SPRINGFIELD – A Chicopee-based developer is planning to convert a long-vacant office building near Interstate-91 into a 39-unit apartment complex.

The City Council granted Patrick Gottschlicht a special permit in a 12-0 vote last week, allowing him to go ahead with his planned project at 333 East Columbus Ave.

Gottschlicht told the council that he grew up in the Forest Park neighborhood, has driven by the building many times and saw an opportunity to reuse it. His plan is to completely gut the inside and then convert it to housing. The units will be one bedrooms and studios ranging from 500 to 624 square feet.

“It has been vacant for at least 10 years. It was once a Howard Johnson’s and then it was converted to office space,” Gottschlicht said at the council meeting.

The apartments w

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