APRIL 2015
HEART OF NORTHAMPTON UPDATE
"Heart of Northampton” in Pulaski Park
The Pulaski Park redesign project is now proposed to double its size down into the southwest parking lot. This will help to create "The Heart of Northampton", which began with the Hilton hotel fiasco pushed by a Pulaski Park hotel front lawn idea. This effort was stalled by a “Citizen inspired park design competition" that then lead to a winner. The hotel project was stopped by public outcry on its bad site planning and the city had to pay dearly to get the site back.
Then the new mayor restarted the idea to put another building down on the same site at the same size as the proposed hotel, which had just been stopped for that very same poor site massing design.
The first public meeting on that new private building to occupy the city’s heart again found public outcry preferring instead a bigger park, easier access in, out and through the park, an overlook to the southwest, new river, more open space, etc., but not a building. The Mayor wisely killed that direction and started the redesign of the park.
Then the first public park presentation showed a new park designed to 3 known sides but not to the 4th unknown old hotel side. The design winners stated the 4th side is unknown at this time. Again the “Heart of Northampton" was presented with its tripled park size running down into the parking-lot with an overlook on top of a green park roof parking garage at that 4th side. Then the next park presentation showed the "Heart of Northampton" finally coming to life with the Park growing in size helping to create reasons to come to and to be in Northampton which serves everyone not just a new building owner.
The Gazette published this prophetic statement by our mayor;
NORTHAMPTON — Mayor David J. Narkewicz is clear about why he’s made the rehabilitation of Pulaski Park, the well-used public park on Main Street framed by the Academy of Music and Memorial Hall, one of his top priorities.
“It’s the heart of our downtown,” he said. “These parks are defining features for cities.”
The Pulaski Park redesign project is now proposed to double its size down into the southwest parking lot. This will help to create "The Heart of Northampton", which began with the Hilton hotel fiasco pushed by a Pulaski Park hotel front lawn idea. This effort was stalled by a “Citizen inspired park design competition" that then lead to a winner. The hotel project was stopped by public outcry on its bad site planning and the city had to pay dearly to get the site back.
Then the new mayor restarted the idea to put another building down on the same site at the same size as the proposed hotel, which had just been stopped for that very same poor site massing design.
The first public meeting on that new private building to occupy the city’s heart again found public outcry preferring instead a bigger park, easier access in, out and through the park, an overlook to the southwest, new river, more open space, etc., but not a building. The Mayor wisely killed that direction and started the redesign of the park.
Then the first public park presentation showed a new park designed to 3 known sides but not to the 4th unknown old hotel side. The design winners stated the 4th side is unknown at this time. Again the “Heart of Northampton" was presented with its tripled park size running down into the parking-lot with an overlook on top of a green park roof parking garage at that 4th side. Then the next park presentation showed the "Heart of Northampton" finally coming to life with the Park growing in size helping to create reasons to come to and to be in Northampton which serves everyone not just a new building owner.
The Gazette published this prophetic statement by our mayor;
NORTHAMPTON — Mayor David J. Narkewicz is clear about why he’s made the rehabilitation of Pulaski Park, the well-used public park on Main Street framed by the Academy of Music and Memorial Hall, one of his top priorities.
“It’s the heart of our downtown,” he said. “These parks are defining features for cities.”