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LOCUS’s technical assistance helped the neighboring towns of Greenfield and Montague focus their sights on two feasible development/ redevelopment projects within their respective downtown Opportunity Zones. Since the conclusion of the Academy, both Greenfield and Montague have experienced activity around their chosen projects.

This post is part of a series summarizing the experience and outcomes of the inaugural class of Smart Growth America and LOCUS’s  Massachusetts Opportunity Zones Academy. Read about Greenfield and Montague, and be sure to check out the posts for Barnstable-Yarmouth, Fitchburg, and Salem.

Reduced parking minimums at each of these sites were major factors in the determination of project feasibility. SGA recommended that the other two project sites, the Greenfield Armory and the First National Bank building in Greenfield, be redeveloped into civic spaces or affordable housing so that the projects would be eligible for state and federal tax credits, grants, and financing programs.

In mid October 2019, SGA staff traveled to Greenfield for a two day trip that began with a half day tour of both Greenfield and Montague, showcasing their Opportunity Zone project sites. That evening, a public information session was held for the two communities to learn more about Opportunity Zones and their potential community and economic development benefits. Over 100 people attended. The info session included a presentation from Greenfield’s Mayor William Martin, summarizing the function of Opportunity Zones and their significance to Greenfield and Montague, and a presentation from SGA, demonstrating how the tax incentive can best be utilized in the two communities.

On the second day, SGA led a half-day workshop and presentation to 45 city/town staff and key stakeholders on the findings from the hot spot and pro forma analyses. During the workshop, participants shared their visions for both Greenfield and Montague’s Opportunity Zone projects and identified how partnerships, policies, and features within the built environment could play a role in those visions.

As of the conclusion of the Academy, the town of Montague has accepted a proposal from a local developer for a mixed-use development at the 38 Avenue A site, and in Greenfield a developer has purchased the Garden Cinema building for an adaptive reuse project. Moving forward, the town of Montague is hopeful that the development at 38 Avenue A will act as a catalyst for further downtown redevelopment, while Greenfield continues to explore the acquisition of the Greenfield Armory and its potential for TOD housing.

The Massachusetts Opportunity Zones Academy was a six month technical assistance program led by Smart Growth America and LOCUS to educate cities and towns in Massachusetts with designated Opportunity Zones on how to best take advantage of the new tax incentive to stimulate equitable development, responsible real estate investment, and community engagement. In 2019, as part of the inaugural Massachusetts Opportunity Zones Academy, LOCUS worked with six communities: Barnstable-Yarmouth, Fitchburg, Greenfield-Montague, and Salem.