Former GE Site Garners Over $6M for Redevelopment

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The William Stanley Business Park is closer to fulfilling the $10 million needed to redevelop its biggest parcel, Site 9. 

"It took a while to get up to $10.8 million but I think we are very close," Business Development Manager Michael Coakley told the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority on Thursday.

"We have currently solidified $6.3 million." 

This includes $3 million from the MassWorks infrastructure program, $880,000 in Site Readiness Program funding from the state's Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, $264,000 from the state Brownfields Program and, most recently, a $500,000 earmark from a state economic development bill that was passed in November. 

The 16-acre parcel previously housed a General Electric factory and is the largest and most prominent section of the business park. Mayor Linda Tyer has said it resembles the "surface of the moon" because of deterioration over the past 20 years. 

During the meeting, PEDA authorized using the balance of its GE landscaping fund — about $1.3 million — for the landscaping portion of the redevelopment plan and expending $400,000 from its foundation fund for the site. 

This leaves a balance of about $4.5 million in grants. 

As a part of the recent economic development bill, the Berkshire Innovation Center located within the business park received $150,000 for the Tech Impact Collaborative's digital economy initiatives. 

Coakley pointed out that Site 9 is the largest project within the business park and it took a lot of work to get the funding, though the efforts are not over. 

He reported that a warehouse/distribution firm has been asking for several documents on the large site. 

The company could bring 100 jobs to the area and is looking for possibly a 70,000-square-foot building. 

It was said a commitment to the parcel could be helpful to move along with its redevelopment. 

Coakley has been in contact with a possible tenant for Site 5 for a couple of years. The company is looking into the feasibility of building a 30,000-square-foot building with another 20,000 square feet on another level to lease. 

A pre-fab building components manager based out of Europe, an industrial digital manufacturer, energy storage companies, and a production company have also shown interest in the park. 

"There’s a number of kind of irons in the fire," Coakley said. "Some are hotter than others." 

First Responder Awards Honor Excellence, Highlight Mental Health

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:32AM / Saturday, May 23, 2026

Keynote speaker Nicole Ferry, above, urged first responders not to suffer in silence; right, the committee recognized outstanding work by its members. 

Reader's note: This article discusses suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. To contact the Crisis Text Line, text HELLO to 741741. More information on crisis hotlines in Massachusetts can be found here.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — First responders gathered at the Proprietor's Lodge last week in advance of EMS Week to celebrate and support their colleagues. 

The EMS Awards Banquet, held by the Emergency Medical Services Committee of Berkshire County, included 20 awards for outstanding responses to specific calls over the past year and for excellence in various fields. 

Brian Andrews, president of County Ambulance Services and EMSCO, said its mission is to support and uplift the EMS community with compassionate care, critical resources, and "unwavering support" to first responders and their families.

"That mission is built on a simple but powerful principle: caring for our own," he said. 

"… EMS is a profession built around caring for others, but those who care for others also need to be cared for. They need support, encouragement, training, resources, recognition, and at times they need to know that this community stands behind them and their families." 

Andrews said EMSCO is one of the most active and successful county EMS organizations in Western Mass, and while its members may wear different patches and serve different communities, when the call comes in, they are all connected by the same mission. 

The evening included a $1,000 donation from EMSCO member Berkshire Community College Foundation, and County Ambulance paramedic supervisor Austin White requested that his 40 Under 40 donation be sent to the committee.