Northampton Chamber Update to EDP 01142021Vince Jackson
January 14, 2021
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Economic Development Partners
Northampton Chamber Update:
2020 Review & 2021 Outlook
Two objectives for today’s discussion
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•Discuss the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce’s (GNCC’s)
response to 2020 challenges (COVID-19 and social justice issues) in
support of Northampton’s economy and community.
•Share GNCC’s plans for economic recovery in 2021.
COVID-19 e-News Bulletins (April 9 –May 21, 2020)
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8 Bulletins
34%
Average Open Rate
vs. 18% NP Industry Average
17%
Average Click-Thru-Rate
vs. 10% NP Industry Average
Source (Non-profit Industry Averages): Constant Contact, May 2020
18%
CTR
30%
Open
6%
CTR
29%
Open
11%
CTR
29%
Open
6%
CTR
35%
Open
10%
CTR
35%
Open
37%
CTR
40%
Open
14%
CTR
38%
Open
35%
CTR
40%
Open
15 Zoom Video Conferences and Registrations (Apr 7 –June 4)
4
42
4/29
16
4/30
8
5/13
6
5/20
4
5/27
39
4/28
9
5/12
30
5/6
15
5/13
25
5/7
59
4/7
31
4/21
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IN DEVELOPMENT
PPP Loan Forgiveness
12
6/2
22
6/4
45
6/2
Zoom Video Conferences (continued)
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IN DEVELOPMENT
2 “Arrive@5” Virtual Networking Events
67
7/8
54
11/10
A Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
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Our Mission (Before)
To be a catalyst for collaboration and innovation to create an inclusive and thriving economy and community.
Our Mission (Revised)
To be a catalyst for collaboration and innovation to foster a thriving economy and community,
invigorated by diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Strong Business.
Thriving Economy.
Strong Community.
Opportunity Access.
Open Organization.
Greater Impact.
Nimble Operation.
Sustainable Model.
Clear Message.
Broader Reach.
Community Revitalization Fund by the Numbers
$263,765
Funds Raised
(<3 months)
114
Grant Applications
Received
$40.5MM
Jan-June 2019
Total Reported Revenue
Among Grant Awardees
88
Grant Awards
(77%)
980
Full-time Equivalent
Jobs Before Pandemic
Among Grant Awardees
$22.0MM
Jan-June 2020
Total Reported Revenue
Among Grant Awardees
(-46% Revenue Loss)
453
Full-time Equivalent
Jobs After Pandemic
Among Grant Awardees
(-54% Fewer Jobs)
170
Donations
Received
Northampton Restaurant Tour with U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (9/18/2020)
•$120 billion restaurant bill (the Restaurants Act)
•Jake’s Restaurant, Haymarket Café, Woodstar Cafe visited.
•CRF has awarded 88 microgrants between $500-$5,000 and 51% of total awards went to local restaurants.
Photo Courtesy of Daily Hampshire Gazette
Unemployment Rates
10Source: Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance
•MA unemployment rate was lower than the national average in November after trending at parity or higher in prior months.
•Franklin/Hampshire (F/H) Workforce Development Areas (WDA) unemployment rate is lower than both the US and MA.
−F/W WDA had 2nd lowest UI rate across 16 WDAs in November, and the lowest in Oct.
•Northampton’s unemployment rate continues to improve and was lower than the F/H WDA rate in November.
