Planning Director Anne Capra discusses option for the partially collapsed building on West Main Street while at the Selectboard meeting on May 6.
Photo credit: SHCTV15
SOUTH HADLEY — Residents driving through the Falls may have seen the partially collapsed brick building at the corner of Carew and West Main Street. During the May 6 Selectboard meeting, Planning Director Anne Capra discussed updates to the property.
Town Administrator Lisa Wong also put together a memo highlighting the schedule of events from when the building collapsed to today.
Since the building’s collapse in June 2024, the town has taken steps to address immediate public safety concerns, including securing the site with fencing and monitoring for other public safety issues.
In December 2023, The Falls Neighborhood Association reported concerns about the condition of the building stating it was deteriorating and there were openings that posed a danger.
The property owner passed away in October 2023 and the former building commissioner was unable to get in contact with the owners at that time and for the previous six years after structural issues were detected in 2019.
The parcel was identified as blighted and listed for potential acquisition by the Redevelopment Authority in the Urban Renewal Plan.
In June 2024, the building partially collapsed, which promoted road closures. The town and district staff cleared the debris and secure the site.
The town finally met someone from the family in July 2024, who expressed interest in transferring the property to the town in lieu of back taxes, potentially after cleanup.
After bringing the matter to probate court, months went by before the town was able to appoint an executor from the family so South Hadley could proceed with a demolition order.
Since March, the town has been exploring external funding sources for demolition since the estimated cost is expected to be in the six-figure range due to hazardous materials.
The former building was previously occupied by United Tool Company.
Capra explained that she is exploring brownfield grant opportunities and initiation Phase 1 and 2 assessments. The owners are also in contact with the town and said they have given the town permission to investigate the property for cleanup.
The owners have also installed a new fence to contain the property.
Wong explained the complexity of this property and the potential future of it.
She said, “It’s in a very public area, it’s right near the library, it abuts an existing manufacturing building. The property in itself is unfortunately too small to be useable so if the building were to be demoed, it would not fit the requirements for reuse and therefore that sort of limits the possible redevelopment as a parking lot, park or something that can be sold to an abutter.”
Capra said she thinks that $1,800 is owed on the property. She stated, “They’ve been paying their bills, it looks like it’s just [fiscal year 2025] that is unpaid.”
No official decision was made at the meeting, but Wong and Capra said they will continue to provide updates.
The full memo can be found at southhadley.org.
