

HADLEY

8 Directions LLC
37 Lawrence Plain Road
N/A — Install roof-mounted photovoltaic system

E&A/I&G Campus Plaza LP
458 Russell St.
N/A — Interior alterations to existing retail space to divide space

Gulmohar Realty Corp.
237 Russell St.
N/A — Provide wet and dry sprinkler riser, backflow

Walter Wanczyk Jr.
180 Russell St.
N/A — Siding

LENOX

MRG CRW Holdings LLC
55 Lee Road
$15,000 — Replace tile for women’s and men’s saunas at Wyndhurst Club

NORTHAMPTON

The Brush Works LLC
221 Pine St.
$9,000 — Renovate Suite 140

Florence Casket Co.
16 Bardwell St.
$65,352 — Insulation and weatherization

Harmonic Rock Realty LLC
125 Pleasant St.
$9,700 — Illuminated roof sign for Notch 8 Grille

LHIC Inc.
34 North Maple St.
$260,000 — Sprinkler system

Matt & Nick LLC
199 Pine St.
$15,500 — Add three entry coverings

New England Remodeling General Contractors Inc.
64 North St.
$31,500 — Renovate rear unit

Nu-Way Homes Inc.
43 Summer St.
$59,000 — Demolish garage

Our Lady of the Hills
173 Main St.
$42,750 — Install ramp

Safe Journeys LLC
32 Vernon St.
$24,473 — Install roof-mounted solar system on house and accessory building with trench

Smith College
94 State St.
N/A — Phase-two renoation to bathrooms, elevator, fire alarm, and electrical

Town of Williamsburg
16 Main St.
$2,000 — Add noise silencer to vehicle exhaust-removal system

PITTSFIELD

Centro Bradley Berkshire Crossing LLC
555 Hubbard Ave., #1
$165,000 — Remove and replace floor slab and floor tile

RKE Realty LLC
100 West St.
$2,427 — Relocate five existing fire sprinklers

Daniel Soldato
73 South Church St.
$56,500 — Construct partition walls and doors to divide single tenant space into two spaces

SPRINGFIELD

401 Liberty Street LLC
165 Stafford St.
$74,500 — Modifications to existing office area for new layout on second floor of McCormick Allum building

Caring Health Center Inc.
1235 Boston Road
$85,000 — Commercial tenant fit-out of vacant interior space

Baystate Medical Center Inc.
759 Chestnut St.
$65,187 — Alter interior office space into new patient toilet room on ground floor of Wesson Building

FNBC Realty Corp., Olympia & York
1350 Main St.
$6,880 — Install egress door

New North Citizens Council Inc.
4 Birnie Ave.
$155,500 — Roofing and insulation

New Trinity Church of God in Christ
209 Quincy St.
$25,545 — Add insulation throughout

Raymond Fontaine, Industry Avenue Holdings LLC
66 Industry Ave.
$110,000 — Alter former storage area into four new offices at Greater Springfield Senior Services

 

BusinessTalk with Mill Town Capital CEO Tim Burke

By
Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest has launched a new podcast series, BusinessTalk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times.

Go HERE to view all episodes

Episode 200: February 12, 2024

Joe talks with Mill Town Capital CEO Tim Burke

Tim Burke
Real-estate investment with a purpose can be rewarding in more ways than just the bottom line. Just ask the team at Mill Town Capital in Pittsfield, which has invested in a wide array of projects aimed at rejuvenating local businesses, enhancing recreational amenities, and revitalizing key infrastructure. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Mill Town Capital CEO Tim Burke talks with BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar about his passion for his corner of the Berkshires and how the firm’s purposeful work is generating new life and new opportunities for businesses and residents alike. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.
 

Sponsored by:

Also Available On

Local Fitness-center Owners Aim to Keep Members Motivated

By Contributor
Steve Conca
Healthcare News Special Coverage

One Workout at a Time

By Emily Thurlow

Steve Conca

Steve Conca, owner of Conca Sport and Fitness

Between platefuls of coma-inducing turkey, complete with all the fixings, and palatable pies and pastries, it’s safe to say that many people are happy to see the hearty overindulgences of the 2023 holiday season firmly in the rear-view mirror.

For many, the start of the new year provides an opportunity to start out on the right foot, by developing better habits and establishing goals. Through myriad resolutions, one theme that tends to stand out year after year is health.

Notably, an October 2023 survey from Forbes Health/OnePoll revealed that 48% of U.S. adults say improving fitness is a top priority for them in 2024. Google Trends also released data showing that some of the top health-related searches in January include meal preparation, healthy meal ideas, and gym memberships.

And while some say they resolve to lose weight or improve their health in January, it often takes another month before they will deliver, said Danny Deane, who owns two local F45 Training franchises with his wife, Jessye.

“February is the number-one month in the fitness industry, with September being second,” he said. “In January, everybody starts to think about it, and then, by the time February rolls around, they’re really making good on their promise.”

Whether it’s during the winter doldrums or as the leaves begin to turn in the fall, local fitness studios and gyms continue to see positive gains in this post-pandemic climate — in both their business and their clients.

“I think people are realizing that putting an investment into themselves pays big dividends.”

“I think people are realizing that putting an investment into themselves pays big dividends,” said Steve Conca, owner of Conca Sport and Fitness in West Springfield.

During the pandemic, gyms and fitness centers were severely challenged by shutdowns and limitations on the amount of people in a space at any given time. For some, the impact was minimal. For others, it’s been rather extreme.

F45 Training

One key to success at gyms like F45 Training is accountability with a workout partner.

In fact, 25% of fitness studios and gyms have closed permanently since the onset of COVID-19, according the National Health & Fitness Alliance, an industry group.

However, Jon Davis, owner and performance director of Powerhouse Training in East Longmeadow, said business is “as good as it ever has been.”

Powerhouse Training, which Davis founded in 2010, offers sports-specific lessons for baseball and softball athletes as well as general performance training in speed, agility, strength, and mobility. The majority of his clientele includes athletes between age 8 and pro-rank levels.

Because Powerhouse Training provides more of a specialized kind of exercise regimen, Davis said he didn’t see the decline in attendance that many commercial gyms did. He said he’s also found that parents are valuing their children’s access to being physically active.

“I think a lot of parents realize the importance of having their kids get outside and socialize and stay active, for not only their physical health, but also their mental health,” he told BusinessWest. “Since we provide more of a specialized training, the kids really can’t train on their own, and they need assistance as well as special equipment, and they need a lot more space. So I think we were a necessity for them, which has certainly helped out.”

The group training, which involves youth athletes coming in two to three times a week, costs between $145 and $195 per month. Prices range between $50 and $90 for baseball lessons and $50 and $75 for fitness training.

 

Investing in Health

For the most part, Conca’s entire membership stuck with his gym. He expressed gratitude for the tight-knit community, or “family,” that is Conca Sport and Fitness, which first opened in 2009.

For months, all the personal training and small-group training was done outside. Unlike more recent weather patterns, the forecast remained relatively sunny, with little precipitation. And once the clouds of the pandemic restrictions cleared, he actually saw a slight resurgence.

“People are always going to want the newest, latest, and greatest thing — and, certainly, some of those innovations are really helpful — but honestly, I think learning good form and focusing on staying balanced, working mobility, and strength training will never get old.”

“I think it’s opened people’s eyes to realize, ‘I really wasn’t taking great care of myself,’ so it’s led them to want to invest in themselves,” he said. “Here, we call investing in yourself a health savings account. The more you can put in now, the more you can reap the benefits.”

In addition to personal training and group training, Conca Sport and Fitness also offers health nutrition and wellness coaching. Memberships range between $209 to $349 a month, with individual sessions ranging between $20 to $37.

“When people come here, they aren’t just going to bang out a few workouts, high-five, fist-bump, and ‘see ya later,’” he said. “It’s a whole process that includes teaching people how to take better care of themselves as they age.”

As for the Deanes, the couple, who opened their first gym, F45 Training Hampshire Meadows in Hadley in 2018, decided to open a second location in West Springfield in 2020.

“A lot of doors closed throughout the last couple years in the fitness world, but we are lucky enough to be on the other side of it and are actually above pre-COVID numbers at Hampshire Meadows,” Danny said. “We made it through.”

The 45 in F45 stands for 45 minutes of functional fitness, with sessions led by two personal trainers in a motivating team environment, said Jessye Deane, who is also executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and Regional Tourism Council.

F45 Training does not employ heavy equipment or machinery

F45 Training does not employ heavy equipment or machinery, but it does include the use of kettlebells, free weights, and body-weight-based movements.

“The goal is really functional fitness. It’s scalable and adaptable, so it fits every fitness level,” she said. “A lot of times, what we hear is that folks go to the gym and want to get healthier, want to be able to move better, and want to be able to feel better, but they don’t quite know how to work the machines or they don’t know what they’re doing, and they get hurt, or they get frustrated. And this is kind of the answer to that. All you have to do is walk through the door, and we will take it from there.”

Every day, the gym features a different workout. F45 Training does not incorporate heavy equipment or machinery, but it does include the use of kettlebells, free weights, and body-weight-based movements.

The workouts for the Australian-based franchise combine elements of high-intensity interval training, circuit training, and functional training. The West Springfield location also currently offers a free seven-day trial, and the Hadley location is offering a seven days for $7 offer.

Trends come and go, but according to the area gym owners BusinessWest spoke with, having a healthier lifestyle comes down to the basics.

“People are always going to want the newest, latest, and greatest thing — and, certainly, some of those innovations are really helpful — but honestly, I think learning good form and focusing on staying balanced, working mobility, and strength training will never get old,” Davis said. “I think those tend to produce the best results.”

Conca agreed, noting that, as people age, he explained, they lose strength, muscle mass and function.

“Father time just begins chipping away,” Conca said. “That’s why maintaining muscle mass and strength levels — the fundamentals — is super important. I’d argue that it’s more important than so-called cardio, because you can get a good cardiovascular response with some very good strength training.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, muscle mass decreases approximately 3% to 8% per decade after age 30. After age 60, the rate of decline is even higher.

While F45 workouts have the adaptability to pull in emerging trends, Jessye Deane emphasized that trends are not the mainstay of the gym.

“We want you to feel great now, and we want you to feel great in 20 years — that’s our motivator,” she said. “The focus of our programming is to make sure that we’re providing people the safest, most effective functional fitness workout they can have.”

One way F45 workouts tap into recent trends is through supersets, she added. A superset includes performing a set of two different exercises back to back with little to no rest in between. One example of this would be doing a set of 10 push-ups, followed immediately by pull-ups.

 

Sticking with It

Finding motivation to stick with any new habit can be difficult, of course. It can potentially be even harder when the only opportunity to dedicate time to fitness is before the sun rises or well after it sinks below the horizon. That time crunch, combined with inclement winter weather, can make someone want to shed their new goal before they even begin.

One way Conca and the Deanes have seen clients stick with their fitness routines is by not doing it alone.

“Accountability is key. Having a group of people that you’re excited to see every day helps,” Jessye Deane said, adding that her husband is her workout partner. “Danny is my accountability partner. He wakes me up every morning whether I want to or not.”

At Powerhouse, Davis coaches each athlete differently based on their personality. Some kids may require more positive affirmation to help build their confidence, while others require him to be blunt and upfront and tell them directly what they’re doing incorrectly.

“It’s getting to know these athletes — getting to know what they like, what they don’t like, what motivates them, and then trying to find out what makes them tick and make sure that, when it’s time to push, we know what button to push,” he explained.

Throughout his tenure, Davis has produced more than 100 All-Western Mass. high-school all-stars, 13 All-Americans at the high-school and collegiate levels, and three Western Mass. Players of the Year in football, baseball, and girls lacrosse. He’s also helped produce 10 Major League Baseball draft picks out of the high-school ranks, including Isan Díaz and Seamus Curran.

At Conca’s gym, motivational phrases festoon the walls, including quotes from famous folks ranging from Wayne Gretzky to Amelia Earhart. The gym also features a so-called ‘strong wall’ that includes one-word motivational phrases that clients create to help drive their personal success. At the time of this interview, Conca was still tinkering with the specifics of the acronym LIFT, with the goal of lifting others up.

For those looking to dip their toe into the fitness and exercise pool, Jessye Deane said anytime is a good time to start.

“There is nothing more important than your health,” she told BusinessWest. “Whether you’re working out at an F45 or you’re doing yoga or you’re visiting any of the wonderful studios in the Valley, we really want people just to feel better and be healthier.”

 

Picture This

By
Pictured: United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region Director of Development Holly Martineau (center) flanked by, from left, bankESB’s Gary Turku, Marge Prendergast, President and CEO Matthew Sosik, Jessica West, Dena Hall, and Bozena Dabek.
Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

 

United in Support

bankESB and its employees recently donated $50,000 to the United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region. Employees pledged nearly $23,000 of their own funds in the United Way workplace campaign, which was combined with the bank’s dollar-for-dollar match and additional corporate contribution.

Pictured: United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region Director of Development Holly Martineau (center) flanked by, from left, bankESB’s Gary Turku, Marge Prendergast, President and CEO Matthew Sosik, Jessica West, Dena Hall, and Bozena Dabek.

Pictured: United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region Director of Development Holly Martineau (center) flanked by, from left, bankESB’s Gary Turku, Marge Prendergast, President and CEO Matthew Sosik, Jessica West, Dena Hall, and Bozena Dabek.

 

 

International Partnerships

Hubert Benitez, president of American International College (AIC), took center stage at the sixth annual International Conference of the Occupational Therapy Assoc. of Morocco on Jan. 6 in Kenitra, Morocco. The conference recognized Benitez with the 2024 Leadership Excellence Award. In his keynote speech, titled “The Role of Higher Education Leadership in Creating Innovative, Entrepreneurial, Diverse, and Interdisciplinary Environments,” Benitez emphasized how international partnerships in higher education play a crucial role in bringing people from different countries and cultures together.

Hubert Benitez, president of American International College

Hubert Benitez, president of American International College

 

 

Distinctive Performance

Mercy Medical Center’s Family Life Center has been recognized by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts with a Blue Distinction Centers+ for Maternity Care designation, as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. To earn this designation, a facility must deliver quality care safely and cost-effectively. Designated facilities demonstrate higher-quality care compared to non-Blue Distinction Center facilities, with overall average rates of 26% fewer episiotomies, 60% fewer elective deliveries, and 17% fewer cesarean births, as well as an average savings of 21% for maternity care.

Mercy Medical Center’s Family Life Center

Mercy Medical Center’s Family Life Center has been recognized by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts with a Blue Distinction Centers+ for Maternity Care designation, as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program

Agenda

By
Agenda

40 Under Forty Nominations

Through Feb. 16: BusinessWest is currently accepting nominations for the 40 Under Forty class of 2023. The deadline for nominations is Friday, Feb. 16. Launched in 2007, the program recognizes rising stars in the four counties of Western Mass. Nominations, which should be as detailed and thorough as possible, should list an individual’s accomplishments within their profession as well as their work within the community. Nominations can be completed online at businesswest.com/40-under-forty-nomination-form. Nominations will be weighed by a panel of judges, and the selected individuals will be announced and profiled in the April 29 issue of BusinessWest and honored at the 40 Under Forty Gala in June. Event sponsorship opportunities are available.

 

Employment-law Breakfast

Feb. 15: Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. will host a breakfast briefing from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel in Springfield. Attorneys from the firm will discuss strategies for defending and avoiding costly wage-and-hour lawsuits. The briefing, titled “Wage and Hour Law Update: Navigating 2024 and Beyond,” will highlight recent significant state and federal cases involving wage-and-hour issues; the proposed salary increase to the ‘white-collar’ overtime exemption minimum salary threshold and the impact of the proposed changes; common mistakes by employers; and suggested action steps for businesses, including the use of arbitration agreements. The cost for the briefing is $35 per person, which includes a continental breakfast and parking. For more information or to register, email [email protected] with the attendee’s name and company.

 

Western Mass Runners Hall of Fame Induction

March 8: The Western Mass Runners Hall of Fame (WMRHoF) board of directors announced the inductees of the third class. Since its inception, the WMRHoF has celebrated outstanding contributors to the running community, with its first class inducted in 2020 and the second in 2022. The third class inductees are Ric Bourie, Mary Cobb, Howard Drew, Sue Haryasz, Rich Larsen, Nicole McGilpin, Bob Neil, Bill Romito, Ed Sandifer, and John Stifler. In addition to these distinguished individuals, the charity organization Griffin’s Friends, which has supported children with cancer and their families for decades in the Springfield area by running and raising funds, will be inducted. Also, Neal Lamberton, a runner who has volunteered his time to the running community for years, will receive the Brian Goddu Volunteer of the Year Award, founded in memory of Goddu, a founding board member of the Western Mass Runners Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. at the Holyoke Elks Lodge. The guest speaker will be Bob Hodge, third-place finisher in the 1979 Boston Marathon, multiple Mount Washington Road Race champion, 40-year course record holder on the DH Jones/Amherst 10 Mile Course, and author of Tale of the Times. Tickets for the dinner and ceremony are priced at $20 and are available for purchase at www.runreg.com/w-mass-runners-hall-of-fame-induction-banquet. For those unable to attend but wishing to support the WMRHoF mission, donations are welcome via the RunReg website.

 

Women’s Leadership Conference

April 4: Bay Path University announced that real-estate legend, investor, best-selling author, entrepreneur, producer, and Shark Tank shark Barbara Corcoran will be the keynote speaker at the 27th Women’s Leadership Conference (WLC), taking place at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. Corcoran has been an investor/shark on ABC’s four-time Emmy award-winning show Shark Tank for 10 seasons, investing in more than 80 businesses to date. She chronicled her rise from waiting tables in a New York diner to heading a $5 billion real-estate company in her bestselling book, Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business! She’ll bring her personal brand of no-nonsense wisdom and supportive advice to the more than 1,600 attendees who are expected to attend this year’s WLC. The WLC will also feature lunchtime speaker Amy Purdy, a three-time Paralympic medalist in snowboarding for Team USA. Throughout her life, Purdy has taken on obstacles and broken through, making her way into the upper echelons of athletics, onto the dance floor of Dancing with the Stars, and onto the New York Times bestseller list as the author of On My Own Two Feet: From Losing My Legs to Learning the Dance of Life. She co-founded Adaptive Action Sports for athletes with disabilities and is the host of the critically acclaimed podcast Bouncing Forward! Her work has led her to be labeled a “hero” by Oprah Winfrey and has made her one of the most in-demand motivational and corporate speakers on the globe. This year’s conference will also feature breakout sessions led by business experts and authors, including Yvonne Camus, the former COO of SPINCO, Canada’s largest indoor cycling brand and the only female to outperform the Navy Seals in the multi-terrain adventure race known as Eco-Challenge. In addition, the WLC will welcome Sylvia Baffour, an author, podcast host, and emotional-intelligence coach recently ranked by HubSpot among the top 15 female motivational speakers. Additional keynote and breakout session speakers will be announced soon. For further information on the 2024 conference, sponsorship information, and ticket sales, visit baypath.edu/wlc.

 

Difference Makers 

April 10: The 16th annual Difference Makers Gala will be held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Since 2009, BusinessWest has been recognizing the work of individuals, groups, businesses, and institutions through this recognition program. The 2024 Difference Makers will be profiled in the Feb. 19 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com. Tickets go on sale Feb. 15. Burkhart, Pizzanelli, P.C., the Royal Law Firm, and TommyCar Auto Group are partner sponsors of Difference Makers this year.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Kimberly Howarth

Kimberly Howarth

Jenna Roux

Jenna Roux

The certified public accounting firm Burkhart, Pizzanelli, P.C. announced two recent additions to its professional team. Kimberly Howarth, CPA received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bryant University in 2005 and a master’s degree in accounting from Western New England University in 2007. Her prior experience includes the position of senior accountant specializing in tax preparation. She has vast experience in preparing and reviewing tax returns. In addition to working with small and mid-sized businesses to fulfill their accounting, payroll, and tax-preparation needs, she has significant experience preparing individual and trust returns, as well as probate accounting. Jenna Roux, CPA received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Central Connecticut State University in 2012 and her master of taxation degree from University of Hartford in 2015. Her previous experience includes the position of senior accountant focusing on multi-state corporate, partnership, individual, and nonprofit income-tax returns. In addition, she has expertise in real-estate accounting practices, as well as functioning as an ‘outsourced CFO’ providing strategic consulting and support of daily financial activities.

•••••

Frank Colaccino

Frank Colaccino

Samalid Hogan

The Springfield Rotary Club presented Frank Colaccino and Samalid Hogan with Paul Harris Awards on Jan. 25 at the Student Prince Restaurant in Springfield. Colaccino, founder and president of the Colvest Group, earned a Paul Harris Award in recognition of years of outstanding service to the Springfield community and to the Rotary Club. In addition to his service and contributions to JGS Lifecare and American International College, for over 13 years Colaccino has chaired the Service Above Self Luncheon at the Basketball Hall of Fame. This event brings together more than 300 attendees from the Greater Springfield business community for a luncheon on Center Court at the Basketball Hall of Fame. The Service Above Self luncheon recognizes the charitable work of local and national honorees. Through Colaccino’s leadership, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised for the Basketball Hall of Fame and for Rotary grants that have been awarded to local charities. Hogan, CEO and principal consultant at Greylock Management Consulting, is the immediate past president of Springfield Rotary and its first Latina president. Under her leadership, Springfield Rotary started a corporate membership program, collaborated with Dress for Success to develop a long-term investment program for women entering the workforce, and created a Service Day with Habitat for Humanity. Her dynamic and cheerful leadership made her presidency a banner year for Springfield Rotary. Hogan’s service to her community includes board participation on the Governor’s Latino Empowerment Council, Tech Foundry, and the board of trustees of Springfield Technical Community College.

•••••

MP CPAs recently announced the promotion of Amanda LaBonte and Jack LaBranche to senior associates at the firm. LaBonte has experience managing tax filings for high-net-worth individuals, partnerships, limited-liability companies, corporations, trusts, and estates. She also maintains the firm’s social-media presence and website maintenance. She joined the firm in August 2020. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and marketing and a master’s degree in accounting from Elms College. She sits on the Chicopee High School advisory board and works as a mentor and accounting advocate in the Springfield and Chicopee areas. She has also worked as a panelist on the business accounting panel at Elms College, where she answered questions from students and provided valuable industry insights. She belongs to the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield and frequently attends networking events in the area. LaBranche provides consulting and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients, including individuals, partnerships, limited-liability companies, corporations, and trusts. He specializes in working with high-net-worth clients and with private equity firms and their owners. He joined the firm in 2020 as an intern and transitioned to full-time upon his graduation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Western New England University. He is active in the community as a part-time coach for West Springfield sports teams and a volunteer at a local soup kitchen, and was a past chairperson of the social action committee at MP CPAs, helping raise money for various local charities.

•••••

Brooke Williams

Brooke Williams

Matt Baran

MP CPAs also announced the promotions of Brooke Williams to audit manager and Matt Baran to tax manager. Williams manages audits, reviews, and compilations for small to medium-sized businesses. She also manages audits of Massachusetts charter schools (governmental entities), nonprofit organizations (including yellow book and single audits), and employee benefit plans. She joined the firm in 2019 and has more than five years of experience in public accounting. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and economics and a master’s degree in accounting from Westfield State University. She is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants. She takes an active role in the local community by participating in various community fundraising and networking events. Baran provides consulting and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients, including individuals, partnerships, corporations, and trusts. He specializes in working with high-net-worth clients and with private-equity firms and their owners. He joined the firm in 2018 as an intern and started full-time later that year. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in accounting and taxation from UMass Amherst. He remains involved in recruiting and mentorship efforts with the university.

•••••

 

Bulkley Richardson announced that Stephen Holstrom and Lauren Ostberg were promoted to partner, effective Jan. 1. Holstrom is a general practice litigator with a focus on medical-malpractice defense. In addition to medical-malpractice cases, he has litigated complex tort actions, commercial disputes, insurance cases, complex class actions, and education cases. Ostberg, a key member of Bulkley Richardson’s intellectual property and technology and cybersecurity practice groups, also maintains a diverse commercial-litigation practice.

•••••

Natalia Blank

Natalia Blank

Bay Path University announced that Natalia Blank has been elected to serve as vice president for Academic Affairs, which was effective Jan. 2. Blank will serve on the executive leadership team and work across all divisions at the university. In her role, she will articulate a clear and compelling vision for the academic enterprise that builds on Bay Path’s innovative approach to higher education, marshals the collective talents of faculty and staff in an environment of collegiality and cooperation, and use data-driven decision making and strategic thinking to optimize the student experience, from access through successful completion, as well as the academic operations of the university. After a national search, Blank comes to Bay Path from D’Youville University in Buffalo, N.Y., where she served as vice president for Academic Affairs. She joins the leadership team with nearly 20 years working in university administrative roles, including associate provost for Academic Affairs and Assessment at Norwich University in Vermont. For more than 20 years, Blank has served in various roles on both the faculty and administrative side in education. As a teacher-scholar, she has been the author of numerous publications, earned several awards and honors for teaching excellence, and has received multiple grants in support of student and faculty research. She received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Nizhegorod State University in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia, and went on to receive her doctorate in organic/organometallic chemistry from Dartmouth College.

•••••

Gabrielle Gould, executive director of the Amherst Business Improvement District (BID) and the Downtown Amherst Foundation (DAF), announced she will be stepping down from her position at the BID to form a consulting business. She will continue in a leadership capacity for the DAF and its management of the Drake, the live performance venue in downtown Amherst. Her final day at the BID will be Feb. 22. Appointed executive director in August 2019, Gould’s four-plus years at the helm of the organization have been filled with notable successes, including strengthening the BID’s relationship with town government and institutional partners, teaming with the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce on COVID relief for small businesses, producing signature downtown events like the Sip & Shop Stroll and Makers Market holiday event and Fire & Ice, and conceiving and launching the Drake, the downtown’s first-ever live performance venue. In recognition of their efforts, Gould and Claudia Pazmany, the chamber’s executive director, were named Difference Makers by BusinessWest in 2023. A search for Gould’s successor will commence in the coming weeks.

•••••

Devin Kindred

Devin Kindred

American International College (AIC) announced the appointment of Devin Kindred as director of Residence Life and Student Conduct. This appointment reflects the college’s recognition of Kindred’s commitment to delivering an exceptional student experience. In this new role, he will oversee residence education, student conduct, and housing operations at AIC. Serving as the chief housing officer for the college, he will manage the daily functions of the residence halls, supervise the professional live-in hall staff, and administer the student-conduct process. His responsibilities encompass providing support to professional and paraprofessional staff to foster a supportive living environment and maintaining a code of conduct that prioritizes the well-being and success of all students. Before assuming his new position, Kindred served as AIC’s assistant director for Residential and Commuter Student Living, managing housing operations and commuter-student relations. In addition to this role, he facilitated the Safe Zone – LGBTQ+ education series presented to more than 50 faculty and staff on campus. Before joining AIC, Kindred held positions as a residence-hall director at Sacred Heart University and residence director at Stonehill College. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in human resource management from Western New England University, and later attained his master of education in higher education leadership from Endicott College.

•••••

Country Bank announced the recent promotions of five key team members who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and expertise in their respective roles. These promotions reflect the bank’s commitment to recognizing and developing talent within the organization. Shane Elder has been promoted to first vice president, Business Banking team lead. With more than 11 years of experience in commercial lending and eight years in commercial-lending management, he has proven himself as a valuable asset to the Business Banking department. In addition to his role as team leader, he also oversees the Cash Management Sales department. Brett LoCicero has been promoted to first vice president, Facilities and Security. With seven years of service to the bank, his expertise in managing facilities and security operations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Nichols College and is pursuing his PMP (project management professional) certification. Justin Calheno has been promoted to vice president, Retail Lending Business Development officer. With 20 years of lending experience, including the last seven years with Country Bank, he brings a wealth of knowledge to his role. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Westfield State University and is currently attending the American Banker Assoc. Stonier Graduate School of Banking. Antonio Palano has been promoted to vice president, Retail Lending. His 15-year tenure at Country Bank showcases his commitment and dedication to the organization. Having progressed through various roles, he currently manages the Retail Lending Servicing and Operations departments. He holds an associate degree in business administration from Springfield Technical Community College and is a 2023 graduate of New England School of Financial Studies. Cuc Nguyen has been promoted to Retail Banking officer of the Paxton Banking Center. With more than 16 years of banking experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her new role. Her previous experience at Commerce Bank, Berkshire Bank, and DCU has equipped her with a deep understanding of front-line management and customer satisfaction. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from Southern New Hampshire University.

