AMHERST — A partnership between the University of Massachusetts and the town of Amherst that focuses on promoting economic development, creating more housing and enhancing cultural opportunities came with great optimism when formed in August 2015.
While much of the work of the executive committee of the University of Massachusetts-Town of Amherst Collaborative, and its three subcommittees, hasn’t yet been visible to the public, a recent retreat, in which members discussed progress with consultants U3 Advisers of Philadelphia, indicates that the collaborative model is working.
“One of the things that became clear coming out of the retreat is the relationship between Town Hall and the UMass administration has really been strengthened by UTAC,” said Geoffrey Kravitz, Amherst’s economic development director who serves as a staff member to the collaborative.
UTAC developed out of a $60,000 study proposed by UMass Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy that led to a report from U3 Advisors, completed in December 2014, which recommended the formation of a permanent advisory council to the Amherst town manager and UMass chancellor.
The topics it is tackling include identifying sites for undergraduate mixed-use development, pursuing public-private partnerships and creating a so-called anchor strategy for the university that embraces the town in its economic success.
Before continuing its work, though, Kravitz said structural and organizational changes to UTAC still need to be approved by Subbaswamy and Town Manager Paul Bockelman.
“Once that happens, we’ll be able to move everything else forward,” Kravitz said.
The executive committee already has in hand a preliminary recommendation from the subcommittee focused on housing, which last year visited the sites identified by U3 Advisors that could be suitable for development, including the so-called Gateway district along North Pleasant Street. That district is situated between the campus and Kendrick Park, on University Drive between the campus and Amity Street and on the north side of Massachusetts Avenue.
The housing subcommittee, next scheduled to meet June 5, is interested in making a recommendation to the executive committee on selecting a site and pursuing a specific building program, Kravitz said. There will also be an evaluation of the sites and a discussion of the “good, bad and ugly” of each, Kravitz said.
“The hope is by the end of the summer we’ll be able to publish a final draft of that,” Kravitz said. At that time, the public will be encouraged to provide feedback.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.