MassMutual plans to expand parking lots, internal roads at Springfield headquarters

SPRINGFIELD -- MassMutual is asking the city for zoning changes so it can expand surface parking lots and the internal road system at its State Street headquarters.

The insurance giant has asked the city to change the zoning from Residence B classification to Commercial P on properties it owns on Buchholz, Providence and Clarence streets, according to legal notices printed in The Republican as part of the zone change process. The side-street properties are all part of MassMutual’s 89-acre campus.

A public hearing on the proposed zone change is set for 6 p.m. March 18 in Room 220 of City Hall. All zoning changes eventually go before the City Council for approval or disapproval.

Philip Dromey, the Springfield deputy director of planning, said the zoning changes are related to the planned road work.

MassMutual is making changes to its 93-year-old headquarters building as it makes room for about 1,000 additional workers and modernizes to an open-office concept with collaborative workspaces instead of cubicles. MassMutual plans a $50 million renovation.

"As part of the multi-year plan to expand our footprint in Massachusetts, we are making facilities improvements and adjustments at our State Street campus," spokeswoman Laura Crisco said.

The MassMutual headquarters has 3,500 employees now and expects to hit 4,500 employees by the end of 2021 or early 2022. Its Enfield offices -- where 1,500 people work today -- will likely be closed by the end of 2021 as MassMutual migrates most of those jobs to Springfield.

___

(c)2020 MassLive.com, Springfield, Mass.

Visit MassLive.com, Springfield, Mass. at www.masslive.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.