For Immediate Release (Eastham, MA) -- EASTHAM, MA –
Eastham is one of 16 communities across Massachusetts to be awarded funding through the first round of the Rural and Small Town Development Fund grant program. A total of $75,000 was awarded to the town to create a Master Site Development Plan for use of the 11-acre town-owned parcel known as “T-Time” (4790 State Highway Route 6) and the nearby 3.5-acre Town Center Plaza property (4550 State Highway Route 6), which the town is currently under agreement to purchase.
The Rural and Small Town Development Fund grant program supports local projects in communities with populations below 7,000 or a population density of less than 500 people per square mile. The program was created in the Economic Development Legislations signed by Governor Baker in January 2021 and is part of the Community One Stop for Growth, a single application portal for municipal community and economic development grant programs. More information on the program can be found at Mass.gov
Funding for the Master Plan project will help Eastham make progress toward a community priority outlined in the Town’s 5-Year Strategic Plan: developing a vibrant and walkable village center in North Eastham. The Master Plan project will produce options for site layout, conceptual designs with architectural renderings, and a phased plan for implementation, incorporating both the T-Time and Town Center Plaza properties. Through the Master Plan process, the Town will provide opportunities for community input, continuing the standard set by the Eastham T-Time Development Committee in their recent work to identify recommended uses for the sites. A request for proposals is currently posted on the Town website to identify a firm or consultant team to assist the Town with the Master Plan project, with work expected to begin in January 2022.
About the T-Time Property
The T-Time property is a town-owned 11-acre parcel of land at 4790 State Highway (Route 6), formerly the site of the T-Time golf driving range. Eastham residents agreed to purchase the property in spring of 2019 via both Town Meeting and ballot vote, with the goal of finding a use that would be an asset to the community, satisfy unmet needs, and reflect the Town’s community character and quality of life. To learn more about the T-Time Property and the T-Time Development Initiative, visit www.easthamttime.org.
Please Join the T-Time Committee as they present their Final Recommendations to the Select Board on Monday, December 6, 2021 at 5:30. Go to : town of eastham website and click on the calendar for zoom meeting links. and agenda (will be posted by Friday December 3).
About the Town Center Plaza Property
The Town Center Plaza is a 3.5-acre commercial property in North Eastham, located at 4550 State Highway (Route 6). The Town is currently under agreement to purchase the property, with an anticipated closing date of February 2022. Together with T-Time, the Town Center Plaza property presents a unique opportunity for the Town to make progress toward the vision of a walkable, mixed-use village center in North Eastham.
For more information Contact:
Jacqueline W. Beebe, MPA
Town Administrator
(774) 801-3211
jbeebe@eastham-ma.gov