The Crossroads of New England

Balancing strategic growth, infrastructure innovation, and hometown character

West Springfield, the smallest city in Hampden County by both population and land area, serves  as the region’s vibrant crossroads. “We’re the center of the six cities,” says Mayor Will Reichelt, noting its prime location surrounded by Holyoke, Springfield, Chicopee, Westfield, and Agawam.

The city earns its “Crossroads of New England” moniker from the intersection of I-90 and I-91. “Both north, south, east, west interstates intersect in West Springfield,” Reichelt adds, which fuels its economic and commuter activity.

Celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2024, West Springfield blends urban energy with suburban charm. Commercial hubs like Riverdale and Memorial Avenue give way to quiet residential streets and the 1,500-acre Bear Hole wilderness preserve. The city also boasts the Big E, New England’s largest fair, which draws 1.5 million visitors annually.

However, West Springfield remains focused on progress. With its new downtown roundabout, school rebuilds, and planned public safety complex, the city is forging ahead, proving that small size doesn’t limit big ambition.

Geographic Landscape

West Springfield’s strategic layout features two primary commercial corridors, Route 5 (Riverdale) and Route 147 (Memorial Avenue), flanked by residential neighborhoods that transition to rural landscapes in the northwest.

“Those are the two real commercial districts in West Springfield,” Reichelt states. “As you move northwest, things become residential, lots get larger, it gets more rural.” The city preserves 1,500 acres of wilderness at Bear Hole, its protected watershed to the north, complemented by Mittineague Park’s 300-500 acres of recreational space on its southern border.

The Riverdale corridor anchors the regional retail sector, home to major anchors like Home Depot and Costco. “I like to joke that Riverdale itself is the retail hub of Western Mass” Reichelt says, citing its highway accessibility as a key advantage.

Building a Modern West Springfield

West Springfield is executing a comprehensive infrastructure modernization plan that balances functionality with community aesthetics. The recently completed downtown roundabout represents a $3 million investment in revitalization.

“I’ve talked for those 10 years about really revitalizing our downtown and making it more of a New England small town feel,” says Reichelt, referencing his decade in office. The project replaced an outdated intersection with improved sidewalks, shared-use bike paths, and preserved parking while adding municipal spaces.

Education infrastructure has seen significant upgrades, including the $60 million Coburn School reconstruction completed near Town Hall. “We finished our high school back in 2014,” Reichelt notes, “and we’re beginning the very early stages of rebuilding Fausey School,” the district’s second-largest elementary facility.

Utility improvements are equally ambitious. The city has systematically addressed water and sewer systems since 2017, with recent work on Belle Avenue and Chapin Street. “Every year, we’re kind of picking a street, doing the water sewer infrastructure on it, and then paving it and moving forward,” explains Reichelt.

The mile-and-a-half Memorial Avenue reconstruction stands out, combining underground utility upgrades with a complete redesign of the street. “It should be paved early next year as they reconstruct it to add shared-use bicycle paths, new pedestrian crossings, and make it that complete streets kind of atmosphere” Reichelt adds.

For public safety, the planned police complex behind Town Hall leverages the strategic acquisition of a former Walgreens property. “To have an opportunity to purchase the building directly behind Town Hall and keep the municipal campus that we’ve developed over the years right in the center of town to support our downtown, it was really a home run. It’s going to be huge for morale,” Reichelt shares, emphasizing the project’s importance for both officers and downtown vitality. “Ideally, I’d love to cut that ribbon within five years.”

Recreational spaces haven’t been overlooked. ARPA funds have modernized playgrounds across all schools and parks, with Cooks Park representing the final phase. “All the schools have new playgrounds, and then all the parks have new playgrounds as well,” Reichelt confirms.

Business Growth and Community Life

West Springfield’s business landscape continues to evolve with strategic new additions. Recent openings include Delaney’s Market, which returned after an eight-year hiatus, and Little Springs Coffee on Route 20.

“I think it says a lot about the city that they wanted to come back…we get a lot of commuter traffic that goes through West Springfield and just having the eyeballs on your businesses as they go by shows that it’s a good place to relocate,” Reichelt says.

The city has also welcomed a Korean hotpot restaurant and two marijuana dispensaries, with Reichelt noting, “we were kind of late to the game in allowing recreational marijuana in town…but the two of them have opened and they’re doing well.”

While the city thrives as a retail hub, its industrial base differs from neighboring communities. “We don’t have the same kind of industrial center that Agawam does,” Reichelt explains. “They have more physical space for a larger industrial park. We have a smaller one on the north side of town, but we want to be mindful of what our strengths are and ensure we have a redundancy plan for the future.”

