Holyoke details Center City redevelopment plan

HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) - The state of Massachusetts is supporting Holyoke's new plan to revitalize the downtown district, and bring in new businesses, and build new housing.

They've renamed the downtown district "Center City of Holyoke.

The plan is entitled, "Connect, Construct. Create."  Mayor Alex Morse said the state officially approved two new redevelopment programs.The city will take some properties for tax title and auction them off to business developers.

"Now that we have that framework, they can finally have a strong redevelopment authority that's working with people who want to bring retail and commercial projects to the city of Holyoke," Morse told 22News.

Jackie Watson chairs the Holyoke Redevelopment Authority.   She calls the new projects great news for the entire city.

"Everyone in the city will benefit.  Not just the downtown area of the Center City.  The Center City is the heart of it," said Watson.

Mayor Morse told 22News Holyoke's received a two million dollar grant from the state to build a passenger rail platform at Main and Dwight Streets.  The city's also receiving a 1.4 million dollar grant to renovate Veterans Park.

Ground will be broken for phase two of the Canal Walk revitalization in June.

Morse said developers will receive tax credits to build market-rate housing in the Center City District.