image description — The bowling lanes in the back will be transformed to a greenhouse.

Greenhouse Project Eyed For Historic Pittsfield Building

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
03:23AM / Friday, November 08, 2013Print Story | Email Story

The First Street building was constructed in 1915.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A greenhouse initiative is eyed for a 98-year-old First Street building.

Blueline Design Inc. and the Tyler Street Business Group are now seeking public interest in a Community Greenhouse Project in the former Eagles Club on First Street. The plan is to create both educational and commercial programs encouraging urban agriculture.

Owner and architect Anthony Barnaba of Blueline says he has filed for a building permit and hopes to have the project up and running in about a year. He is currently reaching out to businesses and non-profit groups to partner in the food purchases and sale as well as educational services.

"Ideally we'd like for it to stand alone on the business side," Barnaba said on Thursday morning, adding that he doesn't want the project to hinge on public monies.

The greenhouse will grow food and sell it to businesses and organizations to continue the operations while the greenhouse will be maintained through providing internship or other educational programs. Barnaba says he will be renovating the area that currently houses bowling lanes to create the greenhouse.

"Its a nice-sized program," Barnaba said of the size. "It will be just enough to get it rolling."

Eventually Barnaba says the Community Greenhouse will narrow its focus to growing a single crop but at this point, he isn't what sure what that will be. He is hoping interested businesses and organizations will help direct that.

"We want to see who may participate," he said. "I'm getting the building permit in place now ... we're working out a business plan."

The building currently houses two commercial spaces, one used by Barnaba's Blueline Design and the other, vacant. The building used to house the Elizabeth Freeman Center and Barnaba purchased it in 2007. Since then, he has been trying to redevelop the 1915 building.

With this idea, the Tyler Street Business Group has signed on to help the project. The group formed to promote economic development in the Morningside neighborhood.

Barnaba says he hopes to fill the commercial spaces as well, believing the community garden could help attract companies.

Tags: business group, gardens, green building, historical building,

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15 People Displaced in Pittsfield Home Fires

Staff Reports11:35AM / Sunday, October 11, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fifteen people were displaced after 2-alarm home fires this weekend on Springside Avenue and Elaine Drive.

On Friday evening, the Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 209 Springside Ave., which took a four-hour battle to extinguish and resulted in a partial roof collapse. The next day, on Saturday evening, crews knocked down a fire at 121 Elaine Drive in about an hour.

The garage and part of the single-family home on Elaine Drive were gutted to the frame, along with a vehicle parked in the driveway. On Springside Avenue, the top level and porch of the multifamily were burned through.

A GoFundMe has been started for the family of the Elaine Drive home, which includes several young children. The fundraiser, with a $5,500 goal, explains they lost their home and all of their belongings. (iBerkshires.com does not confirm or endorse fundraisers; they are provided as information only.)

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries, and both incidents are under investigation. One dog was rescued on Springside Avenue.

On Oct. 10, around 6:15 p.m., PFD responded to the Springside Avenue home for a reported structure fire and saw a 2 1/2-story wood frame multifamily with a heavy blaze showing from the second-floor front porch, extending out.

The building suffered a partial roof collapse, which prolonged extinguishment. The fire was brought under control after about four hours.

“An aggressive offensive attack was mounted by first arriving crews stretching hose lines into the building as well as primary searches that proved negative. Ladders were placed around the structure to provide access as well as escape if needed. An off-duty Fire Captain had also been on scene early in the incident to help evacuate the structure and rescue a dog,” PFD wrote in a press release.

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