Village Hill Report of the Northampton State Hospital Re-Use Group 19794
REPORT OF THE
STATE HOSPITAL RE-USE GROUP
Composed of Members of
the Conservation Commission
Joseph Misterka
Richard Carnes
Historical Commission
Gordon Clark
and
Planning Board
Marjorie Sackett
Donald Robinson
August 20, 1979
Revised November 1, 1979
This report was formally endorsed by the
Northampton City Council on November 1, 1979.
S"
CITY OF NORTHAMPTON PION
MASSACHUSETTS
-in eiity eiouizcil, 0.c;o.ben...2.ir,....1.9.7..9................
uY?Qn.the Recommendation...o.~...the...S~cc~e..:HQ~.t~~~...Re-use GnQup......_
0:dxx
RESOLUTION
BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORTHAMPTON
that the City Council do els endox6e the "Repo) t o j the State Hos pi tat
Re-U,se Gnoup", ok ginatZy dated Auguzt 20, 1979, and a6 nevized on
Octobetc 25, 1979, and nezpect~u Zy commends it to the conz.i.deAati.on
o ~ the Re- U.6e Committee, mtabLP 6 hed by the Ma,5.6achus ettz Depai tmewt
o ~ MewtaQ- Hea,P.th.
In City Council, October 25, 1979
Motion made and seconded to add -
"with the proviso on page 6 A.3 (to above resolution)
of the attached proposal-revisions
effective October 25, 1979"
In City Council, November -1, 1979
Motion made and seconded to separate. Motion passed by a
5 Yes- 3 No vote
Motion made and seconded for second reading on amendment
Second reading failed by a 1 Yes - 7 No vote
Motion made and seconded for second reading on previous question
Second reading passed by a 7 Yes - 1 No vote
Nov z 1979
In City Council,
Rules suspended, passed two readings and enrolled.
Attest: .Adel.ino Murray . City Clerk
Approved: Harry S. Chapman, Jr.. Mayo'
A true copy.
Attest:
City Clem
August 17, 1979
The Honorable Harry S. Chapman, Jr., Mayor
City Hall
Northampton, Massachusetts 01060
Dear Mayor Chapman:
On behalf of the ad-hoc State Hospital Re-Use Group, I
hereby convey to you'and to the members of the Northampton City
Council, the enclosed Report of our deliberations.
The Group has been composed of Joseph Misterka and Richard
Carnes, representing the Conservation Commission; Gordon Clark,
representing the Historical Commission; and Marjorie Sackett
and me, representing the Planning Board.
Our Report underlines the importance.of the Hospital site
for the City's future development; lists the suggestions received.
over the past several months for the re-use of the land and
buildings; and sets forth a number of recommendations. .
We have worked hard to achieve aconsensus on these recom-
=mendations. We have conducted several on-site investigations,
solicited opinions as widely as possible, and gathered as much
information as possible pertaining`to the site~and the relevant
legal.and administrative factors.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
I.
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 1
II.
PRE
SENT SITUATION AND FORESEEABLE FUTURE . . .
. 1
A.
Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 1
B.
Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 2
C.
Timetable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 3
III.
PRO
POSALS IN HAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 3
A.
1975 Planning Department Proposal . . . .
. 3
B.
School Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 4
C.
Smith College . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 4
D.
Recreation Department . . . . . .
4
E.
Agricultural Uses . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 5
1. County Commissioners . . . . . . . . .
. 5
2. Smith's Vocational School. . . . . . .
. 5
3. Riverside Industries . . . . . . . . .
. 5
F.
Capital Improvements Committee . . . . . .
. 5
G.
Citizens' Testimony . . . . . . . . . .
6
IV.
REC
OMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 6
PROPERTY BEYOND THE HOSPITAL BUILDINGS . .
. 6
A.
Portions to be Assigned . . . . . . . . .
. 6
1. County Jail Site . . . . . . . . . .
6
2. Recreation Department Site . . . . . .
. 6
3. School Site . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 6
4. Smith College Riding Field . . . . . .
. 7
B.
