PreviousNext

Pittsfield Taco Bell Holds Grand Opening

Some Wahconah students say they skipped out for some Taco Bell.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Crunch Wrap Supreme lovers can rejoice.

Taco Bell celebrated the grand opening of a new restaurant on Wednesday after two years of planning and building.

The new structure on Dalton Avenue is a far cry from the franchise's original 1980s building in Berkshire Crossing. It includes various technology improvements designed to provide a more efficient employee and customer experience.

"Obviously the biggest difference is we went from a 1980s building to a brand-new one, a lot of differences you can't see out here, it's in the back of the house, the technology, everything is his newest technologies we have for Taco Bell as far as the ovens and grills, the computer systems and headsets, and the drive-thru technology has been 100 percent updated," said Jessica Woodburn, marketing director for franchise owner Hospitality Restaurant Group, headquartered in New York State.

"So for our team members, it's a much better experience, everything flows easier, it makes sense to them, and then we're out here, our kiosk, the drive-thru mobile ordering, the DoorDash, we had all that before, but it should be much easier now."

The construction of the new restaurant started in September with a projected end date of late 2021.  Because of COVID-19 delays such as supply chain shortages, the date was pushed out by about a month.

The former location shut down at the end of its business day on Sunday. Another fast-food franchise, Chipotle, will be occupying that property in the future.

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.