DEERFIELD — After a second public forum on the proposed Leary Lot design, the town is one step closer to producing design documents for the planned parking lot.

A handful of residents gathered with the Select Board last week to discuss their thoughts on three proposed designs by Berkshire Design Group’s Jeffrey Squire that would transform the roughly 1.5-acre asphalt and dirt lot into a larger paved lot and green space in the center of South Deerfield.

Squire presented three designs ranging from 64 to 79 parking spaces with varying amounts of green space. Those in attendance, along with the Select Board, came to the consensus that approximately 60 spaces would be the optimal amount because the town could fulfill its parking needs while also creating a green space for residents and visitors to enjoy.

“I know we’re building a parking lot, but it’s always nice to build a green park, too,” Select Board member Trevor McDaniel said. “Fifty-something parking sports would significantly add to downtown.”

The key aspects of the plan also include installing electric vehicle chargers and alleviating the traffic flow in town by wrapping the lot from North Main Street to Elm Street.

Going through the designs, Squire said his intention is to connect the numerous businesses along Elm Street, Berkshire Brewing Co. and the residences with a parking lot and green space.

“It’s just trying to create some sense of a moment there, that is a park space, a parklet space, in the parking lot,” he said, “that allows a connection to happen between some of the different businesses and destinations.”

In terms of traffic flow, Select Board members came to the consensus that they would prefer the lot to be one-way, with an entrance on North Main Street and then an exit onto Elm Street, because that could reduce traffic in Deerfield’s main four-way intersection and cut down on left-hand turns onto North Main Street.

The Leary Lot, alongside the town common, are expected to be the first projects completed as part of the town’s South Deerfield revitalization and municipal campus initiative that aims to increase connectivity and walkability around the center of town.

“We really do want people to access downtown,” said Select Board Chair Carolyn Shores Ness.

The Select Board requested Squire work with Berkshire Brewing Co. founder and President Gary Bogoff to finalize a design with the beer garden and the lot’s connection to that in the parcel’s northwest portion.

Final conceptual designs will be presented at a third and final forum on Monday, Aug. 21, at 6 p.m. Construction documents will then be produced based on that design.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.]]>