Rocky Hill Conservation District . . . . .
. 7
C.
Farming Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 8
BUILDINGS AND THE LAND AROUND THEM . .
. 9
A.
Preliminary Steps . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 9
(1) National Register of Historic Places 9
(2) Inventory of Existing Buildings . . . 10
(3) Demolition Costs . . . . . . . . . . . 10
B. The Need for Comprehensive Planning . . . . 10
ADDENDUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
I. INTRODUCTION
According to the consent decree issued by Federal District
Judge Frank Freedman, virtually the entire population of patients
at the Northampton State Hospital must be removed from the present
site and placed in community-based facilities by June 30, 1981.*
When this process of replacement is completed less than two years
from now, a magnificent tract of land, comprising over 500 acres,
and including more than 40 substantial buildings, will be available
for other uses.
This development will have a significant impact on the City
of Northampton. The site is one of great beauty. It commands a
magnificent perspective on the Pioneer Valley region and the Hol-
yoke Mountain Range. It includes a drumlin of extraordinary charm
and geological interest, and some valuable farm land, including a
sizable flood plain, and it is located only a short distance from
downtown Northampton. The site was originally chosen for its
beauty and its proximity to a culturally rich and prosperous com-
munity. The passage of time has enhanced these qualities, and the
attractiveness of the site is even greater now than it was in the
middle of the 19th century.
It is crucially important that plans for the future use of
this site be formulated with great care by those who love this City.
This report will summarize the present situation and the fore-
seeable future, review the proposals which have already been made,
and set forth several recommendations for future use and for the
planning process.
i
II. PRESENT SITUATION AND FORESEEABLE FUTURE
A. Buildings
There are at present about 40 buildings on the Hospital
site, less than half of which are presently occupied. The
State is committed to provide security for these buildings
and grounds until November, 1981.
The oldest buildings at the site date from the middle
of the 19th century. They were designed by Jonathan Preston,
an influential Boston architect. The original brick building
consists of a four-story central block and three-story wings
to the north and south. The angularity of the design was
intended to insure ample light and fresh air circulation.
The roof line is irregular, with steep, triangular gables
and segmental gables alternating. Four cupolas top the slate
roof, providing a magnificent view of the Connecticut Valley
*Judge Freedman's decree left open the possibility that as many as
50 patients may still need intensive care at a public institution.
A plan for the care of these remaining patients is currently in
preparation, and is scheduled to be completed by November 15, 1979.
- - - - - - - - - -1-= -
and surrounding countryside. Brownstonewas used-for the trim
of the Hospital.
The original building is at the brow of the hill, and
subsequent additions were placed at the sides or to the rear.
At the time it was built, the Hospital block was the single
largest structure in town and, most probably, in western
Massachusetts. The Elizabethan style of design was unique for
Northampton, and its preservation in the meantime, basically
intact, makes it a rarity over a much wider range.
As it developed, the State Hospital was a semi-independent
community, with its 'own farm, shops, and power plant. Still
standing are a hennery, a shop built in 1912, a late 19th
century piggery, and a storehouse built in the late 1880's.
All except the hennery are made of brick, and all are located
to the west of the Hospital proper.
During the 1920's, the facility began to expand south of
Rt. 6,6, and to the west of the existing site. During the 1930's,
several new buildings were erected, some of them featuring
" colonial revival detailing. The Hospital also took advantage
of a Public Works Administration grant to construct a new
central heating plant, a laundry, new kitchens, and a dining
hall. The newest building, Haskill Hall, was completed in 1959
and has been mentioned as a possible location for the treatment
of the residual patient population, should it be decided to use
a facility on the present grounds.
The State Hospital buildings thus vary greatly in histori-
cal interest, the uses for which they were intended, and their
current state of repair. In common, they share a location and
a view that can scarcely be equalled in western Massachusetts.
