Ancient Family 4th of July Tradition

The South Amherst historic common, aka Fiddlers Green, will also turn red white and blue tomorrow morning

The 140+ year old South Amherst Community 4th of July Picnic is the perfect blend of a family oriented patriotic event that would have moved Norman Rockwell to get out his brushes.
  

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Because children are the bedrock of any community.   And in this digital age of electronic gadgets, it's especially nice to see a wholesome event that brings people together in the great outdoors.

July 4th weather will also be perfect!

South Amherst Preservation

63 acre Hoerle Farm will acquire Agricultural Preservation Restriction

I can probably count on one hand -- after sticking it in a snowblower-- how many times Amherst Town Meeting has turned down an open space farmland preservation article, so it's a safe bet the 63 acre Hoerle Farm article already approved by the Community Preservation Act Committee will easily pass.

The land is currently in an agricultural protection program that generates almost no taxes so it's not like the revenue to the the town will decrease any.  Moving up to the APR program only protects it all the more from being sold off for development.

And the state is paying 90% of the cost.

Of course one of the BIG problems in Amherst is the skewed tax base where half of all property in town is owned by tax exempts -- Amherst College, UMass and Hampshire College being the top three -- and the town's Conservation program coming in at #4.

About the only thing that trumps (if I dare use that word) open space preservation is historical preservation.

Five years ago, in order to save the privately owned Kimball House, the town paid the state $286,000 (with CPA money naturally) and swapped another larger parcel of land to get property out of the APR program so the property behind the Kimball House could be developed.

 Kimball House, North East Street

Although in that case the owner built the most expensive house in Amherst, so all in all a net property tax gain.

Either way, it was all done with CPA money -- the manna that falls from the heavens -- so nobody cares.

Let Us (Safely) Cross!

 Applewood is on south side of West Bay Road, across from Eric Carle Museum

Residents of Applewood, an upscale retirement community in South Amherst, have petitioned the Amherst Planning Board for a couple of crosswalks to connect them to Hampshire College, The Eric Carle Museum and the Yiddish Book Center just across the street.

 Atkins and double rotaries are also on south side of West Bay Road

West Bay Road has certainly gotten busier since the creation of the double roundabouts in front of Atkins Country Market five years ago, located on the same side of the road just below Applewood.

   Applewood Petition Crosswalks

Hampshire College is installing a solar array just below the Eric Carle Museum on the north side of West Bay Road starting any day now, so maybe the town can talk them into doing the crosswalks. 

 This field on north side of West Bay Road will become large solar array

Especially since they pay the town nothing in Payment In Lieu Of Taxes for AFD emergency services, unlike that other private college who pays us $120,000 per year.

Close The Barn Door

Colorful barn at 332 West Street, South Amherst front view

Side view

Even though Amherst Town Meeting approved $75,000 in Community Preservation Act funds almost two years ago for rehabilitation of the historic barn that's hard to miss on West Street (Rt. 116) in South Amherst, the barn may not survive much longer.

The town tax money was never spent and the property just changed hands at the beginning of this month.

And the barn today looks sadder than it did two years ago when the CPA committee was told the owners insurance company wanted it removed immediately because it was a liability/safety issue.

Interim Town Manager Dave Ziomek will give the Community Preservation Act Committee an update next month as town officials are trying to talk the new owner into saving the landmark.

I asked town assessor David Burgess if renovating the structure would increase the valuation of the property hence increasing the tax burden on the homeowner:

If the barn is restored then the value would probably go up and, in anticipation of your next question, no not by $75,000.  I imagine if that much money was set aside it would be to replicate what how the building was originally, i.e. historical materials, whereas assessments are based on replacement costs in today’s materials for the same use.  

The assessor was more concerned about why the property just sold for well under his current assessed value.

Bring A Knife To A Knife Fight

Butternut Farm, South Amherst

So as usual there's two sides to a story -- sometimes WAY more than that.  But I'm not going to go all Kurosawa on you. 

The Amherst community was somewhat taken aback on Monday late morning over reports of a stabbing in South Amherst perpetrated by Quintin Tyler, a 44 year old male.

Even worse, his victim was a teenager.

Turns out the teenager attacked Tyler first with a kitchen knife while one of the other (female) roommates had unsuccessfully tried to restrain him.

Tyler used a "folding knife" to stab the teenager, which by and large are not overly large.

 Click to enlarge/read

Tyler was not found to be a dangerous person (Chapter 58A) and was released on $200 bail.

Judge Payne also issued "stay away" order from his (former) apartment at Butternut Farm and the victim, although Tyler did contact Amherst police to accompany him so he could retrieve his belongings.

Stay away order issued by Judge John Payne

Fabulous Fall Sunday

Puffer's Pond dam

The weather could not be much more perfect on this gorgeous Sunday in one of the best college towns in America. Get out and enjoy it!

 Amherst College overlook off South Pleasant Street

Danger Will Robinson, Danger!
 