The post-pandemic economy presents challenges, particularly for office space. “We did see a lot of businesses wanting to relocate office space into West Springfield pre-COVID,” Reichelt observes. “We haven’t seen as much of that post-COVID. That may change as people return to the office, but at the same time, we’re always looking. Businesses come to us because of the location, we are the crossroads. There is all that traffic coming through so they know it’s easy to get to here in West Springfield, and if there’s space available, it’s usually filled.”

Reichelt also expresses long-term concerns about retail’s future amid e-commerce growth, emphasizing the need to maintain West Springfield’s appeal to commercial ratepayers. “We need as a community to be ready, if we see a downturn in physical brick and mortar retail, what are we going to do as a community to respond to that? This is why I was a big advocate of pushing in favor of retail marijuana. We can’t be saying no to business opportunities,” he stresses, citing commercial ratepayers as the tax base backbone.

Community investments complement this strategy. The Boys & Girls Club’s expansion and Riverfront Park’s bike paths, which will eventually connect to regional trails, enhance quality of life. Local organizations like the Rotary, Lions Club, and West of the River Chamber further strengthen civic ties. “They’re huge supporters,” Reichelt says, underscoring their role in preserving community character.

Culture and Tourism

West Springfield’s cultural crown jewel remains The Big E, New England’s largest fair that draws 1.5 million visitors annually during its 17-day run. “It’s not your usual state fair,” Reichelt remarks. “It’s a state fair on the most expensive steroids you can get.”

The fairgrounds host year-round events including dog shows, horse competitions, and trade expos, sustaining the city’s 20 hotels beyond the September spectacle. “At the same time, West Springfield being right in the center, things that are happening in the other cities are attractions too, so it’s easy to come to West Springfield and stay in West Springfield,” he adds.

Local traditions like Taste of Westside, recently revitalized under the town common, showcase community spirit. “We have a fantastic town common in the center,” Reichelt notes, highlighting its role as a gathering space.

The city’s diversity adds rich texture to its small-town character. Chief of Staff Kate O’Brien Scott observes, “we’ve welcomed a lot of different cultures and ethnicities here…there’s over 40 dialects spoken in our schools.” This multicultural vibrancy coexists with traditional New England charm, creating what O’Brien Scott describes as “that traditional hometown feel” with expanded horizons.

Future Vision

West Springfield’s leadership is charting an ambitious course focused on sustainable growth and community preservation. Reichelt prioritizes innovative infrastructure solutions, stating, “I want to do more things like [the roundabout], beautifying the community at the same time that we’re making it safer.”

The city is developing a 25-year master plan to guide development through 2050, addressing challenges like affordable housing in a built-out community.

“We want to start having conversations of what the community is going to look like in 25 years so we can work to get there now. Things just take time. Building this roundabout that we just finished took six years from the first time we started talking about it until I could cut the ribbon on it. So understanding that things don’t work fast, not just because of their government, because to do it right, you have to make sure you’re talking about all these different issues and taking them into account,” Reichelt emphasizes.

The school system remains a cornerstone of West Springfield’s competitive advantage. “Our accountability data competes with every district on the west side of the river,” Reichelt notes, adding, “we’re cheaper than them all too” when comparing tax burdens.

Chief of Operations Carly Camossi emphasizes maintaining community character amid progress. “Wholeheartedly we have a really good community base here…You go to the store and you see people you know, there’s a reason people are staying,” she shares. This balance of growth and identity informs all planning, from the upcoming police complex to neighborhood preservation. “We are a city,” Reichelt acknowledges, “but we are a small town still.”

A City Built for What’s Next

West Springfield proves that exceptional quality of life isn’t measured in square miles. This compact city delivers big-city amenities, from wilderness preserves to thriving commercial corridors, while maintaining its small-town character. Forward-thinking investments in infrastructure, education, and community spaces demonstrate leadership’s commitment to sustainable growth.

“You can live in a community that has all those small-town things that you would want, while everything’s five minutes away. We’re kind of spoiled in that sense where everything’s close by, you don’t really have to leave town for much,” Reichelt shares.

With its strategic location, cultural assets like The Big E, and balanced approach to development, West Springfield offers a model for how communities can evolve while preserving what makes them special.

AT A GLANCE

Who: City of West Springfield, MA

What: A dynamic small city offering urban conveniences and natural assets, home to New England’s largest fair (The Big E) and major retail hubs

Where: Hampden County, Massachusetts

Website: www.townofwestspringfield.org