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Rising Glass Brewery will move into the former Eagles Hall after a substantial renovation. Although some work has begun, the project has been delayed because of the pandemic.

North Adams Planners Approve Planned Brewery Patio

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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The Planning Board wrapped up their meeting in 15 minutes Monday.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Planning Board approved some design changes to the planned Rising Glass Brewery that will now include a patio.
 
"Since the pandemic, people have really taken to outdoor seating. So we want to double down on that," applicant Jonathan Spinney said to the Planning Board Monday.
 
Plans for the proposed brewery at the former Eagles Hall, on 515 Curran Highway, go back to 2018. At the time, applicant Spinney said a substantial remodel of the hall, which closed in 2017, would have to be done.
 
Spinney said he wanted to provide the board with some kind of update, especially with such a large "pause" in the middle of the project during the pandemic.
 
He said once they took the building apart they saw an opportunity to attach a large patio on the front of the building. He said they have essentially rotated their original design, and the overall footprint remains the same.
 
"Other than that there has been no change," he said.
 
Spinney said the patio would be covered and attached. He was aware that designs would have to include fire suppression.
 
The board had no questions, and Vice-chairman Brian Miksic said he was happy to see the project moving along.
 
"I am glad you are still trucking forward with this project through a difficult time," he said. "I can't wait to see it come to fruition."
 
The board approved the modification contingent upon seeing plans. Spinney said the plans should be completed this fall.
 
In other business, the Planning Board approved a special permit request from 413 Bistro LLC for property located at 40 Main Street, the former Richmond Grill at the Holiday Inn.
 
"We are doing another restaurant," said Paul Brassard, who runs the Williamstown eatery Berkshire Palate with his three sons.
 
"That is all of the information that I need," Miksic said. 
 
Brassard told the Licensing Board in May that they plan to shut up shop in Williamstown and move their entire operation to North Adams.
 
The Richmond Grill has been closed for at least a year now. 
 
 
 

Tags: Planning Board,   restaurant,   

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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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