WESTFIELD – The Planning Board will begin its consideration tonight of the petition of the Council on Aging petition for approval of a site plan, special permit and stormwater management plan for the Senior Center to be constructed on Noble Street.
The board will also initiate the review of Whip City Aviation, LLC, which plans to make substantial investment at Barnes Regional Airport to repair existing “T” hangers and to construct new hangers under a 50-year lease approved by the City Council at its Jan. 6, 2014 session.
The Senior Center Building Committee goal is to present the project to the Planning Board to begin the board’s review of a petition for approval of a special permit, site plan and stormwater management plan associated with the $7 million construction project.
The stormwater management plan not only includes details of how stormwater will be managed on the Noble Street site, but also plans to relocate an existing stormwater line crossing under the proposed building. The line, which passes through an easement granted to the city for drainage of the Ely-Dolan apartments, is being moved to the northern border of the property.
The 20,000-square-foot, two-story building is being designed by a team of two architectural companies, Dietz & Company Architects of Springfield which is teaming up with Courtstreet Architects of Newton. Courtstreet has designed several senior centers constructed recently in the state.
Mayor Daniel M. Knapik snet a request Thursday, Jan. 16, to the City Council to appropriate $371,000 from the city’s free cash account to complete the design effort for the Senior Center on Noble Street. He said that the $371,000 will take the project through the design phase and to the bid process of the construction phase.
The Senior Center Building Committee has established a timeline to push the project toward construction next fall, with the opening of the new facility slated for the fall of 2015. The committee anticipates a construction phase of 14 months beginning in the late summer or early fall if the other milestones are met.
Whip City Aviation, LLC has also petitioned the Planning Board for approval of a special permit, site plan and stormwater permit and will present details of its plan tonight.
Whip City, under terms of the lease, plans to invest over $1.1 million at Barnes Regional Airport. An estimated repair cost of the five existing hangers is projected at a minimum of $313,000.
The two principles of Whip City are Dwight Klepacki and John Burke. Klepacki, of South Hadley, has been a pilot for more than 30 years with strong ties to the Barnes aviation community and is the owner of a metal fabrication business. Burke, a city resident, is a building contractor and developer, who has held a pilot license for the past six years.
