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Volunteers Needed for Williamstown Habitat House

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Around a dozen volunteers were continuing the process of raising walls Friday morning on the first of two new houses being built by Habitat for Humanity in Williamstown — the organization's first home in five years.

But more volunteers are always needed.

The home under construction is at the corner of Cole Avenue and Maple Street. Habitat officials hope the first home, on the Cole Avenue side of the lot, will be framed out before the winter weather sets in.

Volunteers on Friday were working on the third wall, and work was scheduled to be done soon on cutting the curb on Cole Avenue to allow for the driveway to be situated.

Ground was broken on the house in July. Meghan Gleason, Neil DeCarolis and their four boys — Cameron, Caleb, Christian and Connor — hope to move in next summer.

Williamstown Fire Committee Talks Station Project Cuts, Truck Replacement

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
05:17AM / Friday, April 26, 2024

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Prudential Committee on Wednesday signed off on more than $1 million in cost cutting measures for the planned Main Street fire station.

 

Some of the "value engineering" changes are cosmetic, while at least one pushes off a planned expense into the future.

 

The committee, which oversees the Fire District, also made plans to hold meetings over the next two Wednesdays to finalize its fiscal year 2025 budget request and other warrant articles for the May 28 annual district meeting. One of those warrant articles could include a request for a new mini rescue truck.

 

The value engineering changes to the building project originated with the district's Building Committee, which asked the Prudential Committee to review and sign off.

 

In all, the cuts approved on Wednesday are estimated to trim $1.135 million off the project's price tag.

 

The biggest ticket items included $250,000 to simplify the exterior masonry, $200,000 to eliminate a side yard shed, $150,000 to switch from a metal roof to asphalt shingles and $75,000 to "white box" certain areas on the second floor of the planned building.

 

The white boxing means the interior spaces will be built but not finished. So instead of dividing a large space into six bunk rooms and installing two restrooms on the second floor, that space will be left empty and unframed for now.