NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Chingon Taco Truck is trading in its mobility for a firmer foundation at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts. 

 

The Mass MoCA Commission approved a dual concept that will see the opening of new restaurant Casita in the former Gramercy and the spirit of Chingon as the takeout window in the courtyard. 

 

Mariah and Justin Forstmann's "pandemic passion project" (as they describe it) resulted in an 18-foot taco truck that has spent summers in the Mass MoCA Courtyard and at various fields and venues around the county, and popups during the winter. They describe their fare as Mexican street food made through a Berkshires' lens. 

 

"We're just excited to take our next step in our professional lives," Justin Forstmann told the commission on Monday. "The truck was really warmly received over the past three summers to two full years and we're just excited to now provide more closely to what our dreams have always been of a sit-down restaurant with great food, better atmosphere and lots of fun times to be had for everyone."

 

Casita will have a lounge area and a dining room with full table service, in addition to the takeout window for more casual meals based on the taco truck. 

 

"Their vision is a warm, upscale casual restaurant serving traditional issue of Mexican fare, with a focus on supporting local farms and purveyors," said Kimma Stark, project manager at Mass MoCA.. 

 

The Forstmanns said they would be working closely with the local community "to find those special people" who want to take the next steps with them professionally. They are anticipating five people in the kitchen and four or five on the floor, with eight full-time staff to start. 

 

In comparison to a couple other eateries that have tried out the space temporarily over the past few years, the Forstmanns are signing a five-year lease with option to renew. 

 

The commission approved the lease with hours from noon to 11 seven days a week (although the restaurant to begin will be noon to 9 with Tuesdays and Wednesdays off). The restaurant is shooting for a soft opening by Memorial Day weekend, then "be ready to rock" on June 1.

 

The Forstmanns will appear before the License Commission on Tuesday.

 

The commission also approved a lease with the Berkshire Innovation Center of Pittsfield for the "BIC Works @ MoCA," a 2,500 square foot space off Courtyard A. 

 

This the first phase of the BIC's expansion and the space will be part maker space, rapid prototyping, interactive experience center, small-business accelerator, training center, business incubation, classroom space and conference rooms. 

 

"We're a member-based organization so private firms join the BIC, our academic partners engage with us and we really tried to connect students with opportunities and firms with government programs and make sure they're aligned with some of the growth industry," said Director Benjamin Sosne. 

 

"We've created a kind of a, what I'd say, a real hub of activity in Pittsfield, and we're spitting out businesses, helping businesses grow and we think there's an opportunity to do more of that in North Adams and tie the county together, so we see this as a great opportunity."

 

He said the county is small by population but large in land area, making it difficult for students from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts or McCann Technical School or Williams College or other schools to get to Pittsfield for programming. 

 

As to technology, Sosne said the new location would not have as extensive an array as the 23,000 square foot Pittsfield location, but "will have some tech at a level where students can get in there and operate them and learn how to use them."

 

There will likely be a full-time manager and two people overseeing the site during the day when it will be used for programming and professional development. 

 

"The other thing we really want to do ... sort of a summary of what I call the student ambassador program. What I envision with that, is MCLA students, Williams College students," he said. "Students would have an opportunity to get in and really demonstrate some work that they're doing. To actually supplement our staff with students is a great opportunity."

 

The lease would start on June 1 and will go for five to seven years. Stark said they were still working out the details.