Page 10 - BusinessWest November 23, 2020
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  projects she calls bright spots during these challenging times. First, a new Department of Public Works (DPW) facility — a $24 million project on Dwight Road, on the site of a former tennis club — is nearing completion.
The second project is the $14 million Adult Center, where finish- ing touches are being applied as it gets closer to opening day. While the Council on Aging will have a large presence, the Parks and Rec- reation department will also run programs and activities from the facility, making it a resource for all residents.
After COVID-19 hit, safety protocols were implemented at the DPW and Adult Center sites to allow construction work to continue and keep both projects on track to open in early 2021.
“The only disruption we had occurred earlier in the spring when the subcontractor who was providing and installing a salt-storage
      LYN SIMMONS
“People like living in Longmeadow because it’s a great community, it’s very walkable, and there are lots of outdoor recreation activities. It really appeals to every generation.”
shed was quarantined crossing the state line from New York,” Sim- mons said. “We’ve been able to move past that, and the salt shed is fully constructed now.”
With 95% of property in Longmeadow devoted to residential dwellings, town officials pay close attention to activity in the real- estate market. Like most towns, the normal sales bump that occurs each spring was delayed by the pandemic. Sales activity returned in July and has remained brisk since then, with most houses selling at the asking price.
“We’ve been able to capture that strong real-estate market,” Simmons said. “On average, houses are staying on the market for about 20 days; low interest rates have certainly helped.”
The demographics in Longmeadow have remained similar
to what they’ve historically been. Simmons said the town has a healthy mix of approximately 29% families and about 30% in the over-60 demographic. One key indicator that remains steady is school enrollment, where no declines have been reported.
“People like living in Longmeadow because it’s a great com- munity, it’s very walkable, and there are lots of outdoor recreation activities. It really appeals to every generation,” she noted.
Looking to the future, the town owns a 10-acre parcel on Acad- emy Drive known as the Water Tower property. Prior to the pan- demic, the area was under consideration for an over-55 housing development. If this project moves forward, Simmons said, it might solve a dilemma for many seniors in town. Many aging residents want to continue to live in Longmeadow but would also like to downsize from their current home to one-level living, and an over- 55 housing development could be a good solution.
“Once we get the pandemic behind us, I expect our discus- sions of this site to be dusted off and brought back into the public sphere,” she added.
Meanwhile, conversations about two other potential projects are continuing, including development of a former church at the inter- section of Williams Street and Redfern Drive with a different use, and a project on Williams Street that involves building a long-term- care facility. “As far as I know, those plans are still in the works,” Simmons said of the latter plan, “but it’s been slow-moving.”
Sharing Resources
More concrete progress can be found on a regional level. Last year, Longmeadow joined with Chicopee to form an emergency communications center called WESTCOMM. By taking a regional approach to emergency dispatch calls, both towns save money, increase efficiency, and have backup support when multiple calls come into either town.
Now nearly a year into the program, WESTCOMM has been a great success — and is growing, Simmons
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said. “Since WESTCOMM launched in December, we’ve added two more com-
Longmeadow
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  10 NOVEMBER 23, 2020
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