Nov-20 Oct-20 Sep-20
US Unemployment Rate 6.7%6.9%7.9%
MA Unemployment Rate 6.2%6.9%9.8%
F/H WDA 5.5%5.8%7.7%
Northampton 5.3%6.0%7.8%
Nov-20 Oct-20 Sep-20
MA vs US Gap (pp)-0.5 0.0 +1.9
F/H WDA vs MA Gap (pp)-0.7 -1.1 -2.1
Northampton vs F/H WDA -0.2 +0.2 +0.1
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Northampton/Florence Businesses in Transition
Permanently Closed (15)Relocated (3)Changes (10)New Businesses (15)
Webster’s Fish Hook Guild (to Easthampton)Belly of the Beast –new pop-up chef concept T. Roots (old Viva Fresh Pasta)
Ashtanga Yoga Living Art Studio (to Palmer)Iconica Social Club –new owners Phoenix Rising (old Le BonNton/Fire & Water)
Cathy Cross Pierce’s Frameshop (Easthampton)Caminito –closed for winter Patria (old Con Vino)
Thelo GoBerry –closed for winter Colonial Cannabis (old Wells Fargo / Talbots)
Castle Architectural Salvage Packard’s –closed for winter Resinate (old Nite Owl Tattoo)
Village on Main Hotel Northampton –closed 11/30-02/2021 Bottle-O (old King Street Liquors)
Green Bean Sylvester’s Restaurant –closed for winter Holeymoley Comics (King St. by old Subway)
Grow Haus Homestead. –closed for winter Masa Mexicano (Pine St. Plaza, Florence)
Freckled Fox (Florence)Spoleto –closed for winter Starbucks (King Street)
Sierra Grille Familiar’s Coffee & Tea –closed for winter NoHo Nutrition (Maplewood Shops)
Smithsonian Café Instincts & Friends (Crafts Ave –A Garden’s Place)
New Century Theater Balagan Cannabis (old Sam’s Pizza; coming)
Silverscape Designs Café Balagan (old Green Bean)
Artisan Gallery High Five (coming)
Bistro Les Gras Hampshire Hemp (coming)
FB
FB
FB
FB
FB
A
R
HB
R
R
R
R
HB
FB
R
Key: FB=Food & Beverage (Restaurants); R=Retail; HB=Health & Beauty; A=Arts; C=Cannabis
FB
FB
C
FB
FB
R
R
R
R
FB
C
C
C
C
FB
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Additional Cannabis Businesses
Dispensaries
1.New England Treatment Access (NETA; medical and adult use)
2.Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (d/k/a Life Essence) –216 North King Street (Honda Motorsports building; also
building cultivating + processing facility in Holyoke) (medical)
3.Northempton Enterprises, Inc. (not a typo) (adult-use) –2 Conz Street –The Hempest owners
4.ToroVerde (adult use) –also working on Whately location –26-28 N. King (by Enterprise Rent-A-Car)
5.Turning Leaf Centers (adult use) –261 King Street (old Sakura Buffet)
6.Hampshire Hemp (adult use) –371-391 Damon Road (old greenhouse + Webster’s Fish Hook)
7.Fernway, LLC (product manufacturing only) –178 Industrial Drive (specializing in cannabis vapes)
Production & Manufacturing:
1.Just Healthy, Inc. (medical) –Florence (Bill Willard gravel pit)
2.Bodelles Edibles (product manufacturing only) –660 Riverside Drive (Indigo Coffee building)
3.Pioneer Valley Extracts (product manufacturing only) –43 Ladd Ave., Florence
4.Stoned Puppy (product manufacturing only) –20 Ladd Avenue, Florence (specializing in ‘cannigars’)
5.Community Growth Partners Northampton (product manufacturing only) –20 Ladd Avenue, Florence
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Vacant Downtown Storefronts (15)
Lower Main
Banh Mi Spot (18 Main)
Old Spoleto’s (50 Main)
Mid Main
Cathy Cross (151 Main)
Thelo (153 Main)
Faces (175 Main)
Upper Main
Sam’s Pizza (235 Main)
Green Bean (241 Main)
Village on Main (213 Main)
Living Art Studio (219 Main; 2nd Floor)
Hannoush Jewelers (227 Main; vacant soon)
Pleasant Street
Marinello Beauty (76 Pleasant)
Grub (88 Pleasant)
Strong Avenue
Grow Haus (26 Strong)
State Street
Serio’s (65 State)
King Street
261 King (Restaurant space; 2211 sf; $30/SF/Yr ; $5528/mo)
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Commercial Properties for Sale ($19.6M)
1.CVS / Yokohama building (84 Main; incl. NRC/La Fiorentina; $4.6M / Delap)
2.Gazette Building (115 Conz; $4.2M; Goggins Real Estate)
3.Roundhouse (244 Main; $3.45M; Goggins Real Estate)
4.Mulino’s / Sierra Grille (41 Strong; $3.2M; Details TBD)
5.Silverscape (1 King; $2M; Goggins Real Estate)
6.Parlor Room Building (32 Masonic; $1.75M; Goggins Real Estate
7.90 King Street (Subway strip; $899K; Murphy’s Real Estate)
8.270 Pleasant Street ($540K; Royal law office; SR Commercial Realty)
9.53 Center (mixed use; currently 9 offices; $760K; Coldwell Banker)
My Local MA and Tuesday Takeovers
Goal: Promote in-state tourism and support local businesses.
