Nearly three years after a former western Massachusetts hospital was demolished, the Franklin County town in which it once stood is weighing what should take its place.
Experts say the spot is fit for housing and while some locals agree, a number of them also want to see something built that brings the community together.
Bit by bit, 2023 featured the demolition of what was once Montague’s Farren Care Center - and Farren Memorial Hospital before that.
Part of the 125,000-square-foot facility dated back to 1900, with additions leading to it offering over 120 beds by its final years.
Updating the building further ended up being unfeasible, leading to its closure in 2021 and eventual demolition. The property would be turned over to the town - leaving an eight-acre hole in the village of Montague City.
How to go about filling it was the topic of discussion at Shea Theater Tuesday night.
“So, some of you will be disappointed, but we promise you, some of you also be happy,” said Collaborative RED’s Mark Mascia. “The recommendation is … a subdivision that we do subdivide into two development parcels, as well as one public amenity parcel. There are a bunch of reasons for which that makes sense….”
Mascia was one of several experts to weigh in on the parcel's future during a public presentation. For the past few years, Montague has been exploring how to redevelop the land in a way that meets the needs of the town of 8,500, while also bolstering one of its villages.
The former hospital was once an anchor for Montague City, remaining long after other landmarks like the Montague Rod & Reel Company closed up shop.
Now though, experts like Andrew Arbaugh of Copley Wolff Design Group say the land offers an opportunity not just for housing, but also other amenities.
“We heard that Montague City center does not necessarily have … kind of a center at this point. So, giving something physical form to that corner is really important, as well as creating places for pop-up activities,” Arbaugh said. “Because the bike path is coming through, because we have access to Montague City Road, we feel that there are spots where you could do a pop-up beer garden, you could do a pop-up coffee truck, something like that.”
The site is technically "shovel-ready" with bike trail access and a bus stop nearby. Townhomes and apartments were recommended, with an early drawing suggesting one large parcel could go toward multifamily housing, with a smaller, narrower parcel being fit for "smaller scale development."
The recommendations are not set in stone. Town officials have not issued any requests for proposals, something that could happen later in the year. Before it does though, advice was sought via the Urban Land Institute Boston/New England Technical Assistance Panel Program.
Panel members conducted site visits and interviewed locals to learn what they wanted to see happen with the land. It’s what led in-part to Mascia’s comment about some being disappointed with the suggestions: a number of residents reportedly said they want to see some kind of community or commercial space go up on the parcel as well.
It led to some back-and-forth during Tuesday’s presentation, which attracted at least 50 residents. Lilith Wolinsky, who lives nearby the lot, tells WAMC she understood where the panel was coming from, including its emphasis on getting the property back onto tax rolls via what's feasible.
But, she says, if the lot ends up being just housing and a small park without an indoor community space for neighbors to gather at – it’s a missed opportunity.
“Montague City has been neglected, basically, for 75 years. It used to be a bustling village: there were churches, there was a library, there was a hospital, a gas station, a post office - it had everything,” she said after the presentation. “It had a world-famous fishing rod factory. When that closed in the 50s, that is actually what started the descent of the village and, unfortunately, it happened to a lot of little towns in New England, but nothing was done to stop it. So, it's got a history of thriving, and I think we can bring that back, but it will probably take more than housing.”
Experts stressed to locals that, ultimately, the town can do whatever it wants with the lot: going for at least two development parcels is just a suggestion.
However, some noted that, in the current economic climate, simply building a space to try and attract a small business is not feasible – not just in Montague, but across much of the state.
Officials like Town Administrator Walter Ramsey tell WAMC that in Montague and Franklin County in general, housing of all kinds is needed, from affordable to senior housing.
But, given the costs, logistics and other issues developers face in rural western Mass., getting it built can be easier said than done. Either way, he says the panel’s recommendations were an informative next step.
“I think they gave some real, concrete steps on what to do next, in terms of how to subdivide the site and some recommendations on the order of which the request for proposals are released, and in that sense, I think that's a very helpful guidance. for a small town…” he said. “We're not equipped to do large-scale, master developments like this, so, even to get those practical recommendations is incredibly helpful.”
The panel anticipates a full report will be written up and shared within the next three months.
