The Town of Amherst purchased property at 457 Main Street - the site of the former VFW hall - in January 2023 for $775,000 with the intention to repurpose the site for housing. Now that plan is beginning to take shape as the Town of Amherst is planning to redevelop the site into housing for individuals experiencing homelessness. UMass Architecture student Isabella (Bella) Donovan focused her undergraduate honors thesis on this project, collaborating with Craig's Doors and the Town of Amherst. Bella emphasized that while Amherst is seen as a college town, many residents face significant economic challenges and housing crises, with about 2,800 unhoused individuals in Western Massachusetts. Donovan's proposal was recently published in the Amherst Current.