Some Unhappy About Possible Future for Longhill Gardens

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By Lesley Tanner

Story Published: Mar 3, 2008 at 9:19 PM EDT

Story Updated: Mar 3, 2008 at 9:19 PM EDT

Neighbors are banding together against a plan to renovate Longhill Gardens, saying it will bring back crime. But other Springfield residents say it can revitalize the neighborhood.

Boarded up windows and unshoveled sidewalks are what is left of Longhill Gardens. More than 100 families were evicted from their homes after the buildings were condemned, but Boston-based developer Winn Companies hopes to give them new life.

"Here's our solution and we're anxious to see it come through," says Bill Malloy with Concerned Citizens for Springfield.

Winn Companies' plan has support from the Forest Park Civic Association and Concerned Citizens for Springfield, the group that helped former residents fight their eviction in court, but members of newly formed neighborhood group, Springfield Forward, say opening the doors to a new group of low-income residents will reopen the door to crime.

"When questions were asked to this developer about security concerns, let me tell you what their answer was," says George Pappas with Springfield Forward. "We are going to have security cameras and a loudspeaker and if we see you doing something illegal we're going to tell you to get out. That's an amazing solution."

Springfield Forward hopes a different developer will step forward with a plan to turn the buildings into office space or middle class housing, though they don't have any interested developers yet.

"We are reaching out to stakeholders at lightning speed," says Pappas. "If you ask me the same question in two weeks we'll probably have one or two names."

But their opposition says it's time the neighborhood can't afford.

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