To better inform your decision about the upcoming election, SPT sent five questions regarding important current historic preservation topics to better understand how city council candidates stand on historic preservation in Springfield. We sent the following questions to all city council candidates and asked that they respond by October 21th.
1) In October 2023, City Council passed a resolution calling on the Springfield Historical Commission to start anew the process to create a local historic district to protect the Isolation Hospital on State Street. The Chief Development Officer told the Council that his office had the funds and committed to do a new study. Nothing has happened in two years.
What would you do as a city councilor to get this process moving?
“I would support the Springfield Historical Commission in whatever next steps they deem necessary as I support the idea to create a local historic district to protect the Isolation Hospital on State Street. It seems to me that after two years, there should have been some movement on this issue. I’m in favor of holding a meeting with Tim Sheehan to find out the status of the study and sponsor a resolution or order to demand action. I’m also not opposed to calling out the administration publicly if the Historical Commission believes that will have an impact.” -Justin Hurst
“As a City Councilor, I will utilize the full oversight power of the Council to hold the City of Springfield accountable for its commitment. I will make a formal request of the Mayor’s Office and the Chief Development Officer on the status of the study, which should include a timeline that can be shared with the public and groups like the Springfield Preservation Trust.” - Joesiah Gonzalez.
“I was happy to vote in favor of the resolution making the Isolation Hospital a local historic district. I will continue to collaborate with the Springfield Preservation Trust as to the best methods to move this process forward. As a City Councilor we have the bully pulpit that we can use to bring this issue to the public awareness. I will ask for an Economic Development/General Government meeting to ask for an update on this project.” - Victor Davila
“I will speak to Chief Development Officer Tim Sheehan about this study. I am not aware of why this study has not been done. I will find out what the hold-up is and see what needs to be done to get it started.” - Timothy Allen
“First, I want to emphasize that I support the preservation of the Isolation Hospital on 1414 State Street. This is a great example of a building that has both architectural significance (Art Deco) and historical significance (Almshouse, Isolation Hospital.) I would support the creation of a single parcel historic district to ensure the Isolation Hospital is eligible for historical redevelopment tax credits.
While I can not speak to the reason why a new study has not been initiated or completed, I agree that a passive approach to this property creates tremendous risk. My first and greatest concern is the safety of our city – I am very fearful that Viba Hospital (1400 State Street) is at risk of a major structure fire. We know from our experience at Chestnut Middle School that massive properties that remain vacant for too long are exposed to a greater risk of damage, theft, vandalism, and structure failure. I don’t trust Vibra to maintain the property (the SPT is aware of the challenges with overgrowth on the property and concerns from the Springfield Fire Department about trespassing) and the City of Springfield does not have the resources to properly secure every vacant property in its’ care. This has been proven over the years.
My personal recommendation is that we weigh the pros and cons of allowing Vibra Hospital (1400 State Street) to be raised, while requiring that the Isolation Hospital (1414 State Street) to be preserved. This can only be accomplished through careful deliberation between the City Council, the Office of Planning and Economic Development, the Springfield Preservation Trust, and the Historic Commission, I feel this will be a key signal to the development community that there is a real opportunity to re-develop this large parcel into something exciting and new, while at the same time, preserving a critical part of Springfield’s history for generations to come. Again, my greatest concern is preserving the Isolation Hospital itself, which I separate from the more modern Vibra Hospital.” - Juan Latorre
“I would love to work with SPT to see this study go forward. As a City Councilor, I will make an appointment with the Chief Development Officer, Tim Sheehan, and -if members of SPT wish to join me- speak with him and his staff about next steps to make the Isolation Hospital a local historic district, sharing why it is important and what it would affect. With information directly from the City administration, we can then move forward with requesting the funds to move this forward!” -Mary Johnson
2) The Historical Commission, crucial for the preservation of our heritage, is composed of seven members and two alternates. One seat has been vacant for several years; the two alternate seats are also vacant. Several meetings have been cancelled due to a lack of a quorum. Applications for work within historic districts are automatically approved if not acted upon within 60 days.
What would you as a city councilor do to ensure all SHC seats are full and that SHC members attend meetings?
“The issues laid out here like a lack of quorum and inconsistent attendance are not just facing the Springfield Historic Commission, but many of the city’s boards and commissions. We need to find a way to persuade the Mayor to overhaul the process by which vacancies are filled for city boards and commissions. My former colleague, At-Large City Councilor Jesse Lederman, has done an enormous amount of work in this area, and his recommendations broadly fall into three categories: first, casting a wider net for these volunteer positions; second, doing more to highlight the work these bodies are doing; and third, taking seriously the output of these bodies when it comes to decision-making.
Educating the community on the role and value of the Historical Commission would also go a long way towards encouraging people to serve on the board.” -Justin Hurst
“I would propose a policy or resolution that clearly outlines attendance expectations for commission members. While I respect volunteer service, consistent inability to meet quorum requirements is unacceptable. I would support the Mayor in replacing appointed members who fail to meet a reasonable standard of attendance (e.g., missing three consecutive meetings without cause), making it clear that serving on the SHC is a serious commitment to the City of Springfield.”-Joesiah Gonzalez
“I brought to the attention of the administration that 70% of all board members throughout the City are out of term. This gives the mayor an undue amount of power. Out of terms Commissioners are placed in a position that they could be replaced at any moment. Furthermore, having three open seats is a disservice to the residents and the preservation efforts. I will use the bully pulpit will start making appearances at the meetings to send the message that we are watching and expect efficiency. Boards and Commissions are the closest body to the people. They must operate efficiently. Canceling meetings due to a lack of quorum is simply not acceptable.” -Victor Davila
“I will also follow up with Tim Sheehan to see what his perspective on this is. I want to make sure that I understand how his organization supports the Historical Commission and what his feelings are about the openings you refer to. First we need to have that conversation, understand who the current members are and what issues he might see. So it starts with a conversation, and once we are in agreement, I will try to see what I can do about the openings. I believe the Mayor appoints people to these positions, so there would need to be conversations with the Mayor.” -Timothy Allen
“I am dismayed that the Historical Commission continues to suffer from the lack of full membership, and at times, the lack of a quorum. I watch all City Council Regular Meetings and Sub Committee Meetings, and in the two years since the 2023 election, I have watched the General Government Committee vet new members of the commission. I have heard testimony indicating that we were in a better place than we were in 2023 and I am sorry to hear that this is not the case.
Earlier this year, I published a Press Release regarding the lack of in-person participation by a majority of the incumbent At Large City Councilors (See The Metro Record, “Candidate Calls Out City Council for Remote Meeting “Abuse”, Demands Reform, September 25th, 2025.) My general premise was that if incumbents want to continue to do the work on the City Council, they should strive for 100% in-person attendance. In that spirit, I expect the same goal for any appointed board member within the City of Springfield. Our boards only work when appointees are fully engaged and prepared to conduct the business of the city.
I am a regular participant at Civic Associations across the city and as part of my work on the City Council, I will be sharing opportunities for board service at every meeting I attend. In this way, we will be able to “get the word out” that opportunities for public service exist within the City of Springfield.
I have served as a volunteer member for the PILOT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes) and New Revenue Subcommittee for the last two years. One of the potential uses of PILOT revenue could be to provide a small stipend to volunteer board members in appreciate of their service to the city. I believe doing this would help to improve participation rates of existing commission members, but also to attract new members. While it is not my intent to publicly call out volunteer residents who may have poor attendance records at their meetings, I will not be afraid to engage with them privately, and encourage them to improve their attendance, or to consider resigning, and to make a recommendation for a replacement. I believe many residents join our boards and commissions with the best of intentions, but there are times where life gets in the way, and their ability to meet the obligations of service are diminished. We want to treat these residents with respect and understanding, so that in the future, they can be called upon again to serve.”- Juan Latorre
“I understand the importance of the SHC’s decisions in keeping our heritage vibrant and flourishing.
