PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The developers looking to build a Walmart Supercenter at the William Stanley Business Park will present their plans at a meeting on Monday.
Waterstone Realty is proposing a new 190,000 square-foot super center on a parcel known as "the teens." Walmart would then vacate its currently location at Berkshire Crossing and would have its retail branch find a replacement for that building. The project has received a letter of intent from the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority to pursue permitting as well as negotiate a lease-to-own agreement for the land.
The company has not yet filed a formal proposal to city officials but the concept has been presented to the public at multiple forums and mediums since June. Ward 1 Councilor Lisa Tully and Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi organized Monday's meeting to let residents hear the plans, ask questions, and start the dialogue over what has become a contentious issue.
"We just want to give the opportunity to the people, to let them know what this is about, and give us feedback," Morandi said on Thursday.
The presentation is put on by the two councilors, but anyone is welcomed to attend. Morandi says he hopes for a good attendance.
Representatives from the company will give a presentation at 6 p.m. at Morningside Community School. That will be followed by a question-and-answer session. The parcel in question borders Ward 1 and 2 and the councilors plan to hold three different public sessions throughout the process.
"We know how important this is as an issue so the more feedback, the more they can learn about the project, the better," Morandi said. "This is probably going to be a six-month process."
The issue has many aspects to it. Firstly, the land is formerly owned by General Electric and was passed to PEDA for development. PEDA has been working for years to find industrial suitors, which some say was the original intent of the park, but was unsuccessful. This is the third time Waterstone has attempted to develop the parcel into mixed-use and retail.
The company says it will be spending some $12 million on foundation work as part of the $30 million project. That work will address a stormwater system issue in which PCBs are still washing downstream and into Silver Lake. But, it will also include containing the PCBs in the soil. The foundational issues has been cited by city officials as being one of the major holdups to finding a developer.
Further the company is also looking to fix the intersection of Tyler Street, Woodlawn Avenue, and Dalton Avenue, which the city hoped to do with a federal grant, which it was not awarded. Lastly, the company says the development will help spur other companies to move onto the land near the Walmart.
It is estimated that the new project will boost tax revenue by some $300,000 to $500,000.
"Anytime someone wants to come in, it is the city's job to listen to them," Morandi said.
But many in opposition to the deal have raised concerns about Walmart's business practices and its impacts to nearby local businesses, and giving up for retail one of the few large spaces available for industry.
The issue also comes at a time when the city is in the middle of the Transformative Development Initiative, which is crafting a long-term vision for the future of the neighborhood.
Morandi says he hopes Monday's meeting will help set the groundwork for the community conversation around the project as it moves along.
The Pittsfield Economic Development Authority extended the timeframe to reach an land lease agreement with Waterstone Realty for the development of a Walmart Supercenter. On Tuesday, PEDA approved the extension to the letter of intent. Executive Director Corydon Thurston said the original 60-day window was "too aggressive" and hopes to have an agreement before the board by the next meeting.
The City Council wants a chance to ask the proponents of a new Walmart at the William Stanley Business Park some questions. However, the council needs another organization to host a discussion to avoid legal conflicts. So, the council agreed to ask the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority to host one with the developer Waterstone Realty in the City Council chambers.
Joe Castoldi has run his barber shop for years on Tyler Street, just a block away from where the proposed Walmart Supercenter is eyed to be built. The supercenters often have a salon inside the building so one would think Castoldi would be worried about competition - especially competition from such a large corporation. But he's not.
For the last 10 years Evan Hickok has formed good relationships with many of his co-workers at General Dynamics. They are recruited from out of town, come to work as engineers, and the staff at the Pittsfield facility grows a friendship. And then the young professionals leave for what they see are greener pastures. They leave for the city life of Boston or New York envisioning a thriving social scene and nightlife. But more often than not, the workers find themselves taking a job in the subur
The ultimate say over the project may come before the City Council, which will be asked to approve a special permit because of the size of the store. So far, the majority of the City Council says they are keeping an open mind about the project and waiting for additional answers.
Walmart's Director of Public Affairs & State and Local Government Relations Chris Buchanan says, "holding out hope for industrial development of the site does a disservice to the residents of Pittsfield." He said the cost to remediate the land, fix the stormwater runoff, and road work adds up to $12 million, a cost few companies would bear when there are other properties for development at a lower cost.
In an interview on Wednesday, Bloomberg argued that despite increased jobs and tax revenue, the city's long-term economic picture is hindered by such a development. He would rather the city took a more aggressive approach at bringing in light manufacturing and other higher-paying jobs to the site.
As the proposed Walmart Supercenter debate begins to unfold, the developer's claims of increased tax revenue reflects what happened in North Adams. In 2013, the company closed the store it had been occupying for since 1993 and moved down the road to a former gravel bed. The gravel bed had been assessed at $1,613,800 and the redevelopment upped the value to $10,694,900, according to Ross Vivori, chairman of the North Adams Board of Assessors.
Finally. The Woodlawn Avenue Bridge is finally opened after being closed for a decade. City, state and Pittsffield Economic Development Agency officials commemorated the re-opening of the north to south connection between the Morningside Neighborhood and East Street. The bridge used to be own by General Electric and was closed in 2006 and was demolished in 2012.
Part of the selling point for the new Walmart at the William Stanley Business Park is that it will ease an environmental burden on PEDA coming down the road. Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a new draft permit for the Pittsfield Economic Development Agency's ability to drain stormwater into Silver Lake. That permit called for significantly better water quality than currently being done. PEDA has argued against it, saying it doesn't have the money to make the needed improv
Wal Mart is looking to move to the William Stanley Business Park. The Pittsfield Economic Development Agency granted Waterstone Retail a letter of intent, giving the company and exclusive right to pursue development of a 16.5 acre parcel known as "the teens," where General Electric buildings once stood.
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Pittsfield Seeking Volunteers for Flag Distribution
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city of Pittsfield's Department of Veterans' Services is looking for volunteers to assist with placing flags and markers at Veterans' gravesites.
The installation of flags will occur between May 6 to May 11, 2024.
Volunteers are encouraged to wear comfortable, appropriate apparel and shoes, walking will be required throughout the cemeteries to place these flags. Instructions, flags, and markers will be provided, as well as soft refreshments and snacks.
If you are interested in volunteering your time, please contact the Veterans' Services Department at (413) 499-9433 to sign up as a volunteer or email veterans@cityofpittsfield.org.
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Amy Schirmer was recognized as the Volunteer of the Year for creating a weekly therapeutic art class at the George B. Crane Center to help those in recovery from substance use. click for more
