Archive for March 2020
‘We want people to dine and meet outside’: Springfield makes ordinance allowing outdoor seating at restaurants permanent – masslive.com
City officials are encouraging more businesses to apply for permits to offer outdoor dining for their customers, saying they believe it provides more than fresh air. At a meeting Monday, the City Council voted unanimously to make the outdoor seating ordinance permanent. The ordinance, originally set to expire after a year, allows restaurants and other…
Read MoreCollaboration Rewarded
Collaboration rewarded! Springfield WORKS leads local employers, educators, community leaders and jobseekers in developing innovative solutions so that together we can meet the economic needs of our residents and our local businesses. A founding member in the Springfield WORKS collaboration, Springfield Partners for Community Action, just received a second $50,000 award from the Baker-Polito Community Services Block…
Read MoreWest Side’s Story Is One of Redevelopment
Mark Avery says he doesn’t tell the story as much as he used to — maybe because so many people have heard it by now — but he still gets asked on a fairly regular basis. And he never tires of telling it, because it’s a good story — and, perhaps more importantly, it’s good…
Read MoreCities, agencies apply for funds to ‘mitigate’ impact of MGM Springfield casino – masslive.com
The city and various agencies are applying for 2020 casino mitigation funds for expenses ranging from a proposed downtown parking study to continued rent assistance for the sheriff’s substance abuse center. Other applicants include the Springfield Police Department, which is seeking funds for special equipment such as riot shields and active shooter kits, and the…
Read MoreHadley’s V-One Vodka partners with Patriots’ Ty Law and industry veteran Julious Grant as it plans expansion, ramps up production at distillery in Poland
Patriots great and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ty Law as well as beverage industry veteran Julious Grant have joined V-One creator Paul W. Kozub as he plans growth for the local vodka brand. Law and Grant, the former chief commercial officer for US Beam Suntory, have taken an ownership stake in the company. “It’s…
Read MoreSpringfield Union Station gives pop-up restaurants a try as it works to fill vacant space
Unfinished space in Springfield’s Union Station is more likely to rent if it’s further along the construction process and closer to being move-in ready, management says. As it searches for tenants, Union Station is letting pop-up food stands try out the transit hub in hopes that one might decide to locate there permanently. Read the…
Read MoreWhite Hut deal complete; new owners Peter Picknelly, Andy Yee plan announcement Thursday on West Springfield restaurant
Peter Picknelly, Andy Yee and their partners plan to make an announcement Thursday on the future of White Hut, the popular the Memorial Avenue restaurant that closed abruptly in February. The partners are the same team that saved the Student Prince Cafe and Fort restaurant in Springfield back in 2014. Read the source article at…
Read MoreHolyoke Community College receives $7.5M donation from Elaine Nicpon Marieb Foundation; largest in school’s history
Holyoke Community College has received $7.5 million from a foundation established by the late Elaine Nicpon Marieb, a longtime faculty member, alumna, bestselling textbook author and Northampton native. Read the source article at masslive.com
Read MoreHooplandia Has the Makings of a Legacy Event
One observer referred to Hoopfest, the giant 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Spokane, Wash., as a ‘phenomenon,’ and the adjective fits. The event consumes 40 blocks in the downtown and literally takes over the city each June. Inspired, a group of organizers are looking to do something similar — although Springfield won’t be taken over —…
Read MoreCommunity Foundation Gives $341,000 to Date Through Innovation Grant Program – BusinessWest
The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts’ (CFWM) Innovation Grant Program has awarded a total of $341,000 to three change-making nonprofit organizations to continue creating innovative solutions around critical issues facing the region. CFWM’s Innovation Grant Program was launched in 2016 to encourage nonprofits to develop and execute novel ideas in partnership with other entities, as…
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