Section 2 Tighe&Bond
SECTION 2
PERMIT APPLICATION NARRATIVE
SPECIAL PERMIT A PPLICATION NARRATIVE SECTION 2
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Site History
The Village at Hospital Hill is a joint public-private redevelopment project, which has
resulted from years of effort by the Commonwealth, the City of Northampton, elected
officials, advocates, and concerned citizens, to provide a forward-looking,
economically viable use of the core campus of the former Northampton State Hospital
(NSH), situated on a prominent hilltop west of downtown Northampton, Massachusetts.
The concept of a planned village program, as presented in the Master Plan for the NSH
site, was adopted by the City of Northampton in 1993 and provided a vision for the
development of the site. Within this overall program evaluation of alternatives focused
on potential impacts, and ways to minimize or mitigate them. The alternatives fa ll into
the following categories:
Historic. Opportunities to reuse existing structures that have been identified as
contributing to the National Historic Register designation of NSH.
Traffic. Opportunities to minimize and mitigate traffic impacts. Ways to
minimize vehicular trips to the site, and minimize impacts on neighborhoods of
increased traffic.
Wetlands. Avoidance of wetland resources identified on the site and compliance
with state and local wetland protection laws and regulations.
Site Layout. Interior layout and circulation routing on the site, to maintain the
campus-like character of the setting and to create a harmonious, well -planned
community of residential, retail, and commercial components.
Purpose of Special Permit Application
The proposed project involves the redevelopment of a portion of the former NSH,
which now includes approximately 50 buildings on 124 acres of land on both sides of
Prince Street (Route 66). The City had created a specific zoning district, named the
Planned Village (PV), to accommodate a development to include a combination of
commercial, industrial and residential uses to create a village-like or campus
community. This Planned Village development, that incorporates these uses, requires
the granting of a Special Permit from the Planning Board.
The total Planned Village build-out includes approximately 476,000 s.f. of mixed-use
commercial space, comprising a mix of retail, office, light industrial, and research &
development/multimedia space as well as space for live -work studios, a child care
center, a possible community center/museum area and the development of a 60-80 unit
assisted living facility for seniors. The Planned Village will also include 207 residential
units, 100 of which would be single-family homes and 107 of which would be mixed-
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income rental housing. Fifty percent of the residential units will be designated as
affordable.
Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act
The redevelopment of the Northampton State Hospital will have impacts to
infrastructure and environmental resources within and surrounding the site for which
Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA)-established mandatory review
thresholds are exceeded. As such, the project is obligated to undergo MEPA review and
approval. In response to an Environmental Notification Form (ENF) noticed in the
Environmental Monitor on October 24, 2001, the Secretary of the Executive Office of
Environmental Affairs issued an ENF Certificate on November 30, 2001 requiring
preparation of Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for this project. The ENF
Certificate also established a special Review Procedure permitting preparation of a
Phase I Report that would be considered “tantamount to a single EIR” for the Phase I
development, with subsequent filing of draft and final EIR’s that evaluate cumulative
impacts of full site buildout.
Under the Special Review Procedure, the Phase I Report was prepared with input from
various City departments, the Mayor and other officials, and a Citizen’s Advisory
Committee. On April 30, 2002, a Phase I Report was submitted in response to the
Secretary’s Certificate establishing the Special Review Procedure and the Scope for the
EIR. It follows the outline established by MEPA regulations for EIRs. Section 3.01 of
the Phase I Report presents a detailed description of the project, focusing on Phase I but
also describing the Full Build at a master planning level of detail. Sections 4.0 through
7.0 of the Phase I Report address, respectively, transportation and air quality, historic
resources, water supply and wastewater, and wetlands, wildlife and stormwater.
Section 8.0 of the Phase I Report is a presentation of mitigation measures for Phase I
impacts, as developed by Sections 3.0 through 7.0. Section 9.0 of the Phase I Report
presents all comments filed on the ENF and responses to those comments.
The Phase I Report was noticed in the Environmental Monitor on May 8, 2002 and on
June 14, 2002 the Secretary issued a Certificate on the Phase I Report stating that the
project adequate ly and properly complies with the MEPA and its implementing
regulations.
