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Stop & Shop donates $5,000 to the Berkshire Dream Center.

Biz Briefs: Stop & Shop Donates $5,000 to Berkshire Dream Center

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Great dream: Stop & Shop North Adams store presented a check for $5,000 to the Berkshire Dream Center. Stop & Shop associate Karen Britten and store manager Dan Jowett presented the check to Dream Center founder and executive director Katelynn Miner.

The Berkshire Dream Center began from the vision that Miner received during her trip to the Los Angeles Dream Center in 2007. The LA Dream Center was founded by Pastor Matthew and Tommy Barnett in 1994 and is a volunteer driven organization that has more than 273 different types of outreaches. In the summer of 2011, the Berkshire Dream Center was founded and found its home in the Morningside neighborhood of Pittsfield. Shortly after in the fall of 2012, the Berkshire Dream Center started outreaches in North Adams, where its second location opened.

The Berkshire Dream Center's core values and beliefs are firmly grounded in the Bible. Its mission is to provide food, clothing and more to families in need, cultivate community gardens, offer job assistance and adult education, facilitate short term mission trips and much more. More information can be found online.



Keep learning: The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires is offering a workshop for nonprofit organizations and small businesses at 1Berkshire on Tuesday, Feb. 28, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Led by Bill Tighe, a retired HR executive, the workshop offers best practices and practical tips for implementation on subjects such as job descriptions, annual reviews, contracts, policies and more.  Handouts are provided.

According to Liana Toscanini, executive director of the Nonprofit Center (NPC), many small businesses and nonprofits have no staff with Human Resources experience.  The NPC features local experts who enjoy sharing their knowledge with the community. Nonprofits and small businesses benefit by gaining access to valuable local resources.

1Berkshire is located at 66 Allen St. in Pittsfield.  The workshop cost is $25 for Nonprofit Center members and $35 for non-members. For more information, call 413-645-3151 or register online.



New business: Connecticut Business Systems, a Xerox company, has opened a new location in Lenox. The facility has an on-site demo area providing the opportunity for clients to come in and experience the most advanced office technology in the industry.


When most people here the word "Xerox," they immediately assume copiers. In reality, this local technology company offers an entire suite of solutions ranging from scanners to folding machines, document management to marketing software, audio visual to digital communication and much more.

An official open house will be held March 21 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 150 Pittsfield Road, Lenox. A ribbon cutting will be held at 9 a.m.



Gift of giving: Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity received a $10,000 grant from The Feigenbaum Foundation on Feb. 10 to continue its mission of bringing people together to build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter. This grant will go directly toward setting a new standard for affordable housing, and empowering families to live a healthier, effective and more secure lifestyle.

Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity is part of a global, nonprofit housing organization that builds strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter. Founded in 1992, Central Berkshire Habitat is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions.



Kitchen reno: Main Street Hospitality, owners and managers of the Berkshires' historic Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, have announced that a complete kitchen renovation will commence on Feb. 27 and is expected to last through mid-April. During the renovation, the Main Dining Room of the hotel will be open only to in-house hotel guests. The Widow Bingham’s Tavern and The Lion’s Den will remain open to the public with reduced hours, serving select menus.

The Tavern will be open daily to the public for lunch, from noon to 4 p.m., serving a select menu. The Den will be open to the public with a select dinner menu Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday from 4 to 11 p.m.

According to Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality, the renovations are part of the company’s continued pursuit of restoration and preservation of the historic inn. Eustis noted the contributions of trusted development partners in the renovation of the kitchen, including Lacey Thaler Reilly Wilson Architecture and Preservation, LLP, Albany, NY, specializing in the restoration and adaptive use of existing buildings; and David J. Tierney, Jr., Inc., general contractors based in Pittsfield who have collaborated on a number of construction projects with Main Street Hospitality.

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

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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