•••••

Sarah Morgan

Sarah Morgan

Shawn Thamert

Shawn Thamert

Health New England announced the recent appointment of two vice presidents: Sarah Morgan, vice president of Human Resources, and Shawn Thamert, vice president of Sales and chief growth officer. Morgan has been promoted from within the organization, where she had been serving as director of Human Resources since 2021. In her new role as vice president of Human Resources, she leads and oversees Health New England’s human-capital and organizational-development operations, ensuring that business strategies, plans, and initiatives are developed and implemented in compliance with governing regulations, internal policies, and procedures. She is also responsible for identifying and implementing long-range strategic talent management goals. Morgan joined Health New England in 2019 as assistant general counsel. She was previously a litigation associate at Bulkley Richardson in Springfield. Morgan is a graduate of UMass Amherst and earned her juris doctor degree from the Western New England University School of Law. She is currently a master’s-degree candidate in diversity, equity, inclusion & justice leadership at Tufts University. As vice president, Thamert is responsible for the strategic direction, leadership, and oversight for all sales, product-development, and marketing programs, including the Medicare line of business. He is also responsible for Health New England’s partnerships with brokers, employer groups, and community nonprofit organizations. Thamert joined Health New England as interim vice president, Sales and Marketing, in February 2023. Since then, he has focused on strategic membership growth across all lines of business. He has nearly 25 years of healthcare leadership experience, including as vice president, Market Development for Commonwealth Care Alliance, as well as senior sales positions with MultiPlan, Geisinger Health System, Jackson Health System, Humana, Highmark, and Coventry. He received his bachelor’s degree from Penn State University.

•••••

Victor Rodriguez Sr

Victor Rodriguez Sr

Greenfield Cooperative Bank (GCB) announced the appointment of Victor Rodriguez Sr. as assistant vice president, mortgage loan officer. In this role, he intends to leverage his extensive experience and expertise to guide borrowers through the homeownership journey with personalized care and local market knowledge. He will be based at the bank’s South Hadley branch. Rodriguez brings more than 20 years of banking experience. Throughout his career, he has earned accolades such as the 2022 Realtor Affiliate of the Year from the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley. Rodriguez’s passion for mortgage lending extends beyond client transactions, as evidenced by his recent role as a guest speaker at the NEFMA fall conference, where he presented on the topic “Opportunities Await: Developing a Diverse Mortgage Customer Source.”

•••••

Peter Ruffini was installed as the 2024 president of the Realtor Assooc. of Pioneer Valley (RAPV), a nonprofit trade association with more than 1,800 members. The 108th annual installation of officers and directors was held on Jan. 11 at Twin Hills Country Club in Longmeadow. A Realtor since 1996, Ruffini is the broker/owner of RE/MAX Connections and has made a long-term commitment to RAPV and the Realtor family. Since 2021, he has served on the local board of directors at RAPV, including as secretary in 2022 and treasurer in 2023. He is involved in several committees at the association, including the government affairs, mediator & ombudsman, professional standards, bylaws & policy task force, and finance. The RAPV named him Realtor of the Year in 2015 and 2021. Ruffini served as president of the Massachusetts Assoc. of Realtors (MAR) in 2014. In addition to serving in leadership, he has been a member of the MAR board of directors since 2006. He received the MAR Private Property Rights Award in 2019 and the MAR Milton H. Shaw Distinguished Service Award in 2020. He also currently serves as chair of the Massachusetts Board of Registration for Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons and holds 11 professional designations and certifications.

•••••

Ashley Swett

Ashley Swett

Florence Bank recently announced that Ashley Swett has been named manager of the bank’s Customer Service Center at the main office in Florence. In her new role, she will oversee the staff responsible for assisting Florence Bank customers who contact the bank via telephone or email. Swett has 16 years of industry experience and is a graduate of the New England School of Financial Studies. She holds a certificate in supervision from the Center for Financial Training. Active in the community, Swett is currently a member of the Holiday Flair in Ware, where she enjoys the annual festival and parade.

•••••

Braman Termite & Pest Elimination announced the promotion of John McCarthy from account manager to sales director. In his new role, McCarthy is directly responsible for leading and developing Braman’s sales team while cultivating customer relationships for long-term customer satisfaction and growth. This includes developing long-range sales goals and objectives, as well as sales plans and tactics to meet and exceed those goals. McCarthy joined the Braman team in 2022 with 22 years of experience in a variety of leadership roles within the pest-control industry, including sales and service manager, branch manager, and district manager. He is a member of the National Pest Management Assoc.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

Fuss & O’Neill Announces Partnership with Trilon Group

SPRINGFIELD — Civil and environmental engineering firm Fuss & O’Neill announced a strategic partnership with Trilon Group, a family of infrastructure consulting businesses. The partnership gives Fuss & O’Neill additional capital and resources to expand its services and markets in the Northeast, while better serving its clients. Founded in 1924, Fuss & O’Neill is a leading provider of engineering services, with offices in each New England state and New York. Fuss & O’Neill was selected by Trilon Group to be a part of the company’s vision to build the next top-10 design firm in North America. Trilon will support Fuss & O’Neill to accelerate the growth and careers of its employees with additional investment in talent, technology, and targeted mergers and acquisitions.

 

Easthampton Announces Business Grant Winners

EASTHAMPTON — The City of Easthampton announced that five local businesses have been awarded business grants as part of the 2023 Business Census, launched earlier this year. The five winners were randomly selected out of the 66 survey respondents. The $1,000 business grant winner is Yarn Dragon’s Basket. The $500 business grant winners are Beautiful Gardens, Jude Ribisi, Klituscope Films, and Staying in Balance Acupuncture. In partnership with both the Chamber of Greater Easthampton and Blueprint Easthampton, the city launched the 2023 Business Census, a comprehensive survey for business owners, innovators, and entrepreneurs in the community. This effort was made possible by participation in the National League of Cities’ City Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE) program, the fourth that Easthampton has been a part of. Through support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the CIE program is a National League of Cities initiative that asks city leaders to commit to an inclusive economic-development policy, program, or practice over the course of one year.

 

Hyundai Hope on Wheels Gives $20,000 to Two Nonprofits

HOLYOKE — During a check presentation on Jan. 25 at Gary Rome Hyundai, Hyundai Hope on Wheels made two donations: $10,000 to LukeStronger Inc. of South Hadley and $10,000 to Each Moment We’re Alive of West Springfield. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope on Wheels is one of the longest-running corporate social-responsibility efforts in the automotive industry. In honor of its 25th anniversary, it announced plans to award $25 million in research grants this year, its largest donation in a single year, bringing its total giving to $225 million since its inception. Each Moment We’re Alive was launched by Sheridan Murphy in 2015 after her second bout with breast cancer. She then realized that reaching out, rather than blocking out, was the best chance for survival. Since then, she has helped organize support groups and workshops with a focus on emotional and spiritual health. Sheridan has since expanded her network to help families with all types of cancer, including pediatric cancer. LukeStronger Inc. is a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing assistance to local families dealing with pediatric cancer so that parents can spend time with their children. LukeStronger originated when Luke Bradley, a then 10-year-old boy from South Hadley, relapsed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Local residents rallied to support his family with, among other things, a benefit golf tournament. Complications and another unforeseen relapse kept Luke at Boston Children’s Hospital for 15 months. He underwent a bone-marrow transplant in December 2017 and is doing well today. Bradley’s family created a nonprofit to help other families by continuing the golf-tournament tradition. In its short history, LukeStronger has helped seven local families fill the income gap caused by pediatric cancer.

 

Dietz Supports Nonprofits with ‘Spread the Cheer’ Campaign

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Dietz & Company Architects recently held its annual “Spread the Cheer” holiday campaign with a $2,500 top prize donation. Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) won it with nearly 25% of the total votes. The “Spread the Cheer” holiday campaign began in 2017 in an effort to be more environmentally conscious by not sending out paper holiday cards, but rather raise awareness for all the work local nonprofits do. During the nine-day campaign, 18 local organizations were selected to be included in the event. Voters used a SurveyMonkey link to access the poll and choose an organization they felt was deserving of a share of a $5,000 prize. The organization that received the most votes received $2,500. Second place won $1,500, and third place received $1,000. The International Language Institute of Massachusetts won second place with 22% of the votes, and Dakin Humane Society came in third with 19% of the votes. The remaining 15 organizations received $100 each.

 

Breeze Airways Launches Service to Cincinnati, San Diego

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The Connecticut Airport Authority announced that low-cost carrier Breeze Airways will be launching non-stop summer seasonal service between Bradley International Airport and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The flight will operate on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, starting May 2. Additionally, Breeze will offer daily summer seasonal service between Bradley and San Diego International Airport, starting May 1. The flight will be part of the airline’s BreezeThru service, which includes one stop, but passengers do not have to change planes. The announcement follows recent news of the airline’s plans to launch service between BDL and Orlando, Fla. and Santa Ana, Calif. in May. Breeze currently flies nonstop between Bradley and Charleston, S.C.; Columbus, Ohio; Fort Myers, Fla.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Las Vegas; New Orleans; Phoenix; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; Sarasota, Fla.; Tampa, Fla.; and Vero Beach, Fla.

 

Greenfield Cooperative Bank Supports Empty Arms Bereavement

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Cooperative Bank announced that its nomination of Empty Arms Bereavement, an organization offering compassionate support to families experiencing pregnancy or infant loss, has resulted in a $5,000 grant from the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. (MBA) Community Service Grant Program. “Empty Arms’ dedication to supporting families during some of life’s most difficult moments resonates deeply with our commitment to community service,” said Tony Worden, president and CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank. This year, the MBA Charitable Foundation awarded 41 grants, totaling $152,500, to nonprofit organizations across the state. Empty Arms’ dedication to grieving families stood out among the many nominations, earning it this vital funding.

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.

CHICOPEE

Maza Market Inc., 1875 Memorial Dr., Chicopee, MA 01020. Mohammed Mehdi, 125 Cambridge Park Dr., Suite 301, Cambridge, MA 02140. Convenience store.

EAST LONGMEADOW

RC Rockstar Inc., 10 Hidden Ponds Dr., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Casey Roncalli, same. Herbalife sales.

FEEDING HILLS

Deca Euro Windows & Doors Inc., 411 North Westfield St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Uladzimir Mamentau, same. Manufacturing of UPVC windows and sliding doors.

HAMPDEN

Front Runner Medical Corp., 40 Thresher Road, Hampden, MA 01036. Ryan Frangie, same. Sales in consulting services.

LEE

LPH Holdco Inc., 18 Run Way, Lee, MA 01238. Timothy Leprevost Sr., 670 Stockbridge Road, Lee, MA 01238. Holding company.

MONTAGUE

Z and K Estate Inc., 46 Randall Wood Dr., Montague, MA 01351. Zaharia Nichita, same. Real-estate services.

NORTHAMPTON

The New England Visionary Artists Museum Inc., 518 Pleasant St., Northampton, MA 01060. Michael Tillyer, same. Corporation established to educate the public about and increase public awareness of the artistic and cultural resources of New England and to support and expand the creative careers of artists in New England in order to contribute to the cultural richness of the region and beyond.

PITTSFIELD

Funtastic Party Rentals Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Giovanni Nardella, same. Event rentals.

The One America Movement, 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Andrew Hanauer, 1717 North Street NW, Suite 1, Washington, D.C. 20036. Nonprofit corporation organized exclusively for charitable purposes such as making distributions to other similar organizations.

One Vision Media Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Anthony Adamick, same. Media, digital content, and event production.

SPRINGFIELD

Amazing Dental P.C., 1795 Main St., Suite 203, Springfield, MA 01103. Dr. Rekha Joshi, same. Dental practice.

Kidney Care Alliance Inc., 1690 Boston Road, Suite 1072, Springfield, MA 01129. Jerome Westbrook, same. Nonprofit organization established to promote awareness, education, and support for individuals affected by kidney failure.

Oliveira & Oliveira General Contractor Corp., 835 Belmont Ave., Springfield, MA 01108. Agenildo Freitas de Oliveira, same. Home improvement and remodeling.

WESTFIELD

Mill River Slab Works Inc., 16 Ponders Hollow Road, Westfield, MA 01086. Lawrence Lashway II, 22 Main St., Williamsburg, MA 01096. Retail and wholesale sales of wood-slab products.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Lakshmi Bhula Inc., 379 Riverdale Road, West Springfield, MA 01089. Amish Patel, 7 Pendleton Lane, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Motel.

WILBRAHAM

OM West Yarmouth Mobil Inc., 5 Patriot Ridge Lane, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Falguniben Patel, same. Operation of one or more motor-vehicle gasoline and service stations, selling gasoline, oil and sundries/convenience items; making repairs to motor vehicles; and performing allied services.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of January 2023.

BELCHERTOWN

Cynders Designs
36 Bay Path Road
Cyndy Gillen

GREAT BARRINGTON

Admission Possible
292 Main St., #16
William Short

APK Stoneworks
3 Forrest St.
Andrew Kay

Better Call Ben
54 Dresser Ave.
Benjamin Schmolze

Berkshire Food Co-op
34 Bridge St.
Jessica Bosworth

CVS Pharmacy #8970
362 Main St., Suite 2
CVS Pharmacy Inc.

Dare Bottleshop & Provisions
28 Railroad St.
Mary Daire

Evergreen
291 Main St.
Barbara Watkins

Fuel
293 Main St.
Elan Merkel

J.C. Garden Landscaping Services & More
23 Mechanic St.
Jorge Cedeno

Karen Lindstrom
40 Everett St.
Karen Lindstrom

Lucy’s Rendezvous
268 Main St., Suites B-C
Joad Bowman

National Grid
927 Main St.
Massachusetts Electric Co.

Sea Jay’s
29 Hart St.
Carole Randorf

HADLEY

Bilodeau Automation
148 Mt. Warner Road
David Bilodeau

Fleetwood Environmental Solutions
84 Russell St.
David Cameron

Hartsbrook Farm
291 Bay Rpad
Arthur West

Keep It Movin’
122 West St.
Shannon Bazluke

Lucky Moon Photography
54 Bay Road
David Pikul

Starbucks 22118
344 Russell St.
Starbucks Corp.

HOLYOKE

3 Brothers Auto Sales & Repair
522 Maple St.
Maple Street Sales Corp.

AE Outfitters Retail Co.
50 Holyoke St.
AE Outfitters Retail Co.

David Alger Consulting
1 Deer Run
David Alger

Gallagher Real Estate
1767 Northampton St.
Paul Gallagher

Highland Non Stop Cuts
1375 Dwight St.
Ruben Rodriguez

Illusion Auto Sales
64 Clemente St.
Ismael Ramos

Los Supreme Latin Cuisine
50 Holyoke St.
Marielys Rosado Torres

Monsoon Bistro
50 Holyoke St.
Jin Rong Zhang

Real Dry Waterproofing
137 Dupuis Road
Stephen Wall

Reyes Income Tax and Bookkeeping
2257 Northampton St.
Enrique Reyes

Your Birth Coven
425 Southampton Road
Elissa Carney

WESTFIELD

Armbrook Village Senior Living
551 North Road
Sheila Hebda

The Dance Dad Mafia Inc.
140 Miller St.
Nathan Barnard

Drop Pack and Ship
51 Southwick Road
Sigmund Chimel Barnes

DVP Renovations LLC
48 Taylor Ave.
Dmitriy Pyatachenko

Elevating Retail LLC
16 Angelica Dr.
Paul Ruccio

Elle’s BNB
191 Montgomery Road
Ellen Trapp

EZ Mart Westfield
82 Franklin St.
Zahid Hussain

Forest Doe Botanicals
6 King St.
Kathie Forest

Great Deal Resale
36 Sabrina Brook Lane
William Folsom

Inner Peace Outer Balance
77 Mill St.
Jenniffer Judd

J&V Realty
37 Meadow St.
Joseph Bonkowski

K&K Trucking and Auto
44 Forest Ave.
Kenneth Garrett

Karrie Welch Makeup
467 Springdale Road
Karen Welch

Kat Kattler Photography
48 Elm St., Suite 2
Katherine Kattler Miklasiewicz

Loujean Inc.
918 Southampton Road
Greener Future Solutions LLC

L. Shut Tax Preparation
174 Root Road
Lyudmila Shut

 

Planet Fitness – Keystone NFP Westfield
93A Springfield St.
Sam Giannelli

Salon West – Pignatare Enterprises
43 Southwick Road
Adina Pignatare

Valison Construction
12 Bush St.
Valentin Solokhin

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Cameron, Lucretia
48 Champlain St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/23/2023

Del Valle, Javier
43 Dana St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/18/2023

DiLuzio, Lisa L.
12 Allman Dr.
Chester, MA 01011
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/30/2023

Foster, James H.
59 Ashley Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/18/2023

Fregeau, William Cole
Fregeau, Janice Virginia
416 Main St., Unit 301
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/18/2023

Grechel, Melanie K.
27 Maplecrest Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/29/2023

Holben, Mark
159 Colorado St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/19/2023

Khatoon, Aysha
200 Lambert Ter., Unit 53
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/18/2023

Kutnik-Sheffield, Jenna L
a/k/a Sheffield, Jenna L.
Skutnik-Sheffield. Heather A.
a/k/a Skutnik, Heather A.
56 Merrifield Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/28/2023

Lippmann, John
Lippmann, Jennifer
a/k/a Chamberlain, Jennifer
28 Shays St., Unit 1
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/30/2023

JMB Transport Partner LLC
Bartlett – Arroyo, Sheila R.
a/k/a Bartlett-Arroyo, Sheila Rio
1401 Cascade St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/19/2023

Laureano, Maria
86 Malden St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/30/2023

Mercury, Amy
31 Bedford Court
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/22/2023

Quinones, Brenda Rijos
1348 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/29/2023

Rodriguez, Luis R.
954 Chicopee St., Apt. 2
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/28/2023

Roncarati, Lynndia Ann
309 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/22/2023

Santerre, Gary R.
Santerre, Laurie J.
50 Finch Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/29/2023

Savva, Charles D.
73 Powder Mill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/21/2023

Taylor, Angela Marie
a/k/a Gilbert, Angela M.
PO Box 699
Heath, MA 01346
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/28/2023

Vallieres Jr., Arthur J.
82 Columbia St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/29/2023

Vital-St. Sauveur, Susan
33 Autumn Ridge Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/30/2023

Whyte, Marilyn
95 Entrybrook Dr.
Springfield, MA 01108-3315
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/18/2023

Willis, Stephen Douglas
420 Main St., Unit 43
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/22/2023

Wilson, Marcia Ann
a/k/a Marineau, Marcia Ann
a/k/a Pouliot, Marcia Ann
494 School St., Apt. 216
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/18/2023

 

 

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

BUCKLAND

10 Dungarvin Dr.
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: Lisa Pontoppidan
Seller: Susan A. Schriber TR
Date: 12/29/23

DEERFIELD

Cross St.
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Jeremy Ober
Seller: Peter M. Kuzdeba
Date: 01/03/24

GREENFIELD

20 Congress St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Newlife LLC
Seller: Hosford, Charles W., (Estate)
Date: 12/27/23

MONTAGUE

22 Park St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Danielle M. Missell
Seller: Ann M. Lutz
Date: 01/04/24

54 Randall Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: John H. Heins
Seller: Todd M. Dodge
Date: 01/05/24

ORANGE

30 Boyden Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $707,500
Buyer: Davold Parker
Seller: Boyden Road RT
Date: 12/29/23

22 Fountain St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Matthew D. Tarlin
Seller: Carole A. Evans
Date: 01/05/24

28 Hayden St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: William F. Polan
Seller: John B. Barilone
Date: 12/27/23

212 Holtshire Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Ana G. Andino
Seller: Virginia Realty Inc.
Date: 12/27/23

185 Memory Lane
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Melissa A. Burnett
Seller: Jaime L. Ollendorf
Date: 12/29/23

118 Tully Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Amanda L. Janssens
Seller: Mickey Gonzalez
Date: 01/03/24

SHELBURNE

369 South Shelburne Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Amber R. Quinn
Seller: Drumheller, Phillip G., (Estate)
Date: 01/05/24

174 Locks Pond Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Ralph P. Guisti
Seller: Courtney A. Kinney
Date: 12/29/23

SUNDERLAND

654 Amherst Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $925,000
Buyer: Petite Pond LLC
Seller: Socrates Corp.
Date: 12/29/23

WHATELY

60 State Road
Whately, MA 01373
Amount: $3,750,000
Buyer: Northampton Storage Solutions
Seller: Pioneer Valley Self-Storage
Date: 12/27/23

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

209 Adams St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Arthur Robichaud
Seller: Trust2u RT
Date: 12/27/23

11 Birch Hill Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Mehmet Yesilbas
Seller: Brenda Loguidice
Date: 12/29/23

12 Depalma St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: David Johnson
Seller: Kozak, Mary, (Estate)
Date: 12/29/23

168 Elm St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $1,130,000
Buyer: Silver Brook Mill LLC
Seller: KB Realty Enterprises LLC
Date: 12/29/23

151 Mallard Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Richard Champigny
Seller: Marnie T. Budreau
Date: 12/29/23

42 Reed St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Esther Rogers
Seller: Cindy L. White
Date: 01/05/24

825 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Rhino Realty LLC
Seller: Paul E. Malkoon
Date: 12/29/23

BRIMFIELD

1222 Dunhamtown Brimfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Grigorii Novitckii
Seller: Todd R. Burke
Date: 01/05/24

1477 Dunhamtown Brimfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Richard Anischik
Seller: Residential Asset Mortgage Pro 2006-E
Date: 12/28/23

CHICOPEE

101 Blanchwood Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Joel P. Kupeyan
Seller: Galerneau, Alice A., (Estate)
Date: 01/05/24

94 Bonner St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Tiara L. Ortiz
Seller: Christopher M. Roy
Date: 01/03/24

880 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $6,020,000
Buyer: Burnett Road Property LLC
Seller: Quality Beverage LP
Date: 01/03/24

1 Hamburg St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Karen M. Iovaine
Seller: Karol R. Celmer
Date: 12/29/23

46 Joy St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Ryan Mooney
Seller: Jedediah S. Fiske
Date: 12/28/23

19 Lemay St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Kevin Elliot
Seller: Sharon C. Martin
Date: 12/27/23

22 Lord Ter. North
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: Brian Clark
Seller: Malia Homebuyers LLC
Date: 12/29/23

127 Lukasik St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Aaron Metzger
Seller: Nicholas Bourgault
Date: 12/27/23

21 Luther St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $326,000
Buyer: Anthony Wheeler
Seller: Thomas P. Urban
Date: 01/05/24

1752 Memorial Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Kenya A. Guerra-Cesino
Seller: Matthew Yacovone
Date: 12/28/23

Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Angel L. Rodriguez
Seller: Hanecak, Mary M., (Estate)
Date: 12/29/23

77 Norman St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Braulio D. Pinto-Maldonado
Seller: William J. Sicard
Date: 01/05/24

126 Peace St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Sukhchain Singh
Seller: Luz A. Eichstaedt FT
Date: 01/05/24

24 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Skyspec LLC
Seller: Hedge Hog Industries Corp.
Date: 12/28/23

49 Pondview Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Revampit LLC
Seller: Bednarz, Elaine M., (Estate)
Date: 01/05/24

65 Sanders St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: David A. Mahan
Seller: Frank N. Laflamme
Date: 12/29/23

20 Towne St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Angel L. Rodriguez
Seller: Hanecak, Mary M., (Estate)
Date: 12/29/23

69 Yvette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $266,500
Buyer: Wiljanet Cornier
Seller: Jennifer Wehr
Date: 01/04/24

18 Wildermere St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Manchester Enterprises LLC
Seller: Thomas P. Rondeau
Date: 12/29/23

EAST LONGMEADOW

1 Jennifer Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $369,900
Buyer: Sarah R. Bizzotto
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 01/04/24

170 Mapleshade Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Angelica M. Lugo
Seller: Marc J. Oldenburg
Date: 12/27/23

9 Melody Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Evan P. Landers
Seller: Laurene Avezzie
Date: 12/28/23

101 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Brent Lang
Seller: Sarah A. Knowlton
Date: 12/29/23

25 Sturbridge Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $760,000
Buyer: Mario A. Ferrentino
Seller: Sugar Magnolia RT
Date: 12/29/23

GRANVILLE

1251 Main Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Travis Searles
Seller: Gina Beery
Date: 01/02/24

HAMPDEN

66 Greenleaf Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Jonathan D. Maciorowski
Seller: F. & Phyllis Watson IRT
Date: 01/05/24

755 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Amanda Knodler
Seller: David L. Williams
Date: 12/28/23

HOLLAND

8 Amber Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Kylie M. Packard
Seller: Renee Couture
Date: 01/04/24

10 Barclay St.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Christopher Downey
Seller: Peter Lesbirel
Date: 12/29/23

68 North Wales Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Jacob Singvongsa
Seller: Donna J. Cocaine
Date: 01/05/24

HOLYOKE

114 Brown Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $950,000
Buyer: Holyoke Haven Properties LLC
Seller: Alex Ilchenko
Date: 01/02/24

294 Cabot St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Danna B. Decolon
Seller: Gurvitch, John M., (Estate)
Date: 01/05/24

45 Lawler St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Derick A. Seibold
Seller: Brian Devine
Date: 01/05/24

60 Lower Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Daryn M. Sampson
Date: 12/29/23

1669 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Tock LLC
Seller: Crosstown Development LLC
Date: 12/29/23

210 Pine St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $248,000
Buyer: Next Level Energy LLC
Seller: Lydia Rivera
Date: 01/04/24

34 Vernon St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Janet F. Gutierrez
Seller: Jess E. Affhauser
Date: 12/29/23

LONGMEADOW

41 Bel Air Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Jillian Kirastoulis
Seller: Andrea S. Martin
Date: 01/05/24

312 Blueberry Hill Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Matthew Bruce
Seller: Bruce Richard Hayes TR
Date: 01/04/24

359 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Daniel Englehardt
Seller: Aditya Bothate
Date: 12/29/23

130 Ellington Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $679,500
Buyer: Natalie E. Poteran
Seller: William Y. Christie
Date: 12/29/23

221 Meadowlark Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: James Trubia
Seller: Stuart D. Weissman
Date: 01/05/24

LUDLOW

334 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Robert M. Hart
Seller: Krista M. Mitchell
Date: 12/27/23

21 Libby St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $279,000
Buyer: Pawel Lukaszewicz
Seller: Beebe, John C., (Estate)
Date: 01/03/24

23 Oregon Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Y. & S. Properties LLC
Seller: Wolf Realty LLC
Date: 01/02/24

1 State St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Brownbox Properties LLC
Seller: Westmass Area Development Corp.
Date: 12/28/23

393 State St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $312,250
Buyer: Vanessa Roxo
Seller: Antonio D. Palatino
Date: 01/05/24

MONSON

135 Upper Palmer Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Melissa Nooney
Seller: Domingo Tavarez
Date: 12/28/23

33 Washington St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $257,000
Buyer: Matthew Faye
Seller: John D. Holdcraft
Date: 12/28/23

PALMER

34 Commercial St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Stanley R. Castillo
Seller: Tami A. Myers
Date: 12/29/23

69-A-C State St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Adam J. Dziewit
Seller: 69 A-C State St. RT
Date: 12/28/23

123 State St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Patrick J. Cavanaugh
Seller: Emily E. Labarre
Date: 01/05/24

