image description
Mark Arigoni of SLR International Corp. shows a site map for the developed parcel in the William Stanley Business Park.

Planners Hope to Break Ground on Pittsfield's Site 9 in August

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — With the Site 9 redevelopment fully funded, planners are pushing to get shovels in the ground by the end of the summer.

On Wednesday, the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority received an update from the project consultants.

In the last month, the team has met with city planners to review its permitting strategy and with the Department of Public Works to review the subdivision of the site requirements for the stormwater permit, had a subsequent meeting with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System on stormwater requirements, submitted permitting plans to state Department of Environmental Protection, and refined the funding budget summary.

If all goes well, the hope is to start digging at the end of August.

"I think it's gotten to a pretty good place where we have all these buckets of funding," Mark Arigoni of SLR International Corp. said.

"We have to make sure that the requirements for all these funding sources are put in the right buckets of how they're going to be spent."

Earlier this year, it was announced that the gap in funding for the $10.8 million redevelopment has been closed. The last of the funding includes $400,000 of Pittsfield Economic Development Authority foundation funds, $1.3 million in GE landscaping funds, and $4.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The 16-acre parcel at the corner of Woodlawn Avenue and Tyler Street Extension previously housed a General Electric factory and is the largest and most prominent section of the William Stanley Business Park. While earlier plans envisioned the parcel for one large tenant, it has been subdivided to accommodate more buildings and increase flexibility.

The next steps include refining the cost estimate, submitting the stormwater permit in June, developing draft bid documents for review in late June or early July, and meeting with Mill Town Capital to discuss potential interest in developing on the site.



Arigoni displayed several site options that include "activity generators" and green space. These include interactive elements such as playground infrastructure and swings as well as places to gather outside and will be dependent on the funding available.

"We're not just looking for private development, we're not just looking to green it up," he said. "There are some activity generators that we can put in that centralized space."

Chair Maurice Callahan pointed out that there are a number of generous companies in the community that could potentially partner with the site to offer those additions.

"I feel strongly that we need to give something back to the community in how we treat that one green space," he said.

Business Development Manager Michael Coakley also reported that there are a couple of firms interested in developing within the business park: a regional form based out of Albany that is interested in site 3N and a local firm interested in site 4.

"And they're both having a very similar issue to what Berkshire Kind did in that the foundation is very expensive to do here because of the fill that they put on,"

I mean, it looks great but you can't put a foundation in fill without either doing dynamic compaction, which they did here at the BIC, or you have to move on that fill out of there, which is very expensive."

The business park is working with consultants to come up with creative ways to address the issue and Coakley said it is the only thing holding them back.  


Tags: business park,   PEDA,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Mass Wildland Fires Spiked in October

STOW, Mass. — The National Weather Service issued another Red Flag warning for all of Massachusetts, continuing a weather trend that has contributed to an unprecedented spike in outdoor fires across the state.

In Massachusetts, an average of 15 wildland fires are reported each October. This year, the month’s total capped at about 200 – an increase of about 1,200 percent over the average, and higher than the monthly numbers usually seen in the traditional early spring brush fire season. Of these fires, 100 were reported over the last seven days, and preliminary information indicates that all of them started with human activity.

"More than a quarter of this year’s brush and wildland fires took place in October," said Chief Fire Warden David Celino of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation. "They accounted for more than half of the 1,158 acres burned so far this year. The weather conditions and dry surface fuels that have contributed to these fast-moving fires are expected to continue in the days ahead. Any outdoor fire will grow quickly, become difficult to control, and require numerous firefighting resources."

"About 45 percent of Massachusetts homes are in or near wooded areas at risk for brush and wildland fires," said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. "In the current fire weather environment, any significant fire could put people and property in danger. In fact, many of them have started with activity around the house, like outdoor cooking and using lawn tractors and other power equipment."

"Battling wildland fires is labor-intensive, time-consuming, resource-heavy work for our firefighters," said Foxborough Fire Chief Michael D. Kelleher, president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts. "Dead and compromised trees, off-road apparatus, and drought-induced fire behavior all pose a heightened level of danger to our personnel. We’re asking all our residents to help us help them by refraining from any activity that could involve sparks, flames, and heat sources outdoors."

Fire officials are asking residents to:

  • Remember that open burning is prohibited statewide through January and in many communities year-round.
  • Refrain from outdoor cooking and heating. Sparks and embers from chimineas, fire pits, and grills can easily ignite dry vegetation, debris, and overhanging branches.
  • Use caution with lawnmowers, leaf blowers, all-terrain vehicles, and other power equipment. Hot engines, sparks, and spilled gasoline can ignite dry leaves and grass.
  • Dispose of ashes from fireplaces and wood stoves in a metal can, douse them with water, and cover them with a tight-fitting lid. These ashes can remain hot enough to ignite combustibles long after the fire goes out: never dump them outdoors or in the trash.
  • Extinguish smoking materials in a sturdy ashtray with water or sand. Never toss cigarette butts, matches, or other smoking materials over the edge of a balcony, stub them out on stairs or railings, or toss them in dry vegetation or debris.

Weather conditions statewide place all Massachusetts communities at elevated risk of brush fires. Many of these fires could spread to or from residential areas. Residents should monitor fire conditions closely and follow instructions from local public safety officials. Ensure that Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are enabled on your cell phone. If your community has a local alert system, sign up to receive local warnings.

Residents should also be aware of heavy smoke conditions in some areas, which could pose health hazards to vulnerable populations and limited visibility on some roadways. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has compiled resources designed to help residents, patients, and health professionals navigate the health risks associated with wildfire smoke. Smoke could also pose driving hazards: motorists should always use caution when operating in limited visibility.

As of last week, the following significant fires were still considered active:

  • Cain Hill Fire in Salem/Lynn: currently at 140 acres and 50 percent contained
  • Middleton Pond Fire in Middleton: 188 acres and 70 percent contained
  • Pappas Fire in Canton: 32 acres and 90 percent contained
  • Wolcott Hill / Blue Hills Reservation: 2 acres and 100 percent contained
  • Curry 24 Fire in Devens: 100 acres and 99 percent contained
  • Maple Meadow Fire in Wilmington: 10 acres and 70 percent contained
  • Mt. Laurel Fire in Holden: 6 acres and 95 percent contained
  • Trader’s Way Fire in Salem: 15 acres and 50 percent contained
  • Old Forest Road Fire in North Andover: 5 acres and 30 percent contained

Officials stressed that wind, new leaf litter, and other factors can push a fire past the containment perimeter.

Throughout the last week, the Statewide Fire Mobilization Plan was activated to send 12 forestry task forces from central, eastern, and southeastern Massachusetts to support large fires in Wilmington, Salem, Canton, and Middleton, where firefighters from as far away as Stoughton were supporting local efforts.

Local coordinators from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency are in contact with public safety officials experiencing large wildfires and are prepared to support needs as they arise. The Massachusetts Air National Guard has repeatedly mobilized helicopters to conduct water drop operations in Salem and Middleton. The Department of Fire Services has sent drone units, all-terrain vehicles, and firefighter rehab units to support incident commanders and fireground personnel. The Department of Conservation & Recreation’s Bureau of Forest Fire Control and Forestry is assisting local fire departments with monitoring all active incidents, DCR fire towers are on full alert, and a temporary ban has been implemented on all open flame and charcoal fires at Massachusetts state parks.

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories