President Kate McGuire said the organization is set to create a new strategic plan for the city's downtown.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Leaders of Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. say the advocacy group has made tremendous accomplishments in the last year and has a full agenda for the next.

 

According to President Kate McGuire, the organization grew its membership from 167 to 204, far surpassing the goal of growing by 20 members a year. Meanwhile, 23 businesses opened in the city's downtown while 16 businesses closed.

 

The goals for the next year are to increase the business base while adding new members to the group and the crafting of a new strategic plan for downtown.

 

"Pittsfield is only as strong as our downtown ... our entire region is only as strong as the city of Pittsfield," McGuire said on Thursday morning when an array of business and government officials gathered at the Beacon Cinema for the organization's annual meeting.

 

Downtown Pittsfield Inc. has played an important part in the development of a new parking plan. As a requirement for funds to repair the McKay Street garage, the city hired Nelson Nygaard as a consultant and Downtown Pittsfield played an advocacy role on behalf of its members and helped gather input. 

 

"It is not so much a lack of parking places but rather how they are used," said Director of Community Development Douglas Clark. 

 

The City Council accepted the recommendations and put $500,000 in capital funds to start to make those improvements. The city will be moving away from time limits on spots and instead using modern parking kiosks and pricing spaces by demand — increasing prices for the highly demanded spots. New wayfinding signs are expected to be placed letting visitors and residents know where they can park.

 

"It's providing a range of options that will free up some of the spaces in our downtown core," Clark said.

 

On the side of marketing the city, one particular project combined tourist guides from four separate organizations into one. Normally, brochures from the city Parks Department, Artscape Committee, Cultural Development, and Downtown Pittsfield sit side by side for tourists to pick up separately. Now, one 48-page guide incorporates all of the attractions the various organizations are promoting into one. Some 40,000 were printed for distribution.

 

"While it is marketing, for me, I see it as education," said Executive Director Kristine Hurley of the various efforts.

 

Outside of those brochures, the organization launched a new website and has boosted its social media presence. Hurley said she's been doing "product based" campaigns to show visitors and residents what the stores on North Street have to offer. Such an example was before Christmas when she took photos of $20 items for last-minute shopping ideas.

 

The stores will also be featured in two different marketing maps — one primarily for local residents and the other focused more on outside markets - and the organization now has a booth to place in venues such as Berkshire Medical Center to market downtown shops more to downtown workers. Hurley added she has tried to boost the organization's visibility in news articles, radio, and on television.

 

Kristine Hurley, executive director, outlined the organzation's marketing plans at the annual meeting.

"Downtown Inc. has been a wonderful vocal advocate for Pittsfield and a real partner with City Hall," said Mayor Daniel Bianchi.

 

For Bianchi, another major accomplishment was the nonprofit's mentoring of similar groups in the Morningside Neighborhood. The mayor is hoping to rejuvenate the Tyler Street area in a similar fashion as was the focus for North Street — with a streetscape renovation and redevelopment of key parcels. Downtown Pittsfield Inc. had helped with the groups there, which ultimately helped land a state grant to study and plot out plans for that area.

 

"We have a transformative development grant over and you'll be a great mentor," Bianchi said.

 

But that doesn't mean the focus on North Street is over. Bianchi said he believes the downtown will become even more vibrant with the inclusion of more market-rate housing. He cited the renovation of the Howard Block and upcoming Onota Building as bringing more people to live downtown.

 

The new Hotel on North, which is nearing completion, and the renovation of the Columbus Avenue parking garage will continue the progress of North Street, he said.

 

"Hotel on North. That is going to be a game changer for that side of North Street," the mayor said.