As a City Councilor, I have contact with many different people all around the city, many of whom want to get involved, but are not sure how. I would encourage people to apply for the open seat and the alternate seats so that SHC can welcome new people to the Commission. In order to better understand why SHC members are not attending, I would ask those that struggle to attend what is getting in the way. With that information at hand, we would better be able to address why the quorum is not regularly met. I believe that filling the three seats would go a long way towards making a quorum at meetings.” - Mary Johnson
3) The potential loss of two Springfield buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places is a cause for concern. These buildings, proposed for a possible new courthouse site, have been neglected instead of being maintained. If this site is chosen, these two buildings will likely be demolished rather than restored and incorporated into the plan, leading to a significant loss of our architectural heritage.
What should the City do to assure the restoration of these highly visible historic resources?
“It is important that we continue to engage with the Historical Commission, The Office of Economic Development, and investors on a project by project basis to determine what is feasible with preservation being at the forefront of the discussion. The Community Preservation Committee has done an excellent job in incentivizing investors to rehab Historic Properties and the City should consider matching the CPA awards for Historic Preservation when possible. Offering more PILOT’s (Payments in Lieu of Taxes) may go a long way toward incentivizing investors to preserve these historic properties sooner so the city is not on the hook for trying to maintain them.”-Justin Hurst
The City Council must use its influence to mandate that any new development on this site, particularly a public one like a courthouse, adheres to a strict standard of adaptive reuse. Demolition should only be considered as an absolute last resort. I would sponsor a resolution opposing any plan that does not incorporate the restoration and structural integration of the historic buildings.” -Joesiah Gonzalez
“I am very concerned with the speed in which buddings are being affected with the coming of the new courthouse. No building should be affected until a courthouse has been secured. Even when a courthouse location has been chosen, every effort should be made to save the historic building. For saving a historic building is saving the City's history. I will collaborate with the Springfield Preservation Trust as to the best methods to assure restoration of these historic buildings.” -Victor Davila
“One of the potential courthouse sites could involve the demolition of two historic buildings. I need to talk to Tim Sheehan about this issue. I need to understand what buildings they are, what has been done about them, etc. Then we need to understand their status and a potential action plan for them. If that site is selected for the courthouse, then we will be ready for the discussions that will be necessary to decide on a plan of action for those buildings.” - Timothy Allen
“I am familiar with the proposal by the group led by Jeb Balise and The Dennis Group to build a courthouse in the area around Lyman Street. I was disappointed to read an article in The Republican that indicated that the buildings were in very poor shape and not suitable for restoration.
The first step I’d like to take is to obtain a tour of the buildings with city officials. The articles have suggested that the buildings have been marketed for redevelopment for years without success. One of the challenges of the ownership of a historic building is that not every owner has the necessary skillsets needed to steer a property through the complex process of historic rehabilitation. Simply listing a property for sale, or promoting a potential redevelopment, may not be enough to attract potential partners and financers.
I would recommend that an independent analysis be performed by a qualified entity to ascertain whether or not the owners’ description of the buildings and their likelihood of redevelopment is accurate and as described. That analysis should also be vetted by trusted historical organizations (like the SPT), but also, well known entities within the City of Springfield (think First Resource Group) who have proven track records of success with historic preservation. With that information, it would be easier to determine whether the approval to demolish a building was appropriate. Once we destroy a historic building – we can never get it back.” - Juan Latorre
“At this time, I support partnerships with private owners for the restoration of these buildings because of the deficit in the City’s budget over the next few years. There may be challenging times coming for Springfield, and these buildings could bring revenue as historical centers for commerce, or museums.” - Mary Johnson
4) Many Springfield homeowners are in need of funds to restore their residences properly. For example, 37 George Street had a fire, and the owner, like many others, does not have the funds to restore their home.
