Appalachian Mountain Club will no longer manage Bascom Lodge

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The Appalachian Mountain Club will no longer manage Bascom Lodge and the Visitors’ Center on Mount Greylock, the state’s highest mountain, ending an arrangement of 15 years, an AMC spokesman said this week. “The AMC is basically moving out of the Berkshires,” said John Brennan, AMC manager at Bascom Lodge Monday. The decision to end the arrangement was voted by the AMC board in Boston last week, said Brennan. “We’ve been here 15 years,” said Brennan. The decision, he said, was prompted by lodge’s need for extensive repairs — totalling about $1 million. “Bascom Lodge needs a tremendous amount of work, a new septic system, a new water system. Right now, the waste is trucked out,” he said. “We’ve had a contractual arrangement with DEM to manage Bascom Lodge and in exchange we provide programs,” said Brennan. He is one of six full-time AMC staffers at Mount Greylock, where seasonal employees number about 30. “We have programs that will run through April,” he said. “We’re not leaving here until May 31.” AMC spokesman Hal Lacroix in the Boston office said, “We’re sending a letter to DEM this week notifying them that we’re going to discontinue our management of the Visitors Center and Bascom Lodge. “We’re looking for some other offices in the area,” he said. “We intend to continue our full commitment to our conservation and trails program out here,” he said. “Our maintaining the trails will not change at all. We have a trained staff that are experts at trail maintenance, and we have very active volunteer membership. “But whether we’ll still be leading hikes remains to be seen.” “We have an extensive program, and [its future] is still to be determined.” The lodge is closed for the winter, but, Lacroix noted, “we’ve led workshops out of the lodge.” The lodge is a popular stopover for through-hikers. The workshops and hikes attract both visitors and local residents. And the berry brunches in season are regular sell-out attractions. Said Lacroix, “The key thing is that we’re not going to be operating the lodge with overnights and food service, and we’ll be out of managing the visitors’ center. “It’s an environmental issue, really, on top of the summit. DEM is mandated by the state to upgrade its water and waste disposal system. They need to deal with it. It’s been identified for quite a while, that the septic system was failing.” “After April we don’t have any plans to operate out of the lodge. The workshop and education program is undergoing changes. The specific situation is related to environmental issues,” he said. “Elsewhere, the club is thriving.” The Appalachian Mountain Club has 87,000 members nationwide, 32,000 of them in Massachusetts. The club maintains 350 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut and New Hampshire, and has 1,400 miles of trail, some of it in the Berkshires. Douglas Poland, DEM regional supervisor of forests and parks, referred inquiries to state Director of Forests and Parks Todd Fredericks in Boston, who could not be reached for comment. Poland said only that the AMC and DEM planned to make a joint release about the change.
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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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