B. Land
If one were to draw a ring around the State Hospital.proper
there would remain about 450 acres of land at the site. To the
east and north of the buildings, there is an area currently'
used by Smith College for horseback riding, and a wooded area
that slopes down toward the Mill River. To the west and south-
west, there are additional lands, including the drumlin (a
Slacialiy formed, elongated hill), a stand of pine trees on
the drumlin slopes, several open fields on and above the flood
,.plain that have been. used in recent years for farming, and the
site of the new County jail. The Northampton Recreation
Department holds a 50-year lease on a 15-acre site-at the west
end of the property, on the north side of Burts Pit Road. In
addition, the County in recent years has rented plots for vege-
table gardening, and the Agricultural School at'the University
of Massachusetts has used land west of the drumlin and south
lof Burts Pit Road for agriculture. There are two small sheds
at the latter location.
Soils on the site were surveyed in 1973 as part of a
comprehensive study done for the City by the USDA Soil Conser-
vation Service. The USDA/SCS survey produced detailed maps
and analyzed the li .rotations of the site for certain types of
development. (For example, a local engineering firm concluded,
on the basis of the government survey and its own study, that
much of the land was too rocky and/or too wet to be used for a
national veterans'' cemetery, which had been proposed in early
1974 by the U.S. Veterans Administration.)
C.. Timetable
According to Judge Freedman's decree, it is the responsi-
bility of the Department of Mental Health to develop a plan
for placing patients in community-based facilities, so as to
reduce the patient population at the Hospital to 250 by July 1,
1979; to 150 by July 1, 1980; and to fewer than 50 by July 1,
1981. A change in administration in the Commonwealth, coupled
with difficulties in finding appropriate housing, has caused
some delay in implementing these changes. It is estimated
that the process is now three to six months behind schedule
(there were about 315 patients at the Hospital in mid-July,
1979). But officials of the Department of Mental Health are
hopeful that by next year (July, 1980the process will be
back on schedule. In other words, they are still hopeful of
meeting Judge Freedman's 1980 and 1981 deadlines.
III. PROPOSALS IN HAND
In considering possible uses for the Hospital site, we have
had the benefit of an earlier study by the.City's Planning Depart-
ment, and of proposals by several local groups and citizens.
A. In March, 1975, the Northampton Planning Department
prepared a "Proposal for the Use of Surplus Land at the
Northampton State Hospital," at the request of the Mayor of
Northampton. At that time, it was rumored that the Common-
wealth would soon reduce the size of the State Hospital
facility by 300 acres. The 1975 Proposal was based in part on
submissions from the Northampton School Department, the Conser-
vation Commission, the Recreation Commishion, the Department
of Public Works, the Smith's Vocational High School, and
several other interested parties.
Several of the recommendations made in 1975 have already
been implemented. Construction of the new County jail has
begun; garden plots (presently administered by the County)
have been assigned; and the Recreation Department has obtained
a lease on a 15-acre site. Also, as the 1975 Proposal urged,
the DPW has abandoned its plan to straighten out the S-curve
on Surts Pit Road near the drumlin.
F
- 3
-
r
Other elements of the Proposal have not-yet been acted
upon: the development of a picnic area north of Burts Pit
Road, east of the drumlin; the implementation of "long range
highway plans for the City to provide for the development
of a relocated Burts Pit Road/Rt. 66, west of the site"; and
the leasing of farmlands to local farmers. The 1975 .Proposal
also recommended that a 29-acre site between Burts Pit Road
and Chapel Street (Rt. 66) "should be reserved as a possible
future elementary school site".
The central recommendation of the Proposal of 1975 was
that several areas be transferred directly to the City, with
control delegated to the Conservation Commission. These areas
included: a) the flood plain and other areas adjacent to the
mill River; b) the slopes and wooded areas adjacent to the
flood plain; c) the drumlin; d) the area known as the "red
pine stand"; and e) Rocky Hill Pond and the areas within 100
feet of the Pond and of all streams draining the site. It was
recommended that these areas be restricted to current agricul-
tural use and to passive recreation. .
In conclusion, the 1975 Proposal urged that "only minimal
development should be considered, so that the area will remain
essentially in its present state and not broken up piecemeal.
