NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Thursday was moving day at Harriman & West Airport as the new administrative building was shifted 150 yards onto its new foundation parallel to the runway.
A crew from Wolfe House & Building Movers of Bernville, Pa., had lifted the two-story building off its original pad and onto a motorized trailer for the short hike around the corner.
The 20-year-old building had housed a medical practice and was constructed on land leased from the airport. The practice, which had come under the umbrella of the former Northern Berkshire Healthcare, moved several years ago to the main campus of the former hospital. The building was donated to the city by Berkshire Health Systems, which did not have a need for it after acquiring NBH's assets.
The gaining the structure was a lucky break for the airport, which had planned on building a $4 million contemporary terminal several years ago. Harriman & West had been found to be among 17 airports in the state with deficient administrative buildings.
The funding was to come largely from the Aeronautics Division of the state Department of Transportation. North Adams was designated to be award the funds in a second round of grants but the funding dried up at that time. Last year, the Airport Commission proposed revamping the medical practice, which will be funded through MassDOT.
The structure will contain administrative offices and a small public restaurant, although that will be slightly larger than the previous version with 62 seats. The second floor will also hold offices, storage and mechanicals.
The total cost of the move and renovation is $3.6 million. Officials are hoping it will bring more attention to the airport by providing an area for residents and visitors to gather.
The move took about two hours and drew a crowd of onlookers despite the frigid cold. One electrical line had to be moved but no traffic was affected. DA Sullivan & Sons was awarded the contract to transform the structure.
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MassDOT Warns of Toll-fee Smishing Scam
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation was alerted that a text message-based scam, also known as smishing, is fraudulently claiming to represent tolling agencies from across the country. The scammers are claiming to represent the tolling agency and requesting payment for unpaid tolls.
The targeted phone numbers seem to be chosen at random and are not uniquely associated with an account or usage of toll roads.
Customers who receive an unsolicited text, email, or similar message suggesting it is from EZDriveMA or another toll agency should not click on the link.
EZDriveMA customers can verify a valid text notification in several ways:
The FBI says it has received more than 2,000 complaints related to toll smishing scams since early March and recommends individuals who receive fraudulent messages do the following:
1. File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov; be sure to include:
The phone number from where the text originated.
The website listed within the text
2. Check your account using the toll service's legitimate website.
3. Contact the toll service's customer service phone number.
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