SPRINGFIELD

37 Alberta St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Jose J. Mendoza
Seller: Anh N. Nguyen
Date: 12/28/23

390-392 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: 390 Allen St Realty LLC
Seller: Amark II RT
Date: 12/28/23

410 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $147,500
Buyer: First Landing Investments LLC
Seller: Jeannette Barbosa
Date: 01/04/24

410 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Abdall M. Alwreikat
Seller: First Landing Investments LLC
Date: 01/04/24

1893 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $318,000
Buyer: Thalia Castro
Seller: Baldwin Street LLC
Date: 12/28/23

212 Almira Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Nicholas Raleigh
Seller: Negron, William Rey, (Estate)
Date: 01/03/24

Ardmore St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $273,000
Buyer: Bielcka Builes
Seller: George O. Thompson
Date: 12/28/23

99-101 Ardmore St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Reilly
Seller: Stephen M. Reilly
Date: 01/05/24

33 Ashbrook St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Richard E. Duffy
Seller: John S. Jackson
Date: 12/26/23

58-60 Avon Place
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Jose Ramirez
Seller: Jose A. Laboy
Date: 01/05/24

63 Beaumont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Peter Bien-Aime
Seller: Zuleika M. Schmitz
Date: 01/04/24

66 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Marie L. Sylvain
Seller: Real Estate Investments Northeast LLC
Date: 12/28/23

70-78 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $4,300,000
Buyer: Forest Park Apartments LLC
Seller: HP Rum LLC
Date: 01/03/24

877 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Bernoulli Louissaint
Seller: Joseph M. Santaniello
Date: 01/05/24

270 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Wei Q. Ni
Seller: Li Q. Zhu
Date: 01/05/24

50 Burton St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Livingwater Capital LLC
Seller: McKain, Lorraine A., (Estate)
Date: 01/03/24

653 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: Maria R. Chimborazo
Seller: Roberto Cardona
Date: 01/03/24

31-33 Carver St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Shelisha Sinclair
Seller: Chelsey M. Harris
Date: 12/29/23

30 Chester St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Stave-Been Francois
Seller: Real Estate Investments Northeast LLC
Date: 12/28/23

53 Clantoy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Luis Natal
Seller: Jaime J. Monserrate
Date: 12/29/23

38-40 Clarendon St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Jesus M. Roman
Seller: Ana Texidor
Date: 12/29/23

61 Cornwall St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: 21 Shawmut Ave. LLC
Seller: Manuel Robles
Date: 12/29/23

96 Decatur St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Jesus Oquendo
Seller: Brickhouse Homes LLC
Date: 12/29/23

187 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $219,021
Buyer: Dayanalee A. Ruiz
Seller: Medina, Edayn Ruiz, (Estate)
Date: 01/04/24

68 Fitzgerald Road
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Eric Perez
Seller: Carol H. Grise
Date: 12/29/23

102 Florence St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: George P. Anderson
Seller: Ahmed Aljanabi
Date: 12/26/23

251 Gilbert Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Carlos Ortas
Seller: Donna C. Leonard-Dubinsky
Date: 01/03/24

32 Grandview St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Yerica S. Garcia
Seller: Stanislaus J. Skarzynski
Date: 12/28/23

97 Hadley St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Winslow Suarez
Seller: Jeffrey Donaruma
Date: 01/05/24

122-124 Hamburg St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Reilly
Seller: Stephen M. Reilly
Date: 01/05/24

295 Harkness Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Shane Shelton
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 12/29/23

85 Hayden Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Luz Quinonez
Seller: J. & S. LLC
Date: 01/02/24

22 Holy Cross St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Beury T. Gil
Seller: Julie A. Kenney
Date: 12/29/23

28-30 Langdon St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Kwadwo A. Mireku
Seller: Antigoni M. Proctor
Date: 01/04/24

63 Magnolia Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Martha Gavilanes
Seller: Laura Fenn
Date: 12/26/23

38 Manchester Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Jeanne I. Bonnett
Date: 12/29/23

162 Marmon St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $291,000
Buyer: Tristan L. Donahue
Seller: Dorcas RT
Date: 12/28/23

111 Mayflower Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Brianna M. Rivers
Seller: Gail L. Foss
Date: 12/29/23

127 Millbrook Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Joejoe Properties LLC
Seller: Edward F. Grant
Date: 01/05/24

84-86 Morris St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $258,000
Buyer: Peter Williams
Seller: Samuel Rivera
Date: 01/05/24

104 Norfolk St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Alexander Fontanez
Seller: Manirakiza Jamari
Date: 12/29/23

180-182 Northampton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $277,000
Buyer: Mustaf Hassan
Seller: Andre L. Devonish
Date: 12/29/23

214-216 Oak Grove Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $387,000
Buyer: Bianna Silencieux
Seller: Adam Carrington
Date: 12/29/23

79 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $359,000
Buyer: Alfredo Carrasquillo
Seller: Areid Estate LLC
Date: 12/27/23

295 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Roberto A. Ramos
Seller: Brvsa Associates LLC
Date: 12/27/23

46 Osborne Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: John W. Farmer
Seller: Jennifer I. Dixon
Date: 12/28/23

356-358 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jesuny Ferreira
Seller: Hipolito J. Abreu
Date: 12/28/23

1854 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Richard Ringer
Seller: Louis D. Corgnati
Date: 12/27/23

44 Revere St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $319,000
Buyer: Yokasta Rodriguez
Seller: Yellowbrick Property LLC
Date: 01/05/24

25 Sachem St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: DSZ Management LLC
Seller: Xiuyu Ma
Date: 12/29/23

146-148 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Reilly
Seller: Stephen M. Reilly
Date: 01/05/24

67 Sierra Vista Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Shahab A. Bonakdar
Seller: Patricia Torres
Date: 12/27/23

77 Somerset St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: Jennifer S. McColley
Seller: Katherine R. Kayser-Hirsh
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB5
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB20
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB3
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB7
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB14
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB15
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB1
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB16
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB2
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB17
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB13
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB21
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB4
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

34 Sumner Ave., Lot PB12
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,614,000
Buyer: Mooring NC Investors LLC
Seller: 34 Sumner Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/23

19 Talbot Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: Anh N. Nguyen
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 12/29/23

259 Trafton Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $381,000
Buyer: Kivitz FT
Seller: Geoffrey M. Schmidt
Date: 12/29/23

37-39 Virginia St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Vitalis Acholonu
Seller: Ismael Bernabel
Date: 12/29/23

SOUTHWICK

4 Tall Pines Trail
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Shahil Patel
Seller: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Date: 01/05/24

WALES

38 Walker Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Michael Dupont
Seller: Webfirst LLC
Date: 12/29/23

WESTFIELD

127 Birch Bluffs Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Maddie Sprague
Seller: Bard, Francis L., (Estate)
Date: 12/29/23

4 Brentwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Vanessa Torres
Seller: Paul F. Mazut
Date: 12/28/23

10 Cottage Ave.
Westfield, MA 01040
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Tina-Marie Faunce
Seller: Christine A. Bejune
Date: 01/04/24

10 Heggie Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Eugene J. Witczak
Seller: Donald P. Sicard
Date: 01/05/24

555 Holyoke Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $403,000
Buyer: Lisa J. Schwartz
Seller: Carolyn A. Koszarek
Date: 12/27/23

Lockhouse Road (off)
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: TV Realty & Development Inc.
Seller: Burek RT
Date: 12/29/23

92 Meadow St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Megan Benway
Seller: Matthew K. Berndt
Date: 01/05/24

15 Noble Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Vlam Realty LLC
Seller: Polo Dental LLC
Date: 12/28/23

415 Pochassic Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $176,020
Buyer: Dale Darosa
Seller: Rose C. Austin
Date: 12/28/23

280 Sackett Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Lyudmila P. Shalygo
Seller: Joseph P. Daly
Date: 12/29/23

162 Union St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $2,018,062
Buyer: Pierce Builders Inc.
Seller: H. & W. LLC
Date: 12/29/23

WILBRAHAM

8 Conifer Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $327,500
Buyer: Carlos J. Rivera
Seller: Diplomat Property Manager LLC
Date: 12/26/23

34 Decorie Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Jamie M. Schwarz
Seller: William J. Kern
Date: 01/04/24

119 Silver St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $655,000
Buyer: Shane Linscott
Seller: Rosinski Realty Inc.
Date: 01/05/24

795 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $451,000
Buyer: Jaiminkumar Patel
Seller: Fitzgerald, Robert J., (Estate)
Date: 01/05/24

WEST SPRINGFIELD

342 Circle Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $214,205
Buyer: Lizette Hernandez
Seller: Ashley Drost
Date: 12/28/23

2 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Scott Felt
Seller: Vanity Bryant
Date: 01/05/24

120 Hillside Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Alexandru Pascal
Seller: Patrick M. Daggett
Date: 01/02/24

68 Jeffrey Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: Brian Devine
Seller: Lori A. Perella
Date: 01/05/24

69 Sprague St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Kemran Lachinov
Seller: Property Advantage Inc.
Date: 12/28/23

19 Thompson St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Anthony J. Sarkis
Seller: Joseph C. Sarkis
Date: 12/26/23

39 Worthen St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Tara B. Rai
Seller: Mostovoy, Nikolay S., (Estate)
Date: 01/05/24

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

65 Grantwood Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Andrea Thamm
Seller: Nathan Margalit
Date: 12/29/23

35 High St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $1,500,000
Buyer: Kirkpatrick Realty LLC
Seller: Henry A. Brown
Date: 12/28/23

10 Pine St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: Vladimir Gotlieb
Seller: Pine Street Partners LLC
Date: 01/05/24

BELCHERTOWN

497 Chauncey Walker St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Christopher Larrivee
Seller: Albert Winkler
Date: 12/28/23

65 West St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $681,500
Buyer: Rachel Thomas
Seller: Timothy J. Ferreira
Date: 12/28/23

EASTHAMPTON

42 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Ryan Murphy
Seller: Chad D. Alexander
Date: 12/29/23

468 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $401,000
Buyer: Joseph R. Gentile
Seller: Paula J. Della-Bernarda
Date: 01/03/24

15 Gaugh St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Abigail M. Forcier
Seller: Foxy Properties LLC
Date: 12/28/23

19 Harvey St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $367,500
Buyer: Michael K. Gonda
Seller: James E. Barnett
Date: 01/05/24

45 West St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Huanmin Ma
Seller: Helen P. Furman IRT
Date: 12/28/23

GRANBY

601 Amherst Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Meaghan Tretheway
Seller: Michael Pancione
Date: 12/29/23

611 Amherst Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Charles W. Baranowski
Seller: Carilyn W. Schebel
Date: 12/29/23

96 Cold Hill Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $651,900
Buyer: Katherine MacLennan
Seller: Drew E. Powers
Date: 01/03/24

12-R Jackielyn Circle
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Vitality Village LLC
Seller: Castle Farm Enterprises LLC
Date: 12/29/23

HADLEY

1 Cold Spring Lane
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Richard P. Gotta
Seller: Carrie-Ann Gaynor
Date: 12/27/23

23 North Lane
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $422,000
Buyer: Steven L. Smith
Seller: Shane Conklin
Date: 12/27/23

HUNTINGTON

9 Basket St.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Jose L. Acevedo-Rivera
Seller: Brian Kopinto
Date: 01/05/24

69 Bromley Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Gemma McClure
Seller: U.S. Secretary Of Veterans Affairs
Date: 12/29/23

NORTHAMPTON

21 Bliss St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $249,608
Buyer: Thomas F. Kelly
Seller: Ian D. Premo
Date: 01/05/24

12 Marc Circle
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Alicia M. Grubb
Seller: Leslie T. Frey
Date: 12/28/23

23 Mary Jane Lane
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Saddam H. Abdul
Seller: Chelsea Warywoski
Date: 12/27/23

63 State St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: 63 State St. NT
Seller: Serio Family Realty LLC
Date: 12/29/23

63 Washington Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $635,000
Buyer: Sherry L. Taylor
Seller: Fiona MacNeill
Date: 12/28/23

SOUTH HADLEY

61 College St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $735,000
Buyer: Viktoria Harrison
Seller: Deborah G. Eaton RET
Date: 01/05/24

47 Hillside Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Jorge O. Mendoza
Seller: Diane D. Afonso
Date: 12/28/23

56 Lyman St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $298,000
Buyer: South Hadley Rentals LLC
Seller: Gallagher Properties LLC
Date: 12/29/23

47 Susan Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Kristina S. Powers
Seller: Julian Jocque
Date: 01/03/24

19 Upper River Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $619,900
Buyer: Ryan Randall
Seller: Christopher E. Flynn
Date: 01/04/24

20 Washington Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Gavin Ulias
Seller: Christine Hamel
Date: 01/03/24

SOUTHAMPTON

382 College Hwy.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Thomas Lucchesi
Seller: Joan G. Muse
Date: 12/26/23

18 Crooked Ledge Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $611,990
Buyer: Adam P. Dunne
Seller: Daviau & Robert Properties LLC
Date: 01/05/24

120 East St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Berkshire County Arc Inc.
Seller: Kristine P. Canton
Date: 11/16/23

3 Rosalie Lane
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Edgardo Sanchez
Seller: Laliberte RT
Date: 01/04/24

23 Strong Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $499,900
Buyer: Caitlin R. Cauley
Seller: Walter L. Hubert
Date: 12/29/23

WARE

78 Aspen St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Rolando B. Santa
Seller: Robert D. Ellithorpe
Date: 12/28/23

83 Beaver Lake Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $316,000
Buyer: Jacob F. Crevier
Seller: Stace A. Collette
Date: 12/26/23

24 High St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Jacob Cifizzari
Seller: Brian Curboy
Date: 12/29/23

54 Old Gilbertville Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Tyle Goodfield
Seller: Slattery Sr., George C., (Estate)
Date: 12/29/23

9 Walter Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Daniel L. Collette
Seller: Jennifer D. Shea-Kettles
Date: 12/28/23

WESTHAMPTON

11 Loudville Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $565,600
Buyer: Letitia A. Cole LT
Seller: Greenbrier Estates LP
Date: 01/03/24

WORTHINGTON

184 Cudworth Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $2,000,000
Buyer: Deidre J. Johnson
Seller: Heywood Farms NT
Date: 01/05/24

Starkweather Hill Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Payne FT
Seller: Diane J. Bartletr
Date: 12/28/23

West St.
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Payne FT
Seller: Diane J. Bartletr
Date: 12/28/23

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of January 2023.

CHICOPEE

Alden Credit Union
688 Grattan St.
$14,692 — Replace 12 windows

Church of New Covenant
780 Chicopee St.
$20,000 — Remove and replace 53 windows

Demayo-Chicopee Square LLC
516 Montgomery St.
$9,400 — Remodel two rooms

HADLEY

Gibbs Oil Co. LP
110 Russell St.
N/A — Replace damage storefront hit by car

Salvation Army of Massachusetts
310 Russell St.
N/A — Replace four packaged gas rooftop units

LENOX

600 Merrill Road LLC
374 Pittsfield Road
N/A — Full demolition of five buildings

NORTHAMPTON

City of Northampton
33 Hockanum Road
N/A — Mechanisms and tanks at sewage treatment plant

City of Northampton
274 Main St.
$219,347 — Fire-protection system at Academy of Music

Continental Cablevision of Western New England Inc.
790 Florence Road
$20,000 — Install backup generator on concrete pad

Ellendave LLC
971 Bridge Road
$245,874 — Interior renovation

Equity Trust Co.
11 Valley St.
$28,000 — Roofing, front porch repair, new flooring, cabinet replacement, painting

GAL Realty Co. LLC
96 Main St.
N/A — Suppression system

GPD 29 Industrial Dr. LLC
29 Industrial Dr. East
$10,500 — Sprinkler system

Healthy Neighborhoods Group LLC
47 High St.
$4,000 — Replace existing porch, open interior walls in bathroom

Standick Trust
158 Main St.
$61,800 — Interior demolition, install new sheetrock

Traddles LLC
60 Masonic St., Unit 2
$45,500 — Interior renovation to convert meeting space to commercial kitchen

Tri County Youth Programs Inc.
272 Grove St.
$19,200 — Roofing

Wilmington Trust National Assoc.
17 Glenwood Ave.
$20,000 — Roofing, replacement windows

PITTSFIELD

Douglas Hutton, Charles Slattery III
35 Commercial St.
$91,800 — Install fire sprinkler system

Jedko Properties LLC
199 South St.
$15,631 — Replace gas-fired HVAC unit on roof

PeoplesBank Restructures Leadership Roles, Plans Further Growth

By
Banking and Financial Services

Lending Perspective

 

Tom Senecal has been president, CEO, and chairman of PeoplesBank since 2016, and moving forward, he’s shedding the ‘president’ part of that title. But that doesn’t mean he’s slowing down.

“It’s more of a transition of the daily responsibilities,” he said, explaining why Brian Canina has been promoted to president and chief operating officer, and Hayes Murray has been promoted to executive vice president, chief financial officer, and treasurer, taking on some of Canina’s former duties.

“I reassigned to Brian three or four different responsibilities, but when you look at both of us, it’s still a lot on both our plates,” said Senecal, who retains his CEO and chairman titles. “This is a recognition of Brian’s success and talent and the timing of the growth that we’re going through. And quite frankly, the operational side of things needs more daily attention. And Brian really has the fortitude, the wherewithal, the work ethic, and the strategy to execute all the daily operational things. So it just made sense at this point in time to transition those responsibilities.”

Tom Senecal

Tom Senecal

“This is a recognition of Brian’s success and talent and the timing of the growth that we’re going through.”

After working together for almost 15 years — Canina as CFO and controller, Senecal as president and CEO — it just made sense to reward Canina for him efforts, Senecal added, “and, quite frankly, to make sure that we have our eyes on the ball as we continue to grow.”

Canina said he has prepared for this transition over the past year or two, operating in more than just a CFO role, and more like a COO, driving strategic initiatives and monitoring and managing the strategic plan of the bank along with Senecal.

“That will continue to be a focus of mine going forward, taking more responsibility away from Tom in terms of administratively managing the strategic plan and working with him as he identifies other strategies that he’s working on,” Canina explained. “So it’s not really a significant change; it’s something that we’ve been working toward, and with the size of the bank and how we’ve grown, it was a good timing to make this more formal change.”

The leadership changes will provide Senecal with more opportunities to plan and manage the growth and revenue activities of the bank, including retail operations, consumer lending, small business, municipals, and commercial and industrial divisions. Canina will continue to be responsible for finance, facilities, PeoplesWealth, the Business Solutions Group, and information technology. In his new role, he will also be responsible for human resources, marketing, and corporate responsibility.

“I’ve kind of shed some meeting responsibilities and a few of the operational responsibilities, but my focus is on growth,” Senecal said. “We have both an organic strategy of growing the bank by opening branches, and also non-organic opportunities. We’re constantly having conversations with other banks, and we will never be bought or sold, but we are looking at opportunities with other banks that might want to partner with PeoplesBank.”

Connecticut in particular continues to present growth opportunities. After adding branches in East Granby and Suffield through acquisition, then expanding the bank’s branch footprint into South Windsor and West Hartford, the bank’s board of directors has approved plans to open banking centers in Glastonbury and Avon, in addition to seeking other opportunities for future expansion.

Brian Canina

Brian Canina

“It’s something that we’ve been working toward, and with the size of the bank and how we’ve grown, it was a good timing to make this more formal change.”

“Our commercial-lending business has been extremely successful in the Connecticut market,” Senecal noted. “We’ve hired some commercial lenders and residential lenders in the Connecticut market. We’ve always had a large presence on the commercial side, but since we’ve developed the retail side, it has brought us some synergies in the relationships with those commercial customers, bringing them in as retail customers as well. It’s been hugely successful.”

Canina agreed. “We’re at a very important time right now to really continue pushing the growth of People’sBank down into Connecticut and looking into other areas to grow. That’s what we’re really focused on, and I feel confident we’re going to have a lot of success.”

 

Soaring Assets

The numbers tell the story of PeoplesBank’s recent upward trajectory.

“When I took over as president and CEO in 2016, we were a $1.8 billion bank,” Senecal told BusinessWest. “We ended 2023 just shy of $4.1 billion. So we’ve more than doubled in those seven years.”

The bank also boasts more than 300 employees and operates 20 banking centers across Massachusetts and Connecticut, with an additional five locations when its headquarters, ATM, and VideoBankerITM locations are included, he noted. “That’s quite a bit of recent growth, which is a credit to the hard work of our entire team.”

Over the past couple years, PeoplesBank also began partnering with Zynlo, a digital bank, Senecal said. “That is starting to really take off. When we talk about growth, traditionally, brick and mortar has been our main source of banking growth. With the digital bank, that has taken on a whole different perspective.

“We’ve got different lines of business, and we’re starting a personal banking division of the bank,” he added. “We have the PeoplesWealth division. Those weren’t in existence a few years ago, so these different banking channels are really what’s driving some of our growth.”

Other expansion opportunities exist because of the merger-and-acquisition environment among large banks and how that disrupts a marketplace, Canina said, citing as one example M&T Bank’s acquisition of People’s United Bank. “That acquisition opens up opportunities for us to jump in on the disruption down in the Connecticut market and, in some cases, Western Massachusetts as well, but mostly down in the Connecticut market, which is why we have our sights set on organic growth down there.”

Opportunities will also arise from banks that aren’t faring as well as PeoplesBank, he said, due partly to the compression on interest margins coupled with increased costs for human resources and compliance, as well as coming regulatory changes.

“Some of these smaller banks are really going to be challenged,” Canina explained. “And I think that we’re at a size — more than $4 billion in assets — where we’re in a very good position to partner with another bank that’s smaller and having challenges, so I think there’s going to be opportunity there for us.”

Of course, PeoplesBank continues to grapple with those same headwinds, he added.

“The challenges right now are coming from the interest-rate environment, where the margins have really compressed from the short-term rates coming up and long-term rates coming up a bit, but not as much as the short end of the curve. So we’re paying deposits on the short end and then lending out on the long end, and there’s not a big spread there. It makes it challenging, not just for us, but for all banks.

“At the same time, a lot of the pandemic deposits that came in have started to flow out; people started spending more money, and they have the ability to to move deposits anywhere they want very easily,” Canina continued. “So the industry has been challenged with managing the interest-rate environment and maintaining deposit levels, and I see that continuing into 2024. Depending on what happens with interest rates, it’s not likely going to let up until we see the short end start to come down. And then we’ll face some different challenges when that happens, because most likely there will be some potential recessionary concerns.”

On the residential side in particular, Senecal added, “I think it’s tough for every bank these days, even though interest rates have come down a little bit from their all-time highs in the last 20 years or so. But there’s no inventory. So, even though interest rates are high, what we’re seeing is, when something comes on the market, it sells, and it’s financed. It’s just that the inventory is so low. And that will be a challenge heading into 2024 for almost all banks.”

 

Hometown Focus

As he broadens his responsibilities in dealing with these issues and working with Senecal and other bank leaders on growth strategies, Canina added that he aims to continue — and grow — PeoplesBank’s commitment to the communities it serves, noting that the bank’s charitable giving continues to be a strength, with almost $6 million donated over the past three years alone, and more than $11 million over the past 10 years.

“I think what really separates us from the larger regional banks and the national banks — we’re so invested in the communities that we’re banking with, and even though we’re contributing the amount of dollars we are back to the community, we’re still paying interest rates that are competitive with any other bank out there.”

Meanwhile, employees donate thousands of hours of volunteer service to area nonprofits and charitable causes, he noted. “More than half of our bank is on a nonprofit board of some sort, and the amount of volunteer hours is very strong; that’s something that all of our employees hold near and dear to them and really keeps them engaged.”

Liberty Bank Continues Expansion into Western Mass.

By
Banking and Financial Services Special Coverage

Moving North

President Dave Glidden

 

Dave Glidden has long referred to it as the “I-91 corridor strategy.”

This is the growth plan for Middletown, Conn.-based Liberty Bank, one that, as the name suggests, focuses on the I-91 corridor, which stretches from New Haven into Southern Vermont.

The bank has followed that strategy, increasing its presence in Southern Conn., and now Western Mass. as well, taking another important step in what could be called its northward advance with the opening last month of its first branch in this region — on Shaker Road in East Longmeadow, just a few miles from the state line.

The facility, a former United Cooperative and then PeoplesUnited branch, was home to a commercial loan-production office that Liberty opened in 2021 and eventually moved to the 23rd floor of Monarch Place in downtown Springfield — after that LPO gave Liberty a foothold of sorts and convinced Glidden, the bank’s president, and other members of his leadership team that it was time to open a full-service branch in the 413.

“We generated a lot of volume and a lot of new customers out of there, and some good deposits,” he said. “When it got to that point, I said, ‘OK … we’ve proven that there’s space and a place for us in this market,’ and that’s when I decided to move the commercial-lending team and their support staff to Monarch Place and tear down the sheetrock and outfit a nice branch on Shaker Road.”

“We are selectively and cautiously considering where to go next. We don’t have to be in a rush, but I can see a total of maybe three to six branches over the next few years — if the right opportunities present themselves.”

With that move, the logical questions — and Glidden was ready for them — is where will the bank go next within the 413, and when?

“We are selectively and cautiously considering where to go next,” he told BusinessWest. “We don’t have to be in a rush, but I can see a total of maybe three to six branches over the next few years — if the right opportunities present themselves.

“I wouldn’t force the issue,” he went on, saying there is no firm timetable and no specific number of locations as a firm goal. “Maybe three to six branches, strategically located, with drive-thrus, with the focus on catering to small to medium-sized business owners. That’s our future plan.”

How this plan shakes out remains to be seen, obviously, and we’ll delve more into where the Liberty name and logo might appear next. For now, the bank wants to continue solidifying its beachhead and take the I-91 corridor strategy to different corners of the 413.

For this issue and its focus on banking and financial services, BusinessWest talked with Glidden about the next possible steps with this strategy and how the drive north will unfold.

 

Points of Interest

Glidden laughed when he noted that, when people tell him they see the bank’s TV commercials — “the ones with the emu and that guy with the mustache” — he no longer makes the effort to correct them and inform them that those are for the insurance giant Liberty Mutual.

“Why bother — what am I fighting it for?” he asked rhetorically, adding quickly that the last four words of each of those frequently, as in frequently, aired spots — ‘Liberty, Liberty, Liberty … Liberty’ — constitute solid name recognition that he doesn’t have to pay for. “Every time I see that commercial, I’m cheering; people come up to me and say, ‘I saw your commercial.’ I just say, ‘thank you; let me open a checking account for you.’”

Bank employees and elected officials

Bank employees and elected officials cut the ceremonial ribbon last month on Liberty Bank’s East Longmeadow branch.

This form of free advertising, if you will, is just one of many things that have gone well for Liberty over the past several years. In fact, Glidden said 2023 may be the bank’s third straight year of record profits, though the final numbers are not yet in.

But even if it’s not a record, the bank is maintaining a strong upward trajectory, which it owes to several factors, but especially its aggressive I-91 corridor strategy and the qualities needed to carry it out and gain market share across that wide area.

Elaborating, Glidden said the bank has several advantages, from a name that resonates and crosses state lines easily to a broad portfolio of products on both the commercial and consumer sides of the ledger; from a commitment to the latest digital technology to an attractive size.

Indeed, with more than $7 billion in assets and 56 locations in Connecticut and two in the Bay State, Liberty, the oldest mutual bank in the country, can “out-local the national banks and out-national the local banks,” said Glidden, a native of Holyoke who is well-known in this region and has long considered Western Mass. the next logical area of expansion for the bank.

“We can deliver a balance sheet that’s going to be large enough for 99.9% of the companies up there to grow to whatever they want to be,” he said, adding that this size, coupled with lenders who know and hail from Western Mass., has enabled Liberty to make solid inroads in the local market and presents opportunities to gain market share in this region.

And many changes to the banking landscape, but especially the advent and continued evolution of digital platforms and mobile apps, make it easier to cross state lines, he went on.

“The habits of consumers and small businesses, what they’re looking for from a bank, are not the same as they were 15 years ago.”

