NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Greylock Mill project has been accepted by Attorney General Maura Healey into the state's brownfields program, providing liability protection as the property is redeveloped.

Greylock Works LLC is proposing an $18 million revamping of the 140-year-old former textile mill on State Road. The property contains a number of additions and was used after the textile mill closed for other industrial concerns, including an aluminum anodizing plant and a machining company. A separate nonprofit project, Greylock Flume Inc., seeks to restore the water power tail to the Hoosic River as a conservation area and possible access to the planned Mohawk Bike Path.

The developers, Salvatore Perry and Karla Rothstein, have already begun restoration of the "Shed" portion of the mill as a artisanal food production area and event space. They applied for the covenant last year.

"The covenant process was critical to understanding and containing the risks associated with the pre-existing conditions of the site," said Perry. "The meetings we had with experienced professionals at MassDEP increased awareness among the many stakeholders, and fostered a collaborative dynamic to shape a reasonable plan that will clean up the Greylock Mill site. We have already begun that important work."

The agreement reached with Greylock Works and Greylock Flume will allow for the redevelopment of two parcels of property on State Road (Route 2) in North Adams. Greylock Works will clean up and redevelop the 200,000-square foot vacant mill building on 8.85 acres into a mixed-use space that may house residential lofts, artist galleries, a boutique hotel, local culinary booths, performance spaces, and retail shops. The agreement also will provide liability relief to Greylock Flume for the preservation of open space and for the creation of a park, pedestrian walkway, and bike path on Route 2 across from the mill building.

The projects have the potential to create more than 100 new and permanent jobs and generate more than $5 million in annual revenues for North Adams.

"I want to thank Attorney General Healey and her staff for their hard work and approval of this application," said Mayor Richard Alcombright in a statement. "AG Healey's willingness to facilitate this great development opportunity combined with the commitment of the principals of Greylock Works LLC brings additional assurance to the success of the project. This is truly government at its best."
 
The Brownfields Covenants Not to Sue provide liability protection to developers and municipalities intending to redevelop and clean up contaminated properties. These recent agreements also include a mixed-use project in Woburn that includes a hotel and restaurants, and a metals manufacturing business in Brockton.

"These agreements will provide permanent jobs and help to revitalize the communities of North Adams, Woburn, and Brockton," said Healey in a statement. "Brownfields Covenant Not to Sue Agreements provide protection from liability that developers, prospective buyers, and municipalities rely on in order to move forward with projects that greatly benefit local communities.  I'm glad that we are able to play an important role in these projects and to help get these blighted properties back into productive use."

The attorney general's office works with Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, which is the Natural Resource Damages trustee, to ensure that cleanup plans are adequate.

"These covenants will help the local communities achieve several important goals, including cleanup of contaminated properties, creation of housing, preservation of open space and the rehabilitation of historic buildings," said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg. "The covenant in Woburn, in fact, involves a U.S. EPA Superfund site, showing that brownfields revitalization can occur at properties considered the most challenging."

• Most Read

• Most Comments

• All News

• Blogroll

• Photos