HADLEY – A three-story storage building proposed to be built on 4.2 acres of farmland on South Maple Street is nearing approval from the Planning Board.

For Ideal Movers and Storage to construct the 96,500-square-foot temperature-controlled building, and a smaller 4,000-square-foot cold storage building, though, the developer will be using the town’s transfer of development rights that allows a denser project, with reduced parking, in exchange for preserving farmland elsewhere or making a payment to protect agricultural land.

At a hearing last week, town officials said they would be looking into whether this project, based on its location, qualifies and, if not, whether it can get a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals or approval through Town Meeting action.

The site for the building is next to the Norwottuck Rail Trail and immediately south of the Maple Farm Foods store, outside the normal business and industrial zoned lands that qualify for use of the transfer of development rights. The town’s bylaw limits these to properties “with frontage on Route 9, Mill Valley Road or North Maple Street.”

The building features brick molding, cultured stone, and Kingspan metal panels, and the project will feature 25 parking spaces.

Planning Board Chairman James Maksimoski complimented Dean Architects of Depew, New York for creating a building that doesn’t look industrial.

"The building is absolutely gorgeous," Makimoski said.

The hearing continues Sept. 21, and indications are that the project will win support from planners, Maksimoski said.

"We see no reason for why we would turn this down," Maksimoski said.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.]]>