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Adams' Mausert Block Reveals Facade Work

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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Workers pulled off the protective covering Wednesday afternoon revealing the facade work on the historic building.
ADAMS, Mass. — Developers of the Mauset Block unveiled the renovated facade, which was made possible with federal funding through Community Development Block Grants.

According to Holly Stenson, of the developers RedPM, the facade work is mostly complete with only some minor repairs left — such as the fascia that held  former Woolworth sign on the south side.

The work closed out the block grant funding and the developers are now waiting for building permits to finish the south side.

"We really took that money seriously," Stenson said of the new facade. "We didn't just put back what was there. We put a lot of thought into it."


The work was on 23 Park St., which is the only storefront in the historic building that does not yet have a prospective tenant. Stenson said a restaurant and a retail business have agreed to rent 19 and 21 Park streets but she did not want to elaborate without the businesses' consent.

The new facade is white oak and features four large windows that open. That storefront is eyed for a restaurant with outdoor seating in the rear facing the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail.

Construction work that has been going on since last year will be halted until the next building permits are in place. The renovation of the building includes residential units on the upper floors. The $1 million project is one of many the town's Community Development office hopes will revitalize its downtown.

Tags: Mausert Block,   Park Street,   Woolworth,   

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Adams Prudential Committee Evaluating Truck Replacement

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — The Fire Department's Engine 2 is suffering from rust and the Prudential Committee needs to decide if it should be fixed or run until it can be replaced. 
 
Fire Chief David Lennon told the Prudential Committee on Monday about the condition of the 20-year-old truck and acknowledged it's going to be an costly endeavor. 
 
"If we choose to do this, it's going to be so expensive that it would have to be put out for multiple people to look at and possibly bid on, but moreover, we have to look at what the long-term plans are to decide if we want to spend that money on that truck," he said. "If we're going to replace it on its usual schedule, which would be in under 10 years now, so we have to decide."
 
Lennon said his thought was that it was similar to getting a medical diagnosis: since they've got one opinion, "it'd behoove us to get a second opinion to see.
 
"We see that it's rusting, but is that rust going to be completely detrimental to running that for the period that we want to run it for, and have somebody else look at it now," he said. "As far as who that would be, I don't know, but I think that's what we should discuss and see moving forward."
 
The committee set a workshop for Friday, Sept. 11, at 4 p.m.
 
Superintendent John C. Barrett said he plans to install a new system and water main for the Adams Housing Authority's 64 one-bedroom units in the Columbia Valley facility, which will mean a new suppression system for all of the buildings.
 
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