PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Could Tyler Street become the city's food mecca? 

 

That's one idea for the Morningside neighborhood. Planning and architecture firm Elan is transitioning from the fact-finding stage to developing actual strategies and goals for redevelopment in Tyler Street.

 

"This is the breaking point when we move into the process," Lisa Nagle, a principal with Elan, said. 

 

On Wednesday, the firm held its last major public input session with an open house at the IUE Union Hall. A series of posters asked for public comments on a number of focus areas.

 

Elan is contracted to develop a long-term plan for Morningside and, since August, hacbeen meeting with stakeholders and the public to gather ideas and insight. A draft plan is expected to be available in June. The plan will be given to businesses, community groups, city officials, and the Transformative Development Initiative fellow.

 

"We'll couple this with the fellow, who is expected to start in the spring. We'll have a number of short-term and long-term goals and strategies," City Planner CJ Hoss said.

 

The city won a state grant to be part of the TDI program and this year is hiring a fellow, who will be focused solely on redeveloping Tyler Street. According to Rob Holzman, an Elan senior project manager, some of the common themes include desires to increase home ownership and access to public transportation and improve lighting, as well as specific ideas for areas of the district.

 

"There has been a really common theme of using arts and culture," Holzman said. "It would become a destination for food, arts, and culture."

 

He added that there is a "concern for the perception of safety." 

 

Holzman said no one entity can do it alone so the planning process will get everyone from the Tyler Street Business Groups to the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority to individual businesses on the same page.

 

"Collectively, they can all make a contribution," he said. "One of the key things will be collaboration."

 

Nagle added there are many ideas of health and wellness centering around Berkshire Medical Center. She said there are clusters of areas such as around the Berkshire Innovation Center or Morningside School that have different opportunities. She is hoping the plan will connect the various sites.

 

"In general, there is a lot of enthusiasm about the district and the street," Nagle said.

 

For Hoss, the plan will give the Department of Community Development a better understanding of the future of the street and it can make adjustments accordingly. That includes any zoning amendments that may be needed to support certain types of development or housing programs. It will be up to the other stakeholders to do their part.

 

The plan is the first step. The state's TDI program is for gateway cities and includes potential funding for projects in the future. The state Legislature earmarked some $16 million for gateway cities in a Transformative Development Fund that is administered through the quasi-public agency MassDevelopment.

 

The fellowship aspect of the program brings a staffer on board to focus solely on Tyler Street and the surrounding area and particular properties are expected to be identified as key focuses of redevelopment.