EASTHAMPTON — One of the largest private developments in Western Massachusetts in the last 30 years is one step closer to starting construction.
The Sierra Vista Commons project at 93-97 Northampton St. recently received a certificate from the state’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs that said that the project “adequately and properly” complies with the Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act and its “implementing regulations.”
This designation was based on a review of the project’s Final Environmental Impact Report.
Frank DeMarinis, the president of Sage Engineering and Contracting and owner of the property under the name Tasty Top Development LLC, said Sage worked on obtaining the MEPA certificate for over a year.
The certificate is a significant achievement for the creation of a project that has been a long time in the making.
“It allows us to start construction,” DeMarinis told Reminder Publishing.
DeMarinis purchased the Northampton Street site, which included the old Tasty Top, for $2.2 million a little over two years ago.
In November, the Easthampton Planning Board officially approved a site plan approval for the development, which includes the construction of a mixed-use residential and commercial center consisting of a 9,000-square-foot Roots Learning; a 7,000-square-foot Roots Gymnastic Center; a 5,000-square-foot sit-down restaurant with a 220-seat capacity; a 3,200-square-foot bank; a 4,000-square-foot standalone retail building; and two 7,400-square-foot mixed-use warehouse buildings.
The center will also consist of a 16,000-square-foot mixed-use retail/office building with 14 apartments above; and 10 mid-rise apartment buildings, along with 478 surface parking spaces, a stormwater management system and landscaping.
“The primary goals of the project are to redevelop an underutilized property with infill development and create a variety of affordable and mixed-income housing to advance the city of Easthampton’s Housing Production Plan goals,” according to the Final Environmental Impact Report.
DeMarinis told Reminder Publishing that he is ready to start construction on the project now, but,per the order of one of the conditions with the city’s Conservation Commission, Tasty Top Development LLC must first fund additional monitoring with consultants using money that DeMarinis said they do not have.
“We’re not going to be able to do that so we’re working with the mayor and city officials right now,” DeMarinis said.
Before the project was finally approved by the Planning Board, it went through nearly a year’s worth of hearings with some people commending the project for its commitment to bringing more affordable housing to the area, while others expressed concerns about how it would impact the nature of the city.
According to DeMarinis, Sage has invested over $5.5 million of consulting fees, bonds, demolition and land purchase land to make the development happen.
Reminder Publishing emailed the Conservation Commission to get comment on what Tasty Top Development LLC needs to do for the project to get going, but did not hear back as of press time.
