Easthampton’s CPA funded $18,050 to CitySpace, the managing nonprofit of Easthampton’s Old Town Hall, to secure the building’s facade with protective netting and repair missing slate on the roof.

Easthampton’s Community Preservation Committee and the Easthampton City Council voted unanimously to fund CitySpace for the netting application and roof repairs. CitySpace hired specialists to examine and report on the condition of the facade of the building. The report released in mid-June showed that there is extensive deterioration to the building’s brownstone and advised applying protective netting to alleviate the possibility of falling debris. The repairs will require extensive and phased preservation techniques in stone replication and design work costing near $1 million.  Because winter weather conditions can further deteriorate the building’s facade, CitySpace contracted with a construction firm to apply the netting immediately. The additional slate roof repairs will be completed prior to winter weather as well.

“That building, I think, is part of the critical role in our development of the City, with the proposal for CitySpace and the redevelopment of the second floor — we have to do everything we can with the available funds to make sure that building is successful,” said City Councilor Owen Zaret at Easthampton’s city council meeting on September 4, 2019.

Easthampton’s CPA has also committed up to $3 million towards the renovation of the second floor of Old Town Hall, as CitySpace plans to transform it into an accessible and flexible performing arts and community space. CitySpace launched a capital campaign to raise the $6.6 million to complete this project. For more information on the project costs, documents and plans for funding and renovation see cityspaceeasthampton.org/transformation.