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Redevelopment Plans Released for North Adams Motel

Documents filed with the Planning Board shows a section of the 1960s motel will be demolished for parking and three new buildings constructed to the north. Future development can been seen in the shaded area at top.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A development group that includes a member of the band Wilco is planning to transform the dated Redwood Motel on Route 2 into "destination lodging."

"Through a series of design and construction initiatives, we will transform a neglected, but beautifully sited property into a destination lodging experience that celebrates its natural surroundings, particularly the Hoosic River, in the context of North Adams' exciting new West End," according to documents filed with the Planning Board by the principals of The Beyond Place LLC.

The development group is made up of Benjamin Svenson of Broder Properties of Boston; Scott Stedman of Northside Media Group of Brooklyn, N.Y.; John Stirratt, bassist for Wilco; Simeon Bruner of Bruner/Cott Architects of Cambridge; Francis "Biggs" Waterman of Waterman Construction in Cheshire, and project manager Eric Kerns of North Adams.

The plans are to demolish the west wing of the motel and a garage. The office and innkeeper's residence and an 11-room wing will be gutted and/or renovated with updates to the interior and exterior. A rear deck will be built along the length of the buildings and the office and garage space will be converted into a lobby and lounge.

Three new lodging buildings will constructed for a total number of 40 rooms on the north side of the property. The two larger structures will back onto a natural banking to give the impression of being elevated above the forest floor.

The developers also plan "significant practical and aesthetic improvements" to the landscaping and site to incorporate contemporary design and the natural beauty. The old buildings, which currently face the highway, and the newer ones would be oriented north toward the Hoosic River.

The driveway will be reconfigured for safer exit and access, and with new parking. A pool is planned on the east end of the property along with a possible structure that can serve as a pool and boat house.

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.