Rationale:
•99.5% of businesses in MA are small businesses.
•1.5MM people in MA are employed by small businesses.
•46% of employees in MA work for a small business.
Marketing Support:
•$2.0MM state-wide, marketing campaign (lovemylocalMA.com)
•Messaging (#MaskUpMA) to encourage safety
•Advertising and Media (billboards, radio, My Local badges,
flyers, decals, social media images, etc.)
•Local assets: VisitHampshireCounty.com, theothersidema
(Instagram), Visit Hampshire County (Facebook page), GNCC
social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter)
•Tuesday Takeover partnerships across Hampshire County
Chambers
•Program extended through June 2021
Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is:
Right Here in Massachusetts
Northampton
Gift Card Print
Advertising
Shop Local
Gift One, Get One
Cooley Cash
City of Northampton –Shelter & Support for Vulnerable Population
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Shelter and Health Services Food Systems Support Community Resilience Hub
Grove Street Inn (15 beds)
(100% occupancy as of 1/12/2021
32 beds
(75% occupancy as of 1/12/2021)
Standing Order for 24-hour test result
Hampshire County Resource Center
(Open 2 days per week for showering, laundry,
health care, and other services)
CARES Act Funding
to provide food security
200 Cases of Bottled Water
(Coca-Cola Northampton partnership with
DPW, Downtown Northampton Association,
and Manna to distribute bottled water)
•Crisis response solutions
•Connection to services
•Support via service providers
•Community resources
•Space planning completed by Working Group
and Jones Whisett Architects
•Real estate options currently under review
•Initial funding source is CDBG funds; exploring
options for additional sources
City of Northampton –Economic Development Projects
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•Housing Choice Grants:
−Open $950K MassWorks Grant
➢55-unit affordable housing project under construction at Village Hill.
➢Infrastructure includes new sewer, water, storm sewer, roadway, sidewalk, curb, and
retaining wall.
➢Improvements to the adjacent park that is part of the streetscape to serve the housing.
➢Also covers related engineering and analysis.
−Pending application, $250K for infrastructure at Village Hill (former State Hospital) to support two
new, affordable housing projects
➢25 additional, affordable housing units
➢Replace sewer, extend sewer and water, upgrade sidewalks, curbs, and crosswalks
➢Also covers related engineering and analysis.
•Local Rapid Recovery Planning (LRRP) Grant Application (pending) –Mass Downtown Initiative to
revitalize downtown. Grant provides consulting services for post-COVID recovery.
•Main Street Redesign –$16MM project; moving toward construction in 2025; currently in public
feedback stage.
~60% of residential student population expected to return in February
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1,200
525
1,300
1,800
8,400
13,225
Summary –2021 Outlook and Key Priorities
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•Continue value-added, virtual events and Link & Learn conferences to ensure a well-informed, well-
connected community:
−Arrive@5, January 10, 5:00-6:30 pm: “Public Health & Smart Business” featuring Joanne
Marqusee, President and CEO of Cooley Dickinson Health Care
−Link & Learn, January 20, 5:00-6:30 pm: “Understanding the Second Wave of Stimulus” featuring
Adam Duso of Second Wind Consultants
•Increase awareness, distribution, and innovation on Northampton Gift Card Program to support the
local economy.
•Consider second round of fundraising for Community Revitalization Fund and grant awards to small
businesses.
•Continue advocacy and partnerships with City of Northampton and local, state, and federal elected
officials to rebuild our economy and deliver aid to our community.
•Leverage reactivated Hampshire County Tourism Advisory Board and big data investments to create
new, bold strategies that will inspire travel and tourism to the region.
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Contact:
Vince Jackson, Executive Director
Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce
99 Pleasant Street
Northampton, MA 01060
413-584-1900
vince@northamptonchamber.com
For additional information