ATHOL — The town has been awarded nearly $500,000 in state One Stop for Growth grants to support downtown revitalization.
Town Manager Shaun Suhoski said that of the three grants, $50,000 will go toward the town’s vacant storefront program, $145,000 will be used for redesign of the downtown municipal parking lot, and $300,000 will help fund the demolition of the former York Theater on Main Street.
“Athol — the town — needs to work with the property owners downtown, including those of the most challenged properties,” Suhoski told the Athol Daily News. “We need to create an environment that will support more investment, and all three of these One Stop grants assist in that effort in different ways.”
Suhoski said the town has been pursuing state funding for the municipal parking lot off of Exchange Street and between Main and South streets for some time.
“The planning grant for the parking area is something we’ve sought for a few years,” he said. “Town meeting voters and the Select Board supported acquiring and clearing the title to certain land in that parking area, which was constructed by public funds about 45 years ago; that was the last rehab. And, it’s a mess back there.”
Suhoski said early plans call for “maximizing” parking, improving lighting and aesthetics, and creating a sense of safety that “will support private investment in housing and rehab that’s ongoing.”
The town has been awarded nearly $500,000 in state One Stop for Growth grants to support downtown revitalization. Of the three grants, $300,000 will help fund the demolition of the former York Theater on Main Street. Credit: FILE PHOTO BY GREG VINE 
Candlepin lanes sit unused and deteriorating at the long-closed Lucky Lanes, which occupied the former York Theater. Athol has been awarded nearly $500,000 in state One Stop for Growth grants to support downtown revitalization. Of the three grants, $300,000 will help fund the demolition of the former York Theater on Main Street. Credit: PHOTO COURTESY OF BOB LEGARE
Suhoski said the “lynchpin” for downtown revival is the demolition of the town-owned York Theater building at 469 Main St.
“It’s a structure that’s in disrepair,” said the town manager. “It’s town-owned because it was taken in a tax title judgment. It was a property that was left abandoned.”
Suhoski said the town also has its sights on the demolition of the adjacent York Building at 465 Main St. He said it is an adjoining property still in private ownership, but the owner has no funding or interest in dealing with it.
“So, we have these drains — they drain property values, they drain energy, they’re dreary. They do not stimulate investments,” Suhoski asserted. “They suck it out of the area. We’re really trying to take a holistic approach to rid the public safety hazard we see from these buildings that are at risk of collapse for lack of attention. Then, we have a grant to plan the future. We can really stimulate occupation and investment in some of the vacant storefronts on Main Street and in the area.”
Suhoski thanked state Sen. Jo Comerford and state Rep. Susannah Whipps — the town’s legislative delegation — for helping secure all three grants.
“They kind of leaned in on this,” he said. “They knew we had discussions about these projects, how they’re interrelated, and we needed the multiple awards to help build some energy and investment.”
Suhoski was quick to note that the $300,000 in funding for the York buildings covers only a portion of the demolition cost.
“It’s a contribution toward what we believe is a million-dollar-plus demolition and site clearance,” he said. “We have recently found there are asbestos-containing materials present in the York Building.”
He said he’s hopeful that once the upcoming election is over and the national budget “ironed out,” the town will receive some federal funding for the downtown revitalization. “All of these things together — federal, state, and local funds — have gone into this,” said Suhoski. “We’ve spent over $100,000 in local taxpayer monies for oil tank removal, asbestos, securing the theater, and legal work that have all gone into it. It’s going to take all levels of our government to improve our downtown.”
Athol’s $495,000 comes from a pot of $330 million distributed to “403 local economic development and housing projects in 207 communities across Massachusetts through the Community One Stop for Growth,” according to a press release accompanying Gov. Maura Haley’s announcement of the awards on Oct. 1.
“We’re investing in communities across Massachusetts to create the housing, jobs and economic growth our state needs,” Healey said. “These awards will turn underused properties into new homes and businesses, strengthen downtowns, create good jobs and unlock billions of dollars in private investment. That means more opportunity for families, workers and businesses in every part of our state.”
“The Community One Stop helps us partner with cities and towns to support projects that can unlock new investment and create meaningful economic growth,” Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley added. “This year’s awards will help communities prepare sites for development, improve infrastructure, bring underused properties back into productive use and support thousands of new jobs and homes across Massachusetts.”