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The lot was created about a decade ago after several buildings were torn down.

Residents Express Concern Over North Adams Skateboard Park

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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A skateboard park is planned at the parking lot at Noel Field. Residents along the road are worried about safety and loitering.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Some neighbors in the State Street area have an opinion on the proposed skateboard park at the Noel Field Athletic Complex.

Great idea, but not in my neighborhood.

Robert Davis, who owns property across from where the BMX/skateboard park is planned, delivered a letter on behalf nearly two dozen residents to the Parks and Recreation Commission on Monday.

He said he and his neighbors were not against the city developing a skateboard park, but did not think the Noel Field parking lot was the most suitable place for safety and other reasons.

"We do not think it belongs in one of the most used parking areas in the city," he read the commission from the letter. "We don't think it belongs in a residential area where many of the residents are senior citizens, we don't think it belongs in an area in which the majority of our city youth will have to ride across town on a major highway, Route 8, to get to the park, especially when the city has an ordinance about no wheels on the sidewalks."

Various groups in the city have been trying to get a skateboard park off the drawing board for at least five years. The park was part of the Vision 2030 master plan discussions, with Noel Field edging out other sites as the best possible location. Last fall, Community Development Block Grant funds were used for design and feasibility, again with Noel Field coming out as the preferred site over a parking lot behind Big Y or the park at Houghton and River streets.

The City Council in June approved applying for a state Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities Program grant for the nearly $700,000 project.

"This is the [site] that was selected ... when the city applied for a PARC grant this July 15," said Community Development Director Michael Nuvallie on Tuesday. "This site was the feature of that grant application."

While Davis did not think it was close enough for children to use, Nuvallie said the location in the well-used sports complex was a prime reason for its consideration.

"We own it, it's very centrally located along a bus route in an area that is used by families and children," he said "It made the most sense to put it there."

Davis told the commission that he and his neighbors were unaware of the plans until recently. They were concerned about noise and the city's ability to enforce and maintain an area where "unwanted guests will hang out and cause trouble."

The park will also mean a loss of significant parking for events at Noel Field, he said, showing the commission a video he took at one event that showed the 100-or-so spots in the parking lot next to the basketball court as filled to capacity.



The city purchased three properties, including the former Altiere's Grub & Grog in 2004, and razed them to make way for the parking lot. An attempt to also buy the vacant Modern Liquors building was scotched in 2010 when an anticipated grant fell through.

"It cost in excess of $750,000 to build a parking lot that the city wants to use for the skate park," Davis said. "We're not against it, but let's put it where they don't have to travel across town and be taking away all this parking."

Secretary Mark Vadnais said the commission played an advisory role and knew less about the park plans than Davis. He sympathized with Davis' reasoning but did not want to get into deep discussion because only three commissioners were in attendance.

"We will talk about it," he promised Davis. "I will submit a copy [of the letter] to Mike and make sure the mayor gets it."

Nuvallie on Tuesday said the city would likely know in November if it will receive the grant, which requires a 30 percent local match. That will come out of CDBG funds that have not yet been applied for.

"We will have to re-educate [about the plans]," he said, should the funding come through. But he did not anticipate any significant changes "unless someone comes out of left field with a site that no one has presented before."

In other business, the commissioners decided not to change the adult league fees. However, they were concerned that they were not being kept "in the loop" on billing and revenues since they had not approved anything this year.

"Whoever is doing it is bypassing this commission," Vadnais said. "I don't even know if they're showing [proof of] insurance."

He said he would check with the treasurer's office.

Commissioner George Canales asked what the channels were for installing a sign at Joe Wolfe Field. Canales had been presented a sign for the North End/North Adams baseball exchange by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh that he wanted to hang at the field. (Walsh also created a "George Canales Way" at Puopolo Field.)

Vadnais didn't see a problem putting it up but said he would check.


Tags: Noel Field,   parks & rec,   parks commission,   skate park,   

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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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