Planning Board approves 91-unit affordable housing project on King Street

NORTHAMPTON — The Planning Board approved a special permit on July 10 for a development that will transform the former Registry of Deeds site at 33 King Street into 91 affordable housing units. Valley CDC and The Community Builders, selected by the city to purchase and redevelop the property, will build two five-story buildings on the 1.46-acre lot after demolishing the existing structure, vacant since 2019.

The project addresses a long-standing gap in the downtown streetscape. The current building, a former garage converted to a state office building in 1975, has been described by the city's Director of Planning and Sustainability Carolyn Misch as "an eyesore and had always been a hole in the city's block face." The city acquired the land from the commonwealth with the intention of redevelopment, according to Misch, who noted that the commonwealth works with communities because "cities are faster at disposing of land for redevelopment."

Valley CDC's 52,000-square-foot building will sit on the back of the property next to the Norwottuck Rail Trail and include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments along with common space and laundry facilities. The Community Builders' 62,000-square-foot building will front King Street and contain 36 residential units and ground-floor commercial space. Each organization will own its building separately.

Public hearings raised concerns about parking and pedestrian access. Emily Wright, a senior project manager with Fuss and O'Neill, presented traffic data estimating the project would generate approximately 16 new vehicle trips during peak workday hours and 21 during peak evening hours. The development calls for 29 parking spaces on a lot currently offering about 89.

Misch pointed to evidence from similar developments to counter parking concerns. "We know there have been many studies in the last 1-2 years that are showing that car ownership has dropped dramatically on a per-unit basis for residential units," she said. She added that lower-income residents eligible for the project "by in large cannot afford cars and do not have cars," citing existing properties operated by Valley CDC, The Community Builders, and other developers in Northampton where parking lots are not full.

The Planning Board approved the project on the condition that the applicant improve the crosswalk along King Street through curb extension and provide asphalt and lighting certifications from the state. The property's location in downtown Northampton provides residents walking distance access to public bus stops, an Amtrak station, and the Norwottuck Rail Trail.