Woodlawn Bridge, PEDA Innovation Center Design Progressing
 The PEDA board was updated on a number of projects Wednesday morning. |
Some two years after work was originally scheduled to demolish the bridge and replace it with a new one, which will be taller to accommodate double-decker train cars. The $4.59 million project will connect East Street to Tyler Street. The road has been closed since 2006.
"People are anxious to take that new route," Thurston said on Wednesday. "This will be quite a different experience."
The Department of Transportation's project began construction this summer. Thurston said the road should be opened in the spring.
"The bridge is moving nicely now. Steele is schedule for mid-October and then they build the deck. I still think it will be early Spring before they can do the final paving and the road actually opens," Thurston said.
The road cuts through the William Stanley Business Park, which is overseen by the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority, and is eyed as a tool to help develop the park because of its increased traffic options. The project was delayed multiple times because of the bidding process and design changes.
In 2011, Action Ambulance announced it intended to build a regional headquarters at the William Stanley Business Park but that was contingent on the bridge being reopened. The project has never moved forward because of the delays and it is unknown if the company will still pursue the plan.
The bridge is scheduled to be completed shortly before the Berkshire Innovation Center is opened. Thurston said he's been working with the Berkshire Innovation Center board on design, particularly with ensuring the utilities brought to the site allow for future extension.
"Now that we have a firm design, I'm looking at park improvements," Thurston said.
Currently the BIC, a research and development site for small and medium sized businesses, is in the design phase. Officials have previously said they'd like construction to start this fall with a summer 2016 opening.
PEDA member Larry Tallman said the design is nearly completed as the organization looks to scale back some aspects of the original plan to fit in with the $9.75 million budget. The size of the building was previously expanded and is now being scaled back to the original 20,000 square-foot range, loading docks were removed, and landscaping and the location of Dumpsters is still being questioned. But, the majority of the design is completed.
PEDA Chairman Mick Callahan said bid documents are being published Wednesday afternoon. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled with potential contractors on Sept. 14 and in late September the subcontractor bids are due, he said.
"The documents are hot off the press and the clock ticks today," Callahan said.
Officials are still awaiting work on a U.S. Economic Development Agency grant in the $2.5 million range to improve other areas of the park in conjunction with the BIC construction. The grant too is intended to make the park more attractive for businesses.
The grant would help the following construction projects: additional site work like driveways, parking lot lights, retaining walls and landscaping; a water line extension on Woodlawn Avenue; a traffic signal at Woodlawn Avenue and East Street; the extension of a fiber optic cable from Lyman Street through the property; the installation of a photovoltaic array; and the purchase of additional manufacturing equipment.
"We're very optimistic we'll be able to get it," Mayor Daniel Bianchi said.
PEDA is also rolling out another ad campaign in the Albany, N.Y., market to attract businesses. PEDA member Christina Barrett said an ad will be run in the Albany Business Review that includes "five reasons to move your business here." The ad will link to information about the park and invited businesses to tour the sites.
"We didn't want to advertise for the sake of advertising with pretty pictures. We wanted to provide information," Barrett said.
The new ad will run for a full week and the board will watch the clicks and responses carefully to judge its effectiveness. PEDA also ran an advertisement in USA Today's annual New England Patriots season preview. That too included website information in hopes to drive traffic.
"We're trying to find ways to use traditional advertising and link to our website, which is easier to track," Barrett said.
Another piece to attract businesses is the state's Transformational Development Initiative for Tyler Street. The city is focusing on a massive redevelopment of Tyler Street, which includes redevelopment of empty buildings, increased housing, a streetscape construction, and a wide scope of businesses.
The state's MassDevelopment will oversee that project and the agency held a kickoff event last month.
Tags: bridge project, economic development, PEDA,
