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Project engineer David Loring of Tighe & Bond speaks at Tuesdsay's Park Street project update.
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Interim Town Administrator Donna Cesan explains the reasoning behind parts of the design.

Merchants Blame Business Dive on Park Street Project

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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Park Street proprietors say business has dropped off dramatically because of the streetscape project construction. 

ADAMS, Mass. — Park Street business owners say business has dramatically slowed since the streetscape construction began at the end of July.

Residents and business owners met with interim Town Administrator Donna Cesan, representatives from contractor J.H. Maxymillian, and project engineer David Loring of Tighe & Bond on Tuesday night to discuss the current status of the street's overhaul.

AnnMarie Belmonte from Izzy's Diner & Pizza said the diner has seen significant changes in business midway in the project.

"Our loss of business has been astronomical," Belmonte said. "We had to cut hours, we had to lay people off, and we had to struggle with working 100 hours a week to try to make up for the loss of customers because people don't want to come into this mess."

Belmonte attributed the lack of business to the shortage of parking spaces and incomplete sidewalks.

Loring said equipment sometimes has to be left on a parking spot to protect a construction area and to create speedier production.

Selectman Jeffrey Snoonian said he thinks some of the spots are being used by construction workers' personal vehicles.

"There are a lot of employee vehicles I see parked, and ... there are definitely parking spots taken up where there is no work being performed," Snoonian said. "It seems like you are using too many spots every day that aren't being used."

Cesan agreed and said they will be mindful of it.

Belmonte said there needs to be better communication and attention to parking or many of the businesses will be in trouble.

"There is no way that two haircuts a day can pay the bills, two tans can pay the bills, or only making $6.91 for breakfast, who can I pay with that?" she said. "Those are the things you need to hear the reality of, and you are going to have the prettiest street running through a ghost town if something doesn't change."

Some business owners said they feared the implementation of bumpouts that ensure safer pedestrian crossing because they will eliminate parking spaces.

Cesan said the bumpouts have been openly discussed during many public meetings and they are a must for downtown Adams.



"We have to create a conducive downtown for pedestrians, and we don't have that now and we haven't had that in many years," she said. "I'm afraid to cross the street — you aren't visible and people go fast."

She said the town is aware of the limited parking on Park Street and is looking for solutions. She also said enforcement issues will be addressed and police will be more vigilant when looking for unpaid meters.

Despite the issues with parking and business, business owners agreed the construction workers have been great.

"The guys that work the street have been great. We have nothing bad to say about them," Belmonte said. "They have been very informative, they come in and tell us what is going on."

Although much of the meeting addressed issues with the project, Loring said it is on schedule and should be complete before Thanksgiving.

He said the "difficult, dirtiest, destructive and loud" underground infrastructure work is almost complete.

The few delays have come from unforeseen underground infrastructure found when replacing sewer lines and fixing drainage issues.

"We encountered many underground surprises," Loring said. "Pipes not connecting to structures where our survey indicated they did and, in general, some undersized poor-conditioned buried infrastructure."

Loring said the next sequence of the project is the sidewalks that will be ripped out and replaced.

He said they will try to work with businesses on Park Street to lower the impact of construction. He added the process should take two to three weeks.

The final sequence of the project is the milling and repaving of the road. He said it would not take long, but would be the most destructive. He suggested that businesses close for a few hours during the process.

Another public meeting will be held before the project is completed.


Tags: construction,   construction complaints,   Park Street,   road work,   streetscape,   

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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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