SOUTH DEERFIELD — Nearly 30 years after the town purchased the property, the new and improved Leary Lot opened to residents and travelers late last week, marking a national milestone.

With $2.46 million from the Federal Highway Administration’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program, which is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the revitalized parking project features 57 parking spots, green space and pedestrian walkways, as well as two Level 3 electric vehicle charging stations that can fully charge a car in just 20 minutes. The parking lot at 59 North Main St. also has two dual-port Level 2 chargers and permeable asphalt to manage stormwater.

The completion of the Leary Lot, which took about 10½ months since the grant was awarded in January, marks the first Charging and Fueling Infrastructure project completed in the eastern United States and just the second in the nation. The first completed project was finished in Washington, according to Joi Singh, the Federal Highway Administration’s Massachusetts division administrator.

“It really is an exciting day for the town of Deerfield and really for the whole notion of progress. … This $2.46 million grant will help to support the town of Deerfield, as you attract even more visitors to the South Deerfield center and as you provide options for families that may not be able to install charging infrastructure at their homes,” Singh said at a morning ribbon-cutting event last Friday that drew dozens of local, state and federal officials, along with residents.

“Today, with the installation of these charging stations, we take an important step toward equity and transportation options. We take an important step toward economic growth for the town of Deerfield and an important step for progress,” Singh said. “We are making an investment in the continued success for the town of Deerfield.”

Other funding for the project included $495,954 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money and roughly $98,000 in Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant funding. The town also swapped a small parcel of land with Hamshaw Lumber to create an entrance onto Elm Street, which will also allow the company to complete an approximately 12,000-square-foot expansion project.

The completion of the Leary Lot marks the end of a process that began when the town purchased the property in 1996 and picked up steam in 2021, as the town pursues a wide-ranging revitalization plan for South Deerfield. To complete the process, it took cooperation from residents, Deerfield officials, businesses and Eversource, as well as the state and federal government.

“We’ve built it and we’re sure visitors will come, making the Leary Lot a true economic multiplier for downtown South Deerfield,” Select Board Chair Tim Hilchey said. “When electric vehicles pull off the local highways to recharge for 20 minutes at our high-speed charging station, our local stores and restaurants will be at hand to meet their needs.”

While it took participation from numerous sources to bring the project to fruition, Hilchey singled out two key contributors to the project: former Assistant Town Administrator Chris Nolan-Zeller, who helped secure and organize the grant before joining Montague earlier this year; and interim Town Administrator Christopher Dunne, who took the reins from Nolan-Zeller as Deerfield’s town planner before taking on the interim town administrator role. Hilchey also thanked Rep. Natalie Blais, Sen. Jo Comerford and U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern for their support, as well as fellow Select Board member Trevor McDaniel and former longtime Select Board member Carolyn Shores Ness.

To complete the project, Deerfield was assisted by Rivermoor Energy, Universal Electric and Taylor Davis Landscape Co., which undertook the site improvements and stormwater infrastructure work. Additionally, Berkshire Design Group handled the design work and engineered the infrastructure and landscape, while Weston & Sampson handled the electrical infrastructure.

John Tourtelotte, managing director of Rivermoor Energy, said the project is an example of interdisciplinary cooperation that was completed at a blazing-fast pace.

“It’s so great to see all of the participants: private sector, governmental, municipal, state, federal, all come together to create an industry-leading fast-charging project,” Tourtelotte said. “To get the a project done of this complexity, not just the charging, but all the rest of the site improvements, and to get all of this equipment actually ordered and delivered and installed properly is somewhat miraculous.”

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.