AMHERST — Downtown Amherst’s first new office building since the mid-1980s is a go.
The Planning Board Wednesday voted unanimously, 6-0, in favor of the site plans and a series of special permits that will allow developers Barry Roberts of Amherst and J. Curtis Shumway of South Hadley to build the four-story building, with a little more than 5,000 square feet of space on each floor, at 236 North Pleasant St.
Because of a yearlong demolition delay on the historic buildings at 236 North Pleasant and 12 Hallock St., lots that will be combined prior to the project, the developers won’t be able to obtain building permits until January.
Roberts said part of the motivation in doing this project, the first office building downtown since the Tucker-Taft Building was constructed at 48 North Pleasant St., is to show that new commercial buildings can be built and that Amherst is receptive to such growth.
“We’re looking forward to putting a good product on the market,” Roberts said.
Though a few people expressed concerns at the meeting, Roberts said John Kuhn, principal at Kuhn Riddle Architects that designed the building, explained how the project will benefit the town.
“John Kuhn did an excellent job presenting the proposal,” Roberts said.
The upper floors will be exclusively offices, while the street level could feature retail stores and a small cafe.
Conditions set by the Planning Board include adding a bicycle rack on the property and ensuring stormwater management plans are in place.
Shumway said the Planning Board was “professional, reasonable, logical” and also credited Kuhn with a good presentation.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