“The habits of consumers and small businesses, what they’re looking for from a bank, are not the same as they were 15 years ago,” Glidden explained. “Do they want to know that their bank has a branch so that, if there’s an issue, they can go in and sit with someone and get advice? Yes. But, across the board, transactions and visitations to branches continue to decline, and that decline is not projected to slow down any time soon.

“And that kind of changes the playing field in the sense of being able to go over the line with maybe a toe in the market,” he continued. “If this was 10 to 15 years ago, and I made the decision that I wanted Liberty to go into Western Massachusetts and compete, I probably would have looked to do it through an acquisition strategy. That doesn’t mean that acquisition strategies are off the table, but you don’t have to do that now with digital and mobile apps.”

 

By All Accounts

As for the growth strategy in the 413, Glidden said that, as with the initial thrust into the region in East Longmeadow, the focus — the ‘macro strategy for this market,” as he called it — is an emphasis on small business and commercial lending, realms that build customers, relationships, deposits, and more, and cement the need for additional branches.

This was the strategy followed in New Haven, where the bank established an LPO, and again in Hartford. And it is the same strategy being deployed north of the border in Greater Springfield.

As he scans the Western Mass. landscape — and, again, he knows it well from his years as regional president at TD Bank — Glidden acknowledged that Western Mass., is, by and large, a no-growth area. And most of its communities — and East Longmeadow is squarely in this category — are considered overbanked.

But there are opportunities, he noted, adding that his team is looking at maps and crunching numbers as they consider where to go next.

There are what would be considered obvious landing spots, he said, mentioning larger population and commercial centers such as West Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee, and Westfield, and these may well be the next push pins on the wall map.

“The analytics you use on this stuff gets so complicated … sometimes you need to just take a step back and say, ‘where are all the people, and where are all the businesses?’” he said. “And just put them there.”

‘There’ probably doesn’t mean Hampshire County, at least not at this time, he went on, adding quickly that he certainly wouldn’t rule out putting a branch in a community like South Hadley, which borders Holyoke, Chicopee, and Amherst, and is another of those ‘overbanked’ communities in Western Mass.

“Right now, we’ve had success on the commercial and small-business side; let’s look at Greater Springfield and the surrounding communities,” he told BusinessWest. “If Springfield is the hub, then look at the spokes around there and find the right places to sprinkle a few more branches to service our growing customer base there.”

As he looks ahead, Glidden isn’t expecting another record year when it comes to profitability for Liberty Bank.

Indeed, while 2023 was a very strong year, the pace of growth started to slow during the third and fourth quarters, and this trend will, in all likelihood, continue in the year ahead.

But what will also continue is implementation of the bank’s I-91 corridor strategy, one that has seen Liberty makes its first moves in the Western Mass. market and establish a foothold.

The goal for 2024 and the years to follow will be to strengthen that hold and take the brand to different communities across the region. Just where, when, and how the next steps will take place remain to be seen, but one thing is clear: Liberty’s march north is just getting started.

Lee Builds on Status as Gateway to the Berkshires

By
Kathy DeVarennes
Community Spotlight Special Coverage

Community Spotlight

Kathy DeVarennes

Kathy DeVarennes says there is a downside to Lee’s white-hot housing market: a shortage of affordable homes for working-class families.

 

Chris Brittain says the report wasn’t exactly surprising, but it was still quite eye-opening.

Indeed, by the time the Boston Business Journal listed Lee as one of the three hottest housing markets in the Bay State last August — along with Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard and the gateway city of Lowell — most in this community didn’t need to be told just how hot things were in town.

They already had plenty of direct or anecdotal evidence to that effect.

“People have been buying homes for well above the asking price,” said Brittain, Lee’s town administrator, noting that the median home value in Lee was $256,000 five years ago, $370,000 a little more than a year ago, and nearly $400,000 last June, one of the largest upward swings in the state over that time.

He said the surging prices are in part a reflection of the run-up in value of vacation and second homes, but also the product of supply and demand; there is limited supply, and demand has been soaring, in Lee and most other Berkshires communities, in the wake of COVID and the growing popularity of remote work. He speculates that Lee appears at the very top of the list because home values are generally lower — although the gap is certainly closing — than in neighboring communities such as Lenox and Stockbridge, which are also hot markets.

Surging home prices are not the only intriguing development in Lee, said Brittain, noting some real headway in the long-anticipated, scaled-down project known as Eagle Mill, which involves new construction and conversion of some of the town’s many former paper mills into a mixed-use development featuring housing, retail, and a restaurant.

There’s also movement with plans to create a new public-safety facility downtown, on the site formerly occupied by the Department of Public Works, which is moving to a commercial property on Route 202 that the town has acquired. The price tag for the various phases of the initiative is roughly $37 million, he said, adding that the DPW will likely be moved in the spring, with demolition of those properties to follow, and construction of the new public-safety facility to likely commence in the spring of 2025.

“We started to see people wanting to move to move rural areas. During COVID and right after it, I knew of people who would put their house up for sale, and by the end of the day, they had five offers over what they were asking, and people hadn’t even come to look at the house; they just wanted to get out of the city.”

Meanwhile, there was more talk about how to celebrate the town’s 250th birthday, coming up in 2027.

And there is continued bounceback from the difficult COVID years, with travel to Lee and other Berkshires communities returning, and many different types of hospitality-related businesses doing as well as, if not even better than, they were before the pandemic, said Kathy DeVarennes, director of the Lee Chamber of Commerce, which recently celebrated its own milestone — 100 years in operation.

She said the business community in Lee is large, diverse, and resilient, with ventures ranging from Prime Outlets Lee, just off the Mass Pike exit into town, to High Lawn Farm, a third-generation dairy farm and creamery approaching its own centennial that has become a real destination for visitors, to an eclectic mix of businesses along Main Street that give it a unique flavor.

Businesses like the Starving Artist Café & Creperie, which offers organic, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menu options for breakfast and lunch.

Owner Emmy Davis, who opened the café in 2012, said one of its traditions, and main attractions, is a Sunday brunch served all day. During this time of year, there are some travelers coming to brunch, as well as some with second homes in town coming in for the weekend, but it’s mostly locals.

“During the summer, though, it’s crazy; on Sundays in the summer, there’s often a line out the door,” she said, adding that visitors will stop in on their way to one of the many attractions only a few miles away, from Jacob’s Pillow in Becket to Tanglewood in Lenox. “There’s a lot going on constantly, so there’s a lot more people.”

Lee’s iconic downtown

Lee’s iconic downtown, which boasts an eclectic mix of stores and restaurants, continues its comeback from COVID.

And brunch at the Starving Artist provides an effective snapshot of what businesses generally see and when they see it, she said, adding that travelers pass through or stay at some of the many inns and hotels in the community all year round, but summer and fall are obviously the busiest times.

For this latest installment of its Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest looks at how all of these factors are coming together to create even greater vibrancy in the community known as the Gateway to the Berkshires.

 

Staying Power

When Bob Healey and his wife, Olia, started talking about buying the historic bed and breakfast on Main Street in Lee, the one created from a schoolhouse built in 1885, some thought they were … well, “crazy,” Bob said.

After all, they were both just 23 years old. Meanwhile, the year was 2009, and the region was still trying to dig out from what became known as the Great Recession.

“It certainly wasn’t the best time to be thinking about doing something like this,” he said, adding quickly that he and Olia believed in the property — and they believed in themselves. And they found a lending institution, Lee Bank, to believe in them as well.

As a result, they’ve been able to write more history for a property that was barely saved from the wrecking ball and then successfully moved one block — a feat many didn’t believe was possible — and is now an important part of Lee’s iconic downtown.

They call it the Chambery Inn, named after the town in France from which five nuns were sent to staff the school, and it has become a fixture, with 10 rooms, many featuring original blackboards from its days as a school.

“We have these city people coming in and paying cash for homes that used to be the homes of working-class families that sent children to our schools. Prices have skyrocketed, and that makes it more difficult for young families to find affordable housing to purchase.”

Healey, like Davis, said downtown is thriving at present, making an almost full recovery from the traumatic COVID years.

“We have an absolutely amazing Main Street,” he said. “It’s a town of 6,000 people, and we have more than 60 eateries. As the Gateway to the Berkshires, the location is really key, and it’s kind of an iconic American Main Street.

The comeback, and continued evolution, of Main Street is one of the major developing stories in Lee, with the other being the housing market, which might have cooled off a little, but still remains quite hot.

“COVID had a lot to do with it,” said Brittain, who had served the town in several different capacities over the years, including stints as moderator and town clerk, before becoming interim town administrator in 2021 and then losing the interim tag. “That’s when we started to see people wanting to move to move rural areas. During COVID and right after it, I knew of people who would put their house up for sale, and by the end of the day, they had five offers over what they were asking, and people hadn’t even come to look at the house; they just wanted to get out of the city.”

The surge, which is still ongoing, has been good for sellers, but there is certainly a downside to Lee’s housing boom, said both Brittain and DeVarennes, noting that it’s now much harder to find something that would be considered affordable in town.

A recently retired school teacher, DeVarennes said the lack of affordable housing can be seen in decreasing enrollment in the community’s schools.

“We have these city people coming in and paying cash for homes that used to be the homes of working-class families that sent children to our schools,” she said. “Prices have skyrocketed, and that makes it more difficult for young families to find affordable housing to purchase.”

The Eagle Mill project will create 128 units of market-rate housing, but there is a definite need for more housing, especially in the affordable category.

Lee at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1777
Population: 5,788
Area: 27 square miles
County: Berkshire
Residential Tax Rate: $11.83
Commercial Tax Rate: $11.83
Median Household Income: $41,566
Median Family Income: $49,630
Type of Government: Representative Town Meeting
Largest Employers: Lee Premium Outlets; Onyx Specialty Papers; the Landing at Laurel Lake; Oak n’ Spruce Resort in the Berkshires; Big Y
* Latest information available

“It’s a subject that comes up a lot in town,” said Brittain, noting that many of the younger professionals and blue-collar workers in Lee are increasingly finding themselves priced out and with limited options if they desire to stay in this community.

 

Getting Down to Business

But while it’s becoming more difficult to live in Lee, the growing number and variety of businesses — and that includes a new Starbucks in the site of a former Friendly’s near the turnpike exit — make it an ever-more inviting place to visit, said those we spoke with.

Foot traffic may not have fully rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, said DeVarennes, but the community, with its location just off exit 10, certainly lives up to the Gateway nickname. Indeed, people pass through on their way to better-known destinations like Stockbridge and Lenox, but they also often stop and stay — for a few hours or a few days.

And there is plenty to see and do, such as High Lawn Farm, where families can see a dairy farm in operation and also get ice cream and buy butter, cheeses, and other products.

“If you go on a weekend during the summer, it’s packed,” DeVarennes said. “It’s a wonderful place and a real destination.”

Meanwhile, the town’s iconic downtown continues to thrive, she added, noting that it has a deep mix of stores and is easily walkable.

“There are quite a few good restaurants and businesses,” she said, adding that there is great stability — many businesses have been there for decades — but also a fairly steady stream of new and intriguing businesses.

That includes a new yoga studio that will soon open its doors and a comic-book store recently opened by Davis’s husband, Ryan.

“Since we’ve opened, a lot of people have been psyched because there’s nothing in the Berkshires like it — you have to go to Northampton to find something like this,” she said, adding that the store, like many of the businesses on Main Street, appeals to local residents, but becomes part of the draw for visitors.

Healey agreed.

“It’s a very nice Main Street to walk, but it’s also a Main Street where you won’t find a lot of franchises and such,” he said. “It’s really mom-and-pops with a lot of character.”

Added Davis, “we have a great little community of downtown businesses — everyone supports one another. And the more the merrier in downtown; more businesses bring more people to the area to hang out.”

Over the years, Lee has seen a steady source of reasons to come and hang out. And live, year-round or during the summer and on weekends. And tackle remote work. And start a business.

All of that makes it a draw — and, now, one of the hottest real-estate markets in the state.

Picture This

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Pictured: TommyCar President Carla Cosenzi and Sheriff Patrick Cahillane.
Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

 

No Shave November

During their annual No Shave November initiative, TommyCar Auto Group and the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office raised a record-breaking total of $9,826.90 for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Throughout November, members of the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office embraced No Shave November, setting aside their razors to symbolize solidarity in the fight against cancer. Each participant made a $20 donation, with all proceeds directly benefiting the Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament, a key supporter of Dana-Farber.

Pictured: TommyCar President Carla Cosenzi and Sheriff Patrick Cahillane.

Pictured: TommyCar President Carla Cosenzi and Sheriff Patrick Cahillane.

 

Supporting Military Families

Throughout the month of November, Freedom Credit Union collected cash donations at all its branches on behalf of the Westover Galaxy Community Council to support military service members and their families at Westover Air Reserve Base (ARB) in Chicopee. A total of $2,032.83 was collected from members, staff, and the community, which Freedom matched for a total donation of $4,065.66.

Pictured: John Beaulieu (left), president of Westover Galaxy Community Council, and Glenn Welch, President and CEO of Freedom Credit Union. (Photo by Market Mentors)

Pictured: John Beaulieu (left), president of Westover Galaxy Community Council, and Glenn Welch, President and CEO of Freedom Credit Union. (Photo by Market Mentors)

 

 

A Merrier Christmas for Kids

Westfield Bank invited its customers and community members across Western Mass. and Northern Conn. to help provide new toys and books to children in local communities as part of its 2023 toy drive. From Nov. 23 through Dec. 13, all Westfield Bank branches collected new, unwrapped toys, books, and monetary donations. Each branch donated to an organization or charity local to its service area.

Pictured, from left: Mike Mirski, Matt Valliere, Stephanie Morales, Marc Massey, and Laurie Mathews at Westfield Bank’s main office.

Pictured, from left: Mike Mirski, Matt Valliere, Stephanie Morales, Marc Massey, and Laurie Mathews at Westfield Bank’s main office.

Agenda

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Agenda

Local Farmer Awards

Through Jan. 31: Farmers in Western Mass. are invited to apply for Local Farmer Awards of up to $2,500. These awards are for capital and infrastructure improvement projects related to planting, growing, harvesting, and processing that will help farms compete in the marketplace. The Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation (HGCF), in partnership with Big Y and the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, along with the support of other funders, is entering the 10th year of the awards program, which has helped more than 260 farmers carry out a total of 572 projects. The Three County Fair is a new addition to the group of funders this year. The awards have helped farmers make necessary improvements, such as upgrading electric fencing, purchasing no-till equipment, expanding irrigation, installing frost-free water systems, purchasing feed troughs, and applying shade cloths for greenhouses. To be eligible, farms must have gross sales of $10,000 and be located in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, or Berkshire County. For a full list of eligibility requirements and application information, visit www.farmerawards.org. The deadline for applying is Jan. 31.

 

40 Under Forty Nominations

Through Feb. 16: BusinessWest is currently accepting nominations for the 40 Under Forty class of 2023. The deadline for nominations is Friday, Feb. 16. Launched in 2007, the program recognizes rising stars in the four counties of Western Mass. Nominations, which should be as detailed and thorough as possible, should list an individual’s accomplishments within their profession as well as their work within the community. Nominations can be completed online at businesswest.com/40-under-forty-nomination-form. Nominations will be weighed by a panel of judges, and the selected individuals will be announced and profiled in the April 29 issue of BusinessWest and honored at the 40 Under Forty Gala in June. Event sponsorship opportunities are available.

 

Margaritaville at Herrell’s

Jan. 21-28: Herrell’s Ice Cream in Northampton will celebrate its annual Margaritaville. Some of the flavors being served this year will be winning flavors from the UMass ice-cream-making competition from the last several years. These flavors have become popular rotating flavors at Herrell’s and are often served during summer months. The Margaritaville flavors this year will include Berry Tequila Tango (UMass), Mango Sorbet, Mango Ice Cream, Coconut Chocolate Chip, Piña Colada, Aloha Sunrise, Key Lime Cream, Sublime (UMass), Strawberry Banana, and Spicy Pineapple Margarita (UMass).

 

Free Music Fridays

Jan. 26 to Feb. 23: MGM Springfield is once again bringing summer inside. The popular Free Music Fridays Summer Concert Series on the MGM Springfield Plaza will move into MGM Springfield’s ARIA Ballroom beginning Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Doors will open at 7 p.m. Kicking off the 2024 indoor series is the Blushing Brides, billed as the original tribute to the Rolling Stones. The lineup also includes ’80s rock and metal band Aquanett, local modern country music fan favorite Trailer Trash, party band Darik and the Funbags, and, closing out the series, the Eagles Experience tribute show. Beer, wine, mixed drinks, and non-alcoholic beverages will be available during the shows. Guests also can enjoy MGM Springfield’s diverse food and beverage offerings before or after the concerts, with options including the Chandler Steakhouse, Costa, Tap Sports Bar, and South End Market. For additional details on the Free Music Fridays Concert Series, including lineup updates, visit mgmspringfield.mgmresorts.com/en/entertainment/free-music-fridays.html.

 

Difference Makers

April 10: The 16th annual Difference Makers Gala will be held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Since 2009, BusinessWest has been recognizing the work of individuals, groups, businesses, and institutions through this recognition program. The 2024 Difference Makers will be announced, and their stories told, in the Feb. 19 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com. Event ticket information will follow. The Royal Law Firm is a partner sponsor of Difference Makers this year, and other sponsorships are available.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
Matthew Nash

Matthew Nash

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK) announced the promotion of Matthew Nash, CPA to partner. Since joining the firm in 2011, he has been an integral part of the team, focusing on audit, review, and compilation engagements and playing a pivotal role in the commercial, not-for-profit audit, and pension engagement teams. Nash earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Nichols College and an MBA from Elms College, and is a member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants. In his time at MBK, he has advanced from an intern to a senior manager and now to a partner. Beyond his professional achievements, Nash is deeply involved in community service. He serves as a board member and treasurer for Springfield School Volunteers and is a committee member of the Ronald McDonald House Golf Tournament.

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The board of directors of AdLib Inc., a community-based, cross-disability, nonprofit organization, announced Sally English as the new executive director. English, who holds a master of social work degree from Boston College, was eager to join the team and return to the independent-living movement. English most recently advanced in leadership at Viability Inc., supporting its Clubhouse and MOMs programs through several leadership, programmatic, and pandemic-related changes. Prior to Viability, she worked at the Boston Center for Independent Living as the director of Services. English was included in the BusinessWest 40 Under Forty class of 2019. AdLib Inc., founded in 1983, provides information and referral, advocacy, skills training, peer support, transition, representative payee, and personal-care-attendant services to people with disabilities of all ages throughout Berkshire County. As a center for independent living, it was important to the AdLib board of directors to find a leader able to embrace the philosophy of independent living, which focuses on ensuring that people with disabilities are able to live in the community with control over their own services and lives. English, who began her tenure in June, has spent the first six months with AdLib creating relationships with staff and external stakeholders, as well as improving internal systems and processes to ensure staff are supported in providing quality services to consumers. An open house will be planned for 2024.

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The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts announced the appointment of new officers to its board of directors, effective Jan. 1. Dr. Charlotte Boney, who has assumed the role of president, chairs the Department of Pediatrics at Baystate Health. The first vice president, Willette Yarbrough Johnson, is a retired educator from Springfield Public Schools, having served 38 years in a variety of capacities. She continues exploring her love of education as a member of the Coalition of Experienced Black Educators, an educational consultant group. The second vice president is Omar Irizarry, director of Cross Agency Initiatives at the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. William Harju, treasurer, is chief financial officer at USA Hauling & Recycling, and the clerk is Shannon Yaremchak, director of Grants and Latino Economic Development Opportunities at Partners for Community, and director of Mission Advancement at New England Farm Workers’ Council. In their new capacities, the new officers will lead the Food Bank to implement innovative strategies, expand partnerships, and elevate the organization’s impact. Two new board members also began their tenure: Joesiah González, chief Philanthropy & Communications officer at Home City Development Inc., and Xiaolei Hua, first vice president of Commercial Lending at PeoplesBank.

•••••

David Lavenburg

Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that David Lavenburg, one of the firm’s attorneys, has been promoted to shareholder. Since joining the firm in November 2020, he has been an integral part of the firm, focusing on loan recovery, loan workouts, collection matters, restructuring, debt repayments, and bankruptcy. Lavenburg received his bachelor’s degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and his juris doctorate from Capital University of Law School in Columbus, Ohio. With more than 32 years of litigation experience, he chairs the creditor’s rights, collections, and bankruptcy practice group at Bacon Wilson. He is admitted to practice in both the Massachusetts and Connecticut state courts, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. In the firm’s probate department, Lavenburg supports litigation needs in cases involving contests, breaches of fiduciary duty, lack of capacity, and undue influence claims. In the commercial and corporate department, he represents the firm’s clients in partnership disputes, commercial litigation, general business litigation, and commercial lease disputes. He has also been chairman of the Longmeadow Zoning Board of Appeals since 2006.

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MGM Resorts International announced the appointment of Louie Theros as president and chief operating officer of MGM Springfield, where he will oversee the resort’s daily operations and strategic direction, focused on continued employee engagement and community relations. He succeeds Chris Kelley, who recently announced his decision to pursue a new opportunity closer to family on the West Coast. Theros has been with MGM Resorts since 2015, most recently serving as vice president, legal counsel, and assistant secretary at MGM Grand Detroit. Prior to joining the company, Theros worked in legal private practice, serving as vice president of Detroit-based law firm Butzel Long, following more than 20 years as a lawyer at Dickenson Wright. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.

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Stephanie Vincelette

Stephanie Vincelette

Erica Gomes

bankESB recently promoted Stephanie Vincelette to assistant vice president, Human Resources Operations, and Erica Gomes to assistant vice president, Customer Care. Vincelette has 11 years of banking experience. She was previously Human Resources Operations officer and, before that, Payroll manager, and began her career in banking as a Payroll specialist. Before joining bankESB in 2012, she had five years of previous payroll and human-resources experience. With this promotion, she will continue to oversee payroll operations; will now oversee benefits operations; and will expand her responsibilities in salary administration, compensation planning, and policy management. Vincelette has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western New England University. She holds a senior professional human resources certification. Gomes has 24 years of banking experience. She joined the Hometown Financial Group family of banks at bankHometown in 2013 as branch manager of the Killingly, Conn. office after spending more than 14 years in retail banking with Citizens Bank. She was promoted to Customer Care officer at Hometown Financial’s bankESB in 2016. In her new role, she will manage the Customer Care call center. Gomes completed coursework in accounting at the Community College of Rhode Island. She has been a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Junior Achievement, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, and local homeless shelters, and previously served as treasurer of the Killingly Business Assoc.

•••••

Kim Collins

Kim Collins

Caitlin Meyer

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) announced the recent hiring of two new staff members: Kim Collins, Audience Development and Community Engagement manager; and Caitlin Meyer, Education director. Collins will work to create community connections for the SSO and engage new audiences, while Meyer will be responsible for bringing back the hosting of SSO educational performances for public-school students as well as creating new educational programming for the organization. Collins joined the SSO in October. She most recently served as director of Member Services with the Connecticut River Valley Chamber of Commerce. In that role, she was the first point of contact for all member relations, led the ambassador team, and revised and refreshed member benefits, onboarding, and retention. She also facilitated networking and member-orientation events, as well as ribbon cuttings, and planned large events for the chamber. Collins has also been a performing artist and educator her entire life. As a flutist, she has performed with the SSO for more than 25 years and also served as the SSO’s orchestra librarian for several years. Meyer is an educational leader, music educator, and professional musician who has taught in China, Tanzania, Israel, and Australia. Before joining the SSO, she served as director of Programs for a charter school in Bridgeport, Conn., where she worked closely with the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants to build out arts-integrative, culturally responsive programs for newcomer students. Meyer also founded the Qingdao Visual and Performing Arts Educators Assoc., which has allowed students of every background in China to participate in district-wide arts initiatives as well as international travel opportunities. Prior to her work in Qingdao, Meyer was the music director at Saint Bernard School in Uncasville, Conn. for seven years.

•••••

Luke Goodridge has joined the law firm of Bulkley Richardson as a partner. His practice will continue to focus on estate planning, trust administration, and general business-law matters. Goodridge was previously a named partner at the law firm of Curtiss, Carey, Gates & Goodridge, LLP, based in Greenfield. He will continue to maintain an office in Greenfield. He earned a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from UMass Amherst; a juris doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law, and is currently a candidate for an LLM (master of laws) degree in taxation at Boston University School of Law.

•••••

Ashley Swett

Ashley Swett

Florence Bank recently announced that Ashley Swett has been named manager of the bank’s Customer Service Center at the main office in Florence. In her new role, she will oversee the staff responsible for assisting Florence Bank customers who contact the bank via telephone or email. Swett has 16 years of industry experience and is a graduate of the New England School of Financial Studies. She holds a certificate in supervision from the Center for Financial Training. Active in the community, Swett is currently a member of the Holiday Flair in Ware, where she enjoys the annual festival and parade.

•••••

The Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley (RAPV) announced its annual award winners at the association’s holiday luncheon on Dec. 14 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The Realtor of the Year Award was given to Vincent Walsh of Coldwell Banker Realty, while the Affiliate of the Year Award was given to Christine Webster, attorney at Begley & Webster LLC. A Realtor since 1992, Walsh served as president of the RAPV board of directors in 2011. He has also served on the grievance, government affairs, professional standards, and YPN committees. He continues to serve on the RAPV board of directors. Walsh has given back to the community through his involvement by being nominated for and approved by the Springfield City Council and holding the Realtor seat on the Springfield Historical Commission for nearly 12 years. He is a member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the USO. He is a supporter of the VFW, Habitat for Humanity, American Cancer Society, American Heart Assoc., and St. Jude Children’s Hospital. A member of RAPV since 2005, Webster has served on the affiliate-realtor and professional development committees. Webster has demonstrated significant support to the association and community outreach and volunteered in RAPV’s seminars held by the affiliate-realtor committee and the professional development committee’s “If the Realtor Had Only Known” sessions. She also provides guidance to all Realtors who seek assistance in transactions and legal questions. Her community activities include being a Westfield Zoning Board of Appeal member and serving on the finance committee at St. Mary’s Parish of Westfield. She also volunteers preparing meals for the homeless and has been involved in fundraising for schools and the parish.

Company Notebook

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Company Notebook

UMass Amherst Rises to Top 20 for Sustainability

AMHERST — UMass Amherst rose to the top 20 among higher-education institutions in the nation for its social and environmental sustainability development efforts, education, and practices, according to QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024 edition. In the expanded second edition, published by global higher-education analyst firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), UMass Amherst rose to 16th out of 210 colleges and universities in the U.S., up from 28th in last year’s ranking that highlighted 135 U.S. institutions. In the overall global sustainability rankings, UMass Amherst rose to the top 10% (136th) among 1,403 institutions across 95 countries and territories, which is more than double the number of institutions featured in last year’s inaugural edition. The ranking provides a unique, detailed framework to assess how universities are taking action to tackle the world’s most pressing global challenges through evaluation of universities based on three areas: social impact, environmental impact, and governance. UMass Amherst also scored well above the global median in each of these areas. This latest QS Sustainability Ranking adds to UMass Amherst’s sustainability accolades this year. In November, UMass Amherst moved up 10 spots to 18th in Princeton Review’s Top 50 Green Colleges.

 

Tighe & Bond Acquires Coastal Engineering

WESTFIELD — Tighe & Bond, a Northeast leader in engineering, design, and environmental consulting, announced it has acquired Cape Cod-based Coastal Engineering Co. Inc., a civil, structural, and waterfront/marine engineering firm that specializes in projects located in environmentally sensitive areas. This strategic acquisition aligns with Tighe & Bond’s vision of being a trusted advisor by offering clients a comprehensive, single-source solution to their engineering, design, and environmental-science needs. The addition of Coastal Engineering’s staff bolsters the breadth and depth of services that Tighe & Bond currently offers to clients, particularly those located in Cape Cod, the islands, and coastal Massachusetts and Rhode Island. John Bologna, Coastal’s former president and CEO, will now serve as vice president within the firm’s Building Services business line. Tighe & Bond’s current offices are now augmented by Coastal Engineering’s Eastern Mass. offices, further strengthening the firm’s presence across Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Maine.

