Repairs Being Done on Notre Dame in North Adams

Notre Dame steeple towers over the trees as seen from the bottom of Willow Dell.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Workers from Five Star Building Corp. of Easthampton have a commanding view of the city on Friday as they make repairs to the steeple on Notre Dame Church.

Repairs to portals on the steeple, including the prominent louvered sides, and replacement of the rear portions of two of the church's roofs are being done through a matching grant of up to $100,000 from the Massachusetts Historical Commission awarded in late 2008. Reinhart Associates of Agawam is the project engineer for the estimated $95,000 project.

The cross atop the steeple was removed two years ago along with other religious items.

The city purchased the Notre Dame complex nearly two years ago in an effort to preserve the buildings. The rectory was sold to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and the school has been optioned by Arch Street Development of Needham, which is currently rehabilitating the Clark Biscuit mill for housing. The city received $25,000 from the Diocese of Springfield for roof repairs as part of the purchase agreement.

Work began nearly two weeks ago. On Friday, a crane towered above steeple, a distinctive part of the city's skyline from its eastern gateway, wth the bucket holding the workers dangling from it.

Vermont National Guard Members Depart From North Adams

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
04:20PM / Friday, June 05, 2026

About 50 people waved flags to the see the Guardsmen off on their bus. The members were staying in North Adams because of a lack of hotel rooms in Bennington, Vt.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Residents came together Friday to see some Vermont National Guard members off.

 

The American Legion Riders organized a send off for a group of 75 or so Guard members who were staying at Hotel Downstreet.

 

"We are going to escort them to the Bennington Armory," Riders President Mike Lewis said. "They are going to gear up there, and then I am not sure where they are going. I don’t even know if they are all going to the same place."

 

Fifty or so people met in the Hotel Downstreet parking lot to show their appreciation. They waved flags and held signs. A bagpiper was also present.

 

The Riders contacted the Fire Department who helped organize the send off. North Adams Police cruisers and Northern Berkshire EMS were also on site to help see the bus off.

 

Lewis said there was not enough rooms in Bennington for the National Guard members. He added because of the trend to use vacant hotel rooms as low-income housing, the group had to look toward North Adams.

 

It's not clear where these Guard were off to, but about 500 members of 3-172 Infantry Battalion were expected to go to the Middle East with U.S. Central Command. According to Vermont Digger, this deployment was scheduled prior to the strikes on Iran.