MountainOne Vice President Promoted

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Maureen Baran
NORTH ADAMS - Maureen Baran has been appointed to the position of senior vice president for retail lending, according to an announcement by Stephen G. Crowe, president and chief executive officer. In this position, Baran is responsible for all aspects of retail lending and mortgages, including customer acquisition and relationship enhancement, loan portfolio growth and credit quality, and personnel development. Said Crowe, "Maureen has brought both banking expertise and a wealth of community connections to MountainOne. As head of retail lending for both Hoosac Bank and Williamstown Savings Bank, we know she will infuse new energy into our lending processes and offerings, and will lead her team to maintain our top market position." Baran was vice president for business lending, developing a loyal following of business clients. She has more than 27 years of banking experience within Berkshire County. She is very active in the community, serving on the boards of directors for the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, the Berkshire Compact for Higher Education, Northern Berkshire United Way, the Trustees of Reservations and Berkshire Families and Individual Resources. Baran lives in North Adams with her husband, Jerry, and their son. Hoosac Bank, founded in 1848, has offices at 93 Main St. and at 296 Main St. in Williamstown. Williamstown Savings Bank, founded in 1892, has an office at 795 Main St. in Williamstown. MountainOne Financial Partners is an affiliation between Hoosac Bank; Williamstown Savings Bank; South Coastal Bank; Coakley, Pierpan, Dolan & Collins; and TrueNorth. By working in partnership, the companies of MountainOne offer an extensive range of personal and business banking services, customized insurance products, and comprehensive investment management for individuals and businesses.
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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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