Page 13 - BusinessWest July 7, 2021

Easthampton
Continued from page 11
opportunities when we see them.”
Like many communities, Easthamp-
ton businesses are having trouble fill- ing open jobs. LaChapelle hopes to address this by possibly using state and federal money to subsidize local busi- nesses so they can pay higher wages to get people back to work.
The opening of the River Valley Co-op, a full-service supermarket with an emphasis on local and organically grown foods, is bringing lots of excite- ment to Easthampton. With its grand opening in July, River Valley will offer
a 22,000-square-foot market to East- hampton employing 83 unionized workers with hopes of growing that number. By installing solar canopies in the parking lot and solar collectors on the roof, it produces enough power to offset the energy required to run the market, making it a net-zero building.
LaChapelle said River Valley is already inspiring the city to pursue its own energy-saving projects. “We’ll be putting solar canopies in the parking lot and on the roof of City Hall, as well as behind the Public Safety depart- ment. It won’t bring us to net zero, but it’s a good start.”
“There are still unknowns as we come out of
COVID, so we’re trying
to keep communication pathways open so we can make adjustments when necessary.”
Mountain View School, which will serve students from pre-kindergarten through grade 8, is nearing comple- tion and expects to welcome middle- schoolers in January 2022, after the holiday break. LaChapelle said the plan is to move some of the younger grades into the new school next spring, and by fall 2022, all grades will be attending Mountain View.
“A couple years ago, we discussed the fear of moving young children dur- ing the school year and how disorient- ing that might be,” the mayor noted. “Since COVID and all the adjustments students have had to make, we no lon- ger see that as an issue.”
Once all the students move to the new school, Easthampton will try
to sell the Maple, Center, and Pepin school buildings, all of which are more than 100 years old. LaChapelle hopes to see those buildings developed into affordable housing, and the city is marketing all three schools as one project to make it more attractive to developers.
schools for affordable housing, it would be tough because it may result in only 12 units,” LaChapelle said, adding that several developers are considering the three schools as one package, and she remains optimistic that a deal might soon be in the works.
At one time, Easthampton was known for its mills. Long after they were shut down and no longer viable, the mill buildings are now a way to address economic development and to make more housing available. One Ferry Street is a project that is reno-
Easthampton
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The opening of the River Valley Co-op, a full-service supermarket, is one of many intriguing developments in Easthampton.
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