home include Clean Crop technologies, Simple Pack and Xenocs, while many others are currently looking for locations in the city. The city approved a fiveyear tax increment financing package valued at over $351,000, complemented by $1,050,000 in state tax credits. Mayor Garcia draws parallels to the city’s origins. “This canal system, they harnessed this hydro power from the Connecticut River creating cheap energy, keeping costs low,” he says. “It’s those very assets that we’re leveraging and trying to promote today to 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. 119 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11 HOLYOKE, MA
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