Page 14 - BusinessWest May 2, 2022

all over the world who want to do their “ renovate and expand the historic Jones
post-graduate work at UMass,” Gould said. “That means they need some- where to live.”
And the town intends to use some the $9.8 million it has received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), to help such people find a place. Indeed, $2 million has been ear- marked to begin to address some of the affordable housing concerns in the community.
Housing was just one of many pri- orities identified by the town as it went about gathering information and solic- iting opinions on how to spend ARPA monies, said Paul Bockelman, town
As restaurants are still staffing up, they are doing what they can, even if it means reduced hours instead of being open all the time. As they are working through it, we’re asking everyone be patient during these times.”
Library. Plans call for maintaining the stone exterior while adding space and making it one of the most environmen- tally efficient buildings in town.
Not far from Jones Library, the Emily Dickenson Museum has a $6 mil-
lion renovation underway. When the museum re-opens later this year, it will display a collection of period furniture and costumes used in the Apple TV series Dickenson. The show’s produc- ers bought actual period pieces for the show and offered them to the museum at the end of the series shooting.
“The TV show has brought Emily Dickenson to a whole new generation who are now obsessed with her,” Gould said.
For all the good things happening, both Gould and Pazmany admit that Amherst’s business community faces the same challenges every municipality faces, from supply chain issues to infla- tion to the ongoing workforce crisis.
“As restaurants are still staffing up, they are doing what they can, even if it means reduced hours instead of being open all the time,” Pazmany said. “As they are working through it, we’re ask- ing everyone be patient during these times.”
While outdoor dining saved many restaurants from going under, Gould pointed out that most outdoor set-ups were thrown together with a few jersey barriers and no budget. The BID has received a grant to run a pilot program with several restaurants to show what outdoor dining looks like when it’s done right.
“If we can show the community how this looks when it’s done properly, we can encourage more permanent outdoor dining destinations,” said Gould.
One more challenge, she noted, involves encouraging people to set aside the “add to cart” option of hav- ing everything delivered. Instead, she suggested that consumers go out and meet a shopkeeper.
“You can walk into a store and make a human connection,” Gould said. “Amazon was a safety net when we needed it but we can now go down the street to browse.”
The Bottom Line
Pazmany added that a new breed of entrepreneurs is opening shops in Amherst.
“There’s a revival of people who want to be business owners,” she said. “They are proud to be here and eager to help.”
Both women look forward to the positive changes that are taking shape in the next couple of years.
“When I think of Amherst in 2023 and 2024, I see a new way of life that
is refreshed and yet remains historic,” Gould said. “We do everything we can to keep the town beautiful, but it needs a face lift, and we’re excited because it’s about to happen.” u
administrator, adding that the public and key stakeholders identified 17 dif- ferent areas to address.
With the projects finalized this past November, Bockelman reported prog- ress in using the ARPA funds in areas such as filling firefighter and paramed-
ic positions, as well as adding a posi- tion in public health. The ARPA funds also included a $750,000 allocation for economic development, specifically to support the creation of the Drake.
As for other developments in town, a $36 million project is underway to
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