MONTAGUE — The Economic Development and Industrial Corporation endorsed Town Planner Walter Ramsey’s recommendation that Town Meeting voters grant custody of the former Railroad Salvage property to the Selectboard so that they may make it available “for economic development or housing purposes.”
The property, located at 11 Power St., was the site of a fire that saw the building fall into ruin in December 2016, more than two decades after the Railroad Salvage store went defunct and the building became vacant in 1994. Following a lengthy legal process, the town was finally awarded final judgment of foreclosure for the privately-owned property, which Town Administrator Steve Ellis announced at a March 7 Selectboard meeting.
Now, the property is one of two parcels in Montague being considered for redevelopment as “Smart Growth Overlay Districts,” defined by Massachusetts General Law as “dense residential or mixed-use smart growth zoning districts, including … affordable housing units … in areas of concentrated development such as existing city and town centers, and in other highly suitable locations.” This proposal is expected to come before Annual Town Meeting voters alongside Ramsey’s recommendation.
“There’s been a couple of different parties interested in developing this site,” Ramsey told the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation on Thursday.
While members collectively approved of Ramsey bringing his recommendation to Town Meeting, not every member was in agreement regarding how the town would benefit.
Member James Mussoni hypothesized that Montague’s economy would quickly benefit should housing be implemented due to a boom in prospective workers, but member Richard Ruth argued that addressing workforce shortages wouldn’t be so simple.
“I just don’t want to assume that if we bring in people, we’re all of a sudden going to have industry,” Ruth said.
Ruth then said if housing were to be implemented, Montague’s focus should be to “draw in young families.” Member Kimberly Williams responded that Ramsey’s proposal to pursue mixed-income housing at the site would help achieve that.
“Young people, in general, are going to need affordable things like apartments to move,” Williams said. “They’re not going to move into houses.”
Reach Julian Mendoza
at 413-772-0261, ext. 261 or jmendoza@recorder.com.