PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Crowne Plaza will transition into a Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites.
General Manager Charles Burnick said the licensing agreement with Intercontinental Hotels Group to operate as a Crowne Plaza has expired and the decision was made to renovate the entire building to become a Holiday Inn. IHG operates both Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn brands.
Work on the $2 million to $3 million renovation project is expected to start this spring and conclude by late summer, early fall.
"I would say the actual work would start by March 1," Burnick said. "We'd like to be done before the summer season ends."
The renovation will reduce the hotel's total number of rooms by 13, from 179 to 166, but will feature 26 total suites, up from just two currently.
"It'll be a nice change. We'll be able to do more extended stays for business," Burnick said, adding that the rooms will feature kitchens and nicer amenities than the standard rooms.
The meeting spaces will receive makeovers and the restaurant will see an overhaul and new theme, Burnick said. Furniture throughout will be replaced.
"The restaurant will get a total, new look and menu," Burnick said.
The work will hit the standards set to be a Holiday Inn. But in the meantime, the hotel will operate as Berkshire Plaza Hotel.
Burnick said the property management systems associated with the Crowne Plaza will still be operational during the months of a transition, so anyone booking rooms will still be able to earn reward points as if it was still operating as a Crowne Plaza.
"They're still going to support us. We hope to keep the majority of our regular customers," Burnick said.
The general manager has been through two prior renovations of the 14-story hotel. He said the construction work will cause minimal impact on the hotel's operations this summer. Work will be isolated to a few floors at a time and rooms will be booked with intent of keeping customers away from where the work is ongoing.
"We do have a good plan with minimal impact as possible," he said. "We're still going to hold the events we have booked."
The hotel, overlooking Park Square, has been a landmark in the city for more than 40 years. It had been a Hilton before transitioning into a Crowne Plaza. The previous owners had the hotel foreclosed on by Santander Bank and the hotel was sold at auction for $1.1 million to Anil Sachdev.
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MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.
Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.
BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.
The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.
It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.
Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.
Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street.
The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.
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Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.
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