explains. “A lot of these businesses, particularly in the downtown area, like Paper City Fabrics, Paper City Clothing, Bomba De Aqui,Train 43 and Camila’s Cafe are all examples of new businesses in our vibrant downtown area.” “You’ve got a lot of folks where Holyoke is kind of a brand in and of itself, and there are people that want to be part of that brand and part of that movement.” Vega highlights how post-COVID recovery has accelerated this trend.“People want to gather again. People want to go to restaurants,” he says, noting that Western Massachusetts residents have traditionally supported locally owned businesses. The return of Comfort Bagel to Holyoke after a two-year absence generated particular excitement. Gateway City Arts, now owned by Lighthouse School, continues operating its 500-seat concert venue, bringing crowds back together for live performances. The story of Cornucopia, a health food store that relocated from Northampton, illustrates the counterintuitive draw. Despite warnings from other communities about moving to Holyoke, the owners chose the city deliberately. “The more people told them they shouldn’t go to Holyoke, the more they wanted to come,”Vega recalls.“If part of your mission to start a business is to be part of something different, to be part of a rebirth of a city, there’s something different that we offer.” HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL INCOME LEVELS Housing development has become inseparable from economic growth in Holyoke, a connection the city recognized early.“For a long time, there was a division in municipalities where this office does housing, this office does economic development,” Vega says. “We realized early on that they’re intimately connected.” Two major projects now address different segments of the market, filling critical gaps in the city’s housing stock. The WinnDevelopment Project enters its final construction phase, with 86 units for residents 55 and over scheduled for occupancy in September. The project offers housing at various income levels, including units for those earning 60% to 80% of area 116 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11
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