Over a year into development, a proposal to put a five-story mixed-use structure at a corner near the biggest university in western Massachusetts is closer than ever to getting some major approvals.
Over the past few months, two buildings have become one, 85 units turned into 78 and six floors became five – just some of the alterations designers have made to plans for 422 Amity Street.
Since early 2024, representatives for UDrive Amity LLC have been pitching and presenting plans to rebuild the corner of Amity Street and University Drive, a stone’s throw from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (and Amherst College not too far off).
The plan currently features doing away with two buildings on the five-acre parcel and throwing up a five-story structure that hugs the road, with over a hundred parking spaces behind it.
Tom Reidy, an attorney speaking on behalf of the developer, presented the latest iteration to the planning board Feb. 19th.
“There are 78 units, 225 beds - still the same amount of commercial space and the same amount of surface parking of 160 parking spaces,” he said during the remote meeting Wednesday.
Renderings and floor plans put together by Kuhn Riddle Architects & Designers show at least five office or retail spaces on one wing of the building’s first floor. After that, it’s dozens of units, including 30 two-bedroom units, nine three-bedrooms, and 33 four-bedroom units.
Retail/office tenants are still being worked out, Reidy says – with discussions happening, but no leases signed.
Much of it wasn’t new for the planning board, which has been seeing the alterations play out for months now.
Dozens of requests, questions and alterations have been made as developers seek site plan review approval. That includes interior bike storage and more brick for siding and facades instead of metal
One planning board member, Karin Winter, thanked designers for adding more “New England” character to the proposal by adding brick where they could. Another member, Jesse Mager, signaled changes to the building’s front area to include brick was a welcome change over previous iterations.
“I think it's a pretty good adjustment. My main comment was that it was not porous in the first iteration, and now it looks like that's brick, which could be - and I totally understand your comment that you don't know who's in there yet, so you don't want to be too prescriptive,” Mager said to Reidy and company. “That makes sense to me, so yeah, I think it's a good improvement.”
Questions on matters such as lighting and access points were brought up, but the board seemed largely receptive to the plan as is.
According to Reidy, the developer’s hope was to secure site plan review approval that night. One of the reasons for the push: the project needs variance approvals from the ZBA.
After some recent discoveries and decisions, developers say the structure will be hitting 59.5 feet in height, meaning it needs exceptions for a height restriction of 57 feet.
It’s not a seismic adjustment, but Reidy says his group is looking to avoid further delays via a chicken-or-the-egg type-situation.
“Why we're asking for the approval instead of waiting is - I don't want to get into a leapfrog or a chicken-and-the-egg [situation], where you don't approve tonight, we appear in front of the ZBA they approve, [but] they condition it on that site plan being approved, and then we're back in front of you, and then something changes, and then that site plan changes, and then I've got to go back to the ZBA.”
And yet, there will be another planning board meeting after all.
Indicating the board wants to see the variance approvals issued by the ZBA first, the board said its final stamp of approval is close at-hand.
Doug Marshall, chair of the Amherst Planning Board, added that, with variance approvals in hand, the board will be “expeditious” with the proposal come March.
I know you don't want to come back and see us again in a month, but we're all looking forward to seeing you again,” Marshall said during the Zoom meeting to some laughter. “So… I'm going to need a motion to continue to March 19.”
The ZBA meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 13.
