NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Housing Authority Director Jennifer Hohn was excited to announce to the board of commissioners on Monday that work on the proposed Ashland Park Apartments mural should begin June 11.
"It will be starting up in a few weeks," she said. "It will be awesome."
It was announced in 2020 that artist Gaia was commissioned for the mural that will be installed on the north side of the high-rise building.
The mural was influenced by the input of more than 200 survey responses by building and community residents.
The mural is also inspired by horticulturalist Lue Gim Gong, a Chinese immigrant who, after moving to the state of Florida from North Adams, developed the Valencia orange in 1911.
The mural is part of of the Ashland Street Initiative, a project to enhance and beautify the area between downtown North Adams and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Inspired by the Eagle Street Initiative, the citizens' group behind that project, NAMAzing, teamed with Common Folk Artist Collective, Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, and the city to bring some of the same placemaking and artistic touches to the Ashland corridor.
The commission also discussed a proposed change within NAHA that would allow tenants to pay their rent directly to the bank online or even at Walmart.
"This is a great thing and if we can remove any barrier to payment, even if it psychological," Commissioner Kate Merrigan said.
Program Manager Lisa LaBonte gave a fire update and said the restoration process at the Greylock Apartments should begin shortly.
"That work should begin in the next couple of weeks," she said. "They are waiting on a few things."
In January, an apartment block in the Greylock Valley Apartments was severely damaged by fire leaving several families homeless.
LaBonte said NAHA are still housing two displaced tenants and another two are being housed at the Holiday Inn.
Information technology manager Jason Morin said he has made some progress on establishing free internet for all residents in NAHA.
"I am still trying to line all the ducks up," he said. "There are a lot of parts to this project, but it is looking good."
He said he has received a proposal from Dojo Networks, which has provided different cost tiers and ways to implement the wifi throughout the buildings. He said there also may be grant opportunities available.
Morin said he could have a proposal for the commission to vote on next month.
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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime.
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather.
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5.
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure.
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
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Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather.
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