EASTHAMPTON — Through a recently announced $56 million for Economic Development and Housing Projects in the Pioneer Valley, Easthampton will receive $4.9 million through MassWorks to replace undersized and deteriorating water and sewer infrastructure along Northampton Street.
The work will support the Sierra Vista Commons housing project in development that will bring 202 new housing units, including 54 affordable units, and mixed-use economic development to the city.
Gov. Maura Healey announced the 2027 Community One Stop for Growth grant funding on Oct. 1, providing 89 awards for projects in 42 cities and towns across the Pioneer Valley. The awards will support housing and economic development through investments in public infrastructure, site preparation and community planning.
“Water and sewer lines don’t make headlines until they fail. This $4.9 million MassWorks investment lets Easthampton replace aging infrastructure along Northampton Street and open our Highway Business District to new housing and business growth without putting that cost on the backs of our ratepayers,” Easthampton Mayor Salem Derby stated with the announcement’s release. “I’m grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for being a true partner in Easthampton’s future.”
The Community One Stop for Growth, overseen by the Executive Office of Economic Development, makes it easier for cities, towns and organizations to access state funding projects that create housing, strengthen downtowns, prepare sites for development, build construction and support local economic growth. This year’s awards are being delivered through 14 grant programs administered by EOED, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and MassDevelopment.
“We’re investing in communities across Massachusetts to create the housing, jobs and economic growth our state needs,” said Healey. “These awards will turn underused properties into new homes and businesses, strengthen downtowns, create good jobs and unlock billions of dollars in private investment. That means more opportunity for families, workers and businesses in every part of our state.”
Easthampton DPW Director Greg Nuttelman told Reminder Publishing that upgrading the water main through the Northampton Street corridor has been a priority for the city for several years.
“There is a significant break history on Northampton Street especially in the area of Florence Road. This project will replace all of the water system infrastructure in that area,” Nuttelman explained. “The Sierra Vista development presented an excellent opportunity for the city to pursue state funding. The DPW, Planning Department and Mayor’s Office have been working together for several years to help bring this funding to Easthampton and I am very excited to see this project come to reality.”
The Sierra Vista Commons development at 93-97 Northampton St. has been ongoing and is still in the early phases of development, with a groundbreaking for the first 36 units planning to come in the next month or so, developer Frank DeMarinis, owner of the property and principal/ owner of SAGE Engineering & Contracting Inc. of Westfield told Reminder Publishing.
DeMarinis said this funding will mostly support city infrastructure, as a majority of the development’s water and sewer usage will go toward a connected interceptor on the back of the property, not through the Northampton Street lines. Still, DeMarinis said funding like this and the state and federal tax income credits received earlier this year for the project make all the difference in getting a housing development project of this scale done.
“Normally if there was some sort of commercial development, they would put the burden on the developers shoulders to do that, if it was a McDonalds or something that is a profit center and have the developer upgrade public utilities. If they did that this would be a dead project, if they mandated, we had to do it, it would be financially unfeasible,” DeMarinis said. “I’m very grateful to work with the city of Easthampton. The new mayor, the previous mayor, the planning department, the DPW and engineering department, everyone’s been very supportive and very professional so I’m very pleased to work with them.”
DeMarinis added he estimates the entire development project to be completed at some point in the next four to five years.
Nuttelman explained that funding like this is extremely crucial for the city’s water and enterprise fund as without it, they would have to rely on the water and sewer ratepayers and increases in the city’s water and sewer rates in order to fund infrastructure improvements.
“Reliable and properly sized water and sewer infrastructure is essential for creating additional new housing units in the city,” he added. “Work will be completed within the next few years. It will happen either ahead of, or during a project MassDOT is undertaking to improve the roadway on Northampton Street.”
As part of these awards, Easthampton will also receive $118,800 in funding to support surveying, community engagement for its Housing Production Plan through revisiting and updating the city’s current plan and positioning the city to remove regulatory barriers and align zoning policy with community priorities, infrastructure capacity and environmental constraints. Another $185,000 in grant funding will support the fabrication and installation of wayfinding in downtown.
The regional awards are part of $330 million in funding through 402 awards statewide. Community One Stop for Growth provides a single application and coordinated review process for grant programs administered by the Executive Office of Economic Development, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and MassDevelopment. This is the largest amount of One Stop funding issued in a single round in the history of the program.
Of the 402 projects receiving awards, 36% are in a rural community, 24% in Gateway Cities, 37% in Housing Choice Communities and 50% are in Massachusetts Bay Trasnportation Authority communities. In total, 207 communities are receiving awards, the largest number of communities represented in a single round in the program’s history.
To learn more about the grant awards visit mass.gov/info-details/community-one-stop-for-growth-awards.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include comments from Sierra Vista Commons developer and SAGE Engineering & Contracting Inc. Principal/Owner Frank DeMarinis.
