Berkshire Benchmarks Releases State of the County Update

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Benchmarks data team recently released a State of the County Update for 2023. 
 
This brief report builds on the Berkshire Benchmarks State of the County Report published in May 2022 and highlights notable changes in regional indicators over the past year. The berkshirebenchmarks.org website has also been updated to reflect the most current available data. 
 
The purpose of the Benchmarks initiative and report is to highlight the region's successes and challenges.
 
The 2022 Berkshire Benchmarks State of the County report provided a comprehensive overview of our region's performance across eight sectors: Economy, Education, Environment, Government, Health, Housing, Social Environment, and Transportation.  
 
In the future, the Berkshire Benchmarks team will continue to monitor these and other indicators to aid with the regional understanding of changes in these sectors and whether the work happening throughout the region is having the intended impact. 
 
Berkshire Benchmarks is a collaborative initiative managed through Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC). Our sources are publicly available data, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the American Community Survey, various Massachusetts data sets, and periodic surveys of Berkshire County residents. 
 
Berkshire Benchmarks aims to work with the community to understand priorities and help inform the region on how we are doing and if we are improving. Berkshire Benchmarks enhances the region's access to quality data and analysis. 

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Pittsfield Holiday Inn Closure Continues; Layoffs Reported

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — More than a month after the Holiday Inn & Suites abruptly closed its doors, reports have emerged of employee layoffs.
 
The hotel has been closed since Sept. 25, when the last of its three elevators broke down. The 101 Restaurant & Bar, located inside the hotel, has also been a casualty of the closure, temporarily shutting its doors while repairs are underway.
 
Now, The Berkshire Eagle reports that 20 hotel employees across all departments have been laid off and it remains unknown when the hotel will reopen amidst ongoing issues with the building. The Holiday Inn & Suites declined to comment to iBerkshires' inquiries. 
 
According to The Eagle, hotel facilities manager Pete Leidt said approximately five employees remain on staff and expressed hope that those who were laid off could return when the hotel reopens.
 
When the elevator stopped working, emergency medical technicians and firefighters assisted more than half a dozen people with mobility disabilities down the stairs, Building Commissioner Rian Dowd previously told iBerkshires. 
 
"So with the no working elevators, we shut the building down," she said. 
 
The central downtown, 12-story hotel has nearly 180 guest rooms. Massachusetts requires public multi-level buildings and facilities to have elevator access.
 
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