Treetop bouquet 

Check out the Mill District, the hip new North Amherst magnet

Hike around Puffer's Pond to work up an appetite

South Amherst is also looking pretty

With the long holiday weekend many of our college aged youth have returned to their hometowns

Take a balloon ride

Almost There

Amherst Office Park's new 30,000 square foot mixed-use building, an exciting new addition to the South Amherst Village Center will open November 1st, joining Kendrick Place and Presidential Apartments as providers of additional, badly needed housing in town.

In this case 17 total units -- the vast majority of them one-bedroom (15) and the remaining two, two-bedroom.  The residential portion of the building occupies the upper two floors and are now fully rented, while the ground floor commercial space is 75% leased.

Balconies offer scenic views to the east and west

Mixed-use buildings like this are a blessing to nearby local small businesses by providing a bevy of potential customers, all within walking distance.

South Amherst Office Park Expansion

Amherst Office Park (looking from the east).  New building on right

The Amherst Office Park, a sedate mix of government, business, and some residential space had been expanding with a new building about every five years after their initial founding almost 40 years ago.

 Click to enlarge/read

Except for the recent past when they hit a dry spell, as the last building went up overlooking the Hickory Ridge Golf Course back in 1998.

 Building will have solar panels top roof center section

That will all change come September as a new 30,000 square foot three story, energy efficient building comes on line. 

As with most mixed-use buildings the first floor is commercial and the upper two residential, providing 16 apartments, 14 of them one-bedroom and only two 2-bedroom.

The basement also received approval for one additional one-bedroom apartment unit.

 All but 2 of the 16 units have balconies

Each apartment has one full-bathroom and one half-bathroom.  The two 2 bedroom apartments have two full-bathrooms and one half-bathroom.   Rents range from $1,000 per month for a smaller one bedroom, $1,450 for a larger one bedroom and $1,650 for the largest two bedroom units.

Thanks to the Amherst "Stretch Code", which added about 30% to the cost of construction, all the units are super energy efficient with extra insulated walls and windows.  And yes there's even a fitness room. 

  High efficiency water heaters

Mitsubishi heating/cooling units

Building has six garages for rent although there's plenty of free parking on site

You can tell the complex is family-owned as the buildings don't look nearly their age and the new building gets fine detail attention even in the stairwell.

While I was being given a tour this fine Friday morning (second generation) owner/developer Ron LaVerdiere was lugging 45 pound bags to their destination.

 Wood enclosed window in the stairwell.  (Building does have an elevator)

The Amherst Master Plan recommends increasing density in the Village Centers. This new mixed-use building is the best of both worlds -- adding badly needed residential units along with low-impact commercial office space.

South Amherst will be all the better because of it.  

 Amherst Office Park from the south.  Note new solar panels.  New building top center

Pax Mexicana

Mission Cantina Friday 5:45 PM

The pitched battle that erupted -- mainly over parking -- between town officials and Mission Cantina came to an honorable end at last week's Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, with a compromise both entities can live with.

The ever popular restaurant can continue operating a food truck (which serves the downtown) out of their current location with extra parking allowed for employees in the back as long as they stay only on paved areas.

The restaurant is not required to carve out any new additional customer parking spaces and in fact will lose a few by installing barriers to protect green space on the south end of the parking lot.

In addition signs will be erected telling hungry customers to stay off the grass.  Or maybe they can hire a grumpy old man at peak times to yell, "get off my lawn!"

And they will be allowed to construct an enclosure/vestibule around the front door.

Town officials were caught in a bit of bind:  They recently allowed two new large five-story mixed used buildings (mostly residential) in the downtown with no parking required but in this case originally tried to force a restaurant to add parking when they already provide more than twice what the zoning bylaw requires.

Click to enlarge/read

Green Developments

Trolley Barn, Cowls Road, North Amherst

Resembling book ends, two three-story developments are almost in the same stage of completion. Amherst Office Park in South Amherst sports a new 30,000 square foot building and the 12,000 square foot Trolley Barn in North Amherst (on Cowls Road) both show off their vibrant green Zip system insulation on this perfect Spring day.

Amherst Office Park, West Street, South Amherst

"Jane, Stop This Crazy Thing"

Van turns onto Bay Road from S. East St, Canterbury Lane directly above

A Granby teenager picked the wrong hill to descend in South Amherst at the wrong time of day sending him and his skateboard careening into oncoming traffic on busy Bay Road around 6:30 last night.

Although seriously injured it's still pretty amazing the accident was not fatal.  To the skateboarder due to a sudden impact, or the driver suffering a heart attack due to the sudden shock. 

Amherst and Mass State Police closed off the road for a couple hours to do an accident reconstruction.  For the rest of you, all you need do is look at the photo. Yikes!

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Gazette coverage was timely for a change.  Probably doesn't hurt that their owner and CEO Aaron Julien lives atop Canterbury Lane (although he needs to learn how to use a camera).

