Hydroponic Farm Puts Down Roots In Springfield's Gasoline Alley

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Updated on July 5, 2017 at 7:34 AMPosted on July 5, 2017 at 7:33 AM

Gallery: Urban Artisan Farm

BY CAROLYN ROBBINS  | crobbins163@gmail.com

Special to The Republican  |  SPRINGFIELD

Call it an island in a food desert.

That's how former chef Tony Renzulli and business partner Jack Wysocki think of their new business, Urban Artisan Farm, which uses hydroponic technology to produce 100 heads of lettuce a week in a greenhouse complex at 250 Albany St.

The indoor farm, located in a section of the city known as Gasoline Alley because of the huge fuel storage tanks that dot the landscape, is one of several businesses operating out of a quirky set of buildings owned and managed by entrepreneur Joseph Sibilia.

It may seem an unlikely spot for a hydroponic farm. But for Renzulli, whose vision is to bring fresh produce to low-income neighborhoods year-round, it's perfect. There aren't many places in the Armory-Liberty Street neighborhood where residents have easy access to fresh vegetables, he said.

Eventually, Renzulli hopes to expand the hydroponic concept to abandoned structures throughout the city with the goal of providing fresh produce and jobs to residents of low-income neighborhoods.

Wellspring Harvest breaks ground for greenhouse

The 2-acre facility means that the old Chapman Valve site in Indian Orchard is being reused.

For now, Renzulli and Wysocki are content to bring the farm's weekly yield of fresh greens to local farmer's markets, including a downtown location. They offer red and green Bibb lettuce and microgreens, which are immature but edible leaves.

They are currently building new structures at Gasoline Alley to expandtheir growing capacity. They also plan to add the cultivation of cucumbers and tomatoes to their year-round operation.