 

UMassFive Recognized for Investment Services

HADLEY — UMassFive College Federal Credit Union and its team of CUSO Financial Services (CFS) financial advisors have been recognized with the Gold Keystone Award in the medium-sized financial-institution category for 2022. This annual award recognizes CFS programs with the highest ratio of GDC per $1 million of total deposits. This is the second year in a row that UMassFive has received this honor. In addition, UMassFive Financial Advisor Aimee Marden has also been recognized for her contributions to this GDC ratio with a CFS Bronze Pacesetter Award for 2022. UMassFive has offered retirement planning and investment services as a complimentary benefit to its members and the local community for more than 15 years. The department is spearheaded by three financial advisors: Aimee Marden, Dana Graham, and Sam Einzig, and supported by Senior Investment Advisor Assistant Emi Lee. UMassFive’s financial advisors are available to meet in person as well as remotely to discuss the retirement-planning and investing needs of any local person or business. The team also offers complimentary remote seminars throughout the year to educate clients on an array of retirement-planning and investment-related topics.

 

Monsoon Bistro Now Open at Holyoke Mall

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Mall announced the addition of the shopping center’s fourth full-service restaurant, Monsoon Bistro, located on the upper level near Macy’s. The locally owned and operated bistro combines traditional Chinese and Thai dishes to showcase the culinary landscape and region. The menu, designed to celebrate Southeast Asian cuisine, features dim sum, drunken noodles, mango chicken, red curry fish, and more.

 

Joe’s Cafe Launches Katie’s Fund to Support Friends of Children Inc.

NORTHAMPTON — Friends of Children Inc. recently accepted a donation of over $7,500 to establish Katie’s Fund, a program established through a fundraiser spearheaded by Joe’s Pizza in honor of former employee Katie Lyons. Katie’s Fund will be used to provide essentials for children and young adults who are affected by foster care. Katie’s Fund was created by Meaghan Sullivan, owner of Joe’s Pizza. Sullivan hosted a Katie’s Fund fundraising event at Joe’s Pizza on the evening of Dec. 13, where 25% of all sales benefited the fund. Those sales, combined with private donations, have already added up to more than $7,500 to honor Katie, who passed away in January. Friends of Children is dedicated to improving the lives of children and young adults impacted by foster care or juvenile-justice involvement. Katie’s Fund will be used to purchase essential items to support the children and young adults enrolled in Friends of Children’s programming.

 

Eversource Recognized for Corporate Responsibility

BOSTON — Newsweek magazine, in partnership with global research and data firm Statista, publishes an annual list of America’s Most Responsible Companies. Eversource Energy has again been named among the top-scoring utilities on the 2024 list, and was also named a 5 Year Champion by Newsweek for being recognized among the nation’s most responsible companies every year since its list was introduced. In the 2024 list, Eversource ranked fifth in the nation among 59 companies in the Energy & Utilities category, and 154th overall on the top-600 list among the leading 2,000 public companies by revenue with headquarters in the U.S. The company earned the highest environmental score in the utility industry and the highest overall ranking of any utility in the Northeast and the Eastern Seaboard. The annual list determines the most responsible companies based on their corporate social sustainability performance and reputation. Eversource and the other recognized companies were featured in the Dec. 15 issue of the newsmagazine.

 

State Awards HCC $1.46 Million for Nursing Workforce Training Program

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) and its partners have been awarded a state grant worth nearly $1.46 million to create a CNA (certified nursing assistant) to LPN (licensed practical nurse) training program to help area hospitals meet their workforce needs. Last month, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced a total of $3.9 million in Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success Grants for six initiatives representing employers and collaborative organizations across the Commonwealth. The lion’s share of that money — $1,457,143 — will go to an HCC-led training program to assist 86 unemployed or underemployed individuals transition from jobs as nursing aides to positions as licensed practical nurses. The grants, funded through the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund and distributed by the Commonwealth Corporation, aim to increase sustainable wage career pathways for Massachusetts residents facing employment barriers and improve the competitiveness of Massachusetts businesses by enhancing worker skills and productivity. HCC’s partners in the grant include Baystate Medical Center, Baystate Wing Hospital, MassHire Hampden County, Springfield Works, and the National Fund for Workforce Solutions. The multi-stage program will first train individuals as nursing aides, then help them obtain jobs at area hospitals while they continue their training in HCC’s LPN program, all the while providing them with wrap-around support services. HCC already has an existing framework for CNA training through its Jump Start program, which is designed for individuals receiving public assistance.

 

Smash Hits Cannabis Wins Budtenders’ Choice Award

HOLYOKE — Smash Hits Cannabis, the exclusive cannabis line grown for and by Canna Provisions, is announced that its Chem D strain has been named the 2023 Budtenders’ Choice winner in Massachusetts by Leafly, one of the world’s largest and most influential online cannabis information resources. This recognition, voted on by the state’s budtenders naming their favorite strains available on the legal market, highlights the outstanding quality of Smash Hits Cannabis and cements its status as a frontrunner in the Northeast’s premium, small-batch craft cannabis market. The accolade underscores the expertise and dedication of Smash Hits’ cultivation director, Greg “Chemdog” Krzanowski, whose commitment to cultivating exceptional cannabis aligns with Canna Provisions’ mission to offer the best craft cannabis products, reflecting the company’s dedication to quality and innovation, Canna CEO Meg Sanders said.

 

T-Birds Generate $26,000 at Hockey Fights Cancer Night

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Thunderbirds recently announced a donation of $26,000 as a result of the funds raised from the postgame jersey auction on Nov. 25, which served as the club’s annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night. The night held extra meaning to T-Birds forwards Will and Sam Bitten, who once again were at the forefront of the efforts through Bitsy’s Army, the charity the brothers established in honor and memory of their cousin, Martin Piche, who passed away in 2021 at age 31 following a lengthy battle with a cancerous brain tumor. Not only did the T-Birds shut out the Utica Comets by a 7-0 score, but the Bitten brothers were front and center in the scoring. Will tallied two goals and an assist, while younger brother Sam recorded his first career AHL point with more than a dozen family and friends in attendance. In Piche’s honor, the T-Birds Foundation made a contribution (via Bitsy’s Army) to the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, based out of the Bittens’ home province of Ontario. A host of Springfield-area cancer charities were also benefactors from Hockey Fights Cancer Night, including: Cancer House of Hope (CHD), Griffin’s Friends (Baystate Health Foundation), Sister Caritas Cancer Center (Mercy Medical Center), and Survivor Journeys. The T-Birds also presented a check to the National Hockey League’s official Hockey Fights Cancer charity. A joint initiative of the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Assoc. powered by the V Foundation for Cancer Research, Hockey Fights Cancer unites the hockey community in support of cancer patients and their families.

 

 

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of December 2023.

BELCHERTOWN

Andrew Mitchell Construction
55 Rural Road
Andrew Mitchell

EASTHAMPTON

Jessica Sarah Beauty
179 Northampton St., Suite 3
Jessica Barker

River Valley Co-op
228 Northampton St.
Abby Getman Skillicorn

Shop Harper James LLC
106 Cottage St.
Kayla Diggins

SmallCo Bookkeeping
2M Culdaff St.
Stephanie Yarmesky

HOLYOKE

Beyond the Mirror
103 Chapin St.
Michelle Hernandez

Bugalu Ballroom
120 High St.
Militza Caratini

Fresh Sense Cleaners
123 Waldo St.
Latoya Booker

Jadhai Boutique
523 South St.
Oneida Rivera Sanchez

Kay Ave Auto Sales
18 Kay Ave.
Alexander Oquendo

Latino’s Cuisine
50 Holyoke St.
Eduardo Castillo

Legendary Photography
775 High St.
Amanda Trabal

Lomas Landscaping
55 Ely St.
Antonio Lopez Cruz

Sleep Number
44 Holyoke St.
Select Comfort Retail Corp.

PITTSFIELD

A.J. Energy Solutions
28 Plastics Ave.
Javier Aragon

The Baddie Factory
375 West St.
Anya Volff

Balancing the Journey
56 Palomino Dr.
Ilana Kind Ackerman

BB’s Hot Spot at the Lantern
449 North St.
BB’s Hot Spot LLC

Bomb Shack Vintage
North St.
Jacob Seeley

C&H Environmental Technical Services
80 Highview Dr., Unit D
Bruce Eulian

FBR Painting Service Inc.
86 Henry Ave.
Fabiano Robadel

Law Office of Peter C. Alessio
82 Joan Dr.
Peter Alessio

Planet Fitness
690 Merrill Road
Keystone NFP Pittsfield LLC

Precision Bookkeeping by Coral
120 Benedict Road
Coral Cook

Shamrock
82 Wendell Ave.
CMG Mortgage Inc.

29 Wendell Associates
29 Wendell Ave.
John Barry

SOUTH HADLEY

Get Movin’ Fitness & Nutrition
577 Granby Road
April Marion-McClure

Meticulous Matters Inc.
42 Pine Hill Road
Meticulous Matters Inc.

New England Wetland Plants Inc.
231 Hadley St.
New England Wetland Plants Inc.

The Whiskey Barrel
21 Lyman St.
Foss Enterprises Inc.

White Wing
568 Newton St.
AARYNA Inc.

WESTFIELD

A Bear With Thumbs LLC
53 Old Feeding Hills Road
Mary Quinn

Blue Elephant Business Solutions
94 Beveridge Blvd.
Silvana Aguirre-McGinnis

Cleaning Houses
57 East Silver St.
Nina Barynova

Country Mart II
54 Union St.
A&K Enterprises Inc.

Creative Canine Solutions
140 Union St.
Lauren Rubin

Dupere Law Offices
94 North Elm St., Suite 307
Russell Dupere

Family Mobile Repair
420 Union St., Suite B
Christopher Kasperek

Happy Foot Massage
83A Main St.
Linlin Xu, Liyin Zhen

JJM Boiler Works Inc.
14 Coleman Ave., Suites 1-2
JJM Boiler Works Inc.

Las Jibaritas
77 Mill St.
Tanisha Cabezudo

Love Little Food
216 Shaker Road
Mira Nikitchuk

Mike’s Barber Shop & Hair Salon
148 Elm St.
Mike’s Barber Shop

Nicolas Michael Collins
38 Taylor Ave.
Nicholas Collins

Russhing
107 Farnham Lane
Yefim Ohrimenko

Thuraya Anastas Cable
1092 North Road, Suite C
Thuraya Anastas Cable

Twio Holdings LLC
23 Monroe St., Suite 1
Sheila Maldonado

Whip City Scooters
420 Union St.
Christopher Kasperek

Whip City Fiber
100 Elm St.
Thomas Flaherty Sr.

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Babylon Barber Shop
716 Union St.
Babylon Barber Shop

Brittain Perez Productions
7 Upper Church St., Unit 213
Brittain Perez Productions

Cabot Creamery
958 Riverdale St.
AgriMark Inc.

Discount Office Furniture Inc.
2131 Riverdale St.
Discount Office Furniture Inc.

East Mountain Services LLC
94 Doty Circle
East Mountain Services LLC

Family Indian Punjabi Cuisine
977 Main St.
Family Indian Punjabi Cuisine

Habibi’s Cut
715 Main St.
Habibi’s Cut

Shri Laksmikamaa Inc.
1329 Riverdale St.
Shri Laksmikamaa Inc.

Tip Top Nails
239 Memorial Ave.
Tip Top Nails

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Concepcion, Hector
1333 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/08/2023

Cruz, Noel
128 Woodmont St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/05/2023

Earl, Jennifer
3 James Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/12/2023

Eckert, James A.
68 May Hill Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/14/2023

Fydenkevez, Bertha I.
Fydenkevez, Tootsie
80 Damon Road, Apt. 4108
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/15/2023

Godlew, Timothy P.
7 Pomeroy St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095-2220
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/11/2023
Hickson-Torres, Kimberly N.
118 Field Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/06/2023

Munoz, Jahayra
111 Manchester Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/14/2023

Nyarko, Joseph Sefa
119 F Ashey Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/11/2023

Patry, Donald J.
248 Amherst Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/02/2023

Peristere, Daniel B.
528 Reed St.
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/13/2023

Poutre, Jennifer M.
120 Stebbins St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/01/2023

Rivera Alvarado, Luis Javier
a/k/a Rivera, Luis J.
2006 Northampton St., 2nd Fl.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/05/2023

Seymour, Gerald R.
Seymour, Sharon A.
18C Crescent St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/09/2023

Streeter, Karen
523 Alum Hill
Ashley Falls, MA 01222
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/13/2023

Torres, Felix
408 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/04/2023

Wemette, Dawna L.
a/k/a Rouette, Dawna L.
2001 Overlook Dr.
Three Rivers, MA 01080
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/03/2023

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

49 Shedd Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: Patricia M. Sullivan
Seller: Christopher J. Ament
Date: 12/11/23

BUCKLAND

100 Bray Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Jennifer C. Smith
Seller: Michael T. O’Brien
Date: 12/18/23

CHARLEMONT

1177 Route 2 East
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Korey L. Thurlow
Seller: ARPC LLC
Date: 12/22/23

DEERFIELD

6 Eastern Ave.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Christopher Caldwell
Seller: Walter A. Malanson
Date: 12/19/23

65 South Mill River Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Ament
Seller: Kyle J. Ament
Date: 12/11/23

177 Stillwater Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Jonathan B. Weis
Seller: Fay L. Huenniger
Date: 12/18/23

GILL

33 Riverview Dr.
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Sandra J. Staub
Seller: Salim Abdoo
Date: 12/15/23

5 Walnut St.
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Rogelio R. Ovalle
Seller: Godzinski RET
Date: 12/15/23

GREENFIELD

163 Chapman St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Donaldson Housing LLC
Seller: Ruggeri LLC
Date: 12/15/23

193 High St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Aaron Sprague
Seller: William R. Kostanski
Date: 12/14/23

25 Laurel St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Evan E. Geary
Seller: Teresa J. Cavanna
Date: 12/11/23

23 McLellan Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Benjamin J. Poirier
Seller: Matthew R. Mutti
Date: 12/15/23

240 Mohawk Trail
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: 242 Mohawk LLC
Seller: Sherman Realty LLC
Date: 12/13/23

118 Petty Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Tyler A. Hicks
Seller: Raymond Chapin
Date: 12/15/23

12 Prospect St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Joseph Lawton-Curtis
Seller: Stephen Poulin
Date: 12/20/23

253 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Garrett C. Grant
Seller: Corissa E. Tripp
Date: 12/22/23

183 Wells St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Emerson Properties LLC
Seller: 183 Wells RT
Date: 12/21/23

185-187 Wells St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Emerson Properties LLC
Seller: 183 Wells RT
Date: 12/21/23

HEATH

92 Burrington Road
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Briel Gibson
Seller: Steven A. Craig
Date: 12/22/23

LEVERETT

77 Long Hill Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $925,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Tuzzolo
Seller: Paul A. Bourke
Date: 12/15/23

MONTAGUE

14 Avenue C
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Zachary Muffoletto
Seller: Kimball, Theresa W. (Estate)
Date: 12/14/23

2 Davis St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Fay V. Strongin
Seller: Dennis E. Graves
Date: 12/14/23

1 Linda Lane
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $325,100
Buyer: Ann M. Lutz
Seller: Frank A. Penny
Date: 12/15/23

24 Marshall St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $369,000
Buyer: Louis W. Arnold
Seller: Alan M. Sturmer
Date: 12/11/23

132 Meadow Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $259,061
Buyer: Finance Of America Structured
Seller: Paul Yurkevicz
Date: 12/18/23

96 Montague City Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $312,500
Buyer: Eric Bator
Seller: Raymond A. Godin
Date: 12/22/23

8 Pleasant St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: 8 Pleasant Street RT
Seller: Gary F. Bourbeau
Date: 12/22/23

7 Rod Shop Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Skyjac Realty LLC
Seller: George R. Marchacos
Date: 12/12/23

77 Swamp Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $646,500
Buyer: Robert A. Dalton
Seller: Mariah I. Shore
Date: 12/13/23

551 Turners Falls Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Alexis N. Root
Seller: Christopher A. Senecal
Date: 12/20/23

NEW SALEM

100 Elm St.
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Cedric Cooley
Seller: Janet F. Kraft
Date: 12/20/23

ORANGE

2 Daniel Shays Hwy.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Michael J. Killay
Seller: Duane Casavecchia
Date: 12/13/23

1353 Daniel Shays Hwy.
Orange, MA 01331
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Michael J. Killay
Seller: Duane Casavecchia
Date: 12/13/23

142 South Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Cliffton N. Smith
Seller: Mercedes L. Clingerman
Date: 12/15/23

163 West River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Laura Aiello
Seller: Engstrom, Douglas E. (Estate)
Date: 12/21/23

ROWE

23 Cross Road
Rowe, MA 01367
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Kenneth Thane
Seller: Evergreen Heights TR
Date: 12/19/23

SUNDERLAND

5 Clark Mountain Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $2,500,000
Buyer: Sunderland Storage LLC
Seller: Gillikin LLC
Date: 12/21/23

97 Old Amherst Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $628,000
Buyer: Olivia J. Close
Seller: Elliot M. Krasnopoler
Date: 12/18/23

WARWICK

46 Dusty Lane
Warwick, MA 01364
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Robert T. Ellis
Seller: Miller, Peter S. (Estate)
Date: 12/11/23

707 Orange Road
Warwick, MA 01378
Amount: $346,000
Buyer: Michael J. Barone
Seller: Scott A. Ricker
Date: 12/13/23

WHATELY

110 Christian Lane
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Klondike Properties LLC
Seller: Rich & Co LLC
Date: 12/15/23

124 Haydenville Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Diane E. Nielsen
Seller: Lola J. Stone
Date: 12/21/23

39 Laurel Mountain Road
Whately, MA 01039
Amount: $670,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Hurwit
Seller: Luke Strzegowski
Date: 12/14/23

115 North St.
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Kyle Ament
Seller: Randy K. Sibley
Date: 12/11/23

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

48 Fairview St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Berkshire Land Co. LLC
Seller: Maria J. Gobeille
Date: 12/14/23

84-86 Garden St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Samuel Stepchuk
Seller: Joseph F. Giordano
Date: 12/12/23

11-13 Orlando St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Kevin Arbelaez
Seller: Angela M. Arbelaez
Date: 12/15/23

92-1/2 Paul Revere Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Robert C. Roy
Seller: Michael D. Starpoli
Date: 12/22/23

201 Southwick St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Karol Celmer
Seller: Edward Smith
Date: 12/20/23

674 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Mich Pro Ventures LLC
Seller: Style Cottage LLC
Date: 12/21/23

CHESTER

9 Prospect St.
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Aaron Sherlin
Seller: Griffin A. Bazzeghin
Date: 12/15/23

499 Skyline Trail
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $487,000
Buyer: Robert A. Lee
Seller: William W. Roberts
Date: 12/14/23

CHICOPEE

554 Broadway St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Tyrese A. Harris
Seller: Carra, Mark Ernest, (Estate)
Date: 12/13/23

882-1/2 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Konbit Realty LLC
Seller: Torre Hanson Properties LLC
Date: 12/11/23

884 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Konbit Realty LLC
Seller: Torre Hanson Properties LLC
Date: 12/11/23

892 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Cherlie Magny-Normilus
Seller: Torre Hanson Properties LLC
Date: 12/11/23

34 Deslauriers St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Joanellys Rodriguez
Seller: Patrick J. Keefe
Date: 12/15/23

244 Exchange St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $418,300
Buyer: Valley Opportunity Council I
Seller: Polish National Credit Union
Date: 12/12/23

21 Ferry St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Jonah Investments LLC
Seller: Lachenauer LLC
Date: 12/19/23

45 Grant St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: WMass Residential LLC
Seller: John H. Pedro
Date: 12/21/23

33 Homer Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,300,000
Buyer: Homer View Partners LLC
Seller: Dale View Apartments LLC
Date: 12/15/23

168 Jean Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: Servicenet Inc.
Seller: Carol Marnelakis
Date: 12/15/23

81 Jennings St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Nikolas D. Gallacher
Seller: Matthews, Casimira, (Estate)
Date: 12/22/23

39 Joy St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Kimberly Bruscoe
Seller: Baker, Michael T., (Estate)
Date: 12/22/23

914 McKinstry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Angel F. Alicea
Seller: Marc Langevin
Date: 12/15/23

28 Monroe St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Sean B. Kirley
Seller: AJN Rentals LLC
Date: 12/12/23

172 Poplar St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Paul Kownacki
Seller: Daniel W. Shaw
Date: 12/22/23

41 Royal St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Jessica S. Sears
Seller: Regina T. Roach
Date: 12/20/23

43 Sheridan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: 143 Real Estate LLC
Seller: Tgtbt 1 LLC
Date: 12/22/23

788 Sheridan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $760,000
Buyer: NWO Investments LLC
Seller: Timdee Rainey Investments LLC
Date: 12/22/23

44 Thomas St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Sarah K. Kellogg
Seller: Victoria A. Santiago
Date: 12/15/23

99 Van Horn St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: John R. Roach
Seller: James Pafumi
Date: 12/20/23

63 Voss Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Qian Z. Li
Seller: Shan M. Li
Date: 12/21/23

William St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Panther Development LLC
Seller: Courageous Lion LLC
Date: 12/21/23

4 Wolfe St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Panther Development LLC
Seller: Courageous Lion LLC
Date: 12/21/23

EAST LONGMEADOW

215 Allen St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: William Gorman
Seller: Nicholas Turnberg
Date: 12/19/23

5 Benton Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: 275 Benton LLC
Seller: Zane L. Mirkin FT
Date: 12/12/23

176 Hampden Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: Carmen Ginorio
Seller: HUD
Date: 12/12/23

192 Hampden Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Jeffrey R. Kuselias
Seller: Nolan, Jean M., (Estate)
Date: 12/15/23

263 Prospect St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Cory Langlais RET
Seller: Zadkiel RT
Date: 12/13/23

48 Van Dyke Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Christian J. Santaniello
Seller: JMB Property Mgmt. LLC
Date: 12/14/23

HAMPDEN

324 Chapin Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Joseph J. Deburro
Seller: Julia M. Campbell
Date: 12/22/23

406 North Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $1,200,000
Buyer: Yehuda M. Shapira
Seller: North Road RT
Date: 12/13/23

HOLYOKE

143 Brown Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: JHJ RET
Seller: Stephen Foster
Date: 12/22/23

47-49 Cherry St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Denale Investments LLC
Seller: Davignon Properties LLC
Date: 12/15/23

340 Hampden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $183,500
Buyer: Rebecca E. Kc
Seller: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Date: 12/15/23

665 High St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: 669 High Holdings LLC
Seller: Kalipa Asset Capital LLC
Date: 12/21/23

85-87 Hitchcock St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Napolitano Roofing Of Mass.
Seller: NRES LLC
Date: 12/15/23

22 Laurel St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $391,000
Buyer: Miguel Ramirez
Seller: KMAK LLC
Date: 12/15/23

52 Lexington Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Daniel Falcetti
Seller: Timothy F. Keane
Date: 12/19/23

1 Loomis Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Anthony Carnovale Realty LLC
Seller: Sarawood Retirement Home Inc.
Date: 12/18/23

315 Mountain Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $580,000
Buyer: Matthew R. Carrier
Seller: Christine Coe
Date: 12/19/23

1669 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Tock LLC
Seller: Crosstown Development LLC
Date: 12/19/23

158 Ontario Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Sarah T. Gibson
Seller: Alexander S. Nielsen
Date: 12/21/23

20 Portland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Teresa Lavelle
Seller: James M. Lavelle
Date: 12/14/23

524-528 South Bridge St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Building One South St. LLC
Seller: A&A Elite Mgmt. Corp. Inc.
Date: 12/20/23

285 Southampton Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Braden Kane
Seller: Johnson, Richard J., (Estate)
Date: 12/20/23

20 Sterling Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Timothy F. Keane
Seller: KLC FT
Date: 12/19/23

98 Suffolk St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: McKenzie Brothers Realty LLC
Seller: Forty One Acres LLC
Date: 12/12/23

3 Williams St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Kent Moore
Seller: Bebo, Paul Richard, (Estate)
Date: 12/14/23

LONGMEADOW

4 Berwick Ter.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Steven Bacotti
Seller: Christopher B. Hutchins
Date: 12/22/23

385 Bliss Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Robert Lyons
Seller: Keith C. Mondello
Date: 12/15/23

92 Branch St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Daniel Daponde
Seller: Lyle T. Le
Date: 12/15/23

209 Burbank Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Daniel R. Bergin
Seller: Frances T. Barney
Date: 12/18/23

74 Clairmont St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Dylan Katz
Seller: Abhijit Desai TR
Date: 12/15/23

53 Dunsany Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $422,000
Buyer: Gabrielle Chanel
Seller: Peter A. Santos TR
Date: 12/19/23

80 King Philip Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $439,900
Buyer: Sean Stevens
Seller: Lsrmf MH Master TR
Date: 12/22/23

41 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $302,000
Buyer: CKJ Realty LLC
Seller: Alice R. Hoffman
Date: 12/14/23

80 Meadow Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Ahmet Sarban
Seller: Andrea M. Kureczka
Date: 12/13/23

94 Pioneer Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Ali Cheema
Seller: Maureen M. Hinshaw
Date: 12/20/23

82 Shady Side Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $461,500
Buyer: William T. McCarry
Seller: Joseph G. Dasilva
Date: 12/22/23

97 Shady Side Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jill Morris
Seller: Josephine G. Sokol RET
Date: 12/15/23

237 Twin Hills Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Brandon Freeman
Seller: Barbara F. Burati
Date: 12/22/23

10 Vanguard Lane
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $345,500
Buyer: Lawrence P. Reed
Seller: Lan, Richard M. (Estate)
Date: 12/12/23

157 Wenonah Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Luwam Dirar
Seller: Phyllis Beckwith
Date: 12/14/23

LUDLOW

10 Autumn Ridge Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $645,000
Buyer: Ryan M. St.Germain
Seller: Jamie E. Chandonnet
Date: 12/14/23

138-140 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Saklaa RT
Seller: Doreco LLC
Date: 12/19/23

43 Edgewood Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Samantha Miele
Seller: Edward J. Cauley
Date: 12/12/23

52 Joy St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Krystal A. Corbin
Seller: Darwin Y. Rivera-Gonzalez
Date: 12/18/23

1385 Lyon St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: 1385 Lyon Street RT
Seller: Vicas Property Investments LLC
Date: 12/13/23

406 Miller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $190,800
Buyer: Berkshire Bank
Seller: Brian P. Page
Date: 12/15/23

57 Pleasant St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: MT Home LLC
Seller: Newrez LLC
Date: 12/22/23

37 Prospect St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Nivan F. Pinto
Seller: Marques FT
Date: 12/20/23

45 Robin Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Shiyun Gu
Seller: Jeanne M. Sady
Date: 12/15/23

150-152 Sewall St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: CTC Property Holdings LLC
Seller: Edward Kupiec
Date: 12/11/23

Sunset Ridge
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Humanshu Patel
Seller: Ryan C. Mickiewicz
Date: 12/18/23

MONSON

4 Boston Road E
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Laura M. Elian
Seller: Lawrence F. Army
Date: 12/15/23

200 Bumstead Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Jerry Ballard
Seller: Daniel R. Harwood
Date: 12/13/23

13 Country Club Heights
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $327,500
Buyer: Elizabeth A. McKniff
Seller: Deborah S. Dasilva
Date: 12/15/23

32 Flynt Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $288,500
Buyer: Dean P. Osborne
Seller: Brittany Ramos
Date: 12/15/23

171 Moulton Hill Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $265,900
Buyer: Mark Paul
Seller: Katherine M. Schneider
Date: 12/20/23

245 State Ave.
Monson, MA 01069
Amount: $294,000
Buyer: Morgan A. Lindemayer-Finck
Seller: Timothy J. Davies
Date: 12/12/23

6 Upper Palmer Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $610,000
Buyer: Li Chen
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 12/13/23