What would you do as a city councilor to make historic homes a priority for funding?
“We need to work more closely with Tina Quagliato in the Office of Housing to make sure that we are applying for all possible grant funding to benefit the residents of Springfield. Additionally, we need to collaborate with our state and federal delegation to ensure that they are doing the same recognizing that our historic neighborhoods in the City of Springfield are a draw for tourism as well as families who are looking to move into our City.
To the extent that we can utilize Community Preservation Act monies, then we should encourage homeowners to take advantage of those opportunities. The City of Springfield should also consider having a line item in the budget for this specific purpose. Finally, we ought to leverage our relationships with our local financial institutions who the City does business with and encourage them to offer low interest loans for those homeowners who are looking to restore their residences, but who might not be able to afford the upfront costs all at once.” -Justin Hurst
“I would strongly urge the Mayor's office and my fellow Council members to prioritize increasing the allocation of federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME funds specifically designated for historic home rehabilitation. This is especially crucial for supporting low-to-moderate-income homeowners in historic districts, ensuring they receive the necessary resources to preserve our community’s valuable heritage." -Josiah Gonzalez
“We could explore the possibility of expanding the Emergency Repair Program, which provides funds to income-eligible owner-occupants to pay for the costs of a single item emergency repair to their home. This program provides a 0% interest deferred-payment loan, forgiven over five years if the owner continues to occupy the home as their principal residence to include repairs to the principal residence. This will be a very wise investment.” -Victor Davila
“Last year the city applied for and received a $20 million dollar grant from the federal government. Among other things, it was to provide funds for people to restore their residences. We were so happy to receive it and unfortunately, not too long after we received it, the grant was withdrawn. The federal government took the money back. I met with Gerry McCafferty last week to discuss many of our housing issues and we discussed this issue in that meeting. I will talk with her again. I need to understand the sources of funds to offer to people to repair their residences. I will look into this deeper and see if we can get a full understanding of what money is out there to help people do repairs.
In our meeting, Gerry mentioned that in January we will begin a comprehensive housing study, something we have not done in years. This needs to be one of the categories of the study. I am interested in this topic and will support the housing study in whatever way that I can.” - Timothy Allen
“The City of Springfield is fortunate to benefit from the Community Preservation Act, which provides some opportunities for residents who own historic properties to utilize CPA funds to pursue exterior preservation and stabilization projects.
One reason why I am in support of pursuing PILOT agreements is that the city is in dire need of new revenue streams. While a huge concern of mine is finding ways to make our annual property tax adjustments more manageable for residents and businesses, another concern is identifying new revenue to support the Springfield Housing Trust. With new revenue streams, the city would be able to help more residents with grants to maintain the integrity of their historic homes.
Beyond the physical structures themselves, I am always very pleased to see the work that is done to ensure the overall district in which historic homes reside. Seeing the restoration of the fountain at Florentine Gardens in the Cozy Corner is one example. Another is the work of the Forest Park Civic Association to advocate for appropriate sidewalks and street lighting (other civic associations are likely doing similar work.) I am a firm believer of “do things the right way, or don’t do them at all”, and I seek to bring this approach to the City Council.” - Juan Latorre
“I support making our historic homes a priority, and making it easier to refurbish and fix them. I also believe keeping residential property taxes low will go a long way towards easing the burden on residents who need to make necessary repairs over the next few years. In addition, I support getting out the word about grants from the state of Massachusetts to help homeowners with repairs. I would seek these grants out and share them with residents in my biannual email lists. Lastly, I know that SPT members have excellent ideas and resources, and so I would also collaborate with them to inform owners about their options.” - Mary Johnson
5) The City often holds tax-foreclosed buildings and surplus municipal buildings for several years, during which the structures deteriorate from lack of care. For example, the City foreclosed on the historic Chapman & Brooks Block at 135 Lyman Street in 2009. The building is now in far worse condition than when acquired by the City. Currently, this property has a Request for Proposal out for reuse.
