Lanesborough Selectmen to Hear Temporary Police Station Plans

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
06:48AM / Sunday, April 24, 2022Print Story | Email Story

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Police Station Committee plans to present its proposal for a temporary police station location to the Board of Selectmen on Monday.

"I think us getting a temporary location set up is huge. It's something that, when the committee was formed, we didn't think that would be something we'd really be doing, but it ended up being something that worked out really well," said Chair Kristen Tool.

The Selectmen will have to approve the committee's proposal to relocate the Police Department to 545 South Main St. before anything can move forward. The American Rescue Plan Act Fund Committee approved a budget on April 20 that includes the $65,000 for a potential two-year lease of the property.

The lease, according to Tool, should already save the town a significant amount of money compared to what was anticipated.

"By moving the officers to this temporary location, once that is able to get approved, we will have already saved $120,000 that we budgeted to have a temporary location," she said "A trailer somewhere, that was going to be closer to $200,000."

Regarding the new station, Tool said she thinks a separate meeting with the Selectmen to discuss details with each potential site would be helpful. The committee discussed the feasibility of several potential sites, including the current police station site at 8 Prospect St., with Brian Humes of Jacunsci & Humes Architects on on April 6.

"It would be irresponsible for us to say, 'Do it and see what happens,' if there are other things here that would rule this site out before that taxpayer money is spent," she said. She noted Humes is willing to work with the town regardless of which site Lanesborough chooses.

The committee discussed the difficulties of getting any accurate estimates for the price of a new station. Tool said the committee is nowhere near a discussion on costs.

"I think there's a lot of fear in town about the money. Then it's like we're not even ready to talk about it because it's just an idea that we will get there. I'm confident that we will be able to lower the costs," she said.

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Pittsfield Housing Project Adds 37 Supportive Units and Collective Hope

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:01PM / Monday, December 29, 2025

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A new chapter in local efforts to combat housing insecurity officially began as community leaders and residents gathered at The First on to celebrate a major expansion of supportive housing in the city.

The ribbon was cut on Thursday Dec. 19, on nearly 40 supportive permanent housing units; nine at The First, located within the Zion Lutheran Church, and 28 on West Housatonic Street. The Housing Resource Center, funded by Pittsfield's American Rescue Plan Act dollars, hosted a celebration for a project that is named for its rarity: The First.

"What got us here today is the power of community working in partnership and with a shared purpose," Hearthway CEO Eileen Peltier said.

In addition to the 28 studio units at 111 West Housatonic Street and nine units in the rear of the church building, the Housing Resource Center will be open seven days a week with two lounges, a classroom, a laundry room, a bathroom, and lockers.

Erin Forbush, ServiceNet's director of shelter and housing, challenged attendees to transform the space in the basement of Zion Lutheran Church into a community center. It is planned to operate from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. year-round.

"I get calls from folks that want to help out, and our shelters just aren't the right spaces to be able to do that. The First will be that space that we can all come together and work for the betterment of our community," Forbush said.

"…I am a true believer that things evolve, and things here will evolve with the people that are utilizing it."

Earlier that day, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus joined Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and her team in Housatonic to announce $33.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funding, $5.45 million to Berkshire County.

He said it was ambitious to take on these two projects at once, but it will move the needle. The EOHLC contributed more than $7.8 million in subsidies and $3.4 million in low-income housing tax credit equity for the West Housatonic Street build, and $1.6 million in ARPA funds for the First Street apartments.

"We're trying to get people out of shelter and off the streets, but we know there are a lot of people who are couch surfing, who are living in their cars, who are one paycheck away from being homeless themselves," Augustus said.

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