Publication Date

1997

Comments

The Center for Economic Development at the University of Massachusetts, in Amherst, is part of the Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning Department, and is funded by the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the University of Massachusetts.

Abstract

Chapter 1 of this report describes the project contracted to the Center for Economic Development and the Urban Places Project at the University of Massachusetts by the New North Citizen's Council of Springfield, Massachusetts, which was, to find better and larger space for their administrative offices, walk-in clinic, and two day-care centers.

Chapter 2 describes the needs and assessments for the NNCC that was conducted, which showed that the NNCC required additional office space that was conveniently located for its clients, more day-care space to allow an expansion of the subsidized day-care program, and expansion options that can be implemented quickly.

Chapter 3 describes the methods used by the research team, which were client interviews, direct field observations, and meetings with various city officials.

Chapter 4 detailed the requirements for the new facilities, which were discovered by surveying NNCC managers and staff. These surveys showed that the offices lacked space and privacy, but also allowed for close interaction between staff members and clients.

Chapter 5 describes the site selection process, including an initial inventory of sites, creation of specific day-care and office criteria, client input, and the use of a site matrix to identify the best sites in the neighborhood.

Chapter 6 lists and describes the potential sires discovered by the research team. These sites are 2387 Main Street (the current NNCC Office), 2375 Main Street (the vacant apartment building adjacent to the current office), 2353 Main Street (the vacant lot in the north end of Main Street), and 2959 Main Street (a vacant lot in the north end of Main Street).

Chapter 7 shows the potential for increased funding from more subsidized day0care income after the expansion of the day-care facility. the research team found that an increase of 35 subsidized day-care slots could create additional $30,000 per year after expenses for use in funding day-care and/or office expansion.

Chapter 8 details two short-term and three long-term options, the short-term options are the use of the current NNCC office as a day0care while moving the office functions to either modular space (option one) or the old DSS office at the Paramount Theater building (option two). The long-term options are to use the current NNCC office as either a day-care or a walk-in clinic and move the remaining functions into either a renovated 2375 Main Street (option one) or new construction at 2353 Main Street (option two) or new construction at 2959 Main Street (option three).

Finally, chapter 9 details the recommendations of the research team, which are the least expensive option of renovating 2375 Main Street as office space and 2387 Main Street as a day-care, and the best option of new construction at 2959 Main Street and renovation of 2387 as a day-care.

Pages

Section 3: Pages 1-84

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