WESTFIELD—A local businessman is trying to get a new stoplight installed on Springfield Road, which he thinks can improve business for the city.
Nabil Hannoush, owner of the business plaza at 99 Springfield Road, is attempting to get the state to approve a traffic light to be put in front of the plaza. The light, he said, has the potential to improve business on the road that also includes Wal-Mart and several other businesses.
“People keep asking me, they want it,” Hannoush said.
The plaza at 99 Springfield Road currently houses Shortstop Bar and Grille, Expert Fitness and Extra Innings, but the hope is to do more with the area.
“We’re trying to get it developed,” Hannoush said. “We have 11 acres and we want to bring in more tenants and make it a lifestyle center.”
However, in order to make it feasible for more tenants, Hannoush said that they must have more accessibility to the plaza. Currently, two lanes of traffic need to be crossed in order to get into the plaza, which can be dangerous. Additionally, the first accident that Hannoush can recall since building the site two years ago happened right in front of the plaza, sending a motorcyclist to the hospital.
Fortunately, the motorcyclist was discharged from the hospital the following day—partially because of the actions of several members of Expert Fitness, including a firefighter-EMT and two police officers that Hannoush said via email were “heroes… proven by how quickly they acted” and “incredibly proud” of—but the potential for more accidents exists as business continues to improve and more visitors make their way to the city.
Hannoush added that while he is seeking funding through Massachusetts grants—the road is a state road and is governed by MassDOT—he is willing to fund the light himself in order to make it happen. Additionally, Hannoush said that he was willing to spend money on a “satellite system on top of the light so that they synchronize” with the other lights on Springfield Road.
Hannoush said his team is approximately halfway through getting the light OKed, but there are still several steps that need to happen. He estimated that if approved, the light will be at the plaza by 2018.
“It’s development, we need that in the city,” Hannoush said.
After the project is done, Hannoush hinted that he had some more development for Westfield in his mind.
“After this project is done, I have plans for downtown but it’s one step at a time right now,” he said. “I love downtown, I love my downtown.”
