New developments proposed for Mountain Farms Mall, including Bank of America and EV chargers

HADLEY — Installation of six high-powered electric vehicle chargers, construction of a new Bank of America building and modifications to the existing Walmart store are among changes being proposed for the Mountain Farms Mall site property.

The Planning Board at its Dec. 16 meeting approved the placement of new EV chargers in existing parking spaces next to an outbuilding at 7 South Maple St. where Mattress Firm is located.

Dan Hester, development manager for W.S. Development, Inc., told Planning Board members that the company is partnering with Electrify America, rolling out the chargers at about a dozen of its properties in the Northeast.

“They should allow customers to charge their vehicles within about 20 minutes,” Hester said.

Six standard spaces would be converted, but Hester assured planners the mall would still have sufficient space for customers to park. He pointed out that there are two vacancies in the 7 South Maple St. building, one of which was created by the closing of Orangetheory Fitness several months ago.

Hester said some parking will be needed when the Dave’s Hot Chicken is complete at 5 South Maple St., though he observed that that construction on the site of a former bank building is proceeding slowly.

The Planning Board asked that a crosswalk be installed across the road between Walmart and the outbuilding so pedestrians can cross safely.

For the Bank of America building, proposed to be built at 359 Russell St., the mall owner is seeking a hearing Jan. 20 at 6:45 p.m. for site plan approval, business use in aquifer and access across other than frontage. Plans show a 3,900-square-foot building going up where a vacant building would be demolished.

Tom Reidy, an attorney with Bacon Wilson PC of Amherst, said the current building is 4,311 square feet. “So essentially the same footprint,” Reidy said.

Because the total impervious surface is remaining the same, the board is not requiring an extensive peer review.

Planning Board Clerk William Dwyer said the mall, though, is at parking capacity and had to purchase transfer of development rights in 2016 to reduce the parking area.

Hester said while there will be less parking when the bank is built, “there’s really no additional purchases needed as part of our TDR.”

The board approved remodel of the nearby Walmart with parking lot restriping, a small canopy roof at the front for online pickups and new bollards in front of the store.

In addition to the bank building, the Planning Board also has a hearing coming up for a 50-unit senior housing development at the Village Barn Shops complex near the Coolidge Bridge. That hearing will be Jan. 6 at 6:45 p.m.

The Pioneer Valley Hotel Group is seeking special permits to build a 60,500-square-foot building at 41 Russell St.

A hearing for the new 7 Brew Coffee drive-up shop, to be built at the edge of the Mountain Farms Mall parking lot, is also scheduled to resume Jan. 20, after going through Conservation Commission approval.

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