Robot To Visit Mass MoCA

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What: Ladon, the star of MCLA's Robotic Arts Project, will be the first robot to visit Mass MoCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art). Ladon, who will grow to be 20 feet tall, will ultimately take part in a large, complex exhibition with other creatures called "Night Garden of the Hesperides," being built by artist Eric Rudd and faculty and students of MCLA's Robotic Arts Project under the direction of Physics Department Chair William Seeley. In an effort to help Ladon achieve complete independent intelligence, he will embark on a maiden field trip to Mass MoCA, which is one mile from his current home of MCLA. With a ticket for admission, Ladon will view some art work, and will perhaps leave an egg to be incubated (or cultured) in the pure art environment of the museum. When: Thursday, May 19 beginning at 11:30 a.m. (or Friday, May 20 if rain) Where: Beginning at MCLA, traveling up Church Street, to Main Street to Marshal Street (Mass MoCA) Who: Contact Eric Rudd at 413-652-1929 (cacart@together.net) or MCLA Robotics Lab at 413-662-5186
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Construction is underway to transform the former Harry's Supermarket into a restaurant

Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building. 

"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu. 

A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building. 

White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.  

He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns. 

Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot. 

A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use. 

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