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HOLYOKE TRANSPORTATION CENTER
HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS

Address:	206 Maple Street Holyoke, MA
Size:	0.73 acres
Former Use:	Automobile repair, fuel storage,
fire headquarters
Contaminants:	Petroleum, polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Current Use: Mxed-use complex including transportation
hub, childcare center, and adult education center
Owner:	Holyoke Intermodal Facility, LLC and
City of Holyoke
City of Holyoke; Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA);
Holyoke Intermodal Facility, LLC; Holyoke Community
Coliege; Head Start
Motivation for Redevelopment: Like many cities in New
England, Holyoke's once vibrant industrial economy has suffered
since the mid-20 century. The City of Holyoke is located in
western Massachusetts along the banks of the Connecticut River,
one of the largest rivers in New England. The city was founded
near a natural drop in the river, and the dam and canal system
built in the 1800s fueled the construction of water-powered mills.
While Holyoke was home to a diverse range of industries, it was
particularly known for paper manufacturing; at one point there
were more than 25 paper mills operating in the city. Industry in
Holyoke peaked in the 1920s and has been in a steady decline
since then as firms have relocated to be near cheaper labor.
Holyoke's economy lias never fully recovered from the loss of
industry and the city lias a median household income and
educational attainment below the state levels. Holyoke's
economic hardships led to its designation as an Economic Target
Area, a tax incentive program designed to stimulate business
growth and foster job creation.
Property History: Prior to redevelopment, the Holyoke
Transportation Center site, located in the center of downtown
Holyoke, was a city parking lot and a vacant firehouse. The
firehouse was constructed in 1913 but had been vacant since
2001. The parking lot was a brownfield as it had been occupied
by several automotive repair and fuel storage facilities from 1949
through 1981. These uses resulted in petroleum polychlorinated
biphenyl (PCB), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)
contamination. After environmental assessments, funded by two
EPA Brownfields grants, determined the extent of contamination,
the City was able to move forward with site redevelopment.
Project Results: The successful redevelopment of this property
relied on a partnership between the City, the Pioneer Valley
Transit Authority (PVTA), Holyoke Community College, and a
private developer. Holyoke's ability to leverage the initial
investment from the EPA Brownfields Program into a diverse
array of federal, state, and private funding sources was also
critical in making the project a reality. A grant from the
EPA Brownfields Assessment Grants:	$195,182
Federal Transit Administration Grant:	$4,500,000
Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) Grant:	$550,000
HUD Economic Development Initiative
(EDI) Grant:	$277,220
Massachusetts Transportation Funds:	$2,900,000
MassDEP Leaking Underground Storage
Tank (LUST) Grant:	$315,000
City of Holyoke (donation of building):	$230,000
Holyoke Intermodal Facility, LLC:	$1,500,000
Transformed a vacant building and contaminated parking lot
into a community asset, creating 19 new jobs in the process.
Leveraged initial investment from EPA Brownfields grants,
securing a diverse array of federal, state, local, and private
funding to make the project a reality.
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
(MassDEP) funded the cleanup of the parking lot while funding
from the Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the
Commonwealth, the City, and a private developer financed the
renovations of the fire station and construction of a seven-bus
terminal on the site of the former parking lot.
The adaptive reuse project is more than just a transit hub—it also
features community-serving uses such as a childcare facility and
adult education center. The project was completed in 2010 and
has already had significant positive impacts on the Holyoke
community . The vastly improved transportation facilities have
increased ridership (to over 7,000 riders per day) and attracted a
new bus line to sendee the city. In addition to 300 construction
jobs, the project lias created 19 permanent full-time positions.
As required by the developer's agreement with the City, the
developer made an effort to hire local construction workers and
fill the new positions with persons from state Economic Target
Areas. Other benefits include the preservation of a historic
building and streetscape improvements that have enhanced the
physical appearance of downtown and improved public safety.
Using a public-private partnership and leveraging funds from a
variety of sources, Holyoke was able to transform a vacant
building and contaminated parking lot into a vibrant community
asset.
Timeline
Jan. 2005
Phase I ESA completed
July 2007
Joint development agreement
Oct. 2007
Additional Phase I ESA completed
Jan. 2009
Building sold
Mar. 2009
Phase II ESA completed
Jan. 2010
Cleanup completed
Sept. 2010
Grand opening
August 2011
Local Contact: Karen Mendrala, Senior Planner, City of Holyoke • (413) 322-5575

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