Phase I Development
In view of the size and complexity of the site, the Planned Village will be constructed
in phases over a period of years. In developing the Master Plan for the Planned
Village, the ratio of commercial to residential space received considerable attention,
and this ratio has remained unchanged since. Phase timing will be market-driven and
timing of individual components within each phase cannot necessarily be projected in
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advance. The Phase I development is being advanced at this point in order to move the
project from its long period of gestation and study into tangible progress while planning
and environmental analysis of the potential impacts of full build-out proceed.
More specifically, a large manufacturer recently expressed interest in locating its
operations at this site, including a building with approximately 100,000 square feet
gross floor area. The manufacturer will provide significant tax revenue and
employment in the City. Development of a portion of the site to accommodate the
proposed manufacturing facility cannot occur without granting of the Special Permit
from the Planning Board as previously described.
The Phase I development is comprised of up to 109 dwelling units and up to 152,000
square feet (s.f.) of commercial space which includes the proposed 100,000-square -foot
manufacturing facility. The Special Permit Application depicts sufficient land in Phase
1 to develop up to 187,000 square feet of commercial space, however only 152,000
square feet will be developed. Inclusion of more commercial land will simply allow
flexibility in marketing commercial development sites.
Summary of Mitigation
A brief summary of proposed mitigation for the Phase I component of the Northampton
State Hospital Redevelopment is provided below. The April 30, 2002 Phase I Report is
included herein by reference, and provides a detailed accounting of proposed mitigation
measures. For reference, Section 4.5 (Transportation Mitigation) is reprinted in the
Appendices.
Transportation
A traffic analysis has been prepared for Phase I redevelopment, in compliance with the
ENF Scope and the guidelines set forth by the Executive Office of Environmental
Affairs/Executive Office of Transportation and Construction (EOEA/EOTC) for
preparation of a Traffic Impact Assessment. Existing conditions were developed, based
upon a program of traffic counts. Existing safety problems were evaluated by
comparing accident rates against statewide averages. A future No-Build condition
(2006) was established by increasing the Existing Condition by other known projects
“in the pipeline,” and adding a background growth rate. Trips generated by Phase I
development were added to the future No-Build, so tha t the future Build and No-Build
conditions might be compared.
The analysis identifies a number of mitigation measures that address traffic and safety
needs that exist independent of Phase I redevelopment, as well as those measures
required to offset impacts of added Phase I traffic. These measures include safety
improvements for the intersection of Earle Street at Grove Street and Texas Road;
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pedestrian and bicycle enhancements along the Route 10 corridor including sidewalk
improvements and extensions, bike lanes, and pedestrian crossings; traffic signal
timing/phasing enhancements; construction of a new sidewalk along Earle Street from
Grove Street to Route 66; and provision of design for a new signal at Earle Street at
Route 10. MassDevelopment and the City will jointly seek state funding for installation
of the signal at Earle Street; MassDevelopment will also monitor traffic and safety
characteristics of this intersection during Phase I redevelopment to provide additional
supporting data to MassHighway for review purposes.
MassDevelopment, working in collaboration with The Community Builders, is further
committed to implementing a comprehensive Traffic Demand Management (TDM)
program to manage and minimize traffic generation from the site, and encourage
carpooling, walking, bike use and mass transit by residents, tenants, employers, and
visitors of the Phase I redevelopment.
Air Quality
An air quality analysis determined that emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC)
and oxides of nitrogen (Nox) in the study area increase slightly for the Build condition
as compared to the No-Build condition. Consequently, pursuant to the State
Implementation Plan under the federal Clean Air Act as amended, the proponent is
required to implement a TDM plan to minimize traffic increases.
Historic Resources
The Phase I Report proposes the retention and reuse of six historic buildings, including
the South Employees’ Home, which was originally slated for demolition in the Master
Plan and ENF. However, accommodating the proposed 100,000-square -foot
manufacturing facility will necessitate demolition of the former laundry building, which
was previously anticipated for retention and reuse.
Phase I also calls for the demolition of eleven other buildings, nine of which are
historic. These buildings include the Power Plant, 10 and 12 Chapel Street, Memorial
Complex Building C, and the Ox Barn, all discussed above, as well as four wood frame
buildings presented in the Master Plan and ENF.
