WESTFIELD – The Finance Sub-Committee of the Westfield City Council approved two funds transfers Thursday that take the Elm Street Urban Renewal Plan one step closer to beginning.
Ward 5 Councilor Robert A. Paul, who chairs the committee and At-Large Councilor Matthew T. VanHeynigan met in a largely vacant building due to spring vacation. At-large Councilor Dave Flaherty, the third member of the committee, is hiking the Grand Canyon this week with members of Boy Scout Troop 109. Also present at the meeting was City Advancement Officer Joe Mitchell.
The committee voted to approve the transfer of $358, 528 from the Stabilization Account and $151,322 from a short term interest account to the Westfield Redevelopment Authority (WRA) Intergovernmental Account, to give the city the $509,000 needed to purchase the last parcels of land for the project that will encompass the city block bordered by Elm, Arnold and Church Streets. The authorizations now go to the Legislative & Ordinance (L&O) Committee on Tuesday, April 26, and then back to the full City Council for a vote.
“The City Council and Mayor have worked together to put this together,” said Paul. Originally, in February, Mitchell on behalf of the city had asked the Council to approve a transfer of $289,300 in Free Cash to start the process. Flaherty had questioned the wisdom of withdrawing funds from Free Cash, and worked with Mayor Brian P. Sullivan on other funding sources.
Ward 5 City Councilor and Finance Committee Chair Robert A. Paul (center) and At-Large Councilor Matthew T. VanHeynigan (right) heard from City Planner Joe Mitchell before voting to approve funds transfer that take the Elm Street Urban Renewal Plan one more step forward. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Mitchell said the withdrawal from the Stabilization Fund still leaves the balance in the fund above $6 million.
Once the transfers are approved by the full City Council, Mitchell said the next steps will be to have two appraisals for each of the four parcels, which include the Romani Bowling Alley. The WRA will then make an offer that is no higher than the highest assessment, and no lower than the lowest assessment.
“There is some room for negotiation with the owners, if it’s in the public’s best interest to negotiate,” Mitchell said.
He added that if the owners don’t want to sell or no agreement can be reached, the WRA does have eminent domain taking power “only if it’s part of an urban renewal plan approved by the state and the city.” He said the parcels have almost no value of their own, but if you put them together, they have value.
Mitchell said that Newberry’s Department Store burned down in 1986, and nothing has happened since. “If the marketplace could have done something, it would have. It needs help,”’ he added.
The Elm Street Urban Renewal Plan includes the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority Westfield Transit Pavilion on Arnold Street, which went out to bid in January, and a new mixed use building on Elm Street to include retail on the first floor, and offices or residences. The last piece of the plan will allow for parking in the back, probably a parking garage, Mitchell said, which will be required for the mixed-use building.
Mitchell is hoping the city will be able to acquire the properties by July, and have the bowling alley demolished by September. He said once they get all of the approvals, they can start the Request for Proposal process to develop the whole parcel.
