Facemate property development reaches milestone at topping off ceremony

Mayor John Vieau stands with the development partners and construction workers at the Singing Bridge Residences topping off ceremony.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Garnet

CHICOPEE — Chicopee’s soon-to-be-tallest residential building reached a significant milestone on May 26 when city officials, development partners, and community leaders gathered for a topping off ceremony for the redevelopment at the River Mills district.

The project, known as Singing Bridge Residences, will represent a transformative investment in the Chicopee Falls neighborhood, according to developers, who congregated with the public officials at the Western Buildings construction site for the ceremony.

Chicopee has partnered with developer Hammad Graham of BD Singing Bridge LLC and Brisa Builders Development LLC of Brooklyn, New York, to advance the redevelopment project and deliver much-needed housing opportunities in the River Mills redevelopment area.

Located on the former Facemate site along the Chicopee River, the 4-acre property will transmute to 105 mixed-income affordable housing units. The city has committed $800,000 in local HOME funds to support the development.

Chicopee Planning Department Director Lee Pouliot discussed the project, stating, “This property is a part of our River Mills redevelopment project that we’ve been working on since 2010. This is another milestone, and we’re really excited it’s moving forward.”

The developers are financing the project with a $37.3 million loan from MassHousing. Once completed, Singing Bridge Residences will include 16 studio apartments, 21 one-bedroom apartments, 57 two-bedroom apartments and 11 three-bedroom apartments.

Western Builders President Bryan Hughes talked about the regional significance this residential project can have.

“To the mayor’s point, this is technically a high-rise by only a few feet, and I’ve been saying it’s a beacon of hope, a beacon of light for what can be done in Western Massachusetts for housing,” Hughes stated. “You can think big, and you can think about turning what was once unused property for decades into something really special.”

Residents will also benefit from the location’s proximity to local amenities and transit options, according to developers. Nearby Pioneer Valley Transit Authority bus stops and the short two-mile distance to Chicopee Center made this site particularly appealing to project organizers.

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Mayor John Vieau said he has only been to a few topping off ceremonies, but he noted the importance of this one.

“The significance of this one is really special because there’s such a demand for housing here in Western Massachusetts, especially right here in Chicopee,” he said.

Beyond residential housing, the complex will provide dedicated parking for both bicycles and motor vehicles. Future development for the site also includes proposed spaces for a brewery, an indoor athletic center and professional offices.

The development is the third major revitalization effort undertaken by the city in the Chicopee Falls area, following the River Mills Senior Center and a nearby assisted living facility.

Vieau said the topping off ceremony symbolizes both the physical progress of the building and the continued momentum of the broader River Mills redevelopment initiative, as well as the former Uniroyal project down the street.

RiverMills is the largest brownfields redevelopment project to be advanced in Chicopee’s history.

“As this beam gets put into place, it’s truly a reminder of progress, and that’s exciting for me as mayor.” Vieau said. “I’m excited to see this, again, turning a what was once contaminated site into something special and repurposing it. That progress is just going to keep continuing right down the street. This is going to be a hub of activity that it used to be.”