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The units are built to include the existing decorative shell of the church sanctuary.
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The units have been built around the former church's architectural elements.
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All of the units were leased before completion.
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Stained glass on the new second floor.
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All the units have high-quality fixtures.
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CT Management Finishing Renovation of Former Holy Family Church

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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The project blends modern apartments with the historic church structure.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Powerhouse Lofts will be occupied within the next few weeks.
 
 
The company is wrapping up its final pieces of work in the next two weeks and tenants will start to move in.
 
Developer David Carver said all of the units have been leased. The project is a smaller version of what is envisioned for the former St. Mary the Morningstar campus on Tyler Street and is similar to what the company has done with the former Notre Dame School and with the former Our Lady of Mercy Church in North Adams.
 
The building dates back to 1906, when it was constructed by the Berkshire Railway System to host a steam boiler and large electrical generators to power trolley cars. But, by 1910, the building had become too small and the railroad built new on East Street. In 1924, the Polish community petitioned the Catholic Diocese of Springfield for their own church and the building was converted.
 
It was closed in 2008 along with two other Pittsfield churches when the diocese consolidated. It has been vacant the last decade until CT Management purchased it last year.
 
"We're going to do 10 really nice, modern, unique, residences. They are not traditional built-for-the-masses residences. These are going to have all the utility and modern elements but have the uniqueness of space that you can't find anywhere else," said Craig Barnum of CT Management Group in December when describing the project.
 
"There are extremely high ceilings in a lot of these units that have beautiful barrel arches. We've maintained a lot of the interior integrity in the molding. The windows are extremely cool."
 

Many of the details of the former church were kept.
The building features a large four-bedroom unit and several one-bedrooms in the main sanctuary area. It is now two floors. The developers kept the high, arched ceilings, and built the units around the existing architecture. Barnum said the company attempted to preserve as much of the original building as possible -- including using church pews as trimming around windows.
 
The company opened the building up on Thursday to former parishioners of Holy Family so they could see the changes. Barnum said the units are being leased to a mixed demographic -- from young working professionals to retirees to families. 
 
Plans for the $1.8 million project began in 2016, when the city approved a tax incremental financing package for the company. CT Management said retrofitting such a building is more expensive than constructing new apartments and the city's assistance essentially helps keep the rents aligned with what the market can bear. Otherwise, the building could still be vacant.
 
The Berkshires has numerous vacant church properties. Some of them have seen the wrecking ball, like St. Francis of Assisi in North Adams, while others are being re-used. CT Management has particularly picked up its focus on saving the historic buildings and what is now called "Powerhouse Lofts" is just the latest.
 
The city has been particularly interested in getting more market-rate housing in its downtown area. In recent years, there has been an increased demand and a number of projects have been completed bringing those units to market.

Tags: apartments,   church reuse,   housing,   

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Dalton Man Accused of Kidnapping, Shooting Pittsfield Man

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A Dalton man was arrested on Thursday evening after allegedly kidnapping and shooting another man.

Nicholas Lighten, 35, was arraigned in Central Berkshire District Court on Friday on multiple charges including kidnapping with a firearm and armed assault with intent to murder. He was booked in Dalton around 11:45 p.m. the previous night.

There was heavy police presence Thursday night in the area of Lighten's East Housatonic Street home before his arrest.

Shortly before 7 p.m., Dalton dispatch received a call from the Pittsfield Police Department requesting that an officer respond to Berkshire Medical Center. Adrian Mclaughlin of Pittsfield claimed that he was shot in the leg by Lighten after an altercation at the defendants home. Mclaughlin drove himself to the hospital and was treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries. 

"We were told that Lighten told Adrian to go down to his basement, where he told Adrian to get down on his knees and pulled out a chain," the police report reads.

"We were told that throughout the struggle with Lighten, Adrian recalls three gunshots."

Dalton PD was advised that Pittsfield had swabbed Mclaughlin for DNA because he reported biting Lighten. A bite mark was later found on Lighten's shoulder. 

Later that night, the victim reportedly was "certain, very certain" that Lighten was his assailant when shown a photo array at the hospital.

According to Dalton Police, an officer was stationed near Lighten's house in an unmarked vehicle and instructed to call over the radio if he left the residence. The Berkshire County Special Response Team was also contacted.

Lighten was under surveillance at his home from about 7:50 p.m. to about 8:40 p.m. when he left the property in a vehicle with Massachusetts plates. Another officer initiated a high-risk motor vehicle stop with the sergeant and response team just past Mill Street on West Housatonic Street, police said, and traffic was stopped on both sides of the road.

Lighten and a passenger were removed from the vehicle and detained. Police reported finding items including a brass knuckle knife, three shell casings wrapped in a rubber glove, and a pair of rubber gloves on him.

The response team entered Lighten's home at 43 East Housatonic before 9:30 p.m. for a protective sweep and cleared the residence before 9:50 p.m., police said. The residence was secured for crime scene investigators.

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