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Planning Board Signs Off on Conte School Plans

Julie Sniezek of Guntlow & Associates explains the site plan for the Conte School project at Monday's Planning Board meeting.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Planning Board on Monday gave the OK for the proposed site plan for the $30 million Conte School project that includes taking out the stairs in Colegrove Park.

But their removal isn't a done deal yet.

The Historical Commission has asked the city solicitor to weigh in the project, specifically if state funds for the school project can be used at Colegrove if it is no longer an essential part of the school.

The area, once the front entrance to the former Drury High School, had been envisioned as a play area for Conte once it was reconfigured into an elementary school. But that option was rejected because of cost concerns and reluctance of teachers to use the area because of time constraints.

Justyna Carlson, chairman of the Historical Commission, said she wanted City Solicitor John DeRosa's opinion before making a decision. The commission is also concerned that the the state Historical Commission has approved a plan endorsed by the local commission last year that has significantly changed.

"As it stands right now, the first meeting we had a motion that we could not approve until we had further information," Carlson said.

Mayor Richard Alcombright said he expected a decision from DeRosa next week and believes the findings will support the park as being considered part of the whole school project. After the meeting, he said it didn't make much sense to put effort into improving the school and leave deteriorating stairs in front of it.

He did agree that making the park accessible to the school is not a priority since fewer students walk to school, the hill will be used less and the west door won't be an access point. The new entrance to the school will be on the south side.

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"We were hoping to be able to make Colgrove Park accessible to everybody," said Julie Sniezek of Guntlow & Associates, but the ramp leading from the southwest side of the building to the park is "very far from ADA standards." A new ramp would require handrails and a zig-zag pattern to decrease the incline.

Sniezek said the most affordable option would be to take out the two sets of upper stairs and level the area, while leaving the paved circular area, ramp, wall and vegetation in place. The lower stairs, which are in very bad shape, would also be removed.

In answer to a question, from the audience, Sniezek said the stairs would be completely different aesthetically because they would require being brought up to current code. She did not have a cost figure, although the consultants have said the project is close to the 8 percent of construction costs allowed by the state for site work.

One necessary fix is the retaining wall on the southwest corner of the property, which Sniezek said is in "dangerous condition."

That cost for repairing or replacing the wall has been estimated from $500,000 to as much $700,000, which might lead to cuts in other aspects of the project.

Owner's project manager Mel Overmoyer of Strategic Building Solutions expects to keep the budget on track.

"We have the budget from the MSBA that we're sticking to and that will remain the budget throughout the course of the project," Overmoyer said. "There will be no change in cost."

Kristian Whitsett of Margo Jones Architects said the goal is to "preserve the historic character as much as possible" of the century-old school. He said the most evident change will be the new, energy-efficient double windows.

Whitsett said the project is nearing the end of its design and development phase.

Planner Wayne Wilkinson asked about a wall to the east of the school that appeared to have loose stone; Sneizek said engineers had determined it was safe and needed only minor repairs.

The planners approved the site plan unanimously.

North Adams Becomes a Purple Heart Community

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
05:16AM / Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Veterans Service Officer Kurtis Durocher, a Purple Heart recipient, tells his own story of how he was wounded in Iraq.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — City leaders last week held a ceremony marking the city as a Purple Heart Community to honor local military service members wounded or killed in combat.

 

"This designation is much more than a sign that will stand at the entrances to our city," said Kurtis Durocher, Northern Berkshire veterans service officer at City Hall on Friday. "It is a lasting commitment and a promise to this community. We'll never forget the sacrifices made by those who are wounded or killed while serving our nation. It is a public declaration of the courage and sacrifices of combat wounded. Veterans will always have a place of honor here in North Adams."

 

As a Purple Heart Community, North Adams will place signs throughout the city acknowledging the designation. The city will also hold a ceremony every Aug. 7 on National Purple Heart Day.

 

During the inaugural ceremony, Durocher said he was asked by the Military Order of the Purple Heart to find a keynote speaker for the event, preferably a Purple Heart recipient. But he was unable to find someone willing to speak. With the date approaching, he decided to tell his own story.

 

"I don't like standing up and telling my own personal story ... But I realized, in my position as a VSO, I get so many ... children of veterans who will say, 'I didn't know anything about my father until after he passed because he just didn't talk about it,'" Durocher said. "... I have been that way until I've gotten into this position, and so, now, I try to tell my story as much as I can when it is brought to me."

 

Durocher served in the Army for 20 years and retired as a master sergeant. On Friday, he recalled a time early in his career while serving in the 82nd Airborne Division deploying to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. On Sept. 12, 2003, his squad was conducting a patrol on Route Irish in Baghdad. He was serving as a gunner on an LMTV when it was struck by a 155-millimeter artillery shell. He said the explosive had been hidden behind a guardrail and detonated using nothing more than a washing machine timer.

 

"In an instant, everything changed. The blast knocked me unconscious. When I regained consciousness, I instinctively was removing my helmet," he said. "Almost immediately my training took over. We had been taught repeatedly that attacks like this were often followed by a secondary attack or an ambush. I quickly put my helmet back on and began searching for my machine gun."