287 Wilbraham Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Antonio Carvalho
Seller: Garreffa, Fredericka A., (Estate)
Date: 12/20/23

MONTGOMERY

160 Carrington Road
Montgomery, MA 01050
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Susan Frantumn
Seller: Petros, John Stanley (Estate)
Date: 12/22/23

 

PALMER

149 Boston Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Maria Whalen
Seller: Ruth F. Josephson
Date: 12/22/23

1011 Hillside Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Eric A. Day
Seller: Jeffrey A. Day
Date: 12/15/23

2223 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Jessica Magnuson
Seller: Brown, Donna F. (Estate)
Date: 12/22/23

597 Old Warren Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Deborah A. Blair
Seller: Deborah A. Benware
Date: 12/19/23

1115 Overlook Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Benjamin Cavaliere
Seller: Prime Partners LLC
Date: 12/15/23

4 Pioneer Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $505,000
Buyer: Jason J. Hoffman
Seller: Darren J. Costa
Date: 12/18/23

383 Rondeau St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Joseph Dull
Seller: Margaret M. Paquette IRT
Date: 12/12/23

RUSSELL

69 West Main St.
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Gerard J. Roy
Seller: Todd M. Weiler
Date: 12/15/23

SPRINGFIELD

38 Acushnet Ave.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Carolina Hidalgo
Seller: 3inity Rentals LLC
Date: 12/22/23

758-760 Alden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $322,000
Buyer: Anthony A. Echeverria
Seller: Joyce Porter-Debose
Date: 12/15/23

91-93 Alderman St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Bella L. Gonzales-Cevallos
Seller: Ajn Rentals LLC
Date: 12/19/23

127 Aldrew Ter.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Juan Martinez-Pagan
Seller: Julien P. Gour
Date: 12/21/23

96 Almira Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Matahari RT
Seller: Eric E. Johnson
Date: 12/21/23

63 Atwater Road
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Joseph Pellegrino
Seller: Sen Li
Date: 12/14/23

131 Avery St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $273,000
Buyer: Anais Dehoyos
Seller: JoeJoe Properties LLC
Date: 12/21/23

13 Atwood Place
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Jorge Maysonet
Seller: Michael Ramirez
Date: 12/22/23

165 Bacon Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Jasmin Rojas
Seller: Jose Correa
Date: 12/13/23

21 Balboa Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Virgen M. Ramos-Ruiz
Seller: Ronald W. Kitchen IRT
Date: 12/21/23

139 Balboa Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Christopher Regan
Seller: William T. Raleigh
Date: 12/22/23

11 Baltimore Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Isreal Rodriguez
Seller: Theresa Nallett
Date: 12/21/23

52-54 Benton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Jesus Garcia
Seller: Teresa A. Cooney
Date: 12/13/23

858 Bradley Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Aracelis Delgado
Seller: Moises Zanazanian
Date: 12/15/23

29 Brickett St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $141,000
Buyer: NRES LLC
Seller: Lockwood, Charles H. (Estate)
Date: 12/22/23

186 Buckingham St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Gissel Santiago
Seller: Carl E. Muldrow
Date: 12/19/23

30 Caitlin Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Son T. Nguyen
Seller: Donna Roulston
Date: 12/21/23

51 Clearbrook Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Nolan Cochrane
Seller: William Cochrane
Date: 12/15/23

274 Cooper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $271,000
Buyer: Kelsey Relihan
Seller: Joseph W. Powers
Date: 12/14/23

68 Cornflower St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Melissa L. Lopez
Seller: Chelsea Marvici
Date: 12/21/23

34 Croyden Ter.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Susan N. Colon
Seller: Gabriela Aviles-Sanchez
Date: 12/13/23

29 Davenport St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Giankarlo Alicea
Seller: Nicole T. Piligian
Date: 12/22/23

97 David St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $241,665
Buyer: Bear Sterns Asset 2006-SD
Seller: Carlisle Kearse
Date: 12/13/23

138 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Natalie R. Rodriguez
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 12/22/23

1592-1594 Dwight St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Halei Zhu
Seller: Serg W. Abramchuk
Date: 12/15/23

104 Eleanor Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Dnepro Properties LLC
Seller: Diane N. Kadzik
Date: 12/15/23

64 Ellendale Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Matthew A. Cavallo
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 12/12/23

14 Embury St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Christopher L. Johnson
Seller: Miller, Frances L. (Estate)
Date: 12/19/23

18 Fenway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $229,571
Buyer: Santana Real Estate Inc.
Seller: Freedom Mortgage Corp.
Date: 12/14/23

57-59 Fountain St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $295,400
Buyer: John R. Lopez
Seller: Sagrario M. Caceres
Date: 12/22/23

8 Francis St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $499,900
Buyer: Lakshmi Persaud
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 12/12/23

64 Fullerton St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Lisa Greaves
Seller: Douglas M. Gibbs
Date: 12/14/23

194 Gifford St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Thuong Vo
Seller: Beacon Home Buyers LLC
Date: 12/22/23

40 Hamburg St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $120,100
Buyer: Targaryen RT
Seller: Celia A. Wolanin
Date: 12/22/23

376 Hermitage Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Gabriela A. Sanchez
Seller: Prime Partners LLC
Date: 12/13/23

16 Hickox St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Prosper Ndayisada
Seller: Chankyna Aribo
Date: 12/13/23

311 Holcomb Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Mana Washio
Seller: Fred H. Batchelder
Date: 12/20/23

142 Homestead Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Darlene Vooris-Lape
Seller: Lak, Gloria J. (Estate)
Date: 12/15/23

47-49 Howes St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $341,000
Buyer: Krystalbel N. Kizito
Seller: Tionna L. Downie
Date: 12/11/23

31-33 Humbert St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $318,000
Buyer: Martha Hernandez
Seller: Yellowbrick Property LLC
Date: 12/21/23

20 Hunt St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Tuyen K. Le
Seller: Jjj17 LLC
Date: 12/15/23

36 Jardine St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Ryan Leduc
Seller: Carol A. Bernier
Date: 12/22/23

96-98 Kenyon St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $406,000
Buyer: Patricio M. Torres
Seller: Juan Lopera-Martinez
Date: 12/15/23

56 Leyfred Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Sarah Simpson
Seller: Long River Realty LLC
Date: 12/12/23

192 Leyfred Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Amrut Deshmukh
Seller: Chad Lynch
Date: 12/11/23

90 Lorenzo St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Delia I. Pinero
Seller: Francesco Siniscalchi
Date: 12/11/23

14 Los Angeles St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Saleh Alswalim
Seller: Phillips Asset Mgmt. LLC
Date: 12/12/23

307 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Welcome Orchard LP
Seller: Jashidi R. Pressley
Date: 12/12/23

409 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Rafael Ramos
Seller: Lachenauer LLC
Date: 12/22/23

25 Maple St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $2,450,000
Buyer: Merrick Park Apartments LP
Seller: Temple Property Group LLC
Date: 12/21/23

11 Maplewood Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: John H. Holly
Seller: Louis H. Cadorette
Date: 12/12/23

62 Mayfair Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Haydee R. Rodriguez
Seller: Shirley Stephens
Date: 12/11/23

59 Melba St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Hector Dejesus
Seller: Rhl Properties LLC
Date: 12/15/23

130-132 Methuen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Justin D. Hart
Seller: Carlos Colon
Date: 12/12/23

Napier St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: You & Me Investment LLC
Seller: Leonard E. Belcher Inc.
Date: 12/21/23

273 Newhouse St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $293,550
Buyer: Paola Rojas
Seller: Karen M. Cabana
Date: 12/13/23

14 North Chatham St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Dulce M. De Heredia
Seller: Sareen Properties LLC
Date: 12/12/23

236 Oakland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $197,500
Buyer: North East Construction Services Inc.
Seller: Michael T. Sherlock
Date: 12/21/23

246 Oakland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $209,900
Buyer: 246 Oakland LLC
Seller: Kenneth J. Lafleur
Date: 12/14/23

62-64 Olmsted Dr.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $432,000
Buyer: Yi W. Lee
Seller: Manning Capital LLC
Date: 12/15/23

185-189 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Bella & Jake LLC
Seller: Jose A. Santos
Date: 12/13/23

39 Oregon St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Trelonnie Anderson
Seller: Tom A. Callard
Date: 12/13/23

158 Pendleton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Christian S. Cintron
Seller: Peter C. Soto
Date: 12/11/23

30 Penncastle St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Zach G. Risciotti
Seller: French, Kendall R. (Estate)
Date: 12/12/23

605 Plainfield St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Jullynette Vazquez
Seller: Nexius LLC
Date: 12/22/23

278 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Leanza Lormil
Seller: Foley Capital LLC
Date: 12/12/23

114 Riverton Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Reynaldo Espada-Lombay
Seller: Timothy M. Nourse
Date: 12/18/23

1547 South Branch Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Eric E. Johnson
Seller: Yocasta M. Lara
Date: 12/21/23

443 State St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: DM Renaissance Development LLC
Seller: WM Kavanagh Furniture Co.
Date: 12/20/23

11-15 Taft St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Eric M. Mendez
Seller: Samantha Figueroa
Date: 12/22/23

2-10 Temple St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $2,450,000
Buyer: Merrick Park Apartments LP
Seller: Temple Property Group LLC
Date: 12/21/23

247 Trafton Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $357,000
Buyer: Matthew Citron
Seller: Etabav RT
Date: 12/19/23

18 Upland St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Desiree Parker
Seller: Kennedy, Paul (Estate)
Date: 12/15/23

23 Vinton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Angelica L. Maldonado
Seller: Kelnate Realty LLC
Date: 12/13/23

72 Wachusett St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Tuyen Ha
Seller: Kyle Planter
Date: 12/11/23

57 Warner St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $486,000
Buyer: Froilan R. Perez
Seller: Kelnate Realty LLC
Date: 12/22/23

19 Warriner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Danell T. Baptiste
Seller: Springfield Portfolio Holdings
Date: 12/21/23

65 Wellington St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Jairo M. Rodriguez
Seller: Joan R. Green
Date: 12/15/23

14 Wells Place
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: German Garcia
Seller: Antonio A. Nascimento
Date: 12/15/23

165 Wheeler Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Carolyn Y. Herrin
Seller: Godfried O. Bogaard
Date: 12/19/23

30 Winnipeg St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $294,000
Buyer: Winnipeg Street LLC
Seller: Dreamwake Homes Inc.
Date: 12/12/23

50 Winthrop St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Ivan Pimentel
Seller: Alfred Shatelroe
Date: 12/22/23

869 Worthington St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $331,335
Buyer: Patricia Thomas
Seller: Gissel Santiago
Date: 12/18/23

SOUTHWICK

58 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $710,000
Buyer: Mark M. Garrity
Seller: David C. Brooker
Date: 12/13/23

63-A Congamond Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Kearsarge Southwick Real Estate LLC
Seller: Miller Solar Properties LLC
Date: 12/13/23

8 Curtis Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $296,060
Buyer: Lsf10 Master Participation TR
Seller: Theodore W. Florek
Date: 12/21/23

184 Granville Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Robert Solek
Seller: James F. Johnson
Date: 12/22/23

42 Mort Vining Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $599,999
Buyer: Michael J. Mottola
Seller: Oak Ridge Custom Home Builders
Date: 12/22/23

358 North Loomis St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $720,000
Buyer: Eli J. Silverman
Seller: Lauren Kendzierski
Date: 12/21/23

22 Shore Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $354,000
Buyer: Carl E. Haggstrom
Seller: Haggstrom, Olle E. (Estate)
Date: 12/14/23

Silvergrass Lane, Lot 16
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Seller: Fiore Realty Holdings LLC
Date: 12/22/23

4 Tall Pines Trail
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Seller: Fiore Realty Holdings LLC
Date: 12/22/23

WEST SPRINGFIELD

70 Almon Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Finance Of America Reverse LLC
Seller: Joan E. Grabowski
Date: 12/21/23

86 Ashley Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $1,205,500
Buyer: Montana Management Co. LLC
Seller: Robin C. Taylor LLC
Date: 12/22/23

102 Ashley Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $1,205,500
Buyer: Montana Management Co. LLC
Seller: Robin C. Taylor LLC
Date: 12/22/23

Bear Hole Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: NPN Realty LLC
Seller: Jensen, Diana J. (Estate)
Date: 12/20/23

82 Day St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Conrad Properties LLC
Seller: Regnier, John A. (Estate)
Date: 12/19/23

77 Dorwin Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $396,000
Buyer: Cynthia Rymer
Seller: James M. Richardson
Date: 12/21/23

50 Elmdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Badr Abdraba
Seller: John M. McCarthy
Date: 12/12/23

355 Ely Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Ellen Kupiec
Seller: HUD
Date: 12/22/23

38 Front St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Solomon Church
Seller: Emmanuel Baptist Church
Date: 12/19/23

121 Garden St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Kristine Avalos
Seller: Garden 121 RT
Date: 12/18/23

121 Herrman St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Adam Guilbert
Seller: Steliano Properties LLC
Date: 12/19/23

48-50 Main St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Hayder Al Badri
Seller: Angel L. Morales
Date: 12/20/23

482 Massachusetts Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Patricia McBride
Seller: Howes, Wilbur L. (Estate)
Date: 12/15/23

49 Orchardview St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Vincenzo F. Rettura
Seller: Mary F. Williams
Date: 12/20/23

6 Primrose St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: Arpc LLC
Seller: Nathan Siktberg
Date: 12/12/23

289 Prospect Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Mildred Felpeto
Seller: Marlene C. Besaw
Date: 12/21/23

1680 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $1,975,000
Buyer: 1680 Riverdale LLC
Seller: Aaron Properties LLC
Date: 12/15/23

59 Terry Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Kailee Moszynski
Seller: Ana M. Torres
Date: 12/15/23

WESTFIELD

63 Bates Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Gilles A. Rheaume
Seller: Kimberly A. Luthgren
Date: 12/15/23

209 Belanger Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Joshua D. Murray
Seller: Richton & Wayne LLC
Date: 12/15/23

33 Birch Bluffs Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Brett Pierce
Seller: Thomas J. Collins
Date: 12/21/23

36 Cardinal Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $585,500
Buyer: Shan Rai
Seller: Nicole Fiore
Date: 12/20/23

36 Chapel St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $184,869
Buyer: DB Property Group LLC
Seller: Dennis E. Tatro
Date: 12/13/23

47 Day Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Cornerstone Hmbuying LLC
Seller: Walter F. Fertig
Date: 12/20/23

47 Day Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Edward R. Prokop
Seller: Cornerstone Homebuying LLC
Date: 12/20/23

157 Franklin St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Blue Kruse FT
Seller: William F. Carlin
Date: 12/22/23

11 Gold St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $372,000
Buyer: Pavel Poznyur
Seller: Nicholas Turnberg
Date: 12/11/23

19 Green Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: Nia K. Holliday
Seller: Megliola Realty LLC
Date: 12/11/23

100 Honey Pot Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $391,000
Buyer: Jamie L. Worms
Seller: Andrew J. Pirog
Date: 12/22/23

21 Ivy Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Sean F. Smith
Seller: Thomas J. Gotreaux
Date: 12/12/23

35 Kittredge Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Rina M. Biswa
Seller: Darlene E. Biggs
Date: 12/11/23

54 Mainline Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $1,182,000
Buyer: Courageous Lion LLC
Seller: 54 Mainline Dr. LLC
Date: 12/14/23

65 Northwest Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Christopher Ramage
Seller: David Prats
Date: 12/14/23

155 Northwest Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Patrick J. Keefe
Seller: Nicholas M. Beaulieu
Date: 12/15/23

5 Norwood Place
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $718,000
Buyer: Pete Russell
Seller: Michael Pellegrini
Date: 12/19/23

41 Parker St.
Westfield, MA 01001
Amount: $126,250
Buyer: Mark E. Prest
Seller: Valerie J. Baker
Date: 12/14/23

10 Princeton St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $286,425
Buyer: TGC Investments LLC
Seller: Alan R. Gregg
Date: 12/12/23

41 Prospect St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $318,000
Buyer: Shailee Cardona
Seller: Humboldt Realty LLC
Date: 12/22/23

460 Russell Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $670,000
Buyer: 716 Spring Valley LLC
Seller: Emilien Larochelle
Date: 12/14/23

472 Russell Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $670,000
Buyer: 716 Spring Valley LLC
Seller: Emilien Larochelle
Date: 12/14/23

177 Steiger Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Richard K. Sullivan
Seller: Jeffrey J. Sarat
Date: 12/22/23

4 West School St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Proud Properties LLC
Seller: Sharon R. Prouty
Date: 12/14/23

142 West Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $310,612
Buyer: 142 WS RT
Seller: William J. Murphy RET
Date: 12/11/23

WILBRAHAM

20 Bungalow Point
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $735,000
Buyer: Patrick Cahill
Seller: Ryan St Germain
Date: 12/14/23

26 Eastwood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Jamie L. Litchfield
Seller: Marilyn L. Heiney
Date: 12/19/23

4 Hemlock Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Nicholas N. Dasilva
Seller: Linda Schmidt
Date: 12/13/23

14 Pine Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Valro Homes LLC
Seller: Zeigler, Beverly Ann (Estate)
Date: 12/22/23

19 Sawmill Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Timothy Simmons
Seller: John W. Figueroa-Ruiz
Date: 12/22/23

747 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Emily E. Labarre
Seller: Nicholas N. Dasilva
Date: 12/13/23

171 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Ryan Callahan
Seller: A. R. Palatino
Date: 12/21/23

175 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Mark Hebert
Seller: A. R. Palatino
Date: 12/21/23

11 Willow Brook Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $725,000
Buyer: Frank Calabrese
Seller: Mario Ferrentino
Date: 12/22/23

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

77 Columbia Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Catherine C. McGeoch
Seller: Joan A. Knightly
Date: 12/12/23

28 Dana St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $703,000
Buyer: Caroline Costello
Seller: Csaba A. Moritz
Date: 12/11/23

11 Duxbury Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $379,900
Buyer: Allison R. McGlynn
Seller: Jennifer F. Jones
Date: 12/15/23

95 Pulpit Hill Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Daniel Nachbar
Seller: Joyce B. Crouch
Date: 12/14/23

BELCHERTOWN

Cold Spring Road, Lot 10
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Gregory Feldman
Seller: Valthea McGee Fry RET
Date: 12/22/23

26 Ludlow St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Kevin A. Brown
Seller: Alice B. Lattrel
Date: 12/14/23

71 North St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $424,900
Buyer: Michael J. Hugel
Seller: Omar Abdelrahman
Date: 12/18/23

39 Poole Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Brigitta H. Sebesta
Seller: Merriam, Jean P. (Estate)
Date: 12/22/23

Rural Road Lot 107D
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: M. & G. Land Development LLC
Seller: Gary M. Leyden
Date: 12/11/23

Sabin St., Lot 1
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Alan Clark
Seller: Valthea McGee Fry RET
Date: 12/18/23

CUMMINGTON

32 Clark Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: William F. Stettler
Seller: Bo G. Carpen
Date: 12/14/23

EASTHAMPTON

22 Ashley Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $655,000
Buyer: Jean Sheeley
Seller: Barbara R. Conner
Date: 12/14/23

10 Beyer Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: O’Connor Jr., John J. (Estate)
Date: 12/11/23

9 East Green St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $580,000
Buyer: Emily D. Bloch
Seller: Michael R. Dion
Date: 12/18/23

336 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Klay Kipler
Seller: Christina M. Vultaggio
Date: 12/15/23

10 Industrial Pkwy.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $3,000,000
Buyer: 10-12 Industrial Pkwy. LLC
Seller: D. & R. Management Co. LLC
Date: 12/14/23

12 Industrial Pkwy.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $3,000,000
Buyer: 10-12 Industrial Pkwy. LLC
Seller: D. & R. Management Co. LLC
Date: 12/14/23

92 Lovefield St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Tina T. Champagne
Seller: Tessier FT
Date: 12/11/23

22 School St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Tanya M. Lama
Seller: Cheryl M. Friss
Date: 12/15/23

Strong St., Lot 28
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: David A. Hardy Contractor
Seller: S. & Phyllis Gawle FT
Date: 12/18/23

5 Torrey St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Shelby Langevin
Seller: Mountain View Investments LP
Date: 12/21/23

28 West St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Sheri Lee
Seller: Roni Tilkin
Date: 12/11/23

GOSHEN

47 Ball Road
Goshen, MA 01032
Amount: $217,900
Buyer: Jebediah C. Johansmeyer
Seller: Fenida D. Kandrotas
Date: 12/15/23

GRANBY

67 Carver St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $720,350
Buyer: Allison B. Lapointe
Seller: Kotowicz Custom Homes LLC
Date: 12/18/23

134 Cold Hill Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: James Niedbala
Seller: William H. Abelson
Date: 12/21/23

Ferry Hill Road, Lot 2
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Jeffrey A. Holmes
Seller: Angel Boy FT
Date: 12/22/23

34 Ferry Hill Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: Joseph E. Denette
Seller: Angel Boy FT
Date: 12/15/23

HADLEY

2 Adare Place
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: W. Marek Inc
Seller: Adare Place Properties LLC
Date: 12/15/23

135 Bay Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: Gary S. Toth
Seller: G&B Realty Partners LLC
Date: 12/22/23

107 Middle St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $845,000
Buyer: 107 Middle Street LLC
Seller: Shane R. Conklin
Date: 12/22/23

263 River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $675,000
Buyer: Dennis C. Morin
Seller: Brennan, Timothy W., (Estate)
Date: 12/12/23

10 Shattuck Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: April Parsons
Seller: Brett A. Briggs
Date: 12/13/23

HATFIELD

15 Mountain Dr.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $346,000
Buyer: Beverly J. Moulton
Seller: Thomas R. Smead
Date: 12/15/23

187 Pantry Road
Hatfield, MA 01088
Amount: $527,000
Buyer: Margaret Redmond
Seller: Thomas J. Wickles
Date: 12/20/23

HUNTINGTON

7 Pond Brook Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Douglas G. Bliss
Seller: Terrielyn A. Allaire
Date: 12/22/23

6 Thomas Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Todd M. Rose
Seller: Viola A. Pierce
Date: 12/11/23

NORTHAMPTON

80 Milton St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Nu-Way Homes Inc.
Seller: Teresa L. Gross TR
Date: 12/15/23

52 Olive St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $744,000
Buyer: Anna G. Wieckowski
Seller: Cole Archambault
Date: 12/15/23

35 Orchard St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $721,000
Buyer: Lewis Burgin
Seller: Anthony Kord
Date: 12/20/23

47 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $1,781,000
Buyer: Gleason Coolidge LLC
Seller: Coolidge Center LLC
Date: 12/21/23

270 South St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Mary E. Gooding-Call
Seller: 270 S. St. Northampton LLC
Date: 12/18/23

SOUTH HADLEY

East Carew St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $755,000
Buyer: Newco Holdings LLC
Seller: M5 Enterprise LLC
Date: 12/18/23

18 Garden St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Aaron M. Stewart
Seller: GITSIT SOLUTIONS LLC
Date: 12/18/23

5 Glenn Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $376,000
Buyer: Daniel T. Laing
Seller: Lawrence E. Kopec
Date: 12/18/23

6 Grant St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: 6-8 Grant Street LLC
Seller: Anthony D. Maloni
Date: 12/11/23

48 Lamb St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $755,000
Buyer: Newco Holdings LLC
Seller: M5 Enterprise LLC
Date: 12/18/23

64 Lyman St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $539,000
Buyer: South Hadley Rentals LLC
Seller: Gary S. Toth
Date: 12/21/23

334 North Main St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Annette L. Morris
Seller: Jennifer B. Jarrell
Date: 12/15/23

81 Woodbridge St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Paul H. Douglas
Seller: Jeffrey T. Newton
Date: 12/19/23

SOUTHAMPTON

14 Bluemer Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Timofey Banar
Seller: Rowley, Linda A. (Estate)
Date: 12/20/23

6 Madison Ave.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $498,000
Buyer: Marvin E. Turner
Seller: Daniel J. Orwat
Date: 12/14/23

WARE

3 Berkshire Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Home Improvement Maintena
Seller: Garifalia S. Mavrikidis
Date: 12/19/23

WILLIAMSBURG

17 Goshen Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Stephen Vaiano
Seller: Zononi, Victor V. (Estate)
Date: 12/18/23

WORTHINGTON

212 Huntington Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: James G. Epps
Seller: Wendy R. Tanner
Date: 12/12/23

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of December 2023.

CHICOPEE

Faith United Methodist Church
191 Montcalm St.
$11,793 — Insulate attic

Denise Nowak
521 Grattan St.
$7,000 — Install fire alarm

Shailesh Patel
398 Front St.
$59,800 — Roofing

Town of South Hadley
2 James St.
$26,000 — Install fire-alarm system

EASTHAMPTON

Norwich Properties
123-133 Union St.
$8,150 — Construct booth

LENOX

Hope Church
259 Kemble St.
$45,000 — Roofing

One Crystal LLC
1 Crystal St.
$18,000 — Siding

NORTHAMPTON

34-36 Graves Avenue LLC
34 Graves Ave.
$31,787 — Interior repairs

11 Massasoit LLC
11 Massasoit St.
$6,500 — Roofing on porch

City of Northampton
212 Main St.
$30,000 — Renovate third-floor bathrooms

Colvest/Northampton LLC
325 King St., Units A-B
$3,500 — Reface existing sign for Greenfield Savings Bank

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$12,050,000 — Renovate emergency room and endoscopy, addition on ground floor

Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce Inc.
99 Pleasant St.
$29,310 — Replace main entrance door, renovate public and staff bathrooms

Hampshire Franklin & Hampden Agricultural Society
Old Ferry Road
$10,000 — Add insulation to all sports arenas

Hampshire Regional YMCA
286 Prospect St.
$27,200 — Roofing

Pioneer Enterprises LLC
177 Prospect St.
$30,200 — Roofing

Smith College
186 Elm St.
$10,400,000 — Emerson Energy Plant renovation

Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence
220 Main St.
$177,982 — Install seven heat pumps

PITTSFIELD

Raymour & Flanigan
635 Merrill Road
$510,000 — Roofing

Wayne W. Rekeda Revocable Trust
217 Second St.
$17,500 — Install burglar- and fire-alarm system

SPRINGFIELD

1277 Liberty St. LLC
1355 Liberty St.
$2,000 — Insulation and paint at daycare

1441 Main Street LLC
1441 Main St.
$100,000 — Phase 2 of interior tenant office-space renovations on seventh floor

Cabbe Realty LLC
54 Main St.
$48,000 — Roofing and insulation

Human Resources Unlimited Inc.
60 Brookdale Dr.
$15,008 — Install drop ceiling and insulation

Human Resources Unlimited Inc.
1401 State St.
$30,000 — Insulation

Iglesia Pentecostal el Escudo de la Fe
106 Kensington Ave.
$30,000 — Install vestibule to left-side entrance to church

Koala Properties LLC
169 Hancock St.
$10,000 — Renovate bathroom at laundromat for handicap accessibility

Lamoureux LLC
608 Page Blvd.
$8,000 — Repair glass storefront of mercantile building and Palace Pizza

Media Sales Inc.
480 St. James St.
$49,800 — Roofing

Mittas Hospitality LLC, DD Development, Rudra Realty LLC, Sai Raj LLC
1500 Main St.
$15,000 — Alter space on eighth floor of Tower Square for new office

Prestigious One LLC
2 Johnson St.
$28,000 — Repair masonry walls and roof of detached garage

Prestigious One LLC
2 Johnson St.
$18,000 — Install replacement siding and windows, repair staircase

Razzak Building LLC
235 Chestnut St.
$74,000 — Roofing

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church
400 Wilbraham Road
$18,600 — Roofing

Western New England University
1215 Wilbraham Road
$1,720,355 — Alter interior space on first floor of Kevin S. Delbridge Welcome Center, including new entrance

Architecture Firms

By
Architecture

Architecture Firms

Ranked by the Number of Registered Architects

 

Company

Registered Architects

Total Employees

Year Formed

Top Local Executive

Type of work performed
             

1

Dietz & Company architects Inc.

