land in Easthampton. Twenty-one acres will host housing while 32 acres remain preserved, creating a national model for sustainable development. “It’s one of a handful of these projects happening countrywide,” Mayor LaChapelle explains. “Another one is our three elementary schools that we decommissioned about three years ago. All are over a hundred years old, and that will be 69 units of housing. Those buildings bookend the downtown district.” The 96-unit affordable redevelopment secured $4.4 million from the state’s Housing Works program, the largest grant in that funding cycle. Using prefabricated components, construction will take just 13 months after site preparation. A fourth development in the opportunity zone combines housing with essential services: daycare, a children’s gymnasium, restaurants, and banking. “Housing is the hub—everything else connects to it,” says Mayor LaChapelle. “From access to services to expanding critical needs like daycare, it all starts with stable, affordable housing. And this isn’t just a mayor’s agenda—it’s a community-driven process.” ARTS, SUSTAINABILITY, AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Easthampton’s arts sector faces an existential challenge. The loss of artist studios and maker spaces to property conversions threatens the creative economy that defines the city’s character. Public art installations dot downtown sidewalks, but maintaining affordable workspace requires new strategies. “We’ve lost some vital artist studios and maker 139 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07 EASTHAMPTON, MA
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