Contractors continue to install a new sewer line yesterday as commuters through North and Southampton roads contend with a temporary detour through local business establishments at that intersection. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – Construction crews are extending a sewer line across North Road to provide access to two businesses located on the northwest corner of the intersection of Southampton and North roads.
The sewer line was initially extended to provide service to the Cumberland Farms convenience store located on the southwest corner of the intersection as part of the sale agreement. Private developers extended the city’s sewer line from the intersection of Southampton and Summit Lock (Medeiros Way) roads, north for about 3,000 feet, to the North Road intersection with Southampton Road, according to the city’s Engineering Department.
The City Council voted 11-0 at its Dec. 6, 2012 session to approve a sewer capacity petition for the project following a positive recommendation from the Zoning Planning and Development Committee. City Engineer Mark Cressotti had submitted that sanitary sewer capacity application to the City Council at its Nov. 1 session when it referred to the ZP&D Committee for further review.
Cressotti said a sewer line was installed as part of the Armbrook Village project, which provides independent and assisted living facilities for senior citizens, and was proposed to be extended to serve other commercial land in the area of the Southampton and North roads intersection.
“Armbrook Village is already connected to city sewers at the back of the property, but the original concept was to bring that sewer service to the front of that property on Southampton Road,” Cressotti said following the Dec. 6 City Council session. “There was a joint participation (shared-cost element) of that proposal between the owner of the parcel in front of Armbrook Village and the owner of the Purple Onion property.”
“The project went through the permitting process, then the owner of the Purple Onion, at that time, pulled out of the agreement,” Cressotti said.
The Purple Onion is now under new ownership and has been renamed as the 7B’s, and there is a renewed interest in connecting to the city’s sewers.
Mike McCarthy, the owner of the Armbrook facility, financed the sewer extension as part of the Cumberland Farms purchase of the property where the corporation constructed the store and gas station.
“The owner of the two buildings is extending the sewer across North Road to serve both of his properties, the convenience story and the 7B’s restaurant,” Public Works Superintendent Jim Mulvenna said this morning. “They came up Southampton Road from Falcon Drive with the sewer line, but stopped right at the intersection, so now they’re just tying into those two buildings across North Road.”
Water Resource Superintendent Dave Billips said the wastewater treatment plant has more than sufficient capacity for the commercial expansion of sewers in that area of the city.
“Right now we’re running the plant at about three million gallons a day and it’s designed for six million,” Billips said. “We have at least another two-million-gallon-a-day capacity available.”
