Easthampton’s CitySpace renovations move forward with $3.5 million federal earmark
EASTHAMPTON – A plan to restore the second floor of the former town hall into a space that can be used for concerts, theater and other performances came a lot closer to fruition with the award of a $3.5 million federal grant.
The funding will bring the nonprofit much closer to completing the last phase of a three-part project to renovate CitySpace. The goal is to make the former town hall into a completely usable and handicap accessible space to serve as an economic anchor for the city's downtown, said Burns Maxey, president of the board for the organization.
Already, the 1896 building has a new heating and air conditioning system, upgraded wiring, a new fire exit and a renovated first floor. The main feature of the second phase of upgrades, which is ongoing, is adding an elevator that will reach from the basement to the fourth-floor balcony making the building fully handicap accessible for the first time, she said.
"We are incredibly excited and grateful for this congressionally directed spending award," Maxey said. "The whole Western Mass. congressional delegation was supportive of it."
The award was officially announced on Saturday with a visit by U.S. Sen. Edward Markey. At the time, he joined a bluegrass band singing Woodie Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land." The event also put on display the capability of CitySpace with a cellist entertaining in another area, a pop-up market and two different visual art shows, Maxey said.
This is the second time the board of directors applied for the federal earmark and Maxey said the group was thrilled to see it come to fruition.
The board is also applying for $1 million from a state bond bill and hopes that will help finish the work, she said.
"Since we started this has been putting together a puzzle of funding to get this done," Maxey said.
The puzzle pieces have included private, foundation and business donations and grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and MassDevelopment. Awards from the Community Preservation Act have been vital for preserving the historic feel of the building, Maxey said.
The three phases of the project are expected to total some $10.9 million. Funding will not be confirmed for the third phase of the project until it goes through the public bidding process, but preliminary estimates from two years ago tallied it at $6.5 million, she said.
The new earmark is slated to be used for the third phase, which will include removing asbestos from the ceiling, adding restrooms, restoring the stained glass windows, upgrading the sprinkler system and creating a 350-person flexible space that can be used for multiple purposes with the breaking down or adding of different elements such as risers or a stage, she said.
"That 350-capacity is a sweet spot for touring acts and multi-use space and it is an unusual size for this region," she said.
The board is hoping to be able to secure the last of the funding needed to start construction on the last phase in 2027. The work is expected to take about two years, she said.
Along with holding multiple entertainment events, CitySpace also leases two areas to Easthampton City Arts and Big Red Frame and rents out spaces — like its 100-person capacity Blue Room on the first floor — to private parties and events, Maxey said.
The building continues to be owned by the city, but in 2019 CitySpace, which was already running it, entered into a 40-year lease with Easthampton so it could move forward with the major renovation project, Maxey said.
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