NORTHAMPTON — The city of Northampton has received a $25,000 grant from the state to assist with “construction mitigation efforts” for their impending Main Street redesign process.
According to an announcement from Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra’s office, the grant will allow the city to hire consultant services through the Massachusetts Downtown Initiative Program as part of the fiscal year 2025 Round of the Community One Stop for Growth.
The money will assist the city’s “Pardon Our Progress”, or POP campaign, which aims to “mitigate the impact of construction in downtown Northampton during the Picture Main Street project.”
“This award is a significant step forward for POP’s mission to enhance and sustain the vitality of our downtown during this transformative time,” said Sciarra, in a statement. “We are grateful to the Massachusetts Downtown Initiative Program and the Healey-Driscoll administration for their support in helping us manage this transition smoothly and effectively.”
According to the state website, the Massachusetts Downtown Initiative Program offers a range of services and assistance to communities that are seeking help to revitalize their downtowns.
The goal of Northampton’s Picture Main Street project is to provide a safer functioning downtown area with improves accessibility for all users.
So far, Northampton has received more than $22 million in state and federal funds for this project, which will address several critical needs: safety, accessibility, vibrancy and climate resiliency.
The city will also replace downtown’s more than 100-year-old water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure, according to the announcement.
In the past, the project has drawn ire from a group of residents who believe the project would negatively impact downtown Northampton as it continues to recover from the effects of COVID-19.
In 2023, Sciarra released a “frequently asked questions” document to address concerns and announced in November that her partnership with the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Northampton Association would “ensure that downtown remains a bustling hub of activity, culture and business throughout the construction period.”
What is POP?
In January, the city of Northampton announced that it was partnering with the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Northampton Association, for the “Name That Campaign” contest, which invited residents and businesses to submit “creative and inspiring” names that fit the campaign dedicated to supporting Main Street businesses.
The goal of the campaign, according to the city, is to increase awareness of the importance of supporting downtown businesses during the construction period.
According to the city, the multi-organizational effort “will focus on innovative strategies to ensure that downtown Northampton remains vibrant, accessible and prosperous during the transformative construction phase.”
After receiving 132 submissions, the city announced on March 15 that the winning name was “POP: Pardon Our Progress,” which was submitted by local South Hadley musician Daymen Toussaint.
In a statement, Jillian Duclos, the executive director of the Downtown Northampton Association, said that POP “captures the very soul of this campaign” and signals that “downtown will not just be open for business, but [the city] will be moving and shaking during construction.”
“We’ll be driving unique events to engage communities far and wide in the process and make it a fun and unique experience to continue to come out to shop, eat, explore local art and enjoy great music,” Duclos said.
The city said that POP “is committed to working closely with the community to ensure a seamless and positive experience during the downtown improvements.”
According to the announcement, people can receive updates on the project by texting “PROGRESS” to 99411.
Minimal construction for the project is expected to begin late 2025, with full-scale construction expected to begin spring 2026.