The greatest value of this land is that it is a large
tract of open space near the center of town. This value should
not be comproTrdsed. "
B. The School Committee, via letters from John Graves,
Superintendent of Schools, dated April 20, 1979, and August 10,
1979, has formally requested that a parcel of land between
_ Chapel Street and Burts Pit Road, totalling approximately 20
acres, be conveyed to the School Committee for future educa-
tional purposes. In addition, Mr. Graves asked that considera-
tion be given to the possibility of adapting one or more of the
State Hospital buildings for School Department office space.
C. Smith College has expressed a desire to acquire the land
at the base of the hill which.it currently uses for athletic
purposes, and in addition, the four buildings at its eastern
edge, near'the river, the slopes east of the main hospital
buildings, and the two houses at the top of the slope. In a
letter dated April 18, 1979, the College declared its intention
to maintain the slopes in their present condition "for teaching,
conservation, and aesthetic purposes", and to allow appropriate
public access to these areas.
D. In a telephone communication July 16, 1979, Ray Ellerbrook,
of the Northampton Recreation Department, noted that his Depart-
ment has a 50-year lease from the Department of Mental Health
on a 15-acre site north of Burts Pit Road, at the west end of
the site. The Department has no plans to develop the site
within its current five-year plan; beyond that, it cannot
;project. The Department has no objection to farming by Smith's
-
,School on the site, but Mr. Ellerbrook did cite reservations r
- -
about the prospect that the-Conservation-Commission might
become the lessor for the City. His concern centered on
restrictions on its possible use. He said that his Depart-
ment would prefer to relate directly to the City in its
planning for the. site.
E. Several proposals have been made for the agricultural use
of parts of the site.
1. In a letter from David Musante, Chairman of the
Hampshire County Commissioners, dated April 6, 1979,
the County expressed interest in acquiring "agricul-
tural land including two barns," on the south side of
Burts Pit Road, west of the drumlin. The intention
would be to use this land for agriculture, employing
inmates of the jail. (The County's deed to the jail
site includes access to Burts Pit Road. We are assured
that use of this land for farming by jail inmates would
not require fencing.)
2. In a letter from John Cahillane, Chairman of the Board
of Trustees of Smith's Vocational High School, dated
November 8, 1978, the School requests a 50-year lease
on 100 acres of land, to be used for instructional
purposes in agriculture and related fields. The pro-
posal cites the "close relationship with UMass" which
.the School has long enjoyed in its agricultural pro-
grams, and stresses the need for land close to the
School grounds for its agricultural program, which
serves students from Hampshire and several surrounding
counties. Forestry and horticulture classes could
also use this land for a variety of field-work experi-
ences.
3. In a letter from Roger F. Brunelle, President of
Riverside Industries, dated April 19, 1979, the company
expresses interest in using "one or two acres" of land
near the Mill River to involve handicapped people in
an agricultural project. The purpose would be to
provide produce for persons involved in Riverside's
program, and to explore the potential for training
opportunities in agriculture.
F. In a letter dated October 10, 1979.,.-from Norman Thidemann,
the Administrative Assistant to the Mayor, a request is made
on behalf of the City Capital Improvements Committee to note
interest in utilizing the hospital garages and related main-
tenance as a central maintenance facility. The Capital Improve-
ments Committee envisions that all City vehicles would be
maintained and.stored at such a centralized facility.
- 5 -
ti
G. In addition to these specific proposals, many citizens of
the region, during hearings in March, 1979, expressed a more
general interest in preserving the present character of the
site, particularly its undeveloped parts. There seemed to be
no objection to the current use of parts of the site for garden
plots and other agricultural efforts. The jail is accepted as
an accomplished f act. But-concern was repeatedly expressed,
lest the site be devoted, piecemeal, to a variety of intensive
developments. The importance of preserving the drumlin was
particularly underlined. It commands a unique and unparalleled
panorama of the region, and is of considerable interest geologi-
cally. Whatever is done with the rest of the site, these
citizens pleaded that the drumlin and surrounding areas be pre-
served as they have come to us.
