Mayor Rejects Mohawk Theater Bid, Makes Plans for New RFP

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
08:47PM / Tuesday, January 25, 2022Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The controversial Mohawk Theater sale is off the table.

Mayor Jennifer Macksey on Tuesday night stated her intention to withdraw from the current bid and seek more input before releasing a new request for proposal.

"After reviewing the RFP process, I feel that it's in the best interest of this time to reject the current proposal that was presented back in December," she told the City Council, later adding, "if anyone has any questions, I would be happy to talk a little bit more but I'm sure none of you are surprised with those comments."

The mayor said during an interview on Monday that her decision to reject the proposal was based on two things: the bidder didn’t have enough time to put forth an “adequate” plan and that the city still owes $52,000 on a $600,000 loan on the property. On Tuesday she repeated her concern about the loan to the committee.

The city has invested $2,656,435 in public grants into the theater project with $889,000 used for various studies and engineering, including a Massachusetts Cultural Council grant of $30,000 to look into connecting it to the Dowlin Block.

Another $600,000 in borrowing approved by the City Council in 2009 was used as a "bridge" loan during stabilization work at that time with the supposition that historic tax credits would somehow pay that off. About $52,000 is left on that loan, with a total of $53,560 with the interest, and should be paid off next year, according to information last month.

The future of the 84-year-old Main Street structure has been in doubt for more than 35 years now. The movie house has been vacant since about 1991 and the interior completely gutted nearly two years ago.

The prior administration had been in negotiation with developer Veselko Buntic of New York, who had proposed to purchase the building and make it into an events venue for a hotel he’s planning in the adjacent Dowlin Block.

But outrage at the plan, the sale of a significant downtown icon in the waning days of a departing administration, and a City Council that balked at being cut out of the decision making process, seemed to inevitably lead to a dead deal.

Macksey had asked the council days before her swearing in to hold off on approving a sale to give the incoming administration time to review the bid. The City Council had voted to postpone deliberation on the bid until its second meeting in January, after Macksey became mayor.

The mayor said she had met with Buntic and told him she would like to see his properties and the plans he has. And she also informed his bid would be rejected.

"He was a little discouraged. But we had a great conversation and I'm hopeful that he will submit when the new process the new RFP comes out," she said.

The mayor told the council that she wants a more inclusive and transparent process, holding focus groups next month to inform the RFP, allowing potential bidders more time in the building to consider their plans, and creating a review committee with broader representation.

"I'd like to have a couple focus groups before we craft the RFP to talk to the community as well as business people about what we think that property can be," she said. "And use that information to craft an RFP with some set expectations of what how we want it developed, keeping in mind that we all have to realize that we can't go backwards and that it may never be the Mohawk heater as we knew it."

Once the RFP is issued, she's looking at a 45 to 60 day turnaround and allow access for people to take a good look at the theater.

"Hopefully by June we can be having a well-educated discussion and invite people to make public presentations and go from there," she said.

"But this is an important part of the fabric of North Adams. And it's much different than selling a piece of land somewhere. I think it's something that we really need to take some time with. And we also need to allow the respondents an adequate amount of time to respond."

But she cautioned "that we all have to realize that we can't go backwards and that it may never be the Mohawk Theater as we knew it."

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NAHA Board Accepts Director's Resignation, Unlocks Tenants Association Office

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
03:33PM / Friday, October 16, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams Housing Authority Board of Commissioners officially accepted the resignation of Executive Director Jennifer Hohn and restored access to the Tenants Association office.

The board held a special meeting Thursday to vote to accept Hohn's resignation and determined that there are currently no plans to replace her.

"We didn't make any final determinations in terms of the executive session so we will schedule another meeting at another time," Chairwoman Leigh Uqdah said after returning from more than an hour session. "Day-to-day operations will continue to be managed as normal by staff."

Per their bylaws, board member Marie Harpin will continue to handle finances, and Uqdah will manage contracts.

Hohn stepped down on Oct. 8 after 24 years leading the agency. Her resignation followed rising tension between her and the NAHA Tenants Association, culminating in the scheduling of a formal grievance hearing between both parties.

The boiling point was the locking of the association's office this summer. Tenants alleged the lockout was retaliation for posting a video on social media depicting improperly functioning door alarms. Hohn claimed the office was locked for tenant safety and to stop the spread of misinformation.

Tenants Association President Corey Fortin asked if Hohn's security access had been removed. Uqdah confirmed her credentials were revoked the day she resigned, meaning she can no longer monitor security cameras remotely.

Jennifer Barbeau, a former city councilor who was liaison to the Housing Authority, asked when the board met to discuss Hohn's severance package. Uqdah stated that Hohn did not have one.

The board also accepted the resignation of Commissioner Richard Lavigne, though they will vote officially on the matter at their next meeting.

The open portion of the meeting was brief, with nearly an hour and a half spent in executive session. Before entering executive session, the board opened the floor to tenants.

"The tenants requested an opportunity to talk to the board," said Uqdah. "It has been quite a while, but we have decided to honor that."

Fortin, who posted the original video to social media, was the first to speak. He was clear in his request: unlock the office door.

"Let's cut straight to the chase tonight. The former resigned Director Jennifer Hohn ordered the office locked," he alleged. "She is gone. The lockout is a direct violation, and the board has a duty to end that tonight."

He cited federal and state laws that mandate the tenants association be provided with office space, including computer and network access.

"We are here with a direct administrative demand. We demand that the board vote tonight to unlock the doors," he said. "Do not let a resigned director's illegal action remain the board's ongoing liability. Open our door tonight, and let us get back to work."

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