Two environmentally sound buildings proposed

By SCOTT MERZBACH

08/04/2008- The Republican

AMHERST - Two environmentally friendly office buildings are being proposed for construction by New England Environmental Inc. on a plot of land between Research Drive and Larkspur Drive, in the professional research park zone off Belchertown Road.

The planned development by the Amherst-based company, which will come before the Planning Board for site plan review Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. at Town Hall, is a direct result of last fall's Town Meeting action that permits visitors to come to buildings constructed in the office-park zone.

Combined, the two buildings will have 18,700 square feet of space, 78 parking spaces and two 25-foot wide driveways. One will contain the headquarters for the company, while the other is expected to be rented to other businesses. A caretaker apartment will be located in each building as an accessory use.

Christine Brestrup, a senior planner for the town of Amherst, said each building will have solar panels covering the entire south face of the roof, while the north facing roof line will have a limited number of openings.

The aim is to get the buildings LEED-certified, meaning they will be built using specific "green" techniques and will minimize their energy consumption. Both buildings, which will be identical in shape and size, are being design by Kuhn Riddle Architects. The plans also call for "low impact design" parking and stormwater management systems.

Brestrup noted that as part of the green initiatives planned, water runoff will be collected in a rain garden. The planting plan is designed to show off some of the plantings that others might use in projects overseen by New England Environmental. The plan includes shade trees like paper birch, shrubs such as the spice bush, various kinds of ferns and both herbaceous wet and dry plants.

The idea is that the new buildings can serve as a model for how others can construct their buildings and do their site plans.

New England Environmental, a 20-year-old business with 25 employees, leases space in the professional research park zone off Belchertown Road near the Amherst Fields neighborhood. The new buildings will be located on a vacant parcel between its existing office building and an office building housing Hart and Patterson financial services.

The day after Town Meeting voted last fall to relax the rules for visitors in the office-park zone, Michael Marcus, owner of New England Environmental, began plans for building his own building and leasing space to other professionals.

The Town Meeting vote was crucial to the building plans, as its potential tenant pool expanded and banks became more willing to finance the project, Marcus said at the time.

The new buildings are expected to generate 29 new motor vehicle trips weekday mornings at peak and 28 new motor vehicle trips at evening peak, according to estimates provided by consultant Vanasse & Associates Inc. of Andover.

Brestrup said it is unclear if the Planning Board will approve the plans at one session. Though no homes are immediately next to the proposed area for the office buildings, she expects there might be interest in the plans.

Once approval is granted, Marcus will have to go to the building inspector to get a permit, with hopes of breaking ground later this year.