Development Associates Begins Third Northampton Office Building

NORTHAMPTON — Agawam-based real-estate firm Development Associates has begun construction of a 66,000-square-foot, three-story office building at 15 Atwood Dr. in Northampton, immediately south of I-91 exit 18. The project is being developed by Northwood Development LLC, whose owners are longtime local investors Edward O’Leary and his daughters, Eileen O’Leary Sullivan and Susan O’Leary Mulhern.

The project is located on the site of the former Clarion Hotel and Conference Center that was demolished in 2016 to prepare for redevelopment. The overall site-development plan was recently approved by the city of Northampton, and provides for two new office buildings on the site, the one under construction being closer to Route 5, and a future multi-story building at the rear of the property near Interstate 91.

The new building plan offers professional and medical space for lease with occupancy expected at the end of 2018. The Massachusetts Trial Court has leased 22,000 square feet, consisting of the entire first floor plus a portion of the second floor. The remainder of the second floor and the entire third floor, which offers more than 20,000 square feet, are available for new tenants.

According to Ken Vincunas, managing partner of Development Associates, “the brand-new open floor plan allows the initial tenants the opportunity to have floor plans custom-designed to suit their exact requirements, and we are already attracting quite of bit of tenant interest.”

The construction plans show that the building will have abundant windows, a covered drop-off lane, two elevators, energy-efficient design, and hundreds of parking spaces.

This is the third major office building developed by Development Associates at this location, following two earlier successful three-story buildings on the south side of Atwood Drive. These previous buildings, which came online in 2012 and 2013, are fully leased, primarily to Mass General/Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

The new building is being built by general contractor R.P. Masiello of Boylston, with architectural design by Gregory J. O’Connor Associates Inc. of Worcester. Development Associates is the construction manager and leasing broker for the project.