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Westmass to Manage Nonprofit that Fixes Blighted Properties in Springfield

MassLive (December 27, 2023)

Jeanette DeForge | jdeforge@repub.com

Westmass Area Development Corp. takes over DevelopSpringfield

Jeff Daley, president and CEO Of Westmass Area Development Corp., speaks at a press conference Wednesday to announce WestMass will run DevelopSpringfield. In the middle is Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and on the right is Nick Fyntrilakis, chairman of DevelopSpringfield. (Don Treeger / The Republican) 

SPRINGFIELD – Westmass Area Development Corp. will take over work of a small nonprofit under a partnership designed to boost economic growth in the city.

The two organizations joined with Springfield officials Wednesday to announce that the struggling DevelopSpringfield organization will become a subsidiary of Westmass, which owns and operates industrial parks in the region and the Ludlow Mills mixed-use development project.

The announcement comes at a time when Springfield is looking to develop key properties, including the 17.5-acre Vibra Hospital property on State Street, a prime commercial property, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said.

“This continues to expand our economic development horizons,” he said.

DevelopSpringfield was created in 2008 to take on the worst cases of blighted buildings in the city. The group bought the River Inn, a hotbed of drug deals and prostitution on State Street, and turned it into a Pride station. In another project, it converted an aging church and vacant lot on Carew Street into a Baystate Health dialysis center.

The city knows developers can’t tackle projects that are financial losers, which is where DevelopSpringfield came in. The agency would acquire and prepare problem properties for redevelopment and sell them to businesses, returning them to the tax rolls, Sarno said.

The organization owns the Springfield Innovation Center, where the announcement took place, and the historic Merrick Phelps House at 83 Maple St., which was an eyesore converted into offices.

Westmass plans to put the Merrick Phelps House on the market. The building is being rented, as are a row of garages and a carriage house in the back, said Jeff Daley, president and chief executive officer of Westmass. The house was built in 1841 for Solymon Merrick, inventor of the monkey wrench.

Westmass Area Development Corp. takes over DevelopSpringfield

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno speaks at a press conference to announce the WestMass Area Development Corp.will now be running DevelopSpringfield. Jeff Daley, President and CEO Of Westmass Area Development Corp. is on the left. (Don Treeger / The Republican) 

The Springfield Innovation Center, on Bridge Street, serves as a business incubator and has one tenant. Westmass has experience managing similar buildings. It plans to make improvements to the building and seek new tenants, Daley said.

“It is a neat complex but it needs some maintenance and attention,” he said.

With no full-time staff, DevelopSpringfield has hired Westmass and other consultants when it needed help, said Nicolas A. Fyntrilakis, its chairman.

When Fyntrilakis approached Westmass about taking over management of DevelopSpringfield, Daley said he and his staff determined they have the capability of doing the work.

Officials see benefits in Westmass expanding into the region’s largest city, the main economic driver in Western Massachusetts.

Westmass Area Development Corp. takes over DevelopSpringfield

Jeff Daley, President and CEO Of Westmass Area Development Corp., speaks at a press conference to announce WestMass will now be running DevelopSpringfield. (Don Treeger / The Republican)

Tim Sheehan, chief development officer for the city, said he thinks Westmass will bring “a new vision to DevelopSpringfield and will enhance the work DevelopSpringfield has already accomplished by bringing forward new ideas, a talented development staff and a commitment to focusing on the development opportunities that are unique to Springfield as the largest city in Western Mass.”

More: MassLive

Westmass to Take Leadership Role with Develop Springfield

Springfield, MA (December 27, 2023)

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Chief Development Officer (CDO) Tim Sheehan are excited to announce that Westmass Area Development Corporation (Westmass) of Springfield, a major not-for-profit economic and real estate development firm, will be taking on the leadership role with Develop Springfield.

Found in 1960, Westmass is a leader in developing and managing exceptional properties in both the public and private sectors. Their innovative approach and team of professionals have helped transform various projects across Western Massachusetts, while enhancing and strengthen communities through their investments that create jobs, housing and other economic development opportunities.

Mayor Sarno states, “Under my new administration, we created Develop Springfield in 2008 as a nonprofit to put a direct focus on ‘Springfield first’ initiatives and to tackle difficult properties for redevelopment and repurposing aspects.”

“I want to thank CDO Tim Sheehan, Jeff Daley, President and CEO of Westmass, Chairman of the Board of Directors AJ Crane, and the entire team at Westmass for their continued belief and investment in our Springfield. Westmass is renowned for their innovative strategies and leadership in helping to advance economic development projects throughout Western Massachusetts that create more of that good four-letter word, jobs! With Westmass taking on the leadership role with Develop Springfield, I have the utmost confidence that this partnership will serve as the catalyst for the next positive step to grow and build upon the economic development projects and opportunities that Develop Springfield has already advanced,” said Mayor Sarno.

CDO Tim Sheehan stated, “Westmass will bring a new vision to Develop Springfield and will enhance the work Develop Springfield has already accomplished by bringing forward new ideas, a talented development staff and a commitment to focusing on the development opportunities that are unique to Springfield as the largest city in Western Mass.”

“With Westmass taking on the mission and operations of Develop Springfield, we are excited to assist the community of Springfield with some of its more challenging real estate development projects. Westmass has been implementing successful real estate development projects across Western Mass for over 60 years and we now look forward to bringing that expertise to Develop Springfield,” said AJ Crane, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Westmass Area Development Corp.

“I am excited to begin the projects that Develop Springfield currently has and projects we will take on in the coming years. While continuing to lead and develop projects with Westmass, I know we have the perfect team in place to transition that same work over to Develop Springfield. Springfield has a lot of opportunities for growth and success, and I am looking forward to leading Develop Springfield to be a catalyst developer for those successes!” said Jeff Daley, current President & CEO of Westmass Area Development Corporation and incoming President & CEO of Develop Springfield.

For original press release, click here: Press Release – Westmass to take Leadership Role with Develop Springfield 1.1.