737 Bridge St 2017-02-16
Summary of potential uses:
Former Northampton Nursing Home
737 Bridge Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Map/Block 18C-048
The former Northampton Nursing Home at 737 Bridge Street in Northampton is a two story, 70,000 square foot masonry building constructed in 1971. It has most recently been occupied as
a state licensed nursing home. It closed in 2011 and has been unoccupied since that time.
The building department was called to the building in January 2014 to investigate a report of frozen water pipes. At that time, a portion of the building had flooded. The utilities to
the building, including water, electricity and natural gas, were shut off and the building was declared unsafe to use or occupy.
The building is located in a URB (Urban Residential B) zoning district. Potential uses allowed in the URB district for this type of building include a nursing home licensed by the Massachusetts
Department of Public Health, an assisted living facility licensed by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs, municipal facilities, community centers, educational uses,
nonprofit, dormitories, any religious use, day care, school-aged child-care program (MGL c. 28A, § 9) nonprofit museums, private for-profit colleges, schools defined by the Northampton
Zoning ordinance or other uses allowed by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A, section 3. These sorts of uses would generally require approvals from the Northampton Planning Board.
Planning Board approvals will include site plan review and may require changes to the property.
Because the building has been damaged and is not currently habitable, the State Building Code requires an investigation and evaluation of the existing structure. This report will determine
the extent of work required make the building safe to occupy.
“For any proposed work regulated by this code and subject to 780 CMR, section 107, as a condition of the issuance of a permit the building owner shall cause the existing building (or
portion thereof) to be investigated and evaluated in accordance with the provisions of this code. The investigation and evaluation shall be in sufficient detail to ascertain the effects
of the proposed work on at least these systems: structural, means of egress, fire protection, energy conservation, lighting, hazardous materials, and ventilation for the space under
consideration and, where necessary, the entire building or structure and its foundation if impacted by the proposed work. The results of the investigation and evaluation, along with
any proposed compliance alternatives, shall be submitted to the building official in written report form.”
Feel free to contact me with questions.
Respectfully,
Louis Hasbrouck
Building Commissioner
City of Northampton
(413) 587-1240
lhasbrouck@northamptonma.gov