NORTH ADAMS - Several Berkshire cultural venues will receive much-needed funds for capital projects and feasibility studies thanks to $16.7 million awarded to non-profits across the state, including North County's two major museums.
Eleven cultural institutions in Berkshire County received grant assistance totaling $2,342,250 from the state's Cultural Facilities Fund. Administered by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and MassDevelopment, the awards ranged from $670,000 given to the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield to $22,000 to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge.
CFF grants are used to support organizations and projects that increase tourism, create new jobs, leverage private funding and expand arts and cultural activities in communities across the state.
"The Cultural Facilities Fund is a powerful investment in infrastructure for tourism all across the state. From the Berkshires to the Cape and everywhere in between, this ongoing investment will fuel jobs, enhance tourism, and strengthen our communities," said state Rep. Daniel E. Bosley, D-North Adams, in a statement released Wednesday.
Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts and the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute are both poised to benefit from the infusion of fresh funds.
Mass MoCA will use its $429,000 to continue ongoing renovations to the 27,000 square-foot physical plant. According to Katherine Myers, the museum's director of marketing and public relations, the funds will help increase the capacity and efficiency of the building, while also creating a new gallery to house wall drawings by late artist Sol LeWitt in Building 7 on the MoCA campus.
"This is a gift that keeps on giving," Myers said. "We're going to use the money to save money."
At the Clark in Williamstown, a $353,000 grant will go toward the construction of the Stone Hill Center, a 32,000-square-foot wood and glass building to be used for gallery space, a studio art classroom and meeting space. Expected to open in summer 2008, the Stone Hill Center is part of a larger multiyear expansion project.
According to Sally Morse-Majewski, manager of public relations and marketing at the Clark, the grant funds are just part of the overall fundraising efforts.
"Investing in our region’s cultural infrastructure not only fuels the creative economy, but also improves our venues and enriches the cultural experiences unique to our region," said state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield, in a statement.
The CFF, created by the Legislature in 2006, received 201 requests totaling $80 million. The MCC and MassDevelopment selected recipients from small, neighborhood-based cultural groups to world-renowned theaters in 35 communities.
Listing of Berkshire County CFF Grant Recipients:
CAPITAL GRANTS
Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield $670,000
Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, North Adams $429,000
Shakespeare & Company, Lenox $395,000
Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown $353,000
Trustees of Reservations - Naumkeag Preservation Projects, Lenox $200,000
The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington $147,000
Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Inc., Becket $104,000
Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield $84,000
Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge $22,000
FEASIBILITY & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS
Hancock Shaker Village Inc., Pittsfield $37,500
Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Inc., Becket $33,750
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant
Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building.
"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu.
A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building.
White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.
He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns.
Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot.
A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use.
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