PEDA Accepts 100 Woodlawn Ave. From GE
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The redevelopment of 100 Woodlawn Ave. is getting closer to fruition.
On Wednesday, the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority accepted a transfer agreement for the parcel from General Electric. It will eventually be transferred to Mill Town Capital, which is planning a mixed-use building on the site that includes housing.
Business Development Manager Michael Coakley reported that PEDA and the investment firm are working on a purchase-and-sale agreement for the parcel and Site 9, where Mill Town envisions a commercial building upwards of 20,000 square feet.
PEDA's former building at 81 Kellogg St. (next to 100 Woodlawn Ave) was also demolished. The 100 Woodlawn block is separate from the William Stanley Business Park.
"Originally, we were going to transfer both properties at the same time but because Site 9 now, because of the ERE, that takes several months, we are looking to transfer the 100 Woodlawn block as soon as we can," he said.
Required surveying for a grant of "easement and restriction for environmental conditions" (ERE) and an approval not required (ANR) plan for subdivisions are in the works. Coakley reported that the ERE may take several months to get through state and federal environmental agencies, but they hope to get it done as quickly as possible.
He reported "a couple of very minor hits, environmental issues, but it's nothing that PEDA has to do anything about."
Last month, Edward Weagle of Roux Associates reported that the team drilled several 20-foot borings and did not encounter groundwater but saw some contamination. This is not seen as a concern and is attributed to the site's long-gone residential construction.
"The material that we identified is very typical of anthropogenic material that is present in urban areas that have been developed for over 100 years. One of the borings had a little bit of lead in it. I think it had about 220 or 230 parts per million. [The state Department of Environmental Protection] Reporting Standard is 200 and that's for a residential scenario," he said, explaining that each contaminant qualifies for an exemption and that MassDEP does not have to be notified.
"But the developer will need to manage this material appropriately, as is pretty typical with any redevelopment in a previously developed environment."
PEDA members pointed to Site 9's improvement from a gray abandoned space to a greened-over parcel awaiting development.
"I think it's important for this entity to keep the momentum going and this is all good news," Michael Matthews said, commending Coakley for all of his behind-the-scenes work.
Redevelopment work began on the park's biggest parcel, Site 9, earlier this year after William J Keller & Sons Construction was awarded the $9.8 million bid.
The site has been called a "scar" and described as looking like the surface of the moon. The 16-acre parcel at the corner of Woodlawn Avenue and Tyler Street Extension previously housed a General Electric factory and is the largest and most prominent section of the William Stanley Business Park.
In August, Mill Town announced its intent to purchase 4.7 acres of Site 9. The price is $200,000 for the parcel and the 100 Woodlawn block will be conveyed to Mill Town for the purchase price equal to PEDA's cost of acquiring and reconveying the parcel.
In other news, Jonathan Denmark was appointed chair of PEDA, and Rich Rowe as vice chair.
Matthews reported that he will be stepping away from the board due to personal and business obligations. He said the board is in a pivotal moment and new leadership is key.
"This is an all-volunteer board and I accepted a two-year term about 12 years ago like a lot of us here," he joked.
"But we come in and we problem solve and there's a lot of issues and I think people just drive by and they don't see much going on but if you look at our agendas and look what we've accomplished over the years, it's really kind of miraculous where we're at now."
Tags: mill town, PEDA, redevelopment,
