Tornado aid enables several projects in Springfield

Springfield officials learned in January that $25 million in federal money will be available for renovating or replacing city-owned buildings that were damaged by the tornado that struck the city in June 2011.

The $25 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency money is designed for capital-intensive projects, including a new $12 million senior center with roughly 43,000 square feet for offices and a dining room large enough to seat 300.

Also in line for funding is the Clifford Phaneuf Environmental Center. The city is planning to redevelop the building that will house the center to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, a project that is expected to cost about $2.75 million.

“This building will be a catalyst to launching Springfield’s ‘green culture’ and instilling environmental stewardship to our youth,” Mayor Domenic Sarno said in a Jan. 13 press release.

A third project made possible by the FEMA funding is a new city-owned South End community center. The $8 million facility will include a gymnasium along with roughly 21,000 square feet in program space.

The $25 million is in addition to $21.9 million awarded last year through the federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Assistance program. The CDBG funding has been used, among other purposes, for setting priorities on how best to rebuild areas damaged by the tornado or other storms in 2011 or 2012.