Springfield opens new downtown parking garage with over 800 spaces
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) officially opened the new Convention Center Carpark on Monday, marking a major milestone in downtown Springfield's ongoing infrastructure improvements.
Located next to the MassMutual Center, the new five-story parking facility spans 350,000 square feet and offers 817 parking spaces. The garage includes electric vehicle infrastructure and charging stations and is designed with long-term development in mind, including retail space on the ground level intended to help activate foot traffic in the area.
Eight without a home after fire on Euclid Avenue in Springfield, cat dies
The new structure replaces the aging Civic Center Garage, originally built in 1971, which had deteriorated to the point where only 700 of its 1,000 spaces remained usable. In collaboration with the city of Springfield, the MCAA purchased, demolished, and rebuilt the facility to better serve visitors.
'This project wouldn't have been possible without the buy-in and support of key local stakeholders,' said Marcel Vernon, Executive Director of the MCCA. 'Thank you to Mayor Sarno and the city of Springfield for your partnership on this important economic development project, which will provide a world-class parking venue for MassMutual Center patrons, while also activating the neighborhood for the community at large.'
The car park is part of a broader vision to revitalize the downtown area. Work is continuing on the adjacent plaza and streetscape, with completion expected by the end of May. Sean Dolan, General Manager of the MassMutual Center, emphasized the facility's impact on the guest experience.
'The opening of the Convention Center Carpark marks a monumental step forward for both the MassMutual Center and the community,' Dolan said. 'This state-of-the-art facility will enhance the event experience and make it more convenient for our visitors. It's an exciting time for Springfield.'
A ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration are currently being planned to coincide with the completion of the full project. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
State Street in Belchertown closed due to downed pole, wires
BELCHERTOWN, Mass. (WWLP) – A portion of State Street in Belchertown is closed Sunday afternoon due to a fallen pole and wires in the road. Hydrant flushing to begin in Greenfield this week The Belchertown Fire Department shared on social media that wires and a pole are damaged due to an accident on State Street and are blocking the roadway. Police and fire crews are in the area blocking off traffic as repairs are underway. Officials said that the road will be closed until the pole and wires are repaired. Drivers in the area should use caution and take alternate routes. 22News will provide updates as more information becomes available. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Bill lays out options for transferring small businesses
BOSTON (SHNS) – Warning that a 'silver tsunami' of Baby Boomer businessowners looking to sell in the next 15 to 20 years could lead to vanishing local small businesses, advocates asked lawmakers Thursday to provide incentives for employee ownership structures. John Abrams, who said his business was employee-owned for 40 years and has written two books on employee ownership, said about three million American small businesses including about 70,000 in Massachusetts have founders older than 55 and are likely to transition ownership in the next two decades. 'Some of those companies will be passed down in families, but less than in the past. Many will unceremoniously close their doors finding no buyer, leaving holes on Main Street. Others will be targeted by strategic buyers and private equity. They may be absorbed, bundled, relocated, carved up, sold for parts, their mission and culture undone. Jobs will be lost,' he said as part of a panel organized by the Coalition for Worker Ownership and Power. 'While many founders wish to preserve the businesses they devoted much of their life to, they and their advisors, financial planners, succession consultants, business brokers, accountants, know little of the employee ownership options available that can accomplish that.' Coalition members pitched the Joint Committee on Economic Development on a bill (H 503 / S 305) they said would make it easier for employees to buy the businesses they work for during ownership transitions, including by giving employees a right of first refusal, making technical assistance available and incentivizing the selling owner by exempting sales of less than $1 million (or the first $1 million in sales of a greater value) from the state capital gains tax, according to a committee summary. Halsey Platt, the owner of a residential construction business based in Ayer, told the committee that he is in the process of converting his business into an employee cooperative. He said he has been building the business for 33 years. As he begins to think about exiting the business, he said 'the notion of being able to have my employees be able to build generational wealth was incredibly appealing to me.' 'I think by the Legislature enacting these laws, it will make my choice and that business transition more normalized. And I think if the Legislature moves forward with this, part of what happens here in Massachusetts will be that it changes the landscape, that then employees get educated about what an employee cooperative is and they are able to start to think about that,' Platt said. 'This bill is not restrictive in terms of the owner of the business who wants to sell. It is simply giving those employees the opportunity to match that offer.' WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
DTA ‘Pathways to Work' program celebrates its participants
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Healey-Driscoll Administration is celebrating residents who have transitioned from public assistance to meaningful employment. The Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) provides services and benefits to over 1.2 million people in the state. When families ask for SNAP or cash assistance, they are offered other opportunities, such as different programs. How many families are in Massachusetts emergency housing assistance One of the programs is called 'Pathways to Work'. In this program, participants receive job and college readiness training. At the end, some may get a GED, a Hi-Set, or a new job. It all comes at their own pace. 'There were times where I, I wasn't able to attain a job due to unforseen circumstances, and because of DTA and the programs that they do require for us, I was able to succeed, save money and become the person I did want to become,' Pathways To Work participant Crystal Ortiz said. The celebration recognized the participants who finished the program. One client ended up getting a job as a career coach through DTA. There was also a panel discussion, testimonies, and remarks from DTA leaders. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