IV. RECOMMENDATIONS
The following recommendations are- . in two parts: those dealing
with lands at the Hospital site outside the area presently devoted
to Hospital buildings; and those devoted to'the buildings themselves
and the land (approximately 50 acres) on which those buildings sit.
PROPERTY BEYOND THE HOSPITAL BUILDINGS
A. Portions to be Assigned
Four parcels either have already been, or
devoted to particular uses, through carefully
with the proviso that they revert to the City,
longer needed for the purposes specified.
1. The site of the new County jail, near
end of the property, has already been
County.
should now be,
restricted deeds,
if they are no
the southwest
deeded to the
2. The Commonwealth has entered into a 50-year lease on
a 15-acre site along the western border of the pro-
perty, north of Burts Pit Road, with the Northampton
Recreation Department. We recommend that this
property now be conveyed to the City, with the under-
standing that the City assign the property to the
Recreation Department, as at present. Until the
Recreation Department is able to plan uses for this
site, we recommend that it be assigned to the City
Lands Manager for maintenance purposes.
3.
The School Committee has requested a site at the south-
eastern end of the property, between Chapel Street and
Burts Pit Road, for possible future use as a school
site or for athletic fields. We are reluctant to
support land-banking with portions of this property.
On the other hand, there may be a future need for addi-
tional school space near the downtown area, and for
athletic fields in connection with the High School program.
Also, if the City experiences growth of population at or
near the Hospital site in the coming years, it may be
important to have part of the site available for a new
school.
We therefore recommend that the School Committee be sup-
ported in its application for a lease on the site here
designated, provided that the lease be for educational pur-
poses only and for 25 years' duration, and that it revert
to the City if the School Committee decides that it no
longer needs it for educational purposes.
4. Smith College currently uses a plot at the eastern end
of the property for horseback riding. We support the
College's request to acquire this property, and in
addition, to acquire the four houses at the eastern end
of the property, the slopes to the east of the main
hospital buildings, and the two houses and pavilion at
the top of the slope, provided that the acquisition of
the two houses and pavilion not jeopardize any larger
plan for the site, and provided further that the deed
guarantee appropriate public access to the slopes, and
specifically limit the developments that can occur on
any part of the property. The advantages of this
arrangement for the City are that the College would
assume responsibility, inlcuding costs, for the main-
tenance of these areas, and that the houses, which would
be used as rental properties by the College, would be
tax-generating.
B. Rocky Hill Conservation District
We strongly recommend that the following portions of the
property be designated as a new Rocky Hill Conservation Dis-
trict: the drumlin, Rocky Hill Pond, the slopes on the north-
west side of the site of the present Hospital buildings, and
the lands within the 100-year flood plain on the south bank
of the Mill River. According to The Environmental Handbook
(1978 edition, published by the Massachusetts Association of
Conservation Commissions), it is the responsibility of the
Conservation Commission "to acquire, maintain, improve, protect,
limit the future use of, or otherwise conserve and properly
utilize open spaces or land areas within its city or town
On land so acquired, the Commission may contract for necessary
maintenance work or arrange to have it done by the Department
of Public Works. It can designate areas for passive recreation,
cut trails and create picnic areas, and decide whether to allow
more intensive recreational programs, provided that they do not
7 -
involve the construction of such permanent or semi-permanent
structures as bleachers or new tennis courts. The Commission
may also designate areas for garden plots. The basic intention
in assigning property to the Conservation Commission is to
preserve it as nearly as possible in its present state.
According to The Environmental Handbook, "it is very
difficult for a municipality to sell conservation land or to
transfer it for other uses". Such sale or transfer requires
(1) a majority vote of the Commission that such land is "no
longer needed" for conservation purposes; (2) a two-thirds
vote of the City Council authorizing sale or transferring
title to another City board; and (3) a two-thirds recorded
vote of each House of the State Legislature, confirming the
new arrangement. A municipality cannot use eminent domain
procedures to divert conservation land to other public purposes.