What additional protections or incentives would you recommend to ensure the historic building is appropriately restored?
Justin Hurst’s response, “I’m committed to working with the Office of Economic Development to ensure that they have the resources in the budget to adequately secure these city-owned properties. I am also willing to put forth resolves encouraging the Mayor and his team to properly secure city-owned historic properties. These resolves often times are a mechanism to inform the public of the problem and the cities shortcomings. Sometimes having pressure applied from residents is much more powerful than a single city councilor making a request that falls on deaf ears.
Again, we need to work more closely with developers and be willing to offer more PILOT’s (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) for those willing to purchase and restore these historical properties. The quicker we identify developers the less likely they are to sit on the cities’ tax rolls and become dilapidated.”-Justin Hurst
“The City, as a temporary owner of a historic asset, has a moral and legal obligation to prevent demolition by neglect. The case of the Chapman & Brooks Block highlights a systemic failure that must be corrected. To ensure the appropriate restoration of historic buildings being sold by the City, I would recommend the following protections and incentives:
- The consideration of preservation easements, which can be held by the Springfield
Historical Commission or a qualified preservation organization, can require new
owner/developers to adhere to preservation standards, such as a building’s façade
features.
- Meet with local banks to assess willingness to offer special home improvement loans
for Springfield residents with Historical homes, such as the beautiful homes we have
on Springfield’s Mattoon Street in Ward 1, to ensure that these homes and others do
not fall into disrepair.”-Joesiah Gonzalez
“Springfield is facing housing difficulties. The city ought to be reusing, where appropriate, dilapidated buildings into housing units. We must work closely with the neighborhood councils to ensure that not only historic properties but also properties in general do not go into despair.
Tax Incentive Financing (TIF) can be offered for development. We also need to ensure that the Economic Department has the staff and resources to manage projects.” -Victor Davila
“Our historic houses and buildings are assets to our city. I was not previously aware of the action on the Chapman & Books Block. I will pursue getting fuller information on the properties like that so we can have a complete list and see what actions are being undertaken on those properties. To me, that list would be a good start to deciding what we should do in the future with regard to further protections or incentives.” - Timothy Allen
“Our city does not have a flawless track record of stewardship of historic properties. I am of the opinion that these properties should be in the hands of the city for the shortest amount of time possible. The city is simply ill equipped to ensure the protection and stability of all buildings, and as the buildings deteriorate and fall into disrepair, the chances for a structural failure, fire, or other disaster increase. This is one reason why I was pleased to see that the city decided to transfer ownership of their portion of the rowhouses on Maple Street to the developer of the other row houses. In speaking with the developers – that is an extremely difficult project, that was becoming more complicated due to the City of Springfield’s inability to secure the properties. I am hopeful that the transfer of the remaining row houses will give that project a greater chance to succeed.
I’d work with Planning and Economic Development to review every city owned property. Each property should have an annual letter grade assigned to assess its’ stability – structural, electrical, weatherization, etc. Properties which have been in municipal hands for 5+ years and have a lower letter grade would be designated “high risk” properties that would need greater attention (more regular building inspector reviews, enhanced security methods to prevent trespassing) and a clear plan to market the properties for sale and potential redevelopment.
Depending on the designated risk of the property, the City of Springfield would need to be very careful about who might be chosen to purchase and redevelop the property. Low risk properties and smaller projects could be prioritized with local developers looking to gain experience in historical preservation. High risk, large projects will need RFQ’s/RFP’s written that emphasize a clear and demonstrated level of experience in being awarded historic tax credits and restoring properties to ensure a greater chance of redevelopment success.” - Juan Latorre
“The Lyman Street Chapman & Brooks Block could be a step in the direction of progress for the area between the North End and Downtown. I believe part of the issue is how we as a City are marketing our properties to investors and the infrastructure around them –or lack thereof. We can make the offers more attractive by offering tax incentives to investors if they follow guidelines that would keep the historic integrity of the building.” - Mary Johnson