55 Frank B. Murray St., Suite 201, Springfield, MA 01103

(413) 733-6798; www.dietzarch.com

8

32

1985

Kerry Dietz

Commercial; institutional; housing; education; healthcare; government offices; historic preservation; LEED design services; high-performance buildings; senior centers; senior housing

2

Kuhn Riddle Architects inc.

28 Amity St., Suite 2B, Amherst, MA 01002

(413) 259-1630; www.kuhnriddle.com

8

18

1988

Aelan Tierney

Jonathan Salvon

Charles Roberts

Commercial; educational; historical; institutional; interior design; religious; residential (single-family, multi-family, affordable, market-rate, high-end); retail; sustainable design

3

Hill-Engineers Architects Planners Inc.

50 Depot St., Dalton, MA 01226; (413) 684-0925

44 Spring St., Adams, MA 01220; (413) 0743-0013

www.hillengineers.com

6

40

1949

Jeffrey Noble

New construction and renovation projects for institutional, industrial, commercial, educational, civic, recreational, and residential markets

4

Caolo & Bieniek Associates Inc.

521 East St., Chicopee, MA 01020

(413) 594-2800; www.cbaarchitects.net

5

11

1955

Curtis Edgin

James Hanifan

Bertram Gardner

Educational; commercial; public facilities (police and fire facilities, libraries, senior centers); historic preservation; sustainable design; interior design; healthcare; housing

4

Jones Whitsett Architects Inc.

308 Main St., Greenfield, MA 01301

(413) 773-5551; www.joneswhitsett.com

5

11

1984

Dorie Brooks

Kristian Whitsett

Educational; commercial; public municipal buildings (town halls, libraries, senior centers); historic preservation; religious facilities; energy-efficient buildings; residential

6

Burr and McCallum Architects

720 Main St., Williamstown, MA 01267

(413) 458-2121; www.burrandmccallum.com

4

5

1982

Franklin Andrus Burr

Ann Kidston McCallum

Residential; institutional; commercial

6

C&H Architects

49 South Pleasant St., 301, Amherst, MA 01002

(413) 549-3616; www.candharchitects.com

4

9

1989

Tom Hartman

Serves residential and institutional clients with architecture designed for resilience and renewability

6

Juster Pope Frazier Architects

82 North St., Northampton, MA 01060

(413) 586-1600; www.justerpopefrazier.com

4

5

1968

Kevin Chrobak

Residential; corporate; educational; retail; healthcare; religious; cultural

6

Timothy Murphy Architects

380 High St., Holyoke, MA 01040

(413) 532-7464; www.murphyarch.com

4

5

1981

Timothy Murphy

Commercial; educational; public/municipal buildings; residential; historical

10

Architectural Insights

3 Converse St., Suite 201, Palmer, MA 01069

(413) 283-2553; www.architectural-insights.com

3

5

1988

Lawrence Tuttle

Robert Haveles

Public- and private-sector work; continued and repeat client work in professional office design, medical-office, hospital, and laboratory work; multi-family housing and private residential; light industrial and warehouse construction; retail and hospitality development

10

Clark & Green Inc.

113 Bridge St., Great Barrington, MA 01230

(413) 528-5180; www.clarkandgreen.com

3

6

1988

Stephan Green

Residential; cultural; commercial; retail; educational

10

Gillen Collaborative Architects

409 Main St., Amherst, MA 01002

(413) 253-2529; www.gillencollaborativearchitects.com

3

2

1974

John Krifka

Carol Vincze

Commercial; residential; institutional; planning; studies

10

HAI Architecture

64 Gothic St., Suite 1, Northampton, MA 01060

(413) 585-1512; www.haiarchitecture.com

3

10

1976

Richard Katsanos

Don Hafner

Healthcare; educational; commercial; planning; interior design; residential

10

Studio One Inc.

38 Elm St., Westfield, MA 01085

(413) 733-7332; www.studioonearchitects.com

3

5

1974

Peter Zorzi

Greg Zorzi

Educational; healthcare; multi-family housing; assisted-living facilities; renovations; historic preservation; senior housing

15

Architecture EL Inc.

264 North Main St., Suite 2

East Longmeadow, MA 01028

(413) 525-9700; www.architectureel.com

2

7

2008

Kevin

Rothschild-Shea

ADA standards for accessible design; commercial; industrial; historic; multi-family residential; single-family residential; religious; child care; historic preservation and renovations; interior design

15

Jablonski DeVriese Architects

22 Green Lane, Springfield, MA 01107

(413) 747-5285; www.jdarchitects.com

2

2

1995

Stephen Jablonski

Brian DeVriese

Historical renovations and additions; colleges; museums; libraries; interior design

17

Fitch Architecture & Community Design Inc.

110 Pulpit Hill Road, Amherst, MA 01002

(413) 549-5799; www.facdarchitects.com

1

3

2000

Laura Fitch

Sustainable and socially responsible design, including zero-net-energy homes; educational facilities; commercial buildings; institutional; deep-energy retrofits; co-housing communities

17

Mount Vernon Group Architects

35 Center St., Suite 210, Chicopee, MA 01013

(413) 592-9700; www.mvgarchitects.com

1

4

1954

Chris LeBlanc

Wide range of public and private work, including commercial and education; three offices statewide with 15 total architects and 35 total employees

17

Tessier Associates Inc.

48 Ridgecrest Dr., Westfield, MA 01085

(413) 736-5857; www.tessierarchitects.com

1

1

1923

Robert Stevens

Colleges; banks; churches; schools; industrial buildings; assisted-living facilities; medical facilities

MCLA Builds Programs to Meet Industry Needs

By
The Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation
Professional Development

Professional Development

 

It’s called the MCLA Leadership Academy.

This is a program designed to help those with aspirations to be a school principal or superintendent take the next steps in their career in education. It blends academic content with practical skill and knowledge development. As students earn 31 credits, they engage in activities that include reading, writing, discussion, group projects, case studies, simulations, lectures by prominent thinkers, project-based tasks, fieldwork, and more.

“This is an area that school district leaders have identified as a critical need — they’re losing so many principals, assistant principals, and superintendents to retirement,” said Joshua Mendel, associate dean of Graduate and Continuing Education for Partnerships and Programs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, adding that this is one of many initiatives at MCLA that fall into the broad realm of professional development — and also address an identified, and often serious, need for trained professionals.

Others include everything from programs for those desiring careers in ‘outdoor leadership’ — managing a ski resort, perhaps — to those seeking to become nurses and radiologists; from teachers needing licensure to would-be entrepreneurs.

Joshua Mendel

Joshua Mendel

“This is an area that school district leaders have identified as a critical need — they’re losing so many principals, assistant principals, and superintendents to retirement.”

Summing up this ever-growing, always-evolving portfolio of programs, Mendel said they’ve been designed with several goals in mind, but primarily to address the needs of employers across several sectors, all of whom are challenged to find sufficient talent in this difficult job market, and to help individuals find not simply jobs, but careers, or take the next big step in their career.

For this, the latest installment of its series on professional-development programs and initiatives in the region, we visit MCLA and examine the many offerings it has developed over the years and continues to hone to meet the changing needs of employers and job seekers alike.

 

Courses of Action

Mendel said the graduate and continuing-education programs at MCLA essentially focus on needs and opportunities identified by the Berkshire Skills Cabinet, led by MassHire Berkshire, Berkshire Community College, and 1Berkshire and created with the goal of addressing the skills gap by bringing together regional teams of educators, workforce entities, and economic-development leaders to create a blueprint for growth strategies.

“Through the Skills Cabinet, four areas have been identified as having critical growth potential and need,” he said, listing healthcare, education, tourism, and advanced technology. “These are the areas that are seeing a major increase in interest from outside corporations coming into the Berkshires, but are also our strengths when it comes to economic development in the region.”

And these are the areas that MCLA, the public, four-year college in the Berkshires, is focusing on primarily, he said, adding that the school not only serves residents of the Berkshires, but draws students from outside the area, with some of them staying in the region after graduation and starting careers there.

In healthcare, initiatives include the school’s new bachelor’s degree in nursing program that started last fall, as well as a degree program in radiologic technology, a program that resulted from the closure of Southern Vermont College and MCLA stepping in to become that school’s official teach-out partner to enable students to complete their degrees.

MCLA now offers the program, and it is helping to meet a recognized need within the community for such professionals, said Mendel, adding that interest in the program is strong and continues to grow.

The same is true for many of the programs in education, he said, noting that MCLA is helping to meet a critical need for teachers resulting from the retirement of Baby Boomers and other factors.

Elaborating, he said there are many now teaching under emergency licensure, which enables them to teach without a master’s degree. However, this is set to expire within the next year. MCLA has strategically positioned itself to address this situation through a fully online master’s program now being ramped up, with some students starting in the spring and more expected in the summer and fall.

Meanwhile, MCLA has created another new program, a +1 (bachelor’s degree and online master of education degree) program designed as an accelerated pathway for those students who seek to earn a teaching license and undergraduate degree, a second initial license in moderate disabilities, and a master’s degree in education.

“This was an area that was introduced to by the superintendents of this region at our superintendents’ roundtable,” Mendel noted. “They said, ‘we have such a demand for teachers with a background in moderate disabilities that we’ll hire 100% of the students that come out with that discipline.”

As for the Leadership Academy, launched 20 years ago, it enables students to earn their principal or superintendent licensure in Massachusetts, New York, or Vermont.

“It’s a robust program,” Mendel said, adding that about 40 students enrolled this past year, a number that could increase following the closing of the College of Saint Rose, which also has a leadership-academy program for New York’s Capital District.

A third sector that has become a focus at MCLA is tourism, an all-important sector in the Berkshires, one that has been a steady supplier of jobs and one also hamstrung in many ways by the ongoing workforce crisis. Many of the school’s MBA students enter this field, he said, adding that MCLA has created something somewhat unique, an outdoor leadership program that will be a minor within the environmental studies program starting next fall.

“There will courses in environmental studies and courses in leadership that will help students embrace the opportunities they have in the Berkshires for outdoor education and outdoor leadership,” he said, adding that there are career opportunities at ski areas, hiking programs, and related fields.

The fourth area of focus is advanced technologies, specifically a partnership with the Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield, whereby the school’s MBA program is run out of that facility.

“The Innovation Center is doing an amazing job of bringing in entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and advanced technologies,” Mendel explained. “So we’ve created a partnership program with them; our MBA program meets in the cohort model, one class at a time but two classes a semester for 18 months straight, and those classes are both online and in-person, a hybrid model.

“And when they meet in person, they meet at the Innovation Center,” he went on. “The Innovation Center allows our students to meet with local CEOs that are doing amazing things in the area, it allows our students to do research with their companies and organizations, and it’s enabling them to do capstone projects with these new entrepreneurs and learning about new technologies. It’s about elevating our MBA program to focus on the critical needs within these new technology businesses.”

 

Bottom Line

There are many other new initiatives as well, from a minor in entrepreneurship within the business program to address a surge in interest in starting new businesses to a minor in data science, to an Early College program created in conjunction with Drury High School in North Adams that enables students to earn up to 30 college credits before they graduate from high school.

The common denominator with all these programs is a desire to meet those needs identified by employers and economic-development leaders by creating pathways, Mendel said, and then getting individuals on those paths.

2024 Economic Outlook

By
Cover Story Economic Outlook

There’s Uncertainty, but Also General Optimism About the Year Ahead

Brooke Thomson says the Business Confidence Index issued each month by Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), does a fairly effective job of conveying what business owners are thinking.

When the index is consistently below 50, it indicates general pessimism about the economy in general. Conversly, when it’s above 50 and trending north of that mark, it conveys overall optimism and, as the name on the index indicates, confidence about what is to come.

And … when the index is right around 50 and hovering there, as it has been for the past several months, well, that generallly communicates the sentiment that business owners aren’t exactly sure what to think, and are, by and large, neither overly optimistic nor pessimistic, said Thomson, who took the reins as CEO of AIM on Jan. 1.

“What this tells me is that there’s a moderating that’s happening,” she told BusinessWest. “The good thing that you can draw from the index is that when you see it around 50 for several months in a row, there’s some consistency, which is critical for business to be successful; uncertainty is the worst thing that you can see in business. But it also indicates to me that businesses aren’t quite sure if we’re headed to a good place or a bad place. Businesses need to have a sense of being able to forecast wh at’s coming in order to adjust.”

This general state of not knowing what to think extends to economists and economic-development leaders as well, meaning that uncertainty is perhaps the prevailing sentiment heading into a year that promises to be an intriguing one in many ways and on many levels, including a presidential race that will likely consume the nation and its business community.

Bob Nakosteen

“I think growth will slow down in 2024, and there’s less than a 50-50 chance of going into a mild recession, with the emphasis on mild.”

But despite this uncertainty, there is strong sentiment that many of the positive forces seen in a better-than-expected 2023 — from job growth to still-robust consumer spending to falling inflation — will continue into next year.

“I think growth will slow down in 2024, and there’s less than a 50-50 chance of going into a mild recession, with the emphasis on mild,” said Bob Nakosteen, a semi-retired professor of Economics at UMass Amherst. “I don’t expect anything seriously negative to happen; I personally think the economy will be relatively healthy all through 2024.”

Beyond the presidential race, there will be many other things to watch in the year ahead, eveything from interest rates and inflation (and the broad impact of both) to the ongoing workforce crisis and efforts to stem that tide; from global turmoil and the impact it may have on various sectors of the economy to initiatives to address an ongoing housing shortage in this region and beyond; from continual changes in where and how people (and the impact of all this on commercial real estate and individual cities and towns) to those two letters that convey both enormous promise and great concern: AI.

For its 2024 Economic Outlook, BusinessWest talked with several business and economic leaders about these and other topics. Their comments add exclamation points to what we generally knew already — that 2024 will be an important year, one of both challenge and opportunity.

 

 

The Indicators Are Indicating…

Historically, Nakosteen told BusinessWest, the Fed tries — that’s tries — to keep a low profile in presidential-election years, and especially after the primaries are over. Elaborating, he said the Fed generally tries to keep from influencing a race with monetary policy, including sharp increases or decreases in interest rates.

And he expects that pattern to continue in 2024 while acknowledging that “anything could happen.”

And while that broad sentiment applies to the general economy as well, the prevailing opinion, if there is such a thing, is that the mostly tepid growth in GDP — roughly 2% in quarters 1 and 2, but then nearly 6% in Q3 — will continue into 2024, with only a modest chance of the country slipping into a recession, especially if interest rates start coming down, as the Fed has hinted. Sort of.

Tom Senecal

Tom Senecal

“All indications are that inflation is coming under control, which has caused the Federal Reserve to pause on interest-rate increases.”

Overall, 2023 was, in many ways, better than some economists projected, with the country able to skirt a recession despite aggressive efforts to tame inflation through interest-rate hikes. Nakosteen said the overriding reason for this was that, with the notable exception of housing, consumers were still willing to spend, and with supply chains righting themselves, there was plenty for them to spend on.

“In effect, supply created demand and kept things moving,” he said, adding that there are plenty of other positive notes in 2023. Indeed, Wall Street recorded a solid year, with the S&P 500 up a robust 23% over the past year, heading into the final week. Meanwhile, the country continues to add jobs — roughly 240,000 per month, on average, over the past year — and unemployment remains low at 3.8%.

On the downside, the housing market cratered, and banks started to suffer from a combination of a depressed housing market, a slower commercial-lending environment, and having to pay more than 5% interest on deposits when they had been paying close to zero. However, housing starts surged nearly 15% in November, providing still more evidence that the Fed is engineering a soft landing, with another 2% growth projected for the fourth quarter.

The $64,000 question, obviously, is whether the momentum seen on these various fronts can continue into 2024.

Rick Sullivan

Rick Sullivan

“Overall, I’m optimistic that the pieces are coming together, and that we’ll see more progress in 2024.”

Nakosteen, as always, said he is not equipped with a crystal ball, and forecasting is difficult given the many unknowns. But he offered this:

“It takes interest rates many, many months, if not years, to work their way through the channels to affect the economy. And some of that is still happening, and that’s causing a slowdown,” he said, noting the decline from Q3 to what is projected for Q4. “But there is nothing approaching recession; the job market is still very healthy, and that’s the key signal that will tell us if we’re heading into a recession.”

 

Points of Interest

As he looks ahead to 2024, Tom Senecal, president and CEO of Holyoke-based PeoplesBank, said he believes the momentum generated on inflation and interest rates — meaning the pause orchestrated by the Federal Reserve as inflation started to ease throughout the year — will likely continue into 2024, although there are no certainties.

“All indications are that inflation is coming under control, which has caused the Federal Reserve to pause on interest-rate increases,” he said. “At worst, we are hoping for no further increases, which should help the housing and commercial real-estate markets. At best, some predict lower rates, and, quite frankly, many consider equity markets to be overreacting to this potentially good news. We’re not out of the woods yet, but hopefully we are in for a soft landing as recessionary fears seem to be easing.”

Elaborating, Senecal said that much hinges on inflation and the needle continuing to move in the right direction.

Brooke Thomson

Brooke Thomson

“It’s imperative that policymakers send the right signals through their actions that we’re going to continue on this course of enhancing our competitiveness and promoting economic stability.”

“Everything points to price stability, and as long as price stability continues, we should see a stabilization of interest rates,” he explained. “As long as interest rates stay high on mortgages, the housing market will continue to have a ripple effect throughout our economy. Not only are housing sales down, but all economic activity related to homebuying and construction has been severely impacted.

“Several national economists and the Federal Reserve are expressing caution and a non-commitment about the direction of interest rates,” he went on. “Equity markets seemed to react extremely quickly to the interest-rate pause as good news. I am not so sure that we will see any change in interest rates. I think rates will remain stable throughout the year because the Federal Reserve is extremely cautious in any move, up or down, until they have clear signs that the economy, inflation, and employment are back to pre-pandemic levels.”

Overall, Senecal sees improvement on the residential real-estate market, but some lingering challenges, many of them pandemic-related.

“With the recent Federal Reserve pause, and the market’s reaction to that, it has started to impact long-term interest rates on mortgages coming down almost three-quarters of a percentage point,” he noted. “I would expect and hope the impact on the residential real-estate market come spring will have a positive effect on inventory and therefore increase residential RE purchases and inventory.”

Meanwhile, he added, “commercial office-space markets will continue to see a continuing decline as the effects of the pandemic on lease maturities will continue to impact commercial real-estate values. Because Western Mass is heavily concentrated in the medical and educational markets, neither of which are severely impacted by these interest-rate economic changes, I fully expect Western Mass. to remain economically stable throughout 2024.”

 

Progress Report

It’s called the CHIPS and Science Act. This is a federal statute signed into law by President Biden in August 2022 that authorizes roughly $280 billion in new funding to boost domestic research and manufacturing of semiconductors in the U.S., and also includes $39 billion in subsidies for chip manufacturing on U.S. soil, along with 25% investment-tax credits for costs of manufacturing equipment and $13 billion for semiconductor research and workforce training.

Rick Sullivan, president and CEO of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, said provisions of the CHIPS Act require that companies in the supply chain be U.S.-based. And this has translated into some intriguing early-stage talks between the EDC and some international companies.

Sam Hanmer

“Insurance isn’t sexy. It isn’t high-tech, it isn’t Wall Street, it’s just … not sexy, so young people aren’t interested in it, and the ones who are interested are aging out.”

“Not only is there onshoring being discussed, but there’s also some foreign investment from different companies, European mostly, that are looking to get a foothold; they’re at least looking,” he said, adding that, between developable land on which to build and precision manufacturers that could be acquired, there is plenty within the 413 to show them. “It’s an opportunity I haven’t seen in the past seven or eight years.”

And this fairly recent development is one reason why Sullivan is rather optimistic about 2024 and what it holds for the region.

Other reasons include everything from progress on the workforce front (see related item below), with area colleges and universities seeing a boost in enrollment as well as new programs and initiatives to put workers in the pipeline for various sectors, to headway in the preparation of a new growth strategy for the region, to some new businesses in different, and promising, sectors.

Businesses like CleanCrop Technologies in Holyoke, which boasts technology that “redefines food and agriculture efficiency.”

“This is a company that came out of UMass, it’s growing significantly, and it’s getting the attention of some multi-national companies in terms of potential investment,” said Sullivan, adding that there are other companies in what he called the “clean-tech realm” that are emerging and offering great promise for that sector. “Overall, I’m optimistic that the pieces are coming together, and that we’ll see more progress in 2024.”

 

The State We’re In

Thomson told BusinessWest that the tax cut orchestrated by the Healey administration in 2023 was a welcome signal that the state might actually get it when it comes to the high cost of living and doing business in the Commonwealth and the need to take steps to make it more competitive.

She hopes there will be more of these to come in 2024 because the state still has a long way to go when it comes to being competitive with North Carolina’s Research Triangle and other regions like it.

“It’s imperative that policymakers send the right signals through their actions that we’re going to continue on this course of enhancing our competitiveness and promoting economic stability,” she said. “We’re really at an inflection point.”

George Timmons

George Timmons

“It’s about how you respond to the populations that you have on your campus and ensuring that they have the resources and the support they need to be successful.”

There continues to be an outmigration from Massachusetts, said Thomson, noting that the so-called ‘millionaire’s tax’ certainly has something to do with this. But the larger issue is simple affordability, she went on, adding that many young professionals feel priced out by the Bay State, and especially the broad area east of Worcester.

Housing is a huge issue, she said, adding that the state needs to prioritize efforts to create housing on many different levels, from affordable to what would be considered starter homes for young professionals. But it’s not the only issue, she noted, adding that overall affordability also includes transportation and childcare, which are also very high in this state.

“The outmigration numbers worry me because they indicate that the biggest population group that we’re losing are these 25- to 36-year-olds,” she said. “These are the people who maybe came here for college and then concluded that it’s too expensive to stay here.”

Finding ways to keep them here, Thomson added, will go a long way toward easing the workforce issues that are impacting every business sector and in some ways stunting their growth.

 

‘Workforce, Workforce, Workforce’

As he talked with BusinessWest about his sector and efforts to attract and retain talent, Sam Hanmer hit upon an uncomfortable truth.

“Insurance isn’t sexy,” said Hanmer, president of the Chicopee-based Rush Insurance Group, with Rush being his mother’s maiden name. “It isn’t high-tech, it isn’t Wall Street, it’s just … not sexy, so young people aren’t interested in it, and the ones who are interested are aging out. Let’s be honest, insurance has been an ugly word forever — you have to have thick skin to be in this game because no one wants to talk to you.”

With that, he summed up the ongoing challenge of attracting and maintaining a workforce today, hitting on two of the key points: Baby Boomers are retiring, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to hire their successors, especially in insurance.

“If you have that skillset, you’re in an environment where you can change jobs and get a pretty significant pay increase,” he said, referring to seasoned insurance professionals. “In order to get that skillset — and the number of people who possess it is diminishing — employers have to pay up for it, and that squeezes everyone.”

But even those business sectors that would be considered sexy continue to struggle on this front, with many of those we spoke with summing up 2023, and the overriding issue for 2024, with three simple words: “workforce, workforce, workforce.”

Susan Kasa

Susan Kasa

“Commercial aerospace had come to a virtual standstill for many suppliers, and they had to reinvent the wheel for themselves. But we’re starting to see a comeback to pre-pandemic levels.”

Hanmer was one of them, noting that, in his sector and many others, ‘virtual assistants,’ technology, and especially AI hold the promise of removing the human element, meaning hired help, from some backroom functions, the broad realm of customer service, and “helping customers understand what they’re buying.”

In the meantime, though, Hanmer and those in many other sectors are focusing their efforts on educating young people about what could be promising careers, including those in that non-sexy realm known as insurance, and grooming them for this work.

“We’re going to start looking at young, inexperienced people who have a desire to potentially have a good-paying job in insurance, because these are good-paying jobs, and you just can’t get people to fill them,” he explained. “So we’re going to have to start growing them from a younger age, and, hopefully, they’ll stick around.”

With that, again, he spoke for business owners across virtually every sector.

 

School of Thought

It will be called the Adult Learner Success Center.

This is a new initiative at Holyoke Community College (HCC), that, as the name suggests, has been created to help adult learners — non-traditional students generally in the their mid-20s and older — achieve success, however they choose to define it.

“It will help address the specific needs of the adult leader, and we’re really excited about it,” said George Timmons, who took the helm as HCC’s president this past summer. “It’s about how you respond to the populations that you have on your campus and ensuring that they have the resources and the support they need to be successful.”

And the program says a lot about the state of higher education as the caldendar turns to 2024.

Indeed, with the passage of the MassReconnect program, which provides free community college to eligible individuals 25 and older, these institutions have seen a much-needed boost in enrollment (4% at HCC, for example) that is also changing the demographic on their campuses.

While enrollment has edged higher at community-colleges and other institutions in 2023, overall enrollment and financial challenges persist, said Timmons, citing the announced closing of the College of St. Rose in Albany, N.Y., after more than a century of operation, providing more evidence — not that any was needed — that these are difficult and somewhat perilous times in higher education.

“It’s still real when you think about the challenges facing colleges and universities, especially in the Northeast, where the birth rates are signficantly less than they were years ago, putting fewer students in the pipeline,” he said, noting that, on a different spectrum, there are an estimated 700,000 people in the Bay State who have attended college but not finished what they started.

This represents a tremendous opportunity for community colleges, he said, adding that this focus on the adult learner and helping them achieve success will be among the many key issues to watch in 2024.

 

Making Things Happen

Susan Kasa, president of Boulevard Machine & Gear in Westfield, said that, a year ago, her shop was able to shut down the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, a non-traditional break that was enjoyed by employees and managers alike.

So much so that the plan was to do it again, she said, adding that it just wasn’t possible to do so this year.

“Right now, we have so much demand that we will be open that week and plugging along,” she said in an interview prior to the holidays, adding that this demand comes in the form of a high volume of orders, a number of them in the expedited category, that cover most all of the customer groups served by this precision manufacturer.

That includes what Kasa calls ‘outer space,’ meaning everything from satellites to the rockets taking billionaires and their clients to the edge of space; from defense to aerospace.

This surge in orders reflects many of the issues that will define 2024, from turmoil in the Middle East, Ukraine, and other hotspots to a resurgence in airline travel — all of which is positively impacting precision manufacturers, and there are many of them in the 413, who serve original equipment manufacturers in those markets.

Indeed, on the space and defense sides of the ledger, Boulevard is currently handing orders for parts for everything from the satellites that track incoming missiles to the Apache helicopter, and all indications are that the pace of activity will only increase in 2024 and probably beyond.

“We’ve been delivering parts in this last quarter of the year, and the numbers are very strong right through 2032,” she said, ading that L3Harris, the Florida-based defense contractor that specializes in microwave weaponry, surveillance solutions, and electronic warfare, has become one of Boulevard’s larger customers for outer space, satellite, and aerospace work.

This upward trajectory in orders, which led to the hiring of three new machinists in 2023, also includes aerospace, she said, adding that a pronounced lull in that sector, resulting from the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max, a sharp decrease in air travel during the pandemic, and other factors, is now to be discussed with the past tense.

“Commercial aerospace had come to a virtual standstill for many suppliers, and they had to reinvent the wheel for themselves,” Kasa said. “But we’re starting to see a comeback to pre-pandemic levels. We’re finally getting back to normal; orders are resuming, and they’re taking all this inventory that may have been sitting for a while. With both Boeing and Airbus, they’re seeing orders come in, and they’re large orders.”

 

Hybrid Schedules — and Even a Four-day Week — Gain Traction

By
Mike Long and Alana Sambor
Features Special Coverage

Making It Work

Mike Long and Alana Sambor

Mike Long and Alana Sambor say Axia employees appreciate a four-day workweek.

 

They call it the ‘buddy system.’

And it’s just one of many elements that have gone into what has thus far been a successful transition to a four-day workweek at West Springfield-based Axia Insurance.

Mike Long, the company’s CEO, explains how it works.