The proponent undertook an analysis of stab ilizing the former Main Building complex
(referred to as “Old Main”) as part of the Phase I analysis. Section 5.4 of the Phase 1
Report relates the findings of that analysis; MassDevelopment has decided to defer any
expenditure on interim stabilization until the results of a study of building renovation
feasibility and cost, and the updated market study are available (expected in the summer
of 2002). MassDevelopment will proceed, for public safety reasons, to fence off the
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porte-cochere at the central entrance of Old Main and the Dining Hall addition to Three
North.
Water and Sewer
As set forth in the ENF, Northampton’s water supply and wastewater treatment
capacity are sufficient to accommodate the needs of both Phase I and the Full-Build.
All plumbing fixtures will be low-flow, in compliance with the State Building Code.
The only issue identified in the Scope for analysis is the capacity of water and sewer
mains to convey water supply to the site and wastewater from the site.
An engineering analysis has been conducted of the capacity of water and sewer mains.
It has been found that existing water mains are adequate to serve both Phase I and Full-
Build needs, including fire flow requirements. Sewer main capacity exists to convey
wastewater generated by Phase I; capacity to serve the Full-Build will be further
evaluated for the EIR.
Wetlands
The NSH campus has been inspected for wetlands, as well as the area between the site
and Route 10 to the south. One on-site resource area has been flagged, and two off-site
wetlands, of which one is south of Grove Street and one is between Earle Street and the
Mill River.
Phase I is not expected to alter any wetland resource area, with the possible exception
of Riverfront Area (for improvements to Earle and Grove Street) during Phase I. A
Request for Determination of Applicability was filed on July 3, 2002 to secure
Conservation Commission review of the wetland boundaries, and any Notice of Intent
required for Phase I will be filed as design proceeds.
Wetlands on the Ice Pond site have been delineated by TCB, and site planning and
Conservation Commission approvals for development of single-family homes on the site
will proceed separately. No issues with respect to the Ice Pond were raised in the
comments or the MEPA Scope.
Stormwater
A conceptual stormwater design has been prepared for the NSH campus. It complies
with the Massachusetts Stormwater Management Policy. Five detention basins are
proposed, three on the north campus (north of Route 66) and two on the south campus
(south of Route 66). The design of the basins will meet two critical standards:
prevention of an increase in the peak rate of runoff, and removal of 80 percent of total
suspended solids from stormwater. Since the site at present has no stormwater
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detention or treatment facilities, the proposed design should significantly improve
runoff water quality.
Master Plan Revisions
The revised Master Plan provided in Appendix F, and particularly the revised Phase I
Development generally demonstrate a reconfiguration of proposed buildings as
necessary to address the revised Ridge Street roadway location, to incorporate initial
comments provided by the Northampton Planning and Development Director, and to
accommodate the proposed industrial development along Earle Street.
The proposed development south of Route 66 has been primarily revised due to the
elimination of the proposed roadway entrance of Ridge Street from Grove Street. The
section of the Ridge Street roadway was eliminated due to topographic constra ints and
the presence of a wetland resource area.
The location of the wetland, the elimination of the roadway in this area, and the
proposed 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, as previously noted, have also
dictated the elimination of the 14,000 sf industrial building proposed to be located at
this area; however, the elimination of the building and roadway in this area has
increased the buffer to the residential area of Laurel Street and Grove Street. The
square footage of development proposed south of Route 66 remains essentially the same
(321,000 sf was previously identified; 326,000 sf is currently identified).
Previously, 71,000 sf were identified for industrial use within four new buildings and
the reuse of the existing power plant building. The requirements for the Industrial
development (80,000 sf industrial, 20,000 sf office) have effectively consolidated the
industrial development to one building and require removal of the former laundry and
power plant buildings.
The residential development remains consistent with the original Master Plan. The
following table depicts the proposed industrial, office, mixed use, and retail uses of the
original Master Plan and the Conceptual Amended Master Plan:
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Proposed Use Original Master Plan
1.1 CONCEPTUAL AMENDED
Master Plan
Industrial ±71,000 sf ±80,000 sf
Office ±195,000 sf ±191,000 sf
Mixed Use ±44,000 sf ±44,000 sf
Retail ±11,000 sf ±11,000 sf
The development proposed north of Route 66 remains consistent with the original
Master Plan, and has incorporated minor modifications to the roadway geometry to
address conformance to the subdivision regulations, as well as the depiction of a
boulevard entrance in an effort to incorporate existing mature trees to the entry
landscape.
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