118 Business View Magazine - June 2016
affordable housing in an expensive state like this, but
we’re making very good progress. Sometimes, it’s one
or two units at a time, and sometimes it’s bigger. But
we continue to make progress.”
While Amherst may be considered a “college town,”
Hechenbleikner believes that the town also possesses
its own identity and has a “distinctive sense of place.
It’s pretty clear to me that it is the center of the western
part of Massachusetts,” he exults. “Springfield is the
biggest center in terms of a city, but I think when you
look at what’s happening in western Massachusetts,
it’s really happening around Amherst. We have some
very interesting cultural facilities including art galler-
ies, the Emily Dickenson House, a downtown movie
theater, restaurants, and museums at all three col-
leges which add to the cultural center that we have.”
In fact, the Massachusetts Cultural Council recently
designated the downtown area as a “Cultural District.”
Kravitz believes that another unique aspect of Am-
herst is the fact that the town actually created the po-
