Cumberland Farms Seeks to Build on Commercial Street

Cumberland Farms wants to purchase three lots including Al's Service Center to build a new gas station and convenience store. 

ADAMS, Mass. — Cumberland Farms is proposing to construct a new gas station and retail store on the site of Al's Service Center at 95 Commercial St.

Cumberland Farms will go before the Zoning Board of Appeals on Tuesday, May 22, to seek three variances needed to erect and run a 24-hour gas station and convenience store.

The company has reportedly been seeking a location on Commercial Street for some years. A smaller, older — less than 2,000 square feet — store has been open since the 1980s at 46 Commercial, at the corner of Edmund Street. The lot is only about a third of an acre with little room to expand.

The company over the past decade has been updating or building much larger stores with more offerings, including on Curran Highway and Union Street in North Adams. It currently has a purchase-and-sales agreement to construct a third store on Ashland Street in North Adams.

According to documents submitted to the town, the convenience store will be 5,275 square feet and there will be four fueling stations.

The proposed development will utilize three parcels: 5 Elm St. and 89 and 95 Commercial St. Cumberland Farms intends to remove the service center as well as two two-story buildings on the parcels. Two 20,000-gallon underground gasoline tanks will be installed.

The facility will have 25 parking spots and will include landscaping, signage and lighting. There will be two proposed curb cuts on Columbia Street and Prospect Street.

The service center and two structures are currently owned by Carol L. Ostrowski.

Cumberland Farms will be asking for a variance to allow the redevelopment of the service center and adjacent land for the convenience store and gas station in an R-4 zoning district, to be open 24 hours and for the two curb cuts.

Adams Town Meeting OKs Budget, Nixes Citizens' Petitions

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires.com
07:30PM / Monday, June 22, 2026

The annual town report was dedicated to retired Police Chief Richard Tarsa, above. 

ADAMS, Mass. — Town meeting members approved 23 of the 25 articles on the annual town meeting warrant. 

 

The gymnasium in the Memorial Building was filled with 104 town meeting members who voted to approve the authorization for a number of spending articles making up a budget of approximately $21 million during a meeting that lasted 50 minutes. 

 

Of that, members approved, Article 5, an operations budget of $10,650,057, of which $8,074,370 is made up of personnel and $2,642,107 for operating expenses. 

 

"This is a level of services budget from one year ago," Town Administrator Nicholas Caccamo said. 

 

The amounts budgeted are reflective of what it takes for an organization, pay employees, provide health insurance, and all the ancillary costs, he said. 

 

The town has not yet finalized union contract negotiations with the police and clerical unions and still has open positions. So, there will be a special town meeting in late September or early October to adjust the budget based on the salaries and health insurance.

 

The positions have been conservatively budgeted at previous rates, maintaining each staff member's prior step or grade, as if the roles were filled full time.