CHICOPEE — During the Jan. 21 City Council meeting, the council discussed an appropriation of $60,000 from the Stabilization Fund to the Building Special Account for Emergency Demolition/Emergency Security account.
Mayor John Vieau explained that the Building Department has “run out of money” in their emergency demolition fund and this would replenish that account.
Chicopee is obligated to secure the neglected property and Vieau stated, “Our intention is to recoup they funds that we’ve been paying as a municipality for security there to protect that asset. It’s over 700,000 square feet that the current owner has not been complying to a court order to pay for the security at the building that is not vacant.”
Vieau explained that they are leaning the property and hopeful that when it closes, the city can recoup the funds in closing.
“The intention is we’re going to be leaning the property for all those expenses incurred for securing that property. Last thing we want to see is something happen over there,” Vieau said.
There is a prospective buyer, according to Vieau, and the city has been working with the Building Department and Fire Department to figure out a sufficient security system.
This is not the first appropriation that has been proposed for this property. Back in August 2024, Vieau discussed two appropriations to the Building Department special account to allow for emergency demolition/emergency security.
The City Council unanimously approved the two appropriations after some lengthy discussions. The first appropriation was for $45,000 for improving security for Cabotville and another for $90,000 for the same reason and property but Vieau said it is a more long-term commitment by potentially bordering up the whole first floor.
At-Large City Councilor Timothy Wagner said he would be voting no on the proposed appropriation on Jan. 21 because “this developer has been nothing but malicious and antagonistic toward the city. At this point we’re just being used an endless money supply to secure this property that in all fairness the developer should be securing themselves. They’re just knowingly not making an effort to maintain this building and I’m refusing to vote to spend more taxpayer dollars on it.”
Chicopee City Solicitor Kevin Corridan explained that he worked briefly on this property while serving on the Problem Properties Committee and explained the issue is “the developer that owns it claiming he has no more money and it’s very difficult.”
Around a year and a half ago, the developer agreed to a court order to pay but is now refusing to do so because he says he has no money.
“The only way to get money for this is to put a lean on the property and wait for it to be sold. There is no other way to force this developer to come up with the money,” Corridan stated.
“It’s not as much a question of fairness as it is necessity. This is a very dangerous property and should it catch fire without security would be a tragedy,”
Fire Chief Dan Stamborski has stated in the past that with the building being over 700,000 square feet, it’s the equivalent of 700 ranch homes and if it ever caught fire, it would be very dangerous.
Discussion surrounding this property has been going on for years as back in 2022, Vieau announced that all tenants at the SilverBrick Mills Building, formerly known as Cabotville Industrial Park, must leave the property immediately due to the property being deemed structurally unsafe by Chicopee.
Fifty-five businesses had to vacate the three buildings at 165 Front St. and at the time, Silverback Properties entered an agreement to put the building on fire watch after also failing to maintain the fire sprinkler system.
SilverBrick is ran by 4 Perkins LLC. SilverBrick acquired Cabotville in July 2016 under Mayor Richard Kos’ administration.
Ward 1 City Councilor Abigail Arriaga recalled a past discussion about why the city needs to provide security and it was explained that under Massachusetts General Law, there has to be security at the vacant and condemned building.
Wagner highlighted that out of the $60,000 allocation, $15,000 is to make sure the Fire Department has access to the building and remaining $45,000 is for nine weeks worthy of security.
Ward 9 City Councilor Mary Beth Pniak-Costello stated she would like to see something done with this building soon besides “throwing” more money at it.
She said, “The SilverBrick issue has been around for a very long time, too long. Councilor Wagner is making an excellent point here, how much money are we as a city going to pay for this particular security. It’s good that it’s being done but the legal way of looking at this, it should be the owners of the building that should be providing this, not the Chicopee taxpayer from what I gather.”
Although some councilors expressed a reluctance to approve the allocation, others stated there was nothing else that could be done for now and the City Council approved the allocation by a 9-2 vote.
Ward 8 City Councilor Gary Labrie said, “I’m for putting this money in again. Hopefully this will be closed on and the buyer will come through. The mayor said he had a good buyer in place and hopefully this closes before we have to come in here and spend another $60,000 in nine weeks. I don’t like doing it, but I feel like this could be a catastrophe.”
City Council President Frank Laflamme added, “I know it’s a tough one, we keep doing it but at the end of the day, as the mayor said, we’re going to recoup our money because we’re the first to get paid. I’m frustrated a little bit; wish it was sold years ago too but unfortunately this is where we are today.”
