NORTHAMPTON - Neighbors had their chance Wednesday to chime in on the master plan for the proposed Three-County Fairgrounds renovation.

Roughly 35 neighbors and residents crowded into the fairground offices Wednesday evening to get their first glimpse of the comprehensive master plan, complete with an 80,000-square-foot exposition center.

Front and center for the master plan's unveiling was Curtis Catron of Bullock Smith & Partners of Knoxville, Tenn., who presented three different concepts for the redesigned fairgrounds before showing the chosen master plan.

In addition to the exposition center, the plans include renovations to existing structures and the addition of new construction to the fairgrounds. Three new gates and a pedestrian walkway that intersects the site would also be created.

Besides the existing fairgrounds office and a few select buildings, Catron said, the remaining architecture would either be demolished to make way for new construction or be completely renovated for future use.

Catron told residents that the master plan would utilize every aspect of the fairgrounds.

"We intend to use every last square inch of this property," Catron said.

Catron mentioned that his design firm considered green architecture by placing some of the planned structures in a south-facing position geared toward generating solar heat during the winter.

However, some neighbors found fault with the plan's green architecture.

Michael Filas, of 222 Bridge St., said he was dismayed by the total asphalt footprint for the plan, which includes the paving of several grass parking lots in the area.

"It seems like they didn't even consider or respect the aesthetics of the neighborhood if they want to take away all the green grass," said Filas. "One of the reasons why we wanted to live in Northampton was because of the landscape, and this plan would take that landscape away."

Filas, who said he regularly jogs along Fair Road, said he found the lack of an environmentally friendly plan discouraging.

Some also found the figures from a 2005 feasibility study troubling, given the difficult economic climate of 2008.

Catron told residents that completion of the exhibition hall alone would increase fairground revenues to nearly $35 million from the current $15.5 million, while hotel taxes would jump from $67,000 to $140,000. State taxes would go up from $490,000 to $1 million.

But in an economic downturn marked by rising gas prices, a plummeting housing market, stagnant wages, and rising inflation, Adrian Staub of Northampton said those 2005 figures must be revisited before moving forward with the plan.

"The economic factors that were taken into account in the original assessment may need to be reassessed," Staub said. "It seems that economic considerations in 2005 are very different than they are today."

Catron told residents that his group will not know the exact figures for 2008 until later on in the process.

Andrew Horton can be reached at ahorton@gazettenet.com