Granby skateboarder hit by car in South Amherst suffers broken leg, other injuries http://t.co/B6GyVVs9Aw
— GazetteNET (@gazettenet) August 6, 2013

Amherst Office Park Expansion

 Amherst Office Park, South Amherst

The number one problem in Amherst today, the housing crunch, will get some small measure of relief as the Amherst Planning Board finally approved the Special Permits required for the addition of a new building to the Amherst Office Complex, a mixed use development located in the village center of South Amherst nestled between the Hickory Ridge Golf Course and West Street (Rt 116).

New mixed use building

The new 30,000 square foot building will house offices on the ground floor and 17 apartments (19 bedrooms total) on the second and third floors.  Originally the plan called for 12 apartments with 19 bedrooms total but was modified between hearings.  

Planning Board member Connie Kruger lamented this modification as it does not address the needs of families who may wish to move to Amherst.   But a recent study commissioned by the Amherst Housing and Sheltering Committee would seem to support the move:

While Amherst’s population grew by 13.8% from 1980 to 2010, the numbers of households increased more dramatically, by 21.7% to 9,259 total households. This is correlated to the increasing number of smaller, non-family households 3 , which increased from 3,482 in 1980 to 4,775 by 2010, now comprising the majority of all households in Amherst. This increase in smaller households is reflected in the decreasing average household size, from 2.61 persons in 1980 to 2.44 by 2010. The growing number of smaller, non-family households is also reflective of national trends driven by fewer numbers of children and “traditional” families, increases in “child-free” and “child-delayed” families, and increases in empty nesters and senior and frail populations, particularly those who are living alone. 

The office complex is owned and managed by Ron Laverdiere. The only person from the general public to speak at the Public Hearing was fellow South Amherst developer Rich Slobody, who heartily endorsed the expansion.

Slobody, who owns two adjacent office/retail buildings, pointed out that if the town wishes to make the area a true village center this expansion would help provide a vital component: customers.

The Planning Board voted unanimously to support the Special Permits, with Chair David Webber adding the closing comment, "Great project; and we're excited for the town."

Dambusters

Yesterday town employees breached a beaver dam in South Amherst

While both cute and hard working, beavers can be a nightmare for property owners within proximity to their latest project.  Like this project on Plum Brook, running under West Street (Rt. 116) in South Amherst.

According to Assistant Town Manager (and still Director of Conservation) Dave Ziomek, "Beavers have dammed the Plum Brook in multiple places east of Rt. 116 and the backed up water (on both public and private land) is now causing some problems."

The current plan, approved by the Conservation Commission,  is to lower the water levels by breaching the dams over the next week.  In addition flow devices known as "beaver deceivers" may also be used.

Although Mr. Ziomek warned, "These situations are never easy."

This morning, finishing the job

What A Gas

 Hess Express, West Street, South Amherst

It took almost exactly a month -- but probably their least profitable month of the year anyway -- to switch out the gas tanks and add diesel to the Hess Express, the busiest little convenience store in South Amherst and probably in the top two for all of little old Amherst.

No doubt they will be serving a slew of students and their parents over the next few weeks, only they will have to stick to gas, bread, milk, coffee and lottery tickets as our Select Board recently turned them down unanimously for a beer/wine permit.  

Meanwhile the Snell Street Bridge replacement, the state project  two miles up the road, seems to be moving along.  The new replacement steel superstructure is now on site and certainly fits the motif of Amherst as a "green community."

Snell Street replacement bridge

And what would late August in Amherst be without turkeys?

Family of turkeys in South Amherst

Out of Gas

 Hess Express, West Street, South Amherst

The Hess Express in South Amherst, one of the busiest convenience stores in town, is now a major construction site (but remains open for business) as underground gas storage tanks are replaced and diesel fuel will be added to the volatile mix. 

Last week the Amherst Select Board, acting as liquor commissioners, unanimously denied the business a beer/wine permit specifically because it is so strategically located and perpetually busy, fearing the wrong person at the wrong time will pick up a couple of cold ones to go.

Like the Atkins Corner Construction project a mile down the road, the mess is expected to be cleared by the time UMass and Amherst College open for business. We hope.

Bring 'em On

 War Memorial Pool 7/5/12 

UPDATE (4:45 PM).  Okay, it's finally official.  Because you can now read the official press release on the town website.  About time!

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BREAKING NEWS:  (4:00 PM) So I just spoke with Pat Desmarais (apparently the only one left at the LSSE office) and she confirmed the pool will be open Sunday 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM 6:00 PM and it is indeed free, free, free, FREE

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The War Memorial Pool looked ready for a refreshing dive (not that they have a diving board of course) around 5:00 PM this afternoon.  Buoys are out, water is clear, new fencing is up all around and the concrete looks uniformly cured.  Probably will not open tomorrow, but if town officials wish to reclaim some badly needed credibility then Saturday is a must.

 Let's hope they do not wait until 5:00 PM tomorrow to make the announcement. 

Meanwhile the "South East Street Massacre" continues unabated.  Main Street/Pelham Road is next, and the trees are already starting to quiver.