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Two More Marijuana Companies Seek Pittsfield Permits

The owner of the former County Wide Rental building on Dalton Avenue is trying for a third time to get a marijuana business into the property. James Scalise of SK Design is representing Pittsfield Investment Group again in a pitch to receive permits for a marijuana business at 531 Dalton Avenue. The site was originally the first location permitted for a medical marijuana facility in 2014 but the plans fell through. In 2016, a new vendor looked at the space but that too went the same path.

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With Financing Mostly In Place, St. Mary's Redevelopment Moving Forward

With a new investor on board, CT Management has just about all of its funding in place to redevelop the St. Mary the Morningstar campus. Developer David Carver purchased the property at the end of 2017 with plans to transform the historic property into 29 market-rate housing units. Since then the company has been working on securing the financing need to preserve the buildings, transform the interiors, while still making economic sense. The project is estimated to cost more than $6 million.

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North Adams Councilor Raises 'Food Desert' Issue in West End

These developments may be private, but Cohen feels "that there is a need for larger conversations with our leadership." Her suggestion was to refer it to the Community Development Board and perhaps to extend the conversation to involve more stakeholders.

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Housing, Economy Discussed In First Housing Summit

Housing on upper floors of downtown buildings was forbidden for years. Even if a developer wanted to build apartments or condominiums it couldn't. But a handful of years ago, the city changed that. It created a zoning overlay district to broaden the scope of what could be developed.

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Central Berkshire Habitat Condo Project Receives Permits

Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity's Gordon Deming project is a go. The non-profit received the local permits needed on Tuesday for the six-unit, three-building condominium project. The project has been in the works for a decade when Berkshire Gas first donated the property on Deming Street and Executive Director Carolyn Valli believes it will be out to bid in March.

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Habitat's Long-awaited Condo Project Hits Permitting Snag

Habitat for Humanity's long-awaited Gordon Deming condominium project will continue to be long-awaited. Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity is now thinking it will be unlikely to break ground on the $1.1 million project this fall as it works through the permitting process. The project was heralded by city and state officials when Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, who awarded a $425,000 grant toward it last November but lining up permitting had proven to be a challenge.

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Five More Marijuana Business Seek Permits to Open In Pittsfield

The floodgates have opened. With two months before commercial, recreational marijuana sales are legal in Massachusetts, businesses are getting in line to open shop. On Tuesday, five new businesses received the first local permitting hurdle as they seek to open marijuana facilities.

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Pittsfield Board Concerned Proposed Assisted Living Expansion; Praises St. Mary's Plans

Side by Side is looking to expand its assisted living facility to the east by knocking down a neighboring four-family dwelling on West Union Street. But, the Community Development Board is concerned that there will be an additional 20 living units with only six parking spaces. The board fears that there are too few parking spots available in the residential neighborhood.

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Commercial Solar Array Planned For Outer East Street in Pittsfield

Some 11 acres of heavily vegetated land on East Street is eyed to be cleared to make way for a commercial solar array. BVD Solar is seeking a special permit to construct a 1.9-megawatt array on a 73-acre percent near Winesap Road - the parcel just to the west of the Yankee Orchards. Of that 73 acres, 20.6 will be cut off from the parcel for the solar array installed and 11 acres of that will need to be cleared.

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'Morningside Up' Sees Food To Revitalize Neighborhood

Food is not just sustenance for the human body, but can be for an entire neighborhood. That's what a group of community organizers in the Morningside area believe. The Morningside Up initiative is what has came out of a $75,000 planning grant from the Kresge Foundation and those involved are now patiently waiting for the fall to see if another round of funding will take their plans and turn them into reality.

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Tyer Gives Address at Statewide Planning Conference

Mayor Linda Tyer has a brick sitting on her desk from the old Colonial Theater. She got it back when she was a city councilor and one of the votes in favor of allocating $1 million from the General Electric Development Fund to help with the restoration. That brick symbolized more than just one buildings being restored, for her it symbolized the moment the city of Pittsfield got through its "group depression" and refocused on the future.

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Pittsfield Launches Coordinated Approach to Economic Development

Christopher Kapiloff has some big contracts in the works for Laminated Technologies Inc. and he'll be looking to expand. He can expand anywhere and down south, where his competitors are based, it is less expensive to do business. But he is a Berkshire guy and grew his business in Pittsfield so he wants to stay. He went to the mayor's office and asked if there was some way the city could help cover the gap to build an expanded facility.

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Mirabito, O'Reilly Auto Parts Both Looking to Move to Pittsfield

Mirabito is planning to move all three of its Berkshire locations under one roof with renovations to a building in the Downing Industrial Park. The Community Development Board gave its site plan approval to the propane company on Tuesday night and the company needs just a few more approvals before it can begin the process. The company currently operates three facilities in the Berkshires - in Dalton, Lenox, and Great Barrington - and all three operations will be condensed into one, newly reno

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Cheshire Sees Draft Community Development Strategy Plan

The Selectmen have seen a draft of a Community Development Strategy Plan that is needed for the town to participate in the state's Housing Rehab Program. Berkshire Regional Planning Commission representative Patricia Mullins asked the board on Tuesday to review a draft copy of the plan that was created by a committee of residents. The plan outlines community goals and strategies.
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