“Everyone picks or is assigned a buddy; if someone is not on in Monday, their buddy will take anything that comes in that has to be handled on Monday,” he said, noting that, in insurance, there are some things that can’t wait a day, so the buddy system is imperative to this arrangement whereby employees can take either Monday or Friday off, thus earning a three-day weekend 52 weeks a year.

The success of the buddy system has helped Axia make conversion to four days — 34 hours, with a goal of eventually getting it down to 32 hours — a success story that is still a work in progress, said Long, adding that a great deal of study and preparation went into this, and the prep work is certainly paying off thus far — for employees and the company.

“If you want to work at home because you find there are fewer distractions there, that’s fine. But if you feel the need to be at work because there are fewer distractions there, that’s fine, too. For those of us with kids and dogs, there are fewer distractions at work.”

Alana Sambor, director of Operations, agreed. She said employees have enthusiastically embraced the change, as might be expected, and there have been a number of benefits, everything from steady, and in some cases improved, levels of productivity, but with happier employees, to a decline in the number of requests for other paid time off, with employees scheduling doctor, dental, and vet visits; home-appliance repair windows; and more on the one day a week they are off (more on all this later).

As noted, the four-day week has come about through a hard focus on employee satisfaction, followed by study, examination of best practices (what few there are in this realm), and what could be called beta testing, running the program through its paces over this past summer, said Long, adding that businesses thinking about following this course need to do their homework, think it through, and effectively communicate everything that needs to be communicated to employees at all levels.

Allison Lapierre-Houle

Allison Lapierre-Houle says remote work and hybrid schedules have earned a measure of permanence at ArchitectureEL.

Meanwhile, the Wilbraham offices of Giombetti Associates tout what Bobby O’Neil calls a four-and-a-half-day workweek. There is a half day on Friday, with almost all employees — often everyone but him — working remotely on that day. This is the latest spin, or evolutionary course, on remote policies that are working for the company on many levels.

“The other four days, there is flexibility, with remote work an option for those who prefer it,” said O’Neil, senior advisor at this company, which specializes in pre-employment assessments, leadership training and development, and talent-acquisition solutions.

“If you want to work at home because you find there are fewer distractions there, that’s fine,” he said. “But if you feel the need to be at work because there are fewer distractions there, that’s fine, too. For those of us with kids and dogs, there are fewer distractions at work.”

As for Fridays and the quietness in the office, O’Neil said he enjoys it, mostly. “I’m alone, but I’m not lonely,” he quipped.

“Everyone has a three-day weekend, which has improved morale exponentially and improved work-life balance for everyone. The positivity in the office and the energy have completely changed.”

Fridays are nearly as quiet at the ArchitectureEL offices in East Longmeadow. That’s because seven of the company’s 10 employees are working remotely. All employees have the option to work remotely several days of the week, and most of them, but not all of them, make Friday one of those days, said Allison Lapierre-Houle, office manager for the company.

She said this is the pattern, or schedule, that employees have generally settled into, adding that remote work has earned a measure of permanence here, as it has elsewhere.

For this issue, we examine this shift in the workplace, and the many variations on the broad themes of remote work, flex schedules, and, yes, a shorter work week.

 

Week Link

As he talked about how the four-day week came to be Axia, Long said there was some careful reflection deeply rooted in a focus on employee satisfaction, recruitment, and retention.

Elaborating, he said Axia had embraced remote work in the wake of the pandemic, and most employees were taking advantage of it.

Bobby O’Neil

Bobby O’Neil says Giombetti Associates’ four-and-a-half-day workweek is one of several initiatives to help employees balance work and life.

But it came with a price tag of sorts, he went on, referencing a loss of company culture because employees were not together in the same place at the same time. “We were losing the culture of Axia,” he said. “All of the sudden, it felt that they were slipping away from us; we weren’t a family anymore.”

But, and this is a big but, the company also recognized the need to create a work environment that was attractive to current and potential employees, especially in the middle of an ongoing workforce crisis.

“We realized that the most valuable asset we have at the company is our employees, and based on that understanding, we’ve tried to create a culture that is very employee-focused,” he said, adding that Axia even boasts a gym at its facility. “What we wanted to do is create an effective work-life balance because it’s good for the employees. And if it’s good for the employees, it’s good for the clients.”

One method that emerged for getting there is a four-day work week, something that has been tried, with some success, in Europe, but not so much in the U.S.

“Every company had an identity before they went remote and hybrid, and now you add to that the complexity of remote workers and hybrid workers, and they have to think of creative ways to preserve the culture that they have.”

At the heart of the initiative is effective communication about all aspects of the new system, from the nuances of the buddy system to what is expected in terms of productivity, said Sambor, noting that it was made clear that team members would be doing the same amount of work, but in fewer days.

“The best rule of thumb is to set the standards that you’re trying to accomplish,” she noted. “If you have a full-time staff, and they’re taking 100 calls a day, and that’s what you expect from them, when they go to a four-day work week, we’re still expecting them to take 500 phone calls.”

But the tradeoff — more work in less time for that three-day weekend — has been enthusiastically accepted.

“Everyone has a three-day weekend, which has improved morale exponentially and improved work-life balance for everyone,” Sambor said. “The positivity in the office and the energy have completely changed.”

Long agreed.

Amy Roberts

Amy Roberts says employees at PeoplesBank have come to appreciate an organization that allows them some flexibility.

“One thing we have really noticed is the attitude of the employees in the office is so much more positive,” he told BusinessWest. “People seem to more energized, more excited — they tell stories about what they did on their day off.”

And while the new system is set and now policy at Axia, this is still a learning process, he noted, adding the company has “stubbed its toe” a few times, but there’s been nothing to make it second-guess this huge decision.

 

Remote Possibilities

That same sentiment seems to apply to the companies that have fully embraced remote work and hybrid schedules.

Giombetti introduced remote work before the pandemic, said O’Neil, adding that it works with clients across the country, many of whom it simply cannot meet in person.

“While some companies were forced into remote work and a virtual workspace, we were honing it,” he explained, adding that such arrangements work for clients and employees alike.

Especially the four-and-a-half-day workweek, which has been in place for several years now, he said, and helps employees as they seek to achieve work-life balance.

As for the clients Giombetti is working with, many are doing some honing of their own when it comes to policies regarding where and how people work.

Like the managers at Axia, O’Neil said that, as companies look to embrace different schedules and policies, the best course is to effectively communicate with employees and job candidates alike about what they should expect — and what is expected of them.

“This could include, but is not limited to, goals, core hours of work, mandatory meetings, mandatory check-ins, and what it means to maintain their corporate culture, too,” he said. “Every company had an identity before they went remote and hybrid, and now you add to that the complexity of remote workers and hybrid workers, and they have to think of creative ways to preserve the culture that they have.”

Remote work has certainly become part of the workplace equation at Holyoke-based PeoplesBank.

“Everyone has certain days that they’re remote every week, but if something comes up and they have to change it, we’re totally flexible to that because everyone has a different lifestyle.”

With more than 325 employees, the bank has a large number of front-facing employees, such as bankers and branch managers, for which remote work is not an option, said Amy Roberts, executive vice president and chief Human Resources officer. However, for others, the bank has adopted policies that enable such employees to work a hybrid schedule, with most in the office at least a few days a week.

“We have some people who prefer to be in the office,” she continued. “But the hybrid choice is very popular for those positions where we offer it.” 

And while having this flexibility to work a few days a week is appreciated by existing employees, the bank is not moving in the direction of offering fully remote work, with the exception of a few specific positions. “We’ve probably lost a few candidates because they are looking for fully remote,” she said. “On the other hand, people have absolutely remarked that they appreciate coming to an organization that allows them some flexibility.”

Those same sentiments have been expressed at ArchitectureEL, said Lapierre-Houle, adding that the company was, like most, fully remote during the pandemic but has since embraced hybrid schedules to help maintain the concept of teamwork, which is critical in architecture. Most are in the office on Mondays, when there are all-office meetings, she told BusinessWest, while Fridays, as noted earlier, are quiet.

Overall, she said, flexibility is the driving force behind the policy.

“Everyone has certain days that they’re remote every week, but if something comes up and they have to change it, we’re totally flexible to that because everyone has a different lifestyle,” she explained. “We’re super flexible about it.”

 

Mont Marie Meets Rehab Needs Between Hospital and Home

By Contributor
Barbara Chiampa
Healthcare News Special Coverage

Bridging the Gap

By Emily Thurlow

With classic Christmas carols softly emanating from a TV across the room and an Irish wolfhound named Veren panting rhythmically a short distance behind her, Barbara Chiampa pedaled a stationary bicycle on a recent afternoon at Mont Marie Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center’s therapy gym.

With guidance from Reliant Rehabilitation physical therapy assistant Tara McCauley, Chiampa was working on improving her balance and walking. After noting improvement in her gait and movement with a handheld assist, Chiampa paused for a few kisses from Veren, a 2-year-old therapy dog.

The staff at the Holyoke facility benefits from the canine too, said his handler, registered occupational therapist Sylvia Korza of Reliant Rehabilitation. “He comes to work with me, and he loves everybody. He’s great for therapy — even the staff. He helps lift everyone’s mood.”

The gym, which was expanded in 2016, features several pieces of equipment dedicated to improving mobility, including parallel bars and practice stairs. Beyond the machines, the therapy gym offers opportunities for McCauley and Korza to customize regimens that are tailored to the specific needs of patients recovering from medical procedures, injuries, or illnesses.

The therapy offered at the center’s gym is one of multiple subacute rehabilitation care services offered at the 84-bed Mont Marie facility, which was built in 1962 and formerly owned and operated by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph. In 2014, Mont Marie was purchased by Tryko Partners, which is headquartered in New Jersey, and is managed by its healthcare subsidiary, Marquis Health Consulting Services. Mont Marie is one of 10 of Marquis’ facilities in Massachusetts.

In recent years, the licensed nursing facility’s short-term rehabilitation care services have continued to grow, adding new programs and certifications, to meet the growing needs of the community.

A need for subacute or short-term rehabilitative care can emerge after a hospital stay for hip surgery or a stroke, or if an individual needs some physical strengthening or medication management, said Natasha Pieciak, administrator at Mont Marie.

“Baby Boomers are getting older, so as the population ages, there’s more of a demand for supportive services. We’re not a hospital — we’re kind of like a step down; we’re supportive services to bridge that gap between home-care services and the hospital.”

Initially, the 26-bed first floor was dedicated to this service, but it has since expanded to the 29-bed second floor as well. At times, admissions have jumped as high as 50 per month.

“There are a lot of factors that influence this growth,” said Pieciak, who has served as administrator of the center since September 2022. “Baby Boomers are getting older, so as the population ages, there’s more of a demand for supportive services. We’re not a hospital — we’re kind of like a step down; we’re supportive services to bridge that gap between home-care services and the hospital.

“With the aging population, I think these services become more needed out in the community, so we’re here to support people in that way, so they can be successful at home. People want to be at home, so we’re really here to try to support them to get them ready to do that.”

Barbara Chiampa

Barbara Chiampa pedals an exercise bicycle at Mont Marie Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Holyoke.

Through Mont Marie’s partnerships with Baystate Medical Center in Springfield and Holyoke Medical Center, as well as referrals from Mercy Medical Center in Springfield and Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Pieciak said Mont Marie has been made aware of the growing demand for these rehabilitative services.

“We work closely with our partners within the hospital systems; we collaborate,” she said. “With Baystate, for example, we have weekly calls with their accountable-care organization management team, who will follow a patient from hospital to home, and we communicate with them, and they tell us what they’re seeing, what their needs are. We’re just really building that relationship and working with them to help identify and meet the needs that we’re seeing out in the community.”

“The goal of these specialty programs is to educate and train the residents how to manage and live with their conditions.”

In working with Baystate, Pieciak said Mont Marie has become one of two skilled-nursing facilities that have qualified for a waiver for the three-day requirement under the Medicare Shared Savings Program. The waiver eliminates the requirement to have a three-day inpatient hospital stay prior to a Medicare-covered, post-hospital, extended-care service.

What this means, Pieciak explained, is that, if a patient is in a hospital emergency department but don’t have a three-day stay, instead of going back home and potentially falling or fracturing a hip, they could go to Mont Marie as long as they meet a skilled need.

“This is huge because there’s a gap there,” she said. “Residents would go home and could potentially have worse outcomes. What we’re doing is bridging that gap from hospital to home.”

In addition to physical and occupational therapies, Mont Marie’s subacute rehab offers speech therapy up to seven days a week.

 

Life Goals

Within its major focus on subacute rehabilitation care, Mont Marie offers three specialty programs: cardiopulmonary, chronic kidney disease management, and heart failure.

“The goal of these specialty programs is to educate and train the residents how to manage and live with their conditions,” Pieciak said.

Natasha Pieciak

Natasha Pieciak says Mont Marie works closely with its partners within hospital systems.

The cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program is physician-led under the direction of a pulmonologist and focuses on helping patients achieve the most active life possible despite any physical limitations and/or cardiopulmonary diagnoses. The program, which is geared toward individuals with diagnoses of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), post-lung transplants, emphysema, and acute respiratory failure, offers access to lab and radiology services, tracheostomy care and management, nebulizer therapies, bladder scanning, and several oxygen therapies, including liquid nitrogen.

The renal program is focused on reducing symptoms of chronic kidney disease, increasing a patient’s quality of life, and promoting independence. Mont Marie offers onsite dialysis provided by American Renal Associates, consultative visits by staff nephrologists, diabetic management and education, a monthly support group, and health coaching.

In October, Mont Marie received its skilled-nursing facility heart-failure certification from the American Heart Assoc. (AHA). In order to be considered eligible for this certification, facilities must be located in the U.S. or a U.S. territory and implement a heart-failure program that uses a standardized method of delivering clinical care based on current evidence-based guidelines.

“This was a huge accomplishment,” Pieciak said. “There are very few facilities that are credentialed. The American Heart Association has armed us with innovative methods and additional tools so that we can be trailblazers and give our heart-failure patients the best care.”

The vetting provides an evidence-based framework for evaluating skilled-nursing facilities against the AHA’s science-based requirements for heart failure patients, including care coordination, clinical management, quality improvement, program management, and patient and caregiver education and support.

According to the AHA, nearly one in four heart failure patients are readmitted within 30 days of discharge, and approximately half are readmitted within six months. It has also been suggested that about 25% of readmissions may be preventable.

“We’re trying to get ahead of hospital readmissions,” said Raymonda Sample, the lead for the heart-failure program and unit manager.

With the certification, Mont Marie has been provided with access to centers on treating heart failure and its co-morbidities.

Sample noted that one of the biggest benefits to the staff’s education on the heart-failure program is being able to educate patients on how they can live more independently with fewer flareups of their disease.

To that end, Mont Marie uses what’s called a ‘zone tool.’ The traffic-light color-coded guide indicates an all-clear, or green, when a patient has no shortness of breath; chest pain; swelling of the feet, ankles, legs, or stomach; or weight gain of more than two pounds. It’s time to call a doctor if a patient is in the so-called warning (yellow) zone, when they’re experiencing dizziness; dry, hacking cough; more shortness of breath; uneasy feelings; no energy; difficulty breathing when lying down; swelling of the feet, ankles, legs, or stomach; or weight gain of three or more pounds in one day or five pounds in one week.

A medical alert, or red zone, is when the previous symptoms have been exacerbated and a patient is having a hard time breathing or is experiencing unrelieved shortness of breath while sitting still, chest pain, or confusion.

In addition to this tool, Sample has created an entire guide board for staff that she also uses to educate family members of patients. The tool helps provide a better continuity of care, she explained.

“With this education, we are able to identify how the patient is feeling for the day,” she said. “If say, the patient is in the middle of therapy and they’re feeling short of breath, or telling the therapist maybe they haven’t eaten much in the last couple of days, or not sleeping well — there’s a sort of board out there where you can see the different signs and symptoms of heart failure.”

 

Safe at Home

Even though a patient has a plan in place to be discharged from the facility following treatment at Mont Marie, care doesn’t end at the door.

“When we discharge patients, we do follow-up calls with the patient just to find out how the transition back home goes, the home care services … we make sure they’re seen by their primary-care physician within 10 days, and if they don’t have a scale, we make sure we send them home with one,” Sample said. “This is so both our patients and the staff recognize the signs and symptoms of heart failure, so we can try to avoid rehospitalization.”

EEOC Takes Action Against Associational Discrimination

By Contributor
Law Special Coverage

Guilty by Association

By Trevor Brice, Esq.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. However, the ADA does not require an employer to assist — or in other words, accommodate — a person without a disability due to that person’s association with someone with a disability.

Still, an employer cannot discriminate against an employee or applicant because of that person’s association with someone with a disability. This is what is called ‘associational discrimination,’ which, in the below case, was due to another’s disability under the ADA.

On Sept. 19, 2023, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), announced that it had sued a private school for associational discrimination under the ADA. According to the EEOC’s announcement, the school allegedly discriminated against one of its teachers by refusing to renew her contract over her daughter’s disability.

Trevor Brice

Trevor Brice

“An employer cannot discriminate against an employee or applicant because of that person’s association with someone with a disability. This is what is called ‘associational discrimination.’”

This was “precisely the kind of conduct the ADA’s associational-discrimination provision was intended to prohibit,” said Rosemarie Rhodes, EEOC’s Baltimore Field Office director. On Dec. 15, the EEOC announced that the matter had been settled for just over $85,000 by the private school, with the school to pay $50,858 in back pay, $4,428 in interest on the back pay, and $30,000 in non-wage damages.

This settlement brings associational-discrimination enforcement into the limelight and presents more scenarios for employers to look out for and train their employees on for the new year.

 

Associational Discrimination and the ADA

Associational discrimination based on another’s disability requires “that (1) the employee was qualified for the job at the time of the adverse employment action, (2) that the employee was subjected to an adverse employment action, (3) that the employer knew at the time of the adverse employment action that the employee had a relative or associate with a disability, and (4) that the adverse employment action occurred under circumstances raising a reasonable inference that the disability of the relative or associate was a determining factor in the employer’s decision” (Carey v. AB Car Rental Servs. Inc.).

The EEOC, in its announcement, stated that the school was aware of the teacher’s daughter’s disability and that it decided to not renew the teacher’s contract because it assumed (without investigation, or even asking the teacher) that her daughter’s disability, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, would undermine the teacher’s focus and commitment to her job. The school instead decided to renew the contracts of other teachers who had less experience and tenure than the teacher whose daughter had a disability.

In its complaint, the EEOC pleaded the requirements of an associational-discrimination claim based on disability through the circumstances described in its announcement. The teacher performed her job satisfactorily, according to the EEOC, making her qualified for the job at the time the private school refused to renew her contract. In order to not be qualified for her job, the school would have had to demonstrate the teacher had performance deficiencies or otherwise could not perform the essential functions of her job.

Further, the private school subjected the teacher to an adverse employment action by not renewing her employment contract. An adverse employment action can be any action by an employer that takes away a benefit of an employee’s employment, e.g. taking away a company car, suspension from employment, termination, etc.

“Without both knowledge and a reasonable inference, associational discrimination will most likely be unactionable. Nevertheless, it is important to stress to employees that discrimination and harassment based on protected class is prohibited, no matter the circumstance.”

Finally, the EEOC pleaded that the private school knew of the teacher’s daughter’s disability and allegedly specifically cited that reason for not renewing the teacher’s contract, making for the reasonable inference that the teacher’s daughter’s disability was a determining factor in its decision. As such, the EEOC met its burden for pleading its case of associational discrimination based on disability, which most likely prompted the private school to settle the claims.

 

Pitfalls of Associational Discrimination

As shown by the EEOC’s enforcement action, associational-discrimination claims are actionable claims that can cost employers a substantial amount of money. The pitfalls of these claims are that they are not the easiest to catch. For example, it is comparatively easier to catch when there is direct discrimination (e.g. a racial remark, comment against a disability) than to read into the subtext of a conversation that is deprecating to an associate of an employee who is part of a protected class.

However, there are ways to teach this kind of discrimination and harassment to frontline employees and make them aware enough of an associational-discrimination or harassment issue to report it.

First, employees should be aware that discrimination or harassment based on protected class (e.g. race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, etc.) is prohibited. Along these lines, it is equally prohibited to discriminate or harass another employee based on the protected characteristics of someone with whom the employee associates. For example, it is illegal to use the knowledge that an employee has Jewish friends to discriminate against that employee and subject him to adverse employment actions based on that knowledge.

Second, it is important to stress that it is the knowledge of the employee’s associates’ protected classes that makes associational discrimination actionable. An offhand comment by an employee that happens to relate to an employee’s associates’ or relatives’ protected class will not necessarily implicate associational discrimination, but making the same comment and directly referencing the associate or relative and their protected class will make for this implication. In this sense, if it is discriminatory or harassing to the associate or relative, it will most likely be discriminatory or harassing to the employee.

If cornerstones of associational discrimination like these are taught and enforced, it will be less likely that an employer will be subject to the same fate as the above-referenced private school.

 

Takeaways

Associational discrimination can raise its head in a variety of circumstances, including the contract-renewal scenario above; hiring, termination, and other employment decisions; as well as discriminatory and harassing behaviors from employees.

Though it is more difficult to catch than scenarios in which discrimination or harassment based on protected class is direct, the pivotal elements of associational discrimination are knowledge of the associates’ or relatives’ protected class and the reasonable inference that the knowledge was a determining factor in the adverse employment decision. Without both knowledge and a reasonable inference, associational discrimination will most likely be unactionable. Nevertheless, it is important to stress to employees that discrimination and harassment based on protected class is prohibited, no matter the circumstance.

Further, a related claim to associational discrimination is a retaliation claim for reporting discrimination or harassment perpetrated against another employee. In this scenario, an employee reports that another employee is being discriminated against because of their protected class, and then the reporting employee is subjected to an adverse employment action. This kind of ‘associational’ activity by employees is protected, and an employer can be subjected to legal action if the report is not handled properly.

As associational discrimination and related retaliation can be difficult to detect, it is prudent to contact legal counsel in order to avoid any potential liability and train staff to recognize and report associational-discrimination scenarios.

 

Trevor Brice is an attorney who specializes in labor and employment-law matters at the Royal Law Firm LLP, a woman-owned, women-managed corporate law firm that is certified as a women’s business enterprise with the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office, the National Assoc. of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.

Picture This

By
Giving Tree committee members
Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

 

Giving Tree

Members of the Holyoke Community College community delivered piles of donated, wrapped gifts to representatives from three local charities at the closing reception for the college’s 22nd annual Giving Tree campaign. This year, the campaign fulfilled the holiday wishes of more than 300 clients from Homework House, WestMass ElderCare, and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Giving Tree committee members

Pictured, from left: Giving Tree committee members Laura Freeman, Mary Starzyk, Michelle Vigneault, Denise Roy, Erin O’Brien, and Lindsey Pare.

 

Rolling Along

For every set of four tires sold in the months of October and November, Balise made a donation to Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts. As a result, Balise was able to present a donation of $4,510 to the organization to assist in its mission of inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy.

Balise was able to present a donation of $4,510 to the organization to assist in its mission of inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy

Balise was able to present a donation of $4,510 to the organization to assist in its mission of inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy

 

 

Fill the Fiat

Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni (center) visited the United Way of Pioneer Valley (UWPV) last month, bringing with him a large donation of toys. The donation from the District Attorney’s Office capped off UWPV’s annual Hope for the Holidays campaign, a holiday gift drive for children in the region. A vintage Fiat sat inside the TD Bank building in Springfield for several weeks, and donors helped “Fill the Fiat” with toys, games, trucks, dolls, sports equipment, books, puzzles, and more.

Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni (center) visited the United Way of Pioneer Valley (UWPV) last month

Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni (center) visited the United Way of Pioneer Valley (UWPV) last month

 

 

Homerun 4 the Hungry

On Dec. 11, the American International College baseball team delivered 4,000 pounds of food and $500 worth of diapers, collected through their annual Homerun 4 the Hungry food drive, to Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen in Chicopee and Square One in Springfield. The team is grateful for Springfield Symphony Orchestra for hosting a donation table at its Holiday Pops concert, and for Peter Pan Bus Lines for providing transportation for the food deliveries.

On Dec. 11, the American International College baseball team delivered 4,000 pounds of food and $500 worth of diapers

On Dec. 11, the American International College baseball team delivered 4,000 pounds of food and $500 worth of diapers

 

 

Thrilled to Donate

The Chicopee Chamber of Commerce presented a $4,011 donation to Valley Opportunity Council’s (VOC) Continuing Education & Career Center at a Dec. 6 event at Masse’s American Bistro in Chicopee. The donation was generated by the chamber’s annual Thriller 5K in October.

Pictured, from left: 5K committee member Amanda Sarrasin of Westfield Bank; Melissa White of the VOC; Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Melissa Breor, and Jeanne Almanzar, Hayley Nelson, and Dr. Nadeem Sikandar of the VOC.

Pictured, from left: 5K committee member Amanda Sarrasin of Westfield Bank; Melissa White of the VOC; Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Melissa Breor, and Jeanne Almanzar, Hayley Nelson, and Dr. Nadeem Sikandar of the VOC.

 

 

Supporting Veterans

On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, Flash Car Wash extended thanks to veterans and active service members by giving them a total of 1,067 complimentary diamond washes. This initiative, offered at all 19 Flash Car Wash locations, aimed to express gratitude for the dedication and sacrifice of those who have served their country. The promotion also resulted in a donation of $43,879 from Flash Car Wash to Veterans Inc., which assists veterans in areas such as housing, employment, and counseling.

Flash Car Wash extended thanks to veterans and active service members by giving them a total of 1,067 complimentary diamond washes

Flash Car Wash extended thanks to veterans and active service members by giving them a total of 1,067 complimentary diamond washes

 

Agenda

By
Agenda

40 Under Forty Nominations

Through Feb. 16: BusinessWest is currently accepting nominations for the 40 Under Forty class of 2023. The deadline for nominations is Friday, Feb. 16. Launched in 2007, the program recognizes rising stars in the four counties of Western Mass. Nominations, which should be as detailed and thorough as possible, should list an individual’s accomplishments within their profession as well as their work within the community. Nominations can be completed online at businesswest.com/40-under-forty-nomination-form. Nominations will be weighed by a panel of judges, and the selected individuals will be announced and profiled in the April 29 issue of BusinessWest and honored at the 40 Under Forty Gala in June. Event sponsorship opportunities are available.

 

Red Sox Winter Weekend

Jan. 19-20: Red Sox Winter Weekend will take place at MGM Springfield and its neighboring facility, the MassMutual Center. The event will include a welcome and introduction of participating Red Sox players and roundtable discussions on a variety of baseball topics, as well as autographs and photos. The weekend also includes a full baseball festival for fans of all ages. Weekend passes for Winter Weekend are available now at redsox.com/winterweekend. Passes provide access for the entire event and cost $95 for adults ($85 for season-ticket holders) and $40 for children age 14 and under ($35 for season-ticket holders). Children age 2 and under are free. Information about discounted hotel rooms in the area is available on the website. Mastercard is the preferred payment of the Boston Red Sox. Members of the 2024 Red Sox, including coaching staff, are invited to attend. Red Sox alumni, Wally the Green Monster, and his sister, Tessie, will also be in attendance. The weekend will begin Friday night with a welcome and introduction of the participating players. Throughout the day on Saturday, fans will have an opportunity to get autographs and take photos with players and alumni and see the 2004, 2007, 2013, and 2018 World Series trophies, as well as Red Sox artifacts such as Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, MVP, and and Cy Young awards. Family-friendly activities include Wiffle ball on the indoor field, a virtual-reality experience, batting and pitching cages, and the chance to meet Wally and Tessie. Panel discussions will also take place throughout the day on Saturday, with the return of the popular favorites including the kids-only press conference.

 

Difference Makers

April 10: The 16th annual Difference Makers Gala will be held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Since 2009, BusinessWest has been recognizing the work of individuals, groups, businesses, and institutions through this recognition program. The 2024 Difference Makers will be announced, and their stories told, in the Feb. 5 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com. Event ticket information will follow. Event sponsorships are available.