"Thus, if four people out of seven on a Conservation Commis-
sion believe that a tract under its control should not be
transferred, the vote of the other three members and every voter
in town cannot take the land from conservation use and put it
to other use." (Page 26)
These strong safeguards are entirely appropriate for
portions of the property which the City intends to protect
from further development. We strongly urge that the drumlin,
the Pond, the flood plain, and the slopes be so designated and
protected.
C. Farming Sites.
We have noted the requests of the Smith's, School Board and
the County for agricultural plots. We also noe the present
use of the portion of the land on Burts Pit Road for citizen
gardens, and of fields on both sides of Burts Pit Road, and
south of Rt. 66, for farming operations.
At present, the farming operations of Smith's School, the
County gardens and various individual farmers are conducted
by arrangement with the State Hospital administrators. The
question is, how should these lands be handled when responsi-
bility passes from the hands of these administrators?
We recommend that these areas be declared a conservation
district, with the City assuming ownership and assigning it to
the Conservation Commission for management. We urge State and
City officials to seek a legal arrangement so that the Conser-
vation Commission can enter into long term leasing arrangements
with the County for a proposed jail farm and continuing use of
the County gardens and with Smith School for educational activi-
ties.associated with agriculture and forestry only, on its
proposed 100 acre site.
- 8 -
BUILDINGS AND THE LAND AROUND THEM
Planning for the praper re-use of the Hospital buildings poses
a tremendous challenge. Proposals have ranged all the way from
outright demolition of some or all of the buildings, to the develop-
ment of multiple-use housing, the encouragement of museums and craft
industries, and a program to attract light industry or management
offices to rehabilitated buildings.
Before planning can begin in earnest, we must first know whether
the Department of Mental Health intends to retain part of the site
as a facility for its residual population following July, 1981. By
November, 1979, the Commonwealth's intentions on this point should
be formulated. Options for the future use of the rest of the site
will be deeply affected by this decision regarding the treatment of
patients (as many as 50 in number) whose illness is so severe as to
make community-based treatment impossible. We trust that in making
plans for the care of these patients, the Commonwealth will consider
the impact of its decision on the usefulness of the rest of the
site for other purposes.
Two things seem clear at the outset. The first is that no
single solution is likely to work for the whole site. We cannot
devote all of the buildings to housing, or to an industrial park,
or to any other single use. Nor would it be,wise to demolish all
the buildings, indiscriminately.
The second is that, before intelligent choices can be made
between the various alternatives, there must be careful study of
existing resources and full consideration of the possible options
and their implications.
A. Before comprehensive planning begins, we urge several prelimi-
nary steps.
(1) The history of the site and its unique architecture
warrant a careful examination as to its eligibility for
the National Register of Historic Places. "The intent
of the National Register program is not to encourage
the acquisition of all historical properties for use as
museums nor to restrict private owners in the use or
treatment of their buildings Rather, the National
Register is a planning tool used to stimulate local
awareness of a community's historic and architectural
buildings, and encourage appropriate treatment and main-
tenance of significant areas." As a result of being
listed on the National Register, a property:
(a) gains recognition as a national resource;
- 9 -
(b) becomes eliggible for 50% matching grants-in-aid
for historic preservation;
(c) becomes eligible for important tax incentives for
the preservation and rehabilitation of these
structures. Among these are favorable tax treat-
ments for rehabilitation which permit owners to
amortize the cost of rehabilitation over a five
year period or to depreciate the costs of a sub-
stantially rehabilitated structure at an accel-
erated rate. :There are also disincentives for new
building at a site on the National Register: the
owner or lessee cannot deduct expenditures or
losses resulting from demolition of the structure,
nor use of accelerated depreciation for any struc-
ture in whole or in part constructed on a site that
was occupied by a demolished historic structure.
These incentives and disincentives are provisions
of the Tax Reform Act of 1976, and run through
January 1, 1981.
(d) is subject to an environmental review process to
ascertain the impact of any federally funded or
assisted project. (The environmental review process
is conducted not only for properties that are on
the National Register, but also for properties that
may be eligible for the National Register.)
