Photojournalist and Photography Teacher to Speak at Ventfort Hall

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LENOX, Mass. — Photojournalist and Photography Teacher David Lee will talk about the basic photo technology of the 19th century and how that affects the way the resulting pictures appear. 
 
His talk will be followed by tea.
 
According to a press release: in the Gilded Age exposures were made by both professional and amateur photographers in a time when there was no capability to photographically enlarge them. Today we have much faster darkroom photo paper and making photographic enlargements is relatively easy. But printing photos in the darkroom takes time and patience. The precise requirements of time, light and chemistry necessary for those glass plate negatives to be made in 1887 are followed through with the creation of the prints on display at Ventfort Hall. For Lee they have a resonance and honesty that would not be characteristic of a digitally scanned and computer adjusted inkjet print. The enlargements reveal details about the texture of life in the late 19th century. They also reveal details about how photographers worked, how they thought about their equipment and their subject matter.
 
Lee started taking pictures as a child. His father was an amateur photographer who built a darkroom in the basement of their house where he first learned the craft. He studied art and art history at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and came to New York to work as an intern at the Aperture Publishing Company. He has worked as a photojournalist for various community newspapers since 1997 and teaches a photography class at Berkshire Community College.
 
Tickets are $30 for members and with advance reservation; $35 day of; $22 for students 22 and under. Reservations are required as seats are limited. Walk-ins accommodated as space allows. For reservations call (413) 637-3206. All tickets are nonrefundable and non-exchangeable. Masks are required. 
 
The historical mansion is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.
 

Tags: photography,   Ventfort Hall,   

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Pennrose Breaks Ground in Lenox, Bringing 68 Units of Affordable Housing

Staff Reports

LENOX, Mass. — Pennrose announced the groundbreaking of 238 Pittsfield Road, a 68-unit affordable rental community.

The development will bring much-needed affordable, family-friendly housing options to the area.

The community will consist of 10 residential buildings offering a mix of 23 one-bedroom, 38 two-bedroom, and seven three-bedroom apartments. Of the 68 total homes, 57 will be affordable for households earning from 30 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) up to 80 percent AMI, with the remaining 11 units available at market rate rents.

A community building at the entrance of the development will offer resident-focused amenities, including event space and a fitness center, along with on-site offices for Pennrose management and resident services staff.

"238 Pittsfield Road builds on the progress that the Town of Lenox has made in addressing the region's pressing needs for affordable, family-sized rental housing," said Karmen Cheung, Regional Vice President at Pennrose. "This partnership with the Town of Lenox continues to deliver communities that give families of all sizes a place to call home. Together with Forge, these two communities reflect our long-term commitment to meeting the diverse housing needs of Berkshire families."

Currently only 7 percent of Lenox's housing stock is deed-restricted affordable, falling short of the 10 percent goal established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Additionally, approximately 90 percent of the town's existing affordable housing is limited to seniors, and market-rate rental options remain sparse.

238 Pittsfield Road is located a mile down the road from Forge,  a mixed-income community that celebrated its grand opening in August. Together, the two sister developments will add a total of 133 new affordable units to the town.

The project continues Pennrose's collaboration with the Town of Lenox and is guided by the goals of the Town's 2017 Housing Production Plan, 2021 Master Plan, and 2002 Gateway Redevelopment Plan.

The project is financed via federal 4 percent tax credit and state tax credit allocations from the Commonwealth's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), with the National Equity Fund as the syndicator and Rockland Trust and US Bank as the investors. Rockland also provided construction debt, and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) provided both permanent debt and Workforce Housing Funds. MassDevelopment is the bond issuer, and EOHLC provided additional soft sources and operating subsidy. Finally, the Town of Lenox provided local Affordable Housing Trust and Community Preservation Act funds, as well as funds through the Commonwealth's HousingWorks Infrastructure Program (HWIP).

Haynes Construction is serving as general contractor and The Architectural Team as architect for the development.

Construction is underway and is expected to be completed in early 2028.

 

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