AMHERST — Renovations and repairs to two privately owned buildings, one home to a long-running nonprofit organization and the other overseen by a condominium association, will receive financial assistance from the town.
Despite extended debate about whether it is appropriate to provide public dollars to projects at private properties, the Town Council Monday approved, in full, $2.39 million in new spending from the Community Preservation Act account.
“I truly believe preserving these properties does serve a public benefit,” District 1 Councilor Michele Miller said of her support for allocating $375,000 in total for work that will be done at the Amherst Woman’s Club, at 35 Triangle St., and the Conkey-Stevens House, at 664 Main St., a property held by the Salem Place Homeowners Association.
The club, located in the Alice Maud Hills House built in 1864, will be getting $135,000 for painting and other work, while the condominium association will receive $240,000 for urgent repairs to the building envelope of the 1840 building, which has a mix of homes and offices. Both properties are considered important elements of the historic Main Street corridor, which includes the Emily Dickinson Museum.
District 5 Councilor Ana Devlin Gauthier, who has been on the CPA Committee, said that people seeking funding for private projects are welcome to apply to the committee, not just town officials proposing spending on public properties.
The CPA account has been used to support private projects in the past, including steeple repairs at the Jewish Community of Amherst, renovations to Hope Community Church, and protection of the famed “Angel of the Lilies,” a window created by the Louis Comfort Tiffany studios in the 19th century, at the Unitarian Meetinghouse.
But At Large Councilor Mandi Jo Hanneke said even with the town getting historic preservation restrictions on the properties, and her appreciation of the viewshed, she wasn’t sure the public benefit is sufficient. She wondered if there is a way to provide more benefit to the public, as happened at the Unitarian Meetinghouse, where members pledged to keep the window lit into the evening so it could be enjoyed from the public sidewalks.
For the CPA spending on the Woman’s Club project, the vote was unanimous, with District 3 Councilor Dorothy Pam abstaining due to being a member of the club.
For the CPA spending on the Conkey-Stevens House, the only votes against came from At Large Councilor Ellisha Walker and District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen. “I think it’s not a sound precedent, even if it is eligible,” Schoen said.
Numerous other projects, ranging from $500,000 for acquiring and developing transitional housing for the homeless, combining that with $1 million in federal American Recovery Program Act funds; to $120,000 that will go toward construction of the town’s first pickleball courts, likely at Mill River Recreation Area, though possibly at another town site, were also approved.
At a public hearing before the vote, most residents who commented addressed the private buildings being supported with Community Preservation Act money.
Sharon Judge of Amity Street, a member of the Woman’s Club, said the club is a viable and important part of community that welcomes the public for events and a speakers series.
Catharine Porter of Rolling Ridge Road, also a member of the club, said it is a “historic jewel of Amherst.”
One resident spoke against the spending for the two entities.
“These are private enterprises requesting huge outlays,” noted David Levinson of Rolling Green Drive.