HADLEY — A three-story, L-shaped building with 50 apartments that would be restricted for people 55 and over is being proposed for 41 Russell St., the Hadley Village Barn Shops property just east of the Coolidge Bridge.
Plans for the project, being developed by the Pioneer Valley Hotel Group, were presented to the Planning Board Tuesday by Chris Chamberland, a principal at the Berkshire Design Group.
Chmaberland said the development plans are the same as were presented to voters at annual Town Meeting in May, when a zoning change was made to allow multiunit buildings for seniors. The concept for the development has been discussed by the Planning Board for more than two years.
Chamberland explained that three buildings north of the former Hadley Farms Meetinghouse will be demolished to make way for the building, including one that had housed JJ Brothers Taco and Market until its closing over the summer. The new building will be connected to the former meetinghouse to create a common area, storage space, bike parking and a service entry.
Other buildings on the site, including the Hampton Inn hotel and Manny’s Appliances, are unaffected, and the mostly vacant buildings that make up the site will also remain standing. The site, first developed in 1967, at one time featured a restaurant, a country store, an ice cream parlor and several gift boutiques.
“By and large the rest of the property will remain the same, though we are taking the opportunity to rearrange the parking lot, both to more formalize the driveway entry and also ensure we’re trying to force traffic to slow down as it moves through the site,” Chamberland said.
Chamberland explained that because the property is in the flood plain, the first floor will be elevated and vacant crawl space will be below that to allow any flood waters from the Connecticut River to pass through.
The hearing on the site plans and special permit will be held Nov. 18, though this could be delayed until December if the Conservation Commission review and a reviewing engineer’s work are incomplete.
Other business
In other business, the board:
- approved an externally illuminated sign for Talon Furniture & Mattress on a storefront on the back side of the Mountain Farms Mall, facing the Norwottuck Rail Trail. The sign will be limited to 40 square feet. A second sign for the business will be on an existing pylon along Route 9. Talon is relocating to the larger space, previously used by Spirit Halloween and Planet Fitness, from College Street in Amherst.
- began hearings on two dual-use agricultural solar arrays, for 240 kilowatts AC at Parsons Farm at 143 Mill Valley Road and for 498 kilowattts AC at Plainview Farm, 133A Mount Warner Road, with a decision put off until at least Oct. 21.
- began a hearing on a two-lot subdivision to be known as Gwen’s Way at 145 Bay Road, with a decision delayed until at least Oct. 21.