2006 Northampton Planning Awards final
N
orthampton Planning
Special Recognition
Community Service: Northampton 350th Anniversary Committee
The City is impressed and delighted by the dedication of the 350th Anniversary Committee. The Committee presided over all aspects of the 350th Anniversary. The Committee produced events
that would engage all of Northampton’s nearly 30,000 residents, and they gave the publishing rights of six new books to the Historic Commission so that they can continue to be available
to everyone.
The committee expended much time and effort to providing a variety of cultural and social events that appealed to virtually every citizen in Northampton. These activities ranged from
organizing conservation hikes and bicycle tours of the city’s great trees to developing performance arts pieces for the Anniversary year. The committee also sponsored a series of park
lunchtime readings of journal and diary entries spanning the full 350 years of our city’s history. Most recently, the Committee helped fund the Turkey Hill Conservation project and worked
an incredible number of man-hours toward the goal. This small list of accomplishments does not even come close to illustrating how much of an inspiration the committee’s work has been
to the City.
Community Service: First Churches
First Churches carries the tradition of the meetinghouse first established in Northampton in 1878, both architecturally and through the role they take in the community. Each week, over
35 civic organizations and 1200 citizens enter its doors as the church serves as an active meeting place. The church is also one of the ten buildings to host First Night, a fundraiser
that supports the Center for the Arts. On any occasion, one might attend a concert held in the sanctuary.
Over the years, First Churches has continually been committed to restoration efforts that respect the history of the church, its grounds, and the community. For example, in the recent
past, landscaping renovations paid tribute to the architectural style of the church and First Churches agreed on a boundary line that would grant the public access to the greater part
of the front yard. Additionally, the wrought iron fence was restored and elm trees were added in front of the church. Not only do these changes bring a sense of the past, the addition
of lights and a walkway benefit the citizens of Northampton as it continues its inspirational presence on into the future.
Continued Commitment: Valley Community Development Corporation
The City of Northampton is proud to have the Valley Community Development Corporation as an active partner in the community. With the leadership of Executive Director Joanne Campbell,
Valley CDC continues to put forth the energy to accomplish valuable projects that address the housing and economic development needs of our low-income residents. The Millbank development
was the first in over a decade to offer affordable units downtown. Valley Community Development Corporation focuses not only on creating new affordable housing, but also on preserving
existing units. The School Street project illustrates this, as well as the consideration given to smart growth principles.
Above and Beyond: Andrea Miller
Ms. Miller, Research and Evaluation Analyst employed at ServiceNet, Inc., has played a critical role in the quest to understand and address regional homelessness. The City serves as
the lead agent for the Three County Continuum of Care. Through that effort, Andrea has spent countless hours designing and implementing state of the art data collection mechanisms that
have proven to be invaluable in assessing programs and policies. Andrea’s work has been recognized, lauded, and utilized by the Western Mass. Inter Agency Council on Homelessness. She
also represents western Massachusetts on the Homeless Management Information Systems Committee at the State level. Her time, energy, and thoughtful analyses are greatly appreciated.
Vibrant Downtown Vision: Sam Goldman
In the early 1970’s, downtown was lacking vitality. Sam, a professor of business law at UMASS and a local resident, had a vision of a strong and vibrant downtown. Using creative financing
he purchased, renovated, and rented several buildings in the heart of the City. His projects brought life to previously vacant spaces in the upper floors of buildings, including a corner
lot on Main and Masonic Street, a parcel on Center Street, and the building that currently houses Country Comfort. Additionally, Sam was an active and respectful landlord. Sam’s early
renovation efforts provided momentum for future projects and today; the upper stories of buildings are flourishing with activity.
Extra-Ordinary Board Service: Ken Jodrie
Ken has dedicated 14 years of time, energy, and thoughtful input to the Planning Board. He has served as chair and his ideas on aesthetics and design have transformed the board’s focus
on these issues. While serving on the Board, Ken has previously served on the first Central Business Architecture Committee and helped create its culture. Ken is presently co-chair of
the Tree Committee and is working to add a tree perspective to many actions the city takes. In years past, Ken was active in the Jackson Street PTO where he spearheaded the first Jackson
Street creative playground and helped leverage the Barrett Street Marsh Conservation Area boardwalk. Ken’s commitment to the community, as demonstrated by these activities, is to be
applauded.
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Wayne Feiden, A.I.C.P., Planning Director