Tasty Top project in Easthampton secures state credits, subsidies

EASTHAMPTON — Those driving on Northampton Street have likely seen multiple structures erected at the former Tasty Top site.

The developer of the Sierra Vista Commons, one of the largest Easthampton developments in the recent past, says everything is on track for the first phase of the project plan, particularly after receiving a significant package of tax credits and subsidies announced by Gov. Maura Healey this week.

Healey and company traveled to Pittsfield on Tuesday, announcing a large state and federal funding package that will provide nearly $150 million in tax credits and subsidies to boost housing production across the state.

The funding comes from two programs — approximately $139.5 million in low-income housing tax credits and subsidies through the Affordable Housing Development Program and $8.4 million from the new Commercial Conversion Tax Credit Initiative (CCTCI).

“The Affordable Housing Development Grant Program is one of the most important ways we finance affordable housing across Massachusetts year after year,” Ed Augustus, secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (HLC), said in a statement. “These 15 developments will help move 1,008 homes forward statewide, delivering the homes seniors, families and workers need to stay in the communities they call home.”

Sierra Vista Commons, also known as the Tasty Top Development, at 93-97 Northampton St., was one of 15 developments to receive aid from the Affordable Housing Development Program securing tax credits and subsidies through the HLC to construct 36 units of affordable housing.

Developer Frank DeMarinis, owner of the property and owner of SAGE Engineering & Contracting Inc. of Westfield, bought the property for $2.2 million in 2022. He said securing the credits and funding was a necessary step to follow project plans.

“It’s a really creative program that ends up helping people with medium incomes or less than medium income, and it’s really kind of allowing the private sectors to provide affordable housing at lower than market rate,” DeMarinis said about the HLC program.

The credits DeMarinis received will contribute to 36 affordable housing units, available to households earning less than 60% of the area median income. Ten of those units will be designated for households earning less than 30% of area median income and six will be for special-needs populations.

DeMarinis said the 36 units will be split evenly between two mid-rise apartment complexes, the first of a total of 10 complexes planned for the entire project. He expects construction of those two complexes to begin in six to eight months.

Residents familiar with the Tasty Top development know that the first two complexes are just a piece of the much larger project, that is being built in phases. In total, according to the project plans, the project will provide 202 units.

“We’re just phasing into either four or five phases so we don’t saturate the market and we provide the housing in a term of four or five years,” DeMarinis said about the total number of units.

DeMarinis said the Greenfield Savings Bank building, the first building to break ground on the development in July last year sitting at the forefront of the property, is nearly finished. He estimates the bank to be finished in the next six weeks.

Behind the bank structure, framing has been built for the Roots Learning Center and Gymnastics Center, which will be in one building. DeMarinis expects construction to be completed in May.

Additionally, one sit-down restaurant, one stand-alone small retail building, two 7,400-square-foot mixed-use warehouse buildings and one mixed-use building with ground floor retail or commercial use and apartment units above — 14 units — are permitted to be built.

“Nothing has changed. We’ve been staying on course as we permitted it and as we were approved,” DeMarinis said.

Easthampton Director of Planning and Community Development Allyson Manuel said that since the project has been permitted, the Planning Department is not hugely involved at this point. But for a project of this size, the department checks in with DeMarinis periodically.

“A project of that size we do (check in) because it’s phased and there’s certain things that they have to do,” Manuel said.

Manuel said the Roots building needs to be completed in time for the demolition of the current Roots Daycare, which is part of the Riverview Place development on Pleasant Street. DeMarinis said the new learning center is going to be state of the art, especially with the gymnastics center next to it.

Easthampton Conservation Agent Eva Gerstle said from a conservation perspective, a stream that runs through the property needs to be protected. The project is permitted to have a bridge built spanning the stream and will not impact the water. DeMarinis expects the bridge to be constructed this spring and Gerstle said a third-party reviewer will be on site when it is.

“With a stream crossing you literally have to go over it and there’s concern that that (bridge) spanning is going to impact the water body,” Gerstle said. “We want to make sure the stream is not negatively impacted.”

Gerstle said that in accordance with state law, the developer has to pay for the city to hire a third-party reviewer. A reviewer of Weston and Sampson was hired and does a monthly site visit to ensure conservation permitting compliance, according to Gerstle. The peer reviewer also reviews weekly rainfall logs, which are put together by the developer in a report that is reviewed by the city.

“It’s more of a minor crossing than a bridge, and there needs to be an environmental consultant (when it is built),” DeMarinis said.

Gerstle said there are also bordering vegetated wetlands on site, but they are protected through the project’s permitting.

“They’ve been constructing and everything has been going according to plan so far, so we’re pleased now that we’re in the construction process, things will be running smoothly,” Gerstle said.

“I’m surrounded by some major professionals, councils, contractors and associates,” DeMarinis said. “I’m very fortunate to have such an amazing team around me and working with the former mayor [Nicole LaChapelle] was such an amazing experience — I look forward to working with Salem Derby.”

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