Pittsfield Cooperative Bank Names VP/Commercial Loan Officer

11:13AM / Friday, December 02, 2016Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Timothy J. Collins has joined the Pittsfield Cooperative Bank as vice president/commercial loan officer.

Collins brings more than 10 years of industry experience, six years locally at Berkshire Bank and their ownership predecessor Legacy Banks, as assistant vice president and commercial real estate officer. Most recently he worked as senior associate, acquisitions, at High Street Realty Company in Boston, where he was responsible for the oversight and execution of investment underwriting analysis and overall operations for the acquisitions group, including all new debt placement and negotiations.

Collins grew up in Lee and will be moving back to Berkshire County with his wife Laura, a Pittsfield native, and young son. He earned his undergraduate degree and MBA from the UMass Isenberg School of Management. At UMass, he was a member of the men's basketball team and is currently the analyst for UMass Basketball radio broadcasts.

"Tim brings a much needed high level of expertise in the area of commercial real estate financing to the Berkshires and we are proud to welcome Tim and his wife back as we believe in home-grown talent," said J. Jay Anderson, president and CEO of the Pittsfield Cooperative Bank.

In this positon, Collins will be responsible for managing and growing the bank's commercial loan portfolio.

"Banking is a personal business. Tim is an experienced lender who will help make our community a better place to live, work and play and he joins a team that – as a whole - is truly invested in our little niche in the Berkshires," Anderson said.

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Pittsfield Housing Project Adds 37 Supportive Units and Collective Hope

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:01PM / Monday, December 29, 2025

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A new chapter in local efforts to combat housing insecurity officially began as community leaders and residents gathered at The First on to celebrate a major expansion of supportive housing in the city.

The ribbon was cut on Thursday Dec. 19, on nearly 40 supportive permanent housing units; nine at The First, located within the Zion Lutheran Church, and 28 on West Housatonic Street. The Housing Resource Center, funded by Pittsfield's American Rescue Plan Act dollars, hosted a celebration for a project that is named for its rarity: The First.

"What got us here today is the power of community working in partnership and with a shared purpose," Hearthway CEO Eileen Peltier said.

In addition to the 28 studio units at 111 West Housatonic Street and nine units in the rear of the church building, the Housing Resource Center will be open seven days a week with two lounges, a classroom, a laundry room, a bathroom, and lockers.

Erin Forbush, ServiceNet's director of shelter and housing, challenged attendees to transform the space in the basement of Zion Lutheran Church into a community center. It is planned to operate from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. year-round.

"I get calls from folks that want to help out, and our shelters just aren't the right spaces to be able to do that. The First will be that space that we can all come together and work for the betterment of our community," Forbush said.

"…I am a true believer that things evolve, and things here will evolve with the people that are utilizing it."

Earlier that day, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus joined Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and her team in Housatonic to announce $33.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funding, $5.45 million to Berkshire County.

He said it was ambitious to take on these two projects at once, but it will move the needle. The EOHLC contributed more than $7.8 million in subsidies and $3.4 million in low-income housing tax credit equity for the West Housatonic Street build, and $1.6 million in ARPA funds for the First Street apartments.

"We're trying to get people out of shelter and off the streets, but we know there are a lot of people who are couch surfing, who are living in their cars, who are one paycheck away from being homeless themselves," Augustus said.

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