Past Projects

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Explore Holyoke Restaurant Week

Explore Holyoke Restaurant Week (EHRW) has concluded, and it was a success!

This year was Holyoke’s first restaurant week and was an opportunity to engage local businesses, visitors, and residents and kickoff our new Explore Holyoke website. Local businesses have mentioned that the week brought customers, and perhaps it can be longer for future years. We thank all participants, businesses, and collaborators for the opportunity to host this wonderful event and hope to bring it back next year!

Don’t forget to use your passport coupon; we will see you again next year for EHRW 2023!

Subscribe to the Explore Holyoke Community Calendar to be ready for next year!

The Cubit

The Cubit is a former wire manufacturing facility, built in 1920, with five floors totaling 55,000 square feet at the corner of Appleton and Race streets. Denis and Marco Luzuriaga purchased the building with the intent to create a mixed-use development. The Cubit is the future downtown location of the Holyoke Community College (HCC) Center for Hospitality and Culinary Excellence, which will occupy the first and second floors. The upper two floors house eighteen market rate rental apartment lofts ranging in size from 750 to 1,150 square feet, similar in size to a one or two-bedroom apartment. The apartments boast high ceilings and oversized windows and offer such modern conveniences as new thermal windows, efficient heating and cooling, and contemporary kitchens.

In the summer of 2016 HCC announced a partnership with MGM Springfield to provide free tuition to 50 Holyoke residents every year at the Culinary and Hospitality Center. This agreement was reached with HCC and MGM Resorts by negotiations in which MGM would front $400,000 to HCC from the previously agreed upon monetary agreement with the City for being considered a surrounding community, plus an additional $100,000 to the College. The Cubit is now open, check out their website to learn more https://www.cubitcoworks.com/ or http://cubitliving.com/

Marcotte Ford

In 2014, Marcotte Ford announced plans to expand and upgrade their auto sales and service facility on Main Street and submitted tax incentive applications to the City to help finance the project. Marcotte Ford has been doing business in Holyoke since 1961 and its current location at 1025 Main Street is considered a full service Ford dealership. Over the last few years Marcotte’s management explored expansion opportunities and eventually decided to acquire the adjacent property at 933 Main Street. As part of Marcotte’s growth, the company is also planning a complete renovation of its headquarters.

Marcotte Ford broke ground on this project in May 2015, and the $5 million project will retain 114 existing employees and create an additional 6-10 jobs. The new construction of the commercial truck center is expected to be complete by the Fall, and then renovations at the existing facility can take place.

The Mayor and City Council approved the local tax incentives for Marcotte Ford, along with the state’s approval by the Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council.

Hampden & Pleasant St.

The Holyoke Economic Development and Industrial Corporation (HEDIC) issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the 1.1 acre lot at the corner of Hampden and Pleasant Streets.

On September 18, 2014 HEDIC agreed to sell the property to Quabbin ACM, LLC for $225,000. The company plans to build a gas station convenience store, pending a zone change request to the City Council. A Purchase and Sale agreement between HEDIC and Quabbin ACM was signed on September 25.

US Tsubaki

US Tsubaki has operated at 821 Main Street since opening its doors in 1988. Since then, UST has maintained itself as one of Holyoke’s largest employers and remains an active member of the community. UST produces a wide variety of roller chains for diverse industries including heavy machinery, oilfield mining, food packaging and much more.

In 2012, the company began work to expand its 209,000 sq. ft facility. The expansion was a nearly $7 million investment, and involved an approximate 20,000 sq. ft addition in order to meet a forecasted increase in demand, ultimately providing the company with flexible global manufacturing capabilities.

Visit their website here: http://www.ustsubaki.com/

Sealed Air

Founded in 1960, Sealed Air is a global leader in food safety and security, facility hygiene, product protection and is most commonly known for its invention of Bubble Wrap cushioning material.

Holyoke is home to one of three Sealed Air facilities located in Massachusetts. In February 2012 Sealed Air announced a consolidation project that would add an additional production line to their Holyoke facility on Homestead Avenue, with a capital investment of $443,000 for building modifications and equipment.

The addition of the production line created 12 full-time jobs and retained 63 jobs in Holyoke. Through its Tax Increment Finance program, the City of Holyoke provided Sealed Air with a five-year award of $19,564. The Economic Assistance Coordinating Council approved $177,264 in EDIP Investment Tax Credits.

Visit their website here.

Easthampton Savings

An RFP was issued for this property during the winter of 2015, with the winning bid going to Easthampton Savings Bank (ESB) to build a new branch, their first in the City of Holyoke.

ESB plans to invest approximately $1 million for construction of the branch which, according to the company’s proposal submitted to the City, includes a 2,400 sq. ft. building with 3 teller stations, a drive-up teller, 2 offices and a 24 hour drive-up ATM/night drop.

Chestnut Park Apts.

After several years of non use, the former Holyoke Catholic High School and Whiting Elementary School properties have been redeveloped into the site of over 50 units of workforce housing in the heart of Center City. Located just beside the newly renovated Veteran’s Park and other area amenities such as the Holyoke Transportation Center, this development will add pedestrian traffic and vitality to a critical area of the City’s Transit Oriented Development Corridor. The site was purchased in 2004 by E. Denis Walsh of Weld Management, and has been supported with over $3.5 million in affordable housing resources from the Patrick Administration.

The project broke ground in August of 2014 and is a ribbon cutting opening ceremony was held in October of 2015.

Featured photo credit: S Pierce Photography.

For more information and/or applications please visit: http://chestnutparkholyoke.com/