ATHOL – The Downtown Vitality Committee’s Sept. 9 meeting included a discussion on potential business development and downtown revitalization.
Brianna Drohan, CEO and founder of LaunchSpace, outlined plans to expand food entrepreneurship and workforce training in Athol through the renovation of the Pleasant Street School. The project will begin with a shared-use kitchen connected to a community garden.
“Right now we are trying to secure the last mile funding…once that’s approved, then we’ll move really fast on getting construction going and the idea would be to have it open for April,” she said.
The initiative will support food business incubation, culinary training for students age 16 to 24, and a food access program. This will begin with a pilot partnership to provide meals to elementary and middle school students facing food insecurity. Drohan said LaunchSpace hopes to open with at least five businesses and grow to about 20 in its first year.
“We’re really hoping to support caterers and food trucks to eventually be stable enough to bridge it to brick-and-mortar,” she added.
Additional programming will include cooking classes for children and adults, private events and rentable kitchen space, with support from partners such as the Franklin County Community Development Corporation (CDC) and Greenfield Community College.
In addition to LaunchSpace’s efforts, the Franklin County CDC also provides programs to help local entrepreneurs. Angela Varilly, Business Assistance Manager for the CDC, highlighted a 10-week accelerator course that guides business owners through strategic planning, marketing, legal considerations and financial preparation.
“We want to help them narrow down a business pitch so that when they’re talking to investors or banks, they’re ready to go,” Varilly said.
The CDC offers lending resources up to $200,000 and specialized support for food processors and small businesses.
The committee also explored new tools to support economic development, including a data platform purchased through a community compact grant. The software allows users to search properties, compare demographics, and access community information. The two-year platform cost about $19,000 and was chosen after reviewing several municipal options.
Finally, the committee touched on downtown infrastructure, including the Parking Benefits District. Director of Planning and Community Development Eric Smith outlined potential improvements, such as upgraded parking meters, wayfinding signs, and strategic parking zone assignments, while reviewing current enforcement regulations.
The next Downtown Vitality Committee meeting is scheduled for Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. in the Athol Town Hall.