Page 11 - BusinessWest March 18, 2024

“Approximately 45% of Deerfield residents are over age 55, so there is a definite need for senior housing.”
This is a collection of buildings, many of them currently or soon to be town-owned, including the current Town Hall, two churches, and a former elementary school, some of which could likely be con- verted to senior housing, said Denise Mason, chair of the town’s Planning Board, adding that there is real need in this category, and if it is met, other homes could become available to younger families.
“Approximately 45% of Deerfield residents are over age 55, so there is a definite need for senior housing,” Mason said. “And there is a housing issue across our region, and especially in Deerfield. We’re hoping that by building senior housing — and we’re looking to add approximately 32 units — that would free up some of the other homes, because we do have some older seniors who would like to downsize, but they have no place to move to.”
For this, the latest installment of its Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest turns the lens on Deerfield, where an increasingly vibrant community and ever-changing destination comes into focus.
Developing Stories
They are referred to as the ‘1821 Building’ and the ‘1888 Build- ing,’ respectively, because that’s when they opened their doors.
The former is a long-closed church, and the latter is the afore- mentioned former elementary school that, with the help of a
$4 million federal earmark, is being eyed as a replacement for the current town offices, built in the ’50s and now outdated and energy-inefficient.
Transformation of those two historic properties tops the list of municipal initiatives in Deerfield, Dunne and Mason said.
And if town offices can be moved to the renovated school, new uses, perhaps senior housing, could be found for the current Town Hall, which, as noted, is an aging, inefficient structure.
These properties and others sit on what is called the campus,
a slice of land, most of it town-owned, between North Main Street and Conway Street that includes several structures, including Town Hall, the 1821 and 1888
buildings, the town’s
senior center, a ballfield,
and a second church,
Chris Dunne says one of the town’s priorities is to create more housing.
Staff Photo
Deerfield
>>
Continued on page 13
NEW 2024 LEXUS RX
3.49% FINANCING 60 UPTO
APR MOS.
ENDS APRIL 1
NEW 2023 LEXUS RZ
0% FINANCING 72 UPTO
APR MOS.
1385 Riverdale St, West Springfield, MA 01089 | 413-306-3051 | baliselexus.com
*Get 0% APR on New 2023 Lexus RZ. 0% annual percentage rate limited term financing (up to 72 months). 72 Monthly Payments of $13.89 for every $1,000 Financed. Get 3.49% APR on New 2024 Lexus RX gas models (excludes hybrid). 3.49% annual percentage rate limited term financing (up to 60 months). 60 Monthly Payments of $18.19 for every $1,000 Financed. Terms available on approved credit for only very well-qualified customers through Balise Lexus and Lexus Financial Services (LFS). All incentives to dealer, may not be compatible with other offers. Offers end 4/1/2024. ©2024 Lexus, a Division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
BusinessWest << COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT >> MARCH 18, 2024 11