(2) We need a careful inventory of the existing buildings
and their present condition. Funds for this purpose
should certainly be available from State and Federal
sources. Also, Gene Bunnell, a buildings re-use special-
ist for the Department of Community Affairs, and author
of Built to Last, might be asked to inspect the buildings
and make recommendations concerning rehabilitation and
re-use.
(3) We also need reliable estimates as to the cost of
demolishing buildings for which there is no foreseeable
use, or which have no historic value. Everyone we have
talked to agrees that some of the buildings on the site
will have to be dismantled. Estimates of the cost for
removing any substantial number of the buildings range
from $250,000 to $1,000,000.
B. Once these preliminary steps have been taken, the City should
take the lead in preparing a comprehensive development plan
for the site. We have made a beginning, alerting several
sectors of the local community to the opportunities presented
by these buildings and the site as a whole. We have solicited
opinions from the Northampton Housing Authority, the Northampton
I
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I
i
ADDENDUM
After work on this report was completed, Gerald Hayes, Director
of the Center for Economic Development at the School of Business
Administration, University of Massachusetts, submitted a memorandum
setting forth his ideas on the "re-use" of the Hospital property.
Mr. Hayes accompanied us on one of our on-site inspections of the
Hospital buildings. His memorandum lends authority to several of
the suggestions in this Report. While we have not had time to con-
sider his recommendations in detail, we append his memorandum as a
useful perspective on some of the questions addressed in this Report.
We also note the receipt of a letter from Merton P. Burt,
Deputy Master of the Hampshire County House of Correction, dated
August 16, underlining the County's request "for possibly five to
ten acres" for an inmates' f arm. Mr. Burt notes that farming helps
to defray the cost of food, and has therapeutic value" for men
working the land. He adds that the County has'successfully conducted
such a program "for over a hundred years."
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City of Northampton, Massachusetts
Planning Department
Rm. 102, Municipal Office Bldg. • 212 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01060 d (413) 584-0344
*Conservation Commission•Historical Commission* Planning Board•Zoning Board of Appeals
*Community Development Program*Housing Rehabilitation Program
oCapital Improvement Program Committee
HarrZr S. Chapman, Jr.
Mayor, City of Northampton
City Hall
Northampton, MA 01060
Dear Mayor Chapman:
bus- ,
September 5, 1979
The Northampton Planning Board has reviewed the "Report of
the State Hospital Re-Use Group". At its meeting of August 23,
1979, the Board unanimously resolved to support the conclusions
and recommendations of the study and to request a presentation
by Donald Robinson, Planning Board member, to the Mayor and City
Council. The Board felt that this thoughtfully.developed study
can bean important step in the policy making process for the
re-use of the State Hospital buildings and land.
Yours truly,
Doris R. Knight
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PRESS RELEASE l
ist ator 'cif the• •r
Raymond P. Brien, Regional Services Admin r
Region I, Massachusetts Department of.Mentel Health '
announced today the formation of a Building and Land
Use Committee that will consider alternate uses far
vacant buildings and land at Northampton State Hospital.
The Committee is being formed at this time due to a.
number of proposals submitted to the Department by local
public and private groups seeking to acquire different
parcels of the State property for their use.
Guilford Spencer has been appointed Chairman'af the,
Committee. He is Chairman of.the Department o.f'Menta.
Health Regional Advisory Council and a member of,the j
State Hospital Board of Trustees.' The Honorable Harry j
Chapman, Mayor of the city of. Northampton, and Mrs.'Bane
President of the Franklin(Hamp"shire Mental,,,Health j
Moser
,
and Mental Retardation Area Board, have also been;named as .
members of the Committee.
The Committee is charged with seeking testimony from all
interested parties in reviewing the submitted proposals and••
in considering all other alternate uses for currently vacant
buildings and land, as well as,-those that are anticipated
to become vacant in the next few years as tte Department
implements the federal consent decree that will result in f
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further reducing the patient population 'at Northampton
State Hospital.
R
n A L :l
PRESS RELEASE mane 2
In addition, the Committee will explore all possible
alternate uses by the Department of Mental Health and
is interested in receiving proposals from any interested
party for suggested non mental health.related uses.. The
Committee will compile its findings and make recommendations
to the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health for
his consideration and action.
