Former Candlelight Motor Inn site eyed for redevelopment in Greenfield

 By MARY BYRNE

 Staff Writer

Published: 03-29-2022 12:34 PM

GREENFIELD – The owners of the property formerly occupied by the Candlelight Motor Inn on Mohawk Trail are considering the potential development of the site as a food market. 

Matt Oates of Benderson Development Group, along with Gene Crouch, a senior environmental scientist at Hangen Brustlin, Inc., presented preliminary design plans to the Conservation Commission last week, in an effort to determine the best path forward for eventually filing for permits with the city.

“The development is pulled out of the riverfront area as much as we can,” said Crouch, explaining the makeup of the site at 208 Mohawk Trail, through which Smead Brook flows. “Obviously, there’s a lot of riverfront on the project site. We’re able to stay out the 25-foot ‘no disturb’ completely, but needless to say, we are within riverfront area on a fair amount of the project site.”

The project would include new parking, with main access from Route 2 and side access from Robbins Road. 

The preliminary plans were based on pre-2015 existing conditions, he noted, when the inn was still standing but not particularly active. 

“After Benderson purchased the property, it sat for a while, and apparently there were some issues with people using the site,” Crouch told members of the Conservation Commission. “The town requested the buildings be knocked down, which Benderson did.”

Crouch said that at the time, he had advised Benderson not to pull up the pavement or foundations, because the property was in riverfront area and doing so would result in the loss of “credit” when it came time to redevelop the site.

“But the town did require the pavement and foundations be removed,” he said. “That, obviously, has changed the character of the site and also, as it stands, from a regulatory perspective on the Wetlands Protection Act.”

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

Driver taken to hospital after Interstate 91 rollover in Bernardston
Deerfield woman gets probation in stabbing case
Greenfield Police seek robbery suspect
My Turn: Biden’s record and accomplishments are extremely positive
Greenfield’s Lucas Allenby, Landon Allenby qualify for USASA Nationals
Springfield man gets 5 years in Greenfield shooting case

The conversation at the meeting primarily revolved around whether the project would qualify as a redevelopment of a previously developed riverfront area, or instead, would need to follow a more rigorous process for riverfront development. 

Part of the discussion stemmed from the fact the parking and foundation had been removed from the site, raising the question of whether that area of the project would be considered “degraded” by Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) standards. 

“We didn’t come in and just get rid of it, and 10 years later look to redevelop it,” said Oates. “We took down a structure that was causing issues before we had a good redevelopment plan in place, rather than leave up an eyesore and something that was causing harm to the community.”

Conservation Commission member Fletcher Harringon said while he understands the predicament the development group is now in, the property needs to be reviewed for what it is currently.

“This is fresh for us,” he said. “It’s for us to look at the (regulations) and look at the situation on the ground. Questions of … making exceptions would be for the DEP.”

Still, members seemed in agreement that the site could fit the process for redevelopment, if the plan was drawn up with existing conditions. 

“If you reassess what the existing conditions are, and can evaluate what area of the lot meets the current definition for degraded, than the square footage still works out,” said Vice Chair Rachel Lindsay. 

Crouch agreed that it made sense to define the site based on existing conditions, as opposed to the conditions in 2015. Oates added that if it was a matter of including a higher level of mitigation, that would be something the development group was amenable to. 

“I think if we were able to do that (as redevelopment) — keep our development and enhance mitigation — that would be something we could look at,” he said.

Following a site walk and top soil analysis, and another review of the site and its square footage of undisturbed, disturbed and degraded conditions, the development group plans to return to the commission with a formal submission for filing.

“This was actually very helpful for us, because … understanding (the commission’s) position… We can go back out to the site and have the information you want right up front,” Crouch said. 

 Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne

]]>