attract new industries, particularly those industries that are aligned with our own mission and green initiatives. It’s almost like history is repeating itself.” Yet challenges persist. “Our challenge is that we don’t have a lot of site-ready places,” Vega acknowledges. Companies seeking turnkey facilities resist involvement in rehabilitation projects. “They don’t want to deal with the fire department and sprinkler systems. They want move-in-ready places,” he explains, identifying this as the primary obstacle slowing activity despite strong interest. INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS Infrastructure improvements include fundamental systems supporting manufacturing and daily life. “One of the other advantages that the city does have is the water and wastewater capacity,” Vega says. “We’re only using a little less than half of our capacity to take on wastewater and to provide water.” For manufacturers requiring substantial water resources, this available capacity provides a significant draw. The city is tackling a $10.5 million combined sewer overflow project, continuing efforts to prevent 119 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11 HOLYOKE, MA
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