North Adams Planners Approve New Goodwill Store
.jpg) Building Inspector William Meranti show the Planning Board members what the outside of the new Goodwill will look like. |
Frank Engels, chief executive officer of Goodwill of the Berkshires and Southern Vermont, said he hoped to open in the new location by Nov. 1. He described the new store and layout as being "sleeker" and more like T.J. Maxx than the current location on Howland Avenue in Adams.
"This is store is going to be nothing like the one on Curran Higway (sic)," he told the planners, saying it will look more like the new store that recently opened on Tyler Street in Pittsfield. It will also include more job training services and its popular "Suit Yourself" program that aids jobseekers in dressing for interviews. "It's going to have a very different look, a sleeker look."
The fate of the Adams location has still not been decided, he confirmed, however, he told planners there was a possibility of bringing the shed for off-hours donations from Adams to the new North Adams site.
In response to questions, Engels said all deliveries would be in the back of the building that was most recently used by rental company Aaron's, and donations would be taken inside at the side entrance by the parking lot. Nothing would be left outside, but he couldn't assure the board that people wouldn't dump items during off hours.
"We ask people not to do that," he said, but considered the North Adams site less likely to have that problem because of its location. At worst, items might outside during the night until the morning shift came in.
He stressed that "our mission isn't to sell cheap goods to people, our mission is to train people that have barriers to work."
The store's hours will be 9 to 7 during the summer and 9 to 6 in the winter, weekdays, and Saturdays from 9 to 5. The building is owned by Michael Bloom.
Mick Callahan of Callahan Signs said the new Goodwill signs would have interior illumination and would be in the front of the building.
"I'm really familiar with your program and I think it's going to be good for North Adams," said City Councilor Marie Harpin.
The board also extended a permit for one year on the West End Market for Barry Garton, owner of BrewHaHa, which raised an ongoing issue planners have been struggling with: How to prevent grandfathered commercial properties from lapsing in residential zones.
Garton had first taken out a permit to renovate the historic property in 2006 but has been unable to relocate or find some to lease the property. Should the permit lapse, the art deco neighborhood market could only be used for residential purposes.
 The West End Market was given a year's extension as the city tries to develop an ordinance for expiring commercial permits. |
Planner Joseph Gniadek expressed some frustration with the pace of the city solicitor in developing an ordinance. He pointed to state legislation signed in 2010 that would at least allow the board to take into consideration such issues as the business climate in determining permit extensions as one recourse.
Chairman Michael Leary responded that he could not speak for the solicitor, but imagined that he would have to be careful crafting the ordinance so as not to run afoul of illegal "spot zoning." He reminded board members that it wasn't a matter of extending permits but dealing with properties that had already lapsed, like the NAPA parts store in the West End.
"I know that it is taking longer than we thought it would," he said.
In other business, the board:
• Approved facade changes to Aubuchon's Hardware on Union Street, including new siding, with a recommendation that it take steps to screen the dumpsters in the parking lot.
• Approved a new, interior illuminated sign with conditions for Dean's Quality Auto on Curran Highway after continuing the application last month because no one had been available to answer questions. Owner Joseph Dean said the new sign would be slightly smaller than the current sign and agreed to limit its illumination to between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.
• Approved new signage for Mark Draper for Draper's Wines & Spirits located in the Stop & Shop Plaza.
• Voted to request Charles "Rusty" Ransford and spokesmen for the Dopplegangers club attend the next meeting. The board said the club had fulfilled its conditions for the clubhouse at 76 Union St. but landlord Ransford had not.
Planners Donald Keagan and Joanne DeRose were not in attendance.
Tags: commercial zoning, Goodwill, Ransford,
