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Greylock Glen Advisory Committee member George Haddad said development could take 30 years and it is important for the town to take it slow and be careful because it is the 'last 50 acres' the town has to develop.

Greylock Glen Finds No Interest From Developers

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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On the left, Edward Whatley, project manager for the building infrastructure at the Greylock Glen gave a detailed presentation on the work that is planned.
ADAMS, Mass. — The Greylock Glen Advisory Committee did everything but shout from the mountaintop and only got a tiny echo back.

In September, the committee blanketed developers, consultants, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, architects and real estate agencies asking for interest in developing a lodging and conference center on the 50 acres and received just one lonely response.

Now the committee is shifting focus back to developing campgrounds and hiking trails first in hopes to attract a developer in the future.

"We received a poor response," Donna Cesan, director of community development, said on Thursday. "I'm suggesting we focus more on the campground and put the conference center to the side for now."

The committee had originally planned to build a campground on the site first, followed by an amphitheater  and lastly the conference center. Last year, the committee refocused on trying to generate support and finding an anchor for the project.

In September, the town sent out a request for expressions of interest to 30 developers, 30 developing consultants, advertised it in publications including New England Real Estate Journal and Boston Globe, and asked 25 other architectures, real estate and other development firms to share it with all of their contacts.

After receiving only one response by the Dec. 2 deadline, the committee had a consultant follow up with the developers to find out why there was no interest and the No. 1 reason was the economy.

"It is extremely difficult to secure private capital in this current economy," Cesan said. "About half of the respondents expressed concern about the location. They indicated that in this point in time, many firms can only secure financial backing in proven and primary markets like New York City or Boston."

Thirdly, developers shied away from the project because of a lack of nearby amenities, such as spas or fitness center, and the developer would have to construct those themselves and that it would not be possible without significant incentives from the town and state.

Committee member George Haddad said he wasn't surprised in the response because the of the size of the project.

"This is not going to be a quick and easy project," Haddad said. "I'm disappointed but I'm not surprised."

Without interest in the center, the committee will now try to make the land as "shovel ready" as possible by finishing permits, developing hiking trails and installing infrastructure. However, adding insult to injury, the project did not receive a $4.5 million MassWorks grant for the water, sewer, electric and road infrastructure but did receive $2 million from the state supplemental budget bill last year.

The committee planned $4.3 million in upgrades and the $2 million must be constructed by mid-2013. The committee will either have to scale back its infrastructure plan or find the additional funding. Cesan said the town has applied for $2 million through the federal Economic Development Administration and will continue to look at other funding option.

"I am confident it will all be paid by grants," Cesan said.

Edward Whatley, a project manager with the engineering firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin hired for the infrastructure, suggested the project should focus this $2 million on digging as much of the roads as possible and installing water and sewer because the above-ground electric would not interfere with a possible development. A water tank that would provide fire protection to the campground would have to be scrapped this time around.

The series of setbacks for the project triggered fears of the same type of failure the town has seen on that land for years. Former Selectman Edward Driscoll got into a passionate back and forth with Haddad about the project. Driscoll said he feared the campground would be the end of development and the town will be stuck paying to maintain the area. Haddad responded by saying it was too important to the town to stop there. Development could last 30 years and the town will need to be careful and keep plugging away because it would reap benefits beyond the tax rolls, Haddad said.

"I think we're doing it the right way," Haddad said.

The plans for the infrastructure improvements are available below.
Greylock Glen Infrastructure Plans 2012
Tags: campground,   Greylock Glen,   

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Two T's Thrifting Moved to Park Street

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

Owner Trisha Carlo said a persistent leak in her previous location forced her to close for 10 weeks. 

ADAMS, Mass. — A local thrift store has settled into its new location on Park Street. 

Two T's Thrifting was opened by Trisha Carlo in January. The name is a homage to her late partner, Tom Bradley, who died in 2022. She said they both loved thrifting together.

Carlo had opened at 64 Summer St. but in April had to close down for about 10 weeks because of a leak in the ceiling. Once the leak was thought to be fixed, she reopened only to have it happen again.

"I decided to vacate that area or location, and kind of put everything on hold for a little bit. I had moved everything out once it had started leaking, just because I didn't want anything to get moldy or ruined," she said. "And I was kind of a little discouraged when that happened, you know, because rent is so high in most places, and I was pretty established over there. I had repeat customers coming in. It was going really well. So then I didn't know what to do."

Then one day she was enjoying breakfast at the Daily Grind when the owner, Becky Duprat, said she should talk to Lea King, who had owned the Adams Boba Tea and Gift Shop but had decided to retire earlier this year.

"Leah is pro Adams, pro bringing businesses to the area, and she just wants everybody to do well with whatever they want to do business wise," Carlo said. "I did take over some of her inventory for her Adams merchandise. I figured I would keep that here for tourists or for the locals."

She was able reopen her shop in its new location in July.

"It's been fun, setting back up and getting to know a different crowd that's walking by," she said. "The foot traffic is a little better. Obviously, there's more traffic that passes by, but advertising is still a little bit of a challenge. But repeat customers have found us. I have people that come in on a Saturday that visit me every week." 

Carlo has also been trying to support the community, including letting local students get community service hours at her store, giving donations to Remedy Hall in Williamstown and other places across the county, holding a school supply drive for local families, and is currently doing a 50/50 raffle for Brewsters, a thrift shop in North Adams that was wrecked by a pickup truck last month.

She is still an emergency medical technician in Pittsfield and coaches soccer and basketball for Hoosac Valley High School.

She does take donations for the store but only during business hours. You can contact her through the business Facebook page on what you would like to donate to see if she can take it or walk in. She is accepting taking winter clothing.

Her new space at 57 Park St. is open Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to  6 p.m., Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. She hopes to extend these hours in the future.

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