Springfield owns an essential piece of the land developers intend to build on, and some city officials do not want to see the project come to fruition.
Massachusetts has selected a pitch to build a $2.1 billion, six-and-a-half story courthouse in Springfield — but the project may never become a reality. Springfield owns a slice of the land the developers intend to build on, and some city officials are "fiercely opposed” to the project, Samantha J. Gross and Catherine Carlock write for the Boston Globe.
The Boston Globe reports:
[Springfield] Mayor Domenic J. Sarno has decried the proposed courthouse location and the choice of the Liberty Junction developers. This summer, he said the project “does not come close” to being “transformative” for Springfield and its surroundings. The losing bidders have launched a campaign of their own, calling for Governor Maura Healey to stop the construction.
The courthouse as currently designed is also at least 40 feet taller than zoning allows, according to a Globe review of city zoning regulations. Thomas D. Moore, the general counsel for the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, told the Globe that state officials had not contacted Springfield with a request to acquire the land.
Read the full story: The state’s $2.1 billion Springfield courthouse plan could need local sign-off. That’s a tall order.
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Springfield owns an essential piece of the land developers intend to build on, and some city officials do not want to see the project come to fruition.
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