David Bruce and Lee Bank remain independent

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David J. Bruce did not originally have aspirations to go into banking when he graduated from college in 1977. “I got my business degree, with a focus on finance, at North Adams State [now MCLA],” he explained. “Before Lee Bank, I was at Dartmouth Savings in New Hampshire in the accounting department.” In 1981, he accepted a job offer to work at Lee Bank and moved back to Western Massachusetts. “I gained more and more experience over time. My jobs became more diverse and grew more interesting. I took on more responsibilities, got involved in lending,” said Bruce, who was eventually promoted to the position of president of Lee Bank in 1989 when his predecessor retired. “I’ve got one of the best jobs around,” stated Bruce. “As my career has progressed, I’ve become more involved with the customers and employees, marketing issues. There are a lot of different attributes to the job of a bank president. The specific role of a bank president changes with each bank depending on the size of the organization, but one of the most important roles is determining where we want the organization to go and all the aspects that come under leading the organization down that path. It’s important to stay on top of what the customers want and expect, and to ensure that we deliver high quality services to our customers.” Over the years, Lee Bank has remained a successful and independent bank. Bruce stated that “we’re committed to remaining independent. We don’t want to merge or consolidate with a larger organization because we feel that we can be a lot more flexible if we’re independent. We make all our decisions within these four walls and I think that that’s a big advantage for our customers. We can do a better, a more personal, job for our customers that way.” Bruce insists that “small doesn’t mean unsophisticated. We have all the same services as larger banks; we’re part of an ATM network so you can use most machines throughout the state without a surcharge. Like most smaller banks, we do things to broaden our network base so that we don’t have to merge.” Another great advantage, according to Bruce, is the stability of his staff. “We don’t have a lot of turnover so our customers are able to develop relationships with our employees. I’m extremely proud of our staff; they truly have the customer’s interests at heart. Although most of our staff resides here in Lee, we do have people from Pittsfield and South County.” Previously a resident of the Berkshires, Bruce was more than happy to move to Lee with the onset of his latest position. “I’ve lived in Lee since 1981 — it’s a great town. Most of the staff that works here lives in Lee, is a part of the Lee community. This year marks the 150th anniversary of Lee Bank. “We’ve tentatively scheduled a dedication ceremony in June,” added Bruce. “Things will be going on all year in town — the fire department and the Little League are having anniversaries also — their 50th, I believe. There will be the Sponsor/Founders Day Parade in the fall. A lot of significant anniversaries are going on in the town, which was founded in the late 1700s. There’s a strong sense of community in Lee.” In addition to their Lee office, other branches include a full service location in Stockbridge, a mortgage loan origination office in Pittsfield, and a newly expanded and renovated office located at 279 Main St. in Great Barrington. Bruce proudly announced that this new office opened its doors to the public this past Monday. “There’s a good market down in Great Barrington. Ours will be the only bank in town that isn’t a branch of a bank based out of Pittsfield. We’re truly a South County-based bank.” This expansion will allow Lee Bank to offer full banking services at this new office, including teller services and a full-time commercial loan officer. These expanded services are meant to complement existing mortgage and consumer services that had been offered in the original office for the last five years. Lee Bank has provided the Great Barrington area with mortgage loan, small business, and deposit services from its existing space since February, 1997. Adding space from the building immediately next door and combining the two storefronts into one has doubled the old office space. Willey Brothers Inc. of Rochester, N.H., was the building design and architectural firm and Coastal Construction was the general contractor with subcontracts awarded to local contractors. With the additional space, Lee Bank added teller services, expanded its business banking operation, and now provides broader consumer banking services. While the new bank will offer traditional bank services, it has been augmented by new concepts. These concepts include customer access to the Internet through a dedicated terminal located in the bank’s lobby and a waiting area designed around a television set with financial news playing so that customers can stay on top of current events. In addition, the bank has added three new staff members to the office, in addition to the two current staff members: a full-time commercial loan officer and two bank tellers. According to Bruce, many of the bank’s customers in the Great Barrington area “will enjoy the enhanced services by Lee Bank, and new customers will find the convenience of a full-service office located in the heart of Great Barrington a reason to establish new account relationships with Lee Bank. Our expansion of our Great Barrington office into a full-service banking facility is testimony to our confidence in, and expectations for, continued growth in South County.”
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Friday Front Porch Feature: A Charming House Like New

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

The home prior to renovations.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Are you looking for a newly renovated home with great space? Then this might be the perfect fit for you!

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 100 Autumn Drive.

This three-bedroom, two-bathroom split level was built in 1965 and is 1,396 square feet on 0.32 acres.

The house was completely renovated recently. It includes a one-car garage, and comes with appliances including a dishwasher and stove/oven, and other major appliances.

The house is listed for $359,500.

We spoke with owners Michael Zeppieri and Chris Andrews, who did the renovations. Zeppieri is an agent with Alton and Westall Real Estate Agency.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

Zeppieri: I purchased this home to do a full renovation flip and saw tremendous potential in this mid-century split level home that had not been updated since it was built in the 1960s, in a great North Adams neighborhood.

 

Andrews: The house was a much different house when we first purchased it in 2022 (photo attached is from about 2010.)  The interior was painted all in dark colors and we brightened it up with neutral colors. The transformation makes you feel like you are in a totally different house.  

 

 

What were the recent renovations, any standout design features?

 

Zeppieri: The house has had a complete reconfiguration including new kitchen with high-end appliances, ceramic tiled baths, hardwood floors, new windows and roof ... just to name a few.  All a buyer has to do is move in and enjoy.

 

Andrews: Yes, we renovated the entire house.  New windows, new roof, all new custom black gutter system, new blacktop driveway, hardwood floors were installed through out the house. New kitchen and bathrooms as well as painting the exterior and interior of the house.  New paver patio in the back yard.

 

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?

 

Zeppieri: The buyer for this home could be a first-time homebuyer or a retiree ... the location is close to attractions in North Adams ... and the property is located in Autumn Heights, which is a very small residential development with several long-term owners.

 

Andrews: This home is truly ideal for a variety of buyers. Whether a first-time homebuyer, a small family or even someone looking to downsize from a larger home.

 

 

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

 

Zeppieri: The location, price and move-in condition of this home make it a true market leader in the North Adams Market.

 

Andrews: This house is completely renovated and in a desirable location of North Adams. The natural light in the home really makes the interior pop. And with all the upgrades the home stays quite cool in the summer months.

Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history?

Zeppieri: This home was built for the Gould family in 1969 and they lived there till 2010. It was always a family home during that time in which the Goulds had two children ... and Virgina Gould managed Mohawk Forest Apartments and was a very active resident of North Adams.

 

Andrews: Built in about 1965.

 

What do the current owners love about this home?

 

Zeppieri: As the current owner it was a fun project to transform this home and get it ready for its next adventure with a new family to enjoy for many years.

 

Andrews: No one has lived in the house since we purchased the home. The new owners would be the first to live in the house since the renovations have been completed.

 

 

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

 

Andrews: I would suggest seeing the house either on a sunny day or at twilight to really get a vision of how special the home feels.  

 

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

 

 

 

 

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