Railroad Museum Offices Expanding on Main Street
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The art and museum consulting office on Main Street is moving eastward to fill two more spaces in the L-shaped mall.
Global Cultural Asset Management was approved by the Planning Board on Monday to take over the spaces formerly occupied by a nail salon and Greylock Federal Credit Union, about 4,100 square feet.
GCAM shares space with the Extreme Model Railroad and Contemporary Architecture Museum headquarters in what was the Sleepy's mattress location at the corner of Main and American Legion Drive.
The large space has been used for GCAM's professional offices and also as a showplace for the planned railroad museum's pieces. Thomas Krens is the principal of both ventures.
After two years there, James Pihakis, director of research at GCAM, said they need room for more employees and showroom space for EMRCA to create a "more public facing strategy" for the project.
"Essentially the way that we run our office is like it's a small architectural practice, and the showroom models for EMRCA and related projects are all kind of back behind the wall," he said, referring to the wall that bisects the space. "A lot of what we've been doing over the past couple of years is really exploring the the prototype models that will form the exhibition of this museum and part of what we would like to do is to put some of those models in the windows so that people passing by can see them."
Pihakis said they would be an attraction for people and "we think that it will enrich the experience of walking up and down Main Street."
The mall, Main Street NA Parkade LLC, is owned by Neil Ellis' First Hartford Realty, had asked that the three sections remain separate. Pihakis said the plan is to extend the contemporary facade makeover to the two other spaces.
The only immediate renovations, however, will be the removal of the teller counter in the former credit union space. In answer to questions, Pihakis said the expansion does not include the separate drive-thru in the parking lot.
He also said First Hartford was planning some parking lot improvements.
"Ultimately, I will come before the board again and ask for permission regarding signage and expanding the facade," he said.
The wing along Main Street has two more spaces — the end location occupied by H&R Block and the vacant storefront of the former RadioShack.
In other business, the board approved the David Ciepiela's application to build a 25-by-25 foot, two-car garage behind the Berkshire Monumental Works' showroom at 1070 South St. The garage would be for storage of tools and monuments. Building Inspector William Meranti said his department has already signed off on the project but because it is a commercial building, needed Planning approval as well.
• Planners gave the OK for a professional sales office for MiniMaxLiving.com at 10 Ashland St., the first space in the mid-century building that had most recently been an art gallery. Real estate agent Michael Hernandez, representing the applicant, who are also the owners of the building, said the company designs and sells small to midsize homes. There will be no renovations other than adding office furniture.
• An amended site plan for Flood House on Church Street for additional parking was also approved.
Tags: Main Street, model railroad, Planning Board,
