Letter: Letter Writer Has Confidence in Restaurant Architect

To the Editor:

In your article, "Porches Inn Gets OK to Proceed With River Street Demolition, New Restaurant," I was pleased to see that the project will be designed by the firm MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple, a Canadian firm.

I have crossed paths with Brian MacKay-Lyons over a period of more than 40 years. His award-winning work has consistently been of the highest quality and especially responsive to its setting. I have complete confidence that the Porches is doing North Adams a great service.

Sincerely,

Howard Itzkowitz
North Adams, Mass.

Architect (retired), Professor Emeritus, Southern Polytechnic State University

Downed Line Slows North Adams Traffic, Closes Restaurant

Staff Reports 07:14PM / Tuesday, May 05, 2026

Wire & Alarm Inspector Mitchell Meranti works to disconnect the line to get it out of the roadway. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A tractor-trailer truck took down an electrical line on State Street, closing the road for an hour and Grazie for several days. 

 

The incident occurred just past 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday as the daily rush hour was about to start. Northbound traffic was detoured at Hodges Cross Road and southbound traffic was allowed through, using the driveway of Automan Sam to get around the line. 

 

The line came down across both lanes until Wire and Alarm Inspector Mitchell Meranti was able to disconnect it from the pole outside Automan Sam's.

 

The automotive accessories store and the restaurant both lost power, but Grazie owner Matt Tatro described the damage as a "face punch" on Facebook. 

 

The line was pulled off the restaurant taking out the power, a new mini split air conditioning unit and sign. 

 

"We will need a couple days (hopefully) to get back in game day form.  We apologize that we will be closed tomorrow and Thursday to hopefully get the place back in shape. No power, internet, etc. All wires sheared off," the restaurant posted on its Facebook page. 

 

The restaurant's tentative reopening is Friday.