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Working Cities Throws Annual BBQ to Highlight Successes

Working Cities is in its final year of funding and believes it has made an impact. The organization threw its annual barbecue on Wednesday which Initiative Director Alisa Costa said is a chance to not only share what the organization has been doing but also to get additional feedback. The organization put out sheets asking about the challenges and successes in the neighborhood.

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Revised Working Group Formed to Re-Assess Tyer's At Home Program

The mayor's proposed At Home in Pittsfield program may see a new life in the future. The City Council had shot down the mayor's plan to provide zero-interest loans to residents who make repairs to the exterior of their homes with a particular sticking point being the source of funding - the G.E. Economic Development funds. Tyer originally said she had exhausted all avenues for other funding mechanisms and didn't have much interest starting back at the drawing board.

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Pittsfield Councilors Seek New Funding Source For 'At Home' Program

The four city councilors who killed the mayor's home improvement program are seeking a resurrection. Councilors Christopher Connell, Melissa Mazzeo, Kevin Morandi, and Anthony Simonelli filed a joint petition calling on the mayor to organize a working group to find a different funding source. The four had voted against the program which eyed to use $250,000 of the General Electric Economic Development Fund to help residents make exterior repairs to their homes.

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Pittsfield Board Looking Into Possible Proprietor's Lodge Parking Violations

The Community Development Board is telling city staff not to sign off on anything more regarding Proprietor's Lodge's expansion as they looking into allegations that the company is not complying with its parking plan. The board received two complaints about the restaurant and event venue at the former ITAM alleging that the company is not in compliance with a parking plan the board approved.

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North Adams Committee Advises Deed Restriction on Mohawk Marquee

The three-member board is advising that RFP include that the buyer shall maintain the historical integrity of the marquee in perpetuity and that all proposals be presented at a public meeting before the mayor's office selects one.

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North Adams Councilors Postpone Mohawk Theater Decision

The theater, however, incurred far more angst among officials and residents than previous properties like Notre Dame church and the old City Yard. It has been in part driven by nostalgia but largely by a hope held for years that the dormant property can be transformed.

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Council Sends Tyer's 'At Home' Program Back For More Work

The City Council sent Mayor Linda Tyer's proposed home improvement back for further consideration. The mayor had petitioned for $250,000 from the Pittsfield Economic Development Fund to start "At Home In Pittsfield," a program to help residents make exterior home improvements or purchase fixer-uppers and make those improvements.

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Pittsfield Neighbors Oppose Newest Proprietor's Lodge Expansion

Proprietor's Lodge is looking to add two new spaces to its existing building — a ceremony room and a breakout space. But neighbors are saying the business at the former Itam Lodge is growing entirely too fast and is causing problems in the tight residential area.

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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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