Epoch Offers Community Garden Plots

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PITTSFIELD — Epoch Assisted Living at Melbourne is hosting a community garden and offering garden plots for members of the Berkshire community. Local gardeners are encouraged to participate and take advantage of good soil, water and assistance.

This is Epoch's third annual community garden, located on fertile land at the assisted living community that was formerly a farm.

The Melbourne Community Garden will be located next to the assisted living community at 140 Melbourne Road and will open in mid-May, depending on the weather. Participants will be assigned a plot and will be responsible for all activities pertaining to it, including planting, weeding, watering and harvesting. Water will be available at the garden site, and the soil will be freshly tilled prior to the garden's grand opening.

Access will be available seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

"We believe this garden helps connect our residents with the community and the community with our residents in a fun way," said Diane Weinstein, executive director.

The community garden project is free. Green thumbs wishing to reserve a garden plot may do so by calling Amy McNally at 413-499-1992. More information will be provided to those that register.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

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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