EAST LONGMEADOW – The Town Council unanimously approved a district improvement financing (DIF) area for East Longmeadow’s side of a campus style medical complex that crosses town lines into Longmeadow.

Developer Michael Crowley previously presented in Longmeadow and stated the DIF would allow the tax revenue to be utilized for a 20-year period for the sole purpose of remodeling traffic intersections along the Dwight Road area, which impacts both communities. Baystate Health is attached to the project as a tenant for a two-story 50,000-square-food medical building, which is one of four buildings that could be created for the campus style medical complex. Berkshire Health would also be a tenant for the project.

Director of Planning & Zoning Robyn Macdonald told Reminder Publications the district was approved for East Longmeadow, but the terms of the DIF have yet to be approved.

Longmeadow’s Select Board approved a warrant article for Longmeadow’s upcoming May Town Meeting for the DIF at its Feb. 27 meeting.

If Longmeadow residents approve the article the project would move forward, if not the project would end at that stage, Macdonald said.

“We’re going to be entering into a inter-municipal agreement with Longmeadow because they are the lead on the whole DIF,” Town Manager Denise Menard said. “They’re the ones that have the majority of the property – the roadway. The property itself is pretty close to half and half, but [Longmeadow] is getting the majority of the taxable pieces of construction.”

When asked how much tax revenue the project would generate for East Longmeadow, Menard replied, “We don’t know yet because we don’t know what the plan is, but Berkshire Health has agreed to make a contribution. It’s not considered a payment in lieu of taxes, but it is similar to that … Until they have it on paper, it’s hard to say how much it would be.”

Macdonald said the town has no concerns about the project.

“The big benefit will be road improvements at no cost to the town,” Menard said. “I don’t know how we could have a concern about that.”

The Chestnut Street and Benton Street traffic signal would also be updated as part of the project, Macdonald said. The sidewalk along Maple Street and Dwight Road would be improved as well.