NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The former medical practice building on State Road should be moved closer to the airport runway by mid-January once prep work is complete.

 

Peter Enzien of Stantec Consulting Services, the airport's engineer, told the commission recently that contractor DA Sullivan & Sons was working through the week of Christmas to have the building ready to move for the second week of January.

 

"It's moving," he said. "So far so good." 

 

The city plans to move the vacant medical building on the north side of the Harriman & West Airport campus and use it as a new administrative building. The 8,700-square-foot facility was constructed in 2001 on leased airport land and was donated to the city by Berkshire Health Systems.

 

Enzien said construction is well underway and as of now the inside of the building is completely gutted and workers are putting finishing touches on the new foundation.

 

"As everyone can see it is well under construction and they are getting really close to finishing the foundation work," he said. "Their goal is to by the end of this week to have the complete perimeter of the main building done…and hopefully, by the end of the Christmas week, most of the concrete will be there for them to move the building."

 

He said after this it will take a week to prep for the actual move, which will be entirely done by remote control. During the move, the airport will be temporarily closed because power will need to be shut off.