Northampton State Hospital property consists of over 600
acres of land bounded on the North and East by. the. Mill.'
River and the Smith College athletic- fie•ld and 'on the South
by the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railro'sd right of way
and Grove Street. The Westerly boundary of the,hospital land
bisects both Route 66 and Burts Pit Road, approximately .8
of a mile West of the Main Hospital building. There are
40 buildings within the hospital property, half of which are
presently occupied. William Goggins, Assistant Superintendent
of the Hospital, may be contacted by anyone wishing further
details about the property.
The Committee pl
presentations of
from the general
meetings trill be
7.30 p.m. at the
Municipal Office
ans to hold two public meetings to hear
all proposals and to receive comments
public and all interested parties. The
held on March 22 and March 29, 1979 at
City Council Chambers in the Northampton
Building.
SMITH COLLEGE
NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS 01063
OFFICE OF
THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
FOR CAMPUS PLANNING
September 5, 1979
The Honorable Harry S. Chapman, Jr.
City Hall
Northampton, Massachusetts 01060
Dear Mayor Chapman:
Smith College has just received a copy of the Report of the State
Hospital Re-Use Group which was transmitted to you on August 17, 1979
by Donald Robinson. I would first like to compliment those who worked
on the report for their thoroughness and attention to detail. We would
agree, above all else, that the importance of the decisions regarding
this property cannot be overemphasized.
There are a few technical points which I would like to clarify re-
garding the Smith College proposal so that we might avoid any confusion
later on.
1. The primary tract of land in which we are interested includes
the area presently used as a riding field. The land also
includes four houses which were not mentioned in the report.
In my presentation to the Land Use Committee last March, I
mentioned that the College would most likely include those
houses in its rental properties which are used mostly as
faculty housing.. Since the importance of tax revenue for
the City is stressed in the report, I would like to point
out that the College does pay taxes on its rental properties.
In 1977 this sum was $112,500 and in 1978 $119,650. Acquisi-
tion of this land by Smith College would, then, result in
increased tax revenue for the City, since the houses would
become taxable property.
2. The College would like to avoid being restricted to the use
of the field for horseback riding, but would not object to
the restriction of "athletic purposes." The reason for this
concern is based on the fact that horseback riding is an
expensive enterprise and we cannot in good faith commit our-
selves to the program as a long range plan.
Mayor Chapman - 2 - September S, 1979
3. The Committee failed to mention that Smith College also made
essentially the same proposal in 1975. This is a minor point,
but since other 1957 proposals are mentioned, it might be
useful to have it recorded that this is not a recent idea on
the part of Smith College.
We will be happy to meet with you or other City bodies to clarify any
questions that might arise regarding this property.
PR: pf
cc: President's Staff
Mr. Donald Robinson
Mr. Joseph Misterka, Chair
Conservation Commission
Dr. C. Keith Wilbur, Chair
Historical Commission
Mr. Guilford Spencer, Chair
Land Use Committee
Mrs. Doris R. Knight, Chair.
Planning Board
Yours truly,
( - P,
Philip Reid
Assistant to the President
for Campus Planning
1,. n
SAIITH COLLEGE
NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS 01063
OFFICE OF
THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESTDENT
FOR CAMPUS PLANNING
September 7, 1979
The Honorable Harry S. Chapman, Jr.
City Hall
Northampton, Massachusetts 01060
Dear Mayor Chapman:
It has been brought to my attention that in my letter of
September 5, 1979, line 3 of page two contains a typographical error.
1957 should read, 1975.
My apologies for this error and I would appreciate it if you
could correct it on the original copy.
Yours truly,
Philip Reid
PR:pf Assistant to the President
for Campus Planning
cc: President's Staff
P ~Mr. Donald Robinson
Mr. Joseph Misterka, Chair
Conservation Commission
Dr. C. Keith Wilbur, Chair
Historical Commission
Mr. Guilford Spencer, Chair
Land Use Committee
Mrs. Doris R. Knight, Chair
Planning Board
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