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The License Board wants more information on the fate of the Johnny's Beach Club location.

Licensing Board Want More Information Barcelona Tapas' Future

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The License Board wants more information on the renovation of the former Johnny's Beach Club and has asked for an update in November.
 
Attorney Jeffrey Lynch, representing the owners of Barcelona Tapas and Bar Inc., updated the board Monday on the 87 Wahconah St. renovation but without a firm date of completion or marketing plan,the board could not give the project its complete blessing. 
 
"It is nice to see that there is a plan but what can you tell us about when they expect that work to be done," Chairman Thomas Campoli said. "Can you sketch anything out for us to make us feel better about this?" 
 
The owners indicated this summer that instead of opening the former Johnny's Beach Club as a tapas bar, they planned to improve the site in hopes of selling it.
 
Lynch said they had hoped to have some renovations completed in October but with contracts just signed, he felt a more accurate completion date would be in spring 2020.
 
"The work was expected to be done in October and I don't know what that change was," he said. "Whether it was plans that had to go back to the drawing board or a delay from the contractor." 
 
He said permits are in place as well as architectural plans for interior and exterior renovations — which have already begun. The windows, siding, and the roof are set to be replaced.
 
Campoli said the original license transfer was allowed in 2017 and that this continued delay is causing him concern.
 
"We still don't have a sense of when this will be completed or how it is going to be marketed," he said. "I was just wondering how realistic that plan is opposed to this entity — with all of these balls in the air — maybe just selling the [alcohol] license."
 
Lynch said they do want to keep the location with the license. Without the license, the business would be a harder sell.
 
"I think there is an attractiveness to that place because how close it is to [Berkshire Medical Center] and the ballpark. It would seem to be a natural fit to have a successful business right there," he said. "I think if the license was separated from it, I think someone would be looking to get a license there again."
 
Board member Richard Stockwell said he was worried that it would just sit there after the renovations were finished. He thought it may be beneficial to open in some capacity to show potential buyers that the business is functional.
 
Lynch agreed and was confident that if the property is not sold by the time the renovations are complete, his client would open in some fashion.
 
The rest of the board agreed this was a good plan but asked that Lynch return next month with firmer dates and a clearer business plan if they are unable to sell immediately.
 
In other business, the board approved:
 
A new lodging permit for Side by Side Assisted Living. Executive Director Emilie Papa said the facility on West Union Street will be expanded.
 
"Currently, we have assisted living with 43 residents and this new building will increase our unit size by 20 to a total of 63," she said. "We serve both veterans and civilians in the community ... this will be dedicated to just veterans."
 
• A change of manager for Zenner's Pub and a request from 99 Restaurants to change officers and directors for its annual all-alcohol seven-day restaurant license renewal.
 
• Extended seasonal all-alcohol package store licenses for Costanzo's Package & Variety and Wheeler's Variety.
 
• Extended a seasonal wine and malt general on premise license for Barrington Stage Company. 
 
• An extended seasonal Wine and malt package store license for East Street Video & Variety and for Wohrle's Food Warehouse. 

Tags: license board,   alcohol license,   

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North Adams Regional Reopens With Ribbon-Cutting Celebration

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

BHS President and CEO Darlene Rodowicz welcomes the gathering to the celebration of the hospital's reopening 10 years to the day it closed. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The joyful celebration on Thursday at North Adams Regional Hospital was a far cry from the scene 10 years ago when protests and tears marked the facility's closing
 
Hospital officials, local leaders, medical staff, residents and elected officials gathered under a tent on the campus to mark the efforts over the past decade to restore NARH and cut the ribbon officially reopening the 136-year-old medical center. 
 
"This hospital under previous ownership closed its doors. It was a day that was full of tears, anger and fear in the Northern Berkshire community about where and how residents would be able to receive what should be a fundamental right for everyone — access to health care," said Darlene Rodowicz, president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems. 
 
"Today the historic opportunity to enhance the health and wellness of Northern Berkshire community is here. And we've been waiting for this moment for 10 years. It is the key to keeping in line with our strategic plan which is to increase access and support coordinated county wide system of care." 
 
Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, under the BHS umbrella, purchased the campus and affiliated systems when Northern Berkshire Healthcare declared bankruptcy and closed on March 28, 2014. NBH had been beset by falling admissions, reductions in Medicare and Medicaid payments, and investments that had gone sour leaving it more than $30 million in debt. 
 
BMC was able to reopen the ER as an emergency satellite facility and slowly restored and enhanced medical services including outpatient surgery, imaging, dialysis, pharmacy and physician services. 
 
But it would take a slight tweak in the U.S. Health and Human Services' regulations — thank to U.S. Rep. Richie Neal — to bring back inpatient beds and resurrect North Adams Regional Hospital 
 
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