Progress at the new apartment building at 55 South Pleasant Street.
The new five‑story building is coming together behind the historic Hastings building.
This project connects a modern residential tower to the back of the 19th‑century A.J. Hastings building, preserving the street‑facing storefront (now home to the Amherst College store) while adding 22 new apartment units above and behind it.
Town planners and the Design Review Board approved the design in early 2024. Their focus was on preserving the historic wood‑frame façade, enhancing pedestrian safety along the covered arcade, and ensuring the elevator/stair tower blends harmoniously with the existing streetscape.
With design elements like benches, bike racks, and fresh plantings, the project aims to maintain pedestrian appeal between South Pleasant, Amity, and Prospect streets.
Kuhn Riddle Architects designed the project.
Construction includes demolishing the ell at the rear of the Hastings building, along with the old Red Door Salon to make way for the new structure and a landscaped entry plaza (‘ell’ is an architectural term for a wing or extension of a building that is set at a right angle to the main section, forming an “L” shape, hence the name).
When the project was first announced, we could not help thinking, “How will they fit 22 apartments in that tiny space?”
However, it appears that there is more space than we initially imagined, and it’s happening.
According to Kuhn Riddle, completion is scheduled for August 2025.
The development is already intended primarily for Amherst College student housing under a lease agreement covering all 22 units, 63 beds in total, though town rules classify it as mixed‑use since there’s retail space on the ground floor.
The historic Hastings building and adjacent lot were consolidated under South Pleasant Street LLC, an entity controlled by local developer Barry Roberts, who acquired the Hastings storefront (formerly owned by Mary Brohl and Sharon Povenelli) in December 2023. His firm, Roberts Group, is serving as the project’s builder and manager.
