After reading recent pieces in the Recorder stating it would be detrimental for the Hope Street property to be offered by the city for housing and not have it stay as a parking lot, I began to wonder if the authors live in the same Greenfield that my family and I do. They proclaim that we don’t need a great deal of affordable housing now, but rather in the future, but need more parking in that part of our city. They don’t speak to the average workers who are looking for an affordable place to live. Let me briefly use my own family as an example. One stepson is a highly skilled CNC machinist with five years on the job. He has an apartment in town and his rent is being raised to $1,800 a month, and must work overtime every week to make payments. My college educated stepdaughter, employed as a social worker for years, together with her employed partner, says it is likely they will need to look outside Greenfield if they want to buy a house for their family. My 27-year-old son who is teaching full time could also not afford the $1,800 a month rent. There’s currently hundreds of folks seeking affordable housing in Greenfield, and there’s so little available, that they cannot afford to live here. The housing emergency is now.
Let’s address the issue of parking. I have spent a number of days this week conducting a study of available parking spaces surrounding the Hope Street lot utilizing the nationally recognized MAPC methodology. Within an approximately 264-foot distance from the site, there are 395 public parking spots, none in front of private residences, nor are any reserved permit spaces. These do not include the hundreds of parking spaces that private businesses have in this same area. I conducted surveys at various times and days, including the day and times local residents said were the busiest. During the busiest time there were 234 spaces utilized. That is 59.2% of these spaces used. That means 41.8% of these spaces are EMPTY and AVAILABLE, leaving room for another 161 vehicles. All street parking in front of private residences is only for permit parking for residents. So lack of parking is a fabricated argument.
Critics of having housing on this property and other places downtown also state that having a higher density of residences downtown would change the nature of Greenfield. That’s true, but not for the worse, rather for the better. There is a body of research about how to improve conditions in rural towns and cities that have declining population and less vibrant businesses on “Main Street.” These studies demonstrate that one of the main ways to undo the stagnation is by having a higher population density downtown in the Economic Development District (EDD). Downtown density builds economic growth in small cities and towns by creating a vibrant, walkable environment that supports local businesses, increases foot traffic, and attracts residents and visitors. Concentrating housing, retail, and services downtown allows for greater efficiency in infrastructure and fosters a sense of community, which drives business activity and creates a more dynamic local economy.
A higher concentration of residents in a downtown area creates consistent demand and foot traffic for local shops, restaurants, and services, including neighborhood-focused businesses. Density can also lead to a more attractive downtown core, that keeps residents engaged and attracts new ones, helping to combat population decline. By concentrating development, small towns can use existing infrastructure more efficiently and reduce the costs of providing new services. The Greenfield Department of Public Works reported that the current water and wastewater services could accommodate these higher densities downtown. Likewise, for fire, police, and trash services. Denser downtown areas make it easier for people to walk to their destinations, supporting alternative transportation, and creating a lively atmosphere that benefits local businesses. This downtown EDD can become a concentration point for culture, art, innovation, and talent, leading to unexpected exchanges of ideas and fostering local entrepreneurship. A bustling, walkable downtown with a mix of amenities makes a small town a more desirable place to live, helping to retain existing younger residents and attract new ones.
We need to have the vision to build a robust, denser, walkable, inviting downtown that will re-energize and diversify local businesses, offering folks a more preferable style of living. We have a grand opportunity to begin materializing this vision. Vote NO for parking lots on the referendum on Nov. 4, and get more housing.
Paul Jablon lives in Greenfield.