Page 11 - BusinessWest August 22, 2022

Springfield
Continued from page 9
the renovation of Union Station to the reconstruction of the I-91 viaduct — that were in progress or on the drawing board.
The city hasn’t staged one of these
“We’re seeing many positive signs that Springfield is making
its way back from the pandemic and the many challenges it created.”
sessions in several years, mostly due to COVID, said Sarno, but one is being planned, probably for early next year. And there will be quite a bit to talk about, he went on, hinting at new developments at sites ranging from Union Station to the former Municipal Hospital on State Street, while offer- ing what amounts to a preview of that gathering.
And he started with the new, 1,000- space parking garage, which he and Sheehan anticipate will be much more than that.
Indeed, plans for the site include ‘activation’ — that’s a word you hear often when it comes to properties in the downtown — of a surface park- ing lot next to the present (and future) garage, and, overall, creation of an atmosphere similar, said the mayor, to what is seen at Fenway Park in Boston on game nights.
“Bruce Landon Way will be acti- vated, and many times, it will be shut down,” said Sheehan, adding that the current surface lot, and Bruce Landon Way itself, will become extensions of the MassMutual Center.
“They can have their events liter- ally flowing out to Bruce Landon Way, creating much more activation within the downtown,” he explained. “And it will be utilized for pre- and post-event programming.”
Two architect’s renderings
of the new parking garage soon to take shape in the city’s downtown.
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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
AUGUST 22, 2022 11