Daily Hampshire Gazette - Northampton closes portion of Main Street sidewalk in danger of collapse
Sidewalk Closure in Northampton
A portion of the Main Street sidewalk in Northampton, Massachusetts, in front of the Florence Bank building, has been temporarily closed due to the risk of collapse. Engineering consultants discovered severe corrosion in the steel framing supporting the sidewalk, rendering it structurally inadequate.
Cause of the Problem
The issue was discovered during assessments of downtown sidewalks for the city's Picture Main Street project, which aims to improve downtown areas. The problem stems from corrosion in the privately-owned vault beneath the sidewalk.
Affected Area
The closure affects the sidewalk section from 56-58 Main St., near the intersection of King and Pleasant streets. This includes the area in front of Florence Bank, a vacant space, and several upper-floor businesses and apartments.
Building Safety
The city assures the public that the structural integrity of the Florence Bank building is not compromised; the issue solely involves the sidewalk. Building owner Eric Suher has been notified.
Next Steps
Temporary shoring will be installed to address the structural issue, though the duration of the sidewalk closure remains uncertain. The article highlights the ongoing assessment and the city's proactive measures to ensure public safety.
The city of Northampton has temporarily closed the sidewalk at 56-58 Main St. that engineers say is in danger of collapsing. The sidewalk is in front of the Florence Bank building, though the concern is with the sidewalk and not the building, the mayor’s office said in a statement Thursday afternoon. GOOGLE MAPS
NORTHAMPTON — The city has closed a portion of the Main Street sidewalk in front of the Florence Bank building after engineering consultants found that the section posed “an immediate risk of collapse.”
The conditions of the downtown sidewalks are currently being assessed by consultants in preparation for the city’s upcoming Picture Main Street project, which seeks to expand downtown sidewalks and narrow the streets to one lane each direction. During these examinations, consultants are inspecting the vault, or the empty space between the sidewalk and the ground that are privately-owned extensions of nearby building foundations.
The affected area stretches along the section of 56-58 Main St. near the intersection of King and Pleasant streets, the building that houses Florence Bank, an empty space where Spoleto’s restaurant used to be, and several upper-floor businesses and apartments.
The building, which is owned by Eric Suher, remains open. “This concern pertains only to the sidewalk, not to the building,” the mayor’s office said in a statement.
VHB, the engineering consultant hired by the city, reported, “The steel framing spanning from the building face to the exterior basement wall in one location is severely corroded, and… it appears that it is no longer structurally adequate to support load. At this time, we recommend restricting [sidewalk] vehicular and pedestrian traffic within the affected area until temporary shoring can be installed.”
It is currently unknown how long the sidewalk will remain closed. In a release on Thursday, the city stated Suher had been notified of the findings.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.
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