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Pleasant St future transfer from MassDOT to CityMASS HIGHWAY Mayor Mary Clare Higgins City Hall 210 Main Street Northampton, MA 01060 Dear Mayor Higgins: Jane Swift Governor SUBJECT: Northampton — Route 5 (Pleasant Street) Kevin J. Sullivan Matthew J. Amorello Secretary Commissioner April 1, 2002 M -22019 Massachusetts Highway Department (MassHighway) District Two received your letter requesting to acquire ownership of a portion of Route 5 (Pleasant Street) in Northampton from the end of State Highway Layout (SHLO) near Holyoke Street to a point southerly beyond Hockanum Road. District representatives contacted Wayne Feiden, Director of Planning and Development, and discussed extending ownership of SHLO southerly to Service Center Road. This was agreed upon with Northampton Director of Public Works George Andrikidis, P.E., through Mr. Feiden as learned by District representatives on April 1, 2002. The District is forwarding a copy of your letter to Highway Operations in Boston for review and to initiate the SHLO Discontinuance process. The District will keep you informed of any progress on this matter. If you have any further questions please contact District Permit Engineer Kenneth J. Crochiere at (413) 584 -1611, Extension 245. KJC/ C — George Andrikidis, P.E., Director of Public Works Wayne Feiden, Director of Planning and Development Peter S. Collette, Highway Operations KW KJC Very truly yours, CT OHN W. HOEY, JR. District i E (i (1 WI Ike • 2 J2 DEPT OF MANNINO -,.- .,..__NORTHAMPTON, MA 010GO Massachusetts Highway Department • District 2 .811 North King Street, Northampton, MA 01060 • (413) 584 -1611 John Hoey Jr., District 2 Engineer MassHighway (MHD) Distirct 2 811 North King Street Northampton, MA 01060 RE: City request for a portion of the MHD Route 5/Pleasant Street layout Dear Mr. Hoey: CITY OF NORTHAMPTON Mayor Mary Clare Higgins City FIall 210 Main Street Northampton MA 01060 (413) 587 -1249 FAX: (413) 587 -1275 mayor @city.northampton.ma.us February 1, 2002 I would like to request that MHD turn over the layout for a portion of Route 5/Pleasant Street to the City of Northampton. We would like the layout from the northerly limit of MHD's layout in this area, at Holyoke Street, southerly to the intersection with Holyoke Street, as well as some additional abutting land. • This request is the result of a comprehensive corridor study that we are working on. We hope to do the following in this area: 1. Rehabilitate sidewalks as needed. 2. Develop a gateway park just southerly of the intersection of Pleasant St. and Holyoke St. 3. Expand on- street parking close to Holyoke Street where the layout is wide enough to accommodate it. Attached is a schematic plan showing the subject area. We understand that we will need to do a survey of the transfer if MHD agrees to turn the layout over to us. Thank you for your consideration. Wayne Feiden, Director of Planning and Development, (587 -1265) is our contact person for this project. He will work with our DPW on the details. Sincer4ly, 1 / j r / / /A (j Mayor Mary Clare Higgins Cc: Wayne Feiden, AICP, Director of Planning and Development George Andrikidis, PE, Director of Public Works Councillor Phillip Sullivan 96 Island Road Northampton, MA 01060 Dear Councillor Sullivan: August 6, 1999 As you can see from the attached letter, the MassHighway has given conceptual approval to use an unused portion of the Route 5 MHD highway layout at the intersection of Pleasant Street and Hockanum Road as a small gateway park. Everyone seems to be very excited about this plan and the Rotary's willingness to take it on. I am assuming that you are our contact person at the Rotary for this project. Please let me know if I should be in touch with someone else instead of you. In accordance with the Mayor's approval of the project, I would like to work with you and the Rotary on the following steps: 1. Develop a conceptual plan of the site. A. The Rotary offered to develop a concept plan for the site. B. There is going to be a U. Mass. landscape architecture studio looking at the Mill River and the historic Old Mill River in September and early October. They are willing to help develop or contribute to a conceptual site design. C. As part of the design, it is worth exploring whether a park could be traditional attractive Rotary park, with a bench and flag, and include a small restoration of the historic Mill River by pulling out a small section of the piping. Obviously, this restoration would be beyond the funding capability of either the Rotary or the City, but it is potentially eligible for state funding (GROWetlands program). 2. Hold a neighborhood meeting to build consensus of what the park should look like. This should include both the immediate neighborhood and the broader community which benefits from an improved Pleasant Street gateway. 3. Work with our Board of Public Works to ensure they can retain oversight of the park. 4. Determine whether the city should obtain rights by license with a maintenance agreement or by fee - simple ownership of the parcel. 5. Development of a final plan and any other documents necessary to obtain city and MHD approval. Thank you for your assistance on this matter. cc: Bob Mahar, Chair, Board of Public Works Sincerely, Wayne Feiden, AICP Director of Planning and Development MASS j1HIGHWAY X71 1:17:31 "fir •._ . �' AU Dear Mayor Ford: RAB/b IZAB P1A rab -0008 KW • Mayor Mary L. Ford City Hall 210 Main Street Northampton, MA 01060 Argeo Paul Cellucci Jane Swift Kevin J. Sullivan Matthew J. Amorello Governor Lieutenant Governor Secretary Commissioner August 3, 1999 We have reviewed your request concerning the use of MassHighway layout at the intersection of Pleasant Street and Hockantun Road as a gateway park. Based on the initial information presented, the District is not opposed to the use of this area as a small gateway park. Should the City proceed with the development of this concept it will be required that either a maintenance agreement be established or that the ownership of the parcel revert to the City. Please keep the District informed of any future developments concerning this issue. Very truly yours, OHN W. HOE , District Highway Director Massachusetts Highway Department • District 2 • North King Street, Northampton, MA 01060 • (413) 584 -1611