Holyoke economy

   Outgoing Massachusetts Democratic State Representative Aaron Vega is going to be the city of Holyoke’s chief economic development officer.

The site of an historic paper mill in western Massachusetts is going to be redeveloped to create new jobs and sources of renewable energy.

Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse announced a $10 million deal Monday to clean up and redevelop the former Parson’s Paper Company mill. The project will rid the city of significant blight, expand manufacturing, and create at least 30 new jobs.

Commuter trains could begin running on new high speed rail tracks in western Massachusetts with stops in Springfield, Holyoke, Northampton and Greenfield as soon as the spring of 2017.  That was the prediction this week from the state’s top transportation official. 

Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollock said MassDOT will develop a memorandum of understanding with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission for a demonstration project on the Knowledge Corridor rail line.

"  We would see it as a pilot service," Pollack said.

A federally-funded brownfields cleanup project is under way in Holyoke, Massachusetts to demolish a former auto service facility that has sat vacant and unusable for more than two decades.