Click Here to see a Map of the Proposed Shopping Center

Here are the facts of the proposed Tennis Road Shopping Plaza. All facts on the Tennis Road Plaza are from information made public by the developer. All facts on other shopping plazas are from the respective town's assessors office websites and public records. Links are provided where possible. PROJECT SCOPE The proposed Tennis Road Shopping Plaza consists of 3 parcels totaling 86 acres of land with a proposed 563,265 square feet of retail space. Source: Town of Agawam / NRDC website Link: NRDC website-Agawam Pavilion Of course, the square footage is now 83,000 square feet larger than the original proposal that was presented in January at the Oaks Banquet house. No explanation is given where the changes will occur. ____________________________________________________ The Riverdale Shops in West Springfield Consists of 1 parcel of 33.37 acres, containing 5 separate buildings totaling 229,618 Square feet. This includes The Kohl's / Stop & Shop Plaza, The KFC, The vacant Chi-Chi's Restaurant, The Burger KIng, and a bank. The assessors office official website lists only  these buildings as part of the Riverdale Shops. The rest of the buildings in that area are stand alone entities. In addition, The Costco property consists of 1 parcel of 11.44 acres, containing 1 building totaling 121,684 square feet. The Home Depot property consists of 1 parcel of 12.27 acres, containing 1 building totaling 127,935 square feet Total acreage of above parcels:  57.08 Acres. Total square footage of above parcels:  479,237 sq ft. Source: Town of West Springfield Website-Assessors online records. Link: Town of West Springfield Assessors Office Website To access the specific records, click on the "Online property records" link. Then you will need to enter your email address, then create a password. From there, you can type in the address (935 Riverdale St for the Riverdale Shops, Daggett Dr for Costco and Home Depot.) Try some other addresses, like 895 Riverdale St, and compare it to what the proponents are telling you is fact. We provide links - Where is the documentation of their "facts"? ____________________________________________________ The Longmeadow Shops are often mentioned as comparable "community Shopping" The Longmeadow Shops  property consist of 1 parcel of 9.69 acres containing 1 building totaling 75,158 square feet. In that plaza you can also include The Big Y Market, which consists of 1 parcel of 2.39 acres, containing 1 building totaling 37,747 square feet. Total of both parcels is 12.08 acres, and 112,905 square feet. Source: Town of Longmeadow Website-Assessors Office online records Link: Town of Longmeadow Assessors Office To access the specific records, type in the addresses, 679 & 690 Bliss Rd ____________________________________________________ TRAFFIC IMPACT According to a study done by The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), the definitive source for estimating trips generated from different land use types, One 200,000 square foot free standing discount superstore will generate an average of 76,232 vehicle trips per week. One 108,000 square foot home improvement store will generate an average of 24,122 vehicle trips per week Source: Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation, 7th Edition. Link: ITE Traffic Study Based on these documented facts, how much traffic do you think a 563,000 Square Foot shopping plaza will generate? We are still waiting for documented traffic information from the proponents and the developer.  Where is it?   No studies. No references. No sources. No links. ____________________________________ ECONOMIC IMPACT The economic impact of "big box" stores on local communities has been studied and documented numerous times. There is not enough space here to list the numerous figures that show that chain retailers do not increase the tax base, but instead cost town governments tax dollars.   Below are several links to independent studies that show the facts. We are still waiting for documented economic information from the proponents and the developer. Where is it?   No studies. No references. No sources. No links New Rules Report Andersonville Study Barnstable Massachusetts Study Concord NH Study Mid-Coast Maine Study Austin Texas Study Civic Economics Report Center for Applied Economic Research Report

Citizens Against Reckless Development C.A.R.D.

Maryland Study

Central Ohio Study

the proposed Tennis Rd. Development it's developer & the Ballot questions It will be bigger than Riverdale shops in W. Springfield including Costco,Home Depot & Pep Boys combined! In square footage 563,000 ! (See photo) The developer's own traffic engineer said there will be 140,000 car trips per week on average, more during holidays. (see NRDC's traffic expert video above) The City Council, the Planning Board & CARD have asked for traffic,       environmental and other standard development studies and have all been refused. Why? The City Council & Planning Board on October 17th voted not to endorse the ballot questions written by the developer. And stated that the people of Agawam are being misled to believe the ballot questions are for "Retail" when in fact they are for new zoning. And will in affect allow the developer to build what ever he wants ! Our insurance rates will go up Housing / real estate values will go down The Ballots questions if approved will allow any developer nearly unbridled building in Agawam. The Planning Board says there have only the power to "recommend" changes to the developer. There are No Zoning laws to address size or construction of a commercial building of this size. In twenty-five years RT 57 will look like Rt 5 in West Springfield... The people and our elected officials are ones that write/make our laws not a Multi- Million dollar corporation for New York !