Linda Tyer welcomes the crowd to her last tree lighting as mayor. She leaves office in January.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city's permanent Christmas tree was lit for the holidays for the first time on Friday. Though the young tree is currently 9 feet tall, it is expected grow up to 50 feet in time.
"Look at our petite sweet little Christmas tree. I know it's a surprise to all of you to see that we have planted a tree in Park Square instead of our past tradition of having a big tree donated," Mayor Linda Tyer said.
"We really felt strongly that this was the time for us to preserve our natural forests by not cutting down trees and planting a tree here in Park Square that will grow and grow and grow, and I encourage moms and dads and grandparents and caregivers to get a photo with your kids next to this tree every year so you can watch them and the tree grow."
The rain didn't stop the tree-lighting ceremony on Friday. Families gathered with umbrellas around the conifer that was planted in October as they waited for Santa and Mrs. Claus to arrive.
"Here comes Santa Claus," Recreation and Special Events Coordinator Maddy Brown said as the Pittsfield High School chorus sang "Winter Wonderland."
The jolly duo pulled up on firetrucks to a long line of children waiting to recite their Christmas lists.
The tree was lit before the guests arrived, as the city felt due to its small stature it would be more festive to have it that way. Additionally, the shrubs around the fountain were illuminated.
This type of fir has a silver blue color, is more desirable under urban conditions, and has the least pest problems of many evergreens, Park, Open Space and Natural Resource Program Manager James McGrath said. It will grow about 10 inches per year and will typically reach 30-50 feet tall and 15-25 feet wide when mature.
Tyer said this is one of her favorite days of the year along with the Fourth of July parade.
As part of the Downtown Pittsfield Festive Frolic, Otto's Kitchen & Comfort hosted a free Hot Chocolate Bar with all the fixings and pictures with the Grinch and there were a variety of holiday events spanned across the weekend.
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BIC Sees $5.2M State Investment for Tech Hub
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Innovation Center's plans for an optics tech hub have been boosted by $5.2 million from the state.
On Thursday, the Healey-Driscoll administration and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's Innovation Institute announced over $16.3 million in funding and designated 14 state regions as "TechHubs" through the Massachusetts (MA) TechHubs Program. The awards were announced at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
The BIC received a $5.2 million transformation grant — the largest allocation — for an Advanced Optics TechHub within the William Stanley Business Park. The innovation center, established in 2020, is looking to add a 7,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing for Advanced Optics Tech Hub to its 23,500-square-foot floor plan.
Business Development Manager Michael Coakley said this is wonderful news for Pittsfield.
"The City has been working with Myrias Optics, an advanced optics manufacturer, and EMA [Electro Magnetic Applications] to be the anchor companies for the hub," he reported.
"The goal for the tech hub is to make Pittsfield the national leader in the testing and manufacturing of advanced optics."
Mayor Peter Marchetti has proposed $1 million in Pittsfield Economic Development Funds to assist the
BIC with this expansion and for Myrias Optics to establish a manufacturing laboratory at the
"The AMAO TechHub places Pittsfield at the forefront of advanced manufacturing," said the mayor in a statement. "The combination of state and local resources for the TechHub will create more job opportunities while we support entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses in this community. I continue to appreciate the investments made in Pittsfield by the Healey-Driscoll administration, Rep. [Tricia] Farley-Bouvier and Sen. [Paul] Mark."
The AMAO Tech Hub is poised to bring more than 60 new, high-quality manufacturing jobs to Pittsfield. The project would allow Myrias to relocate to Pittsfield, create over 50 new job opportunities, and invest $10 million into its work in the region. EMA would be able to continue expanding in Pittsfield, adding a dozen jobs over the next two years.
Through partnership with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, this project is hoped to extend its reach beyond Pittsfield, creating bridges to other regions of the state and investing in the next generation of industry leaders.
The state's press release said this will also facilitate collaboration along the Boston-Rochester optics corridor, develop a pipeline of talent for advanced optics manufacturing, and facilitate the growth of startups, including Myrias Optics and Electro Magnetic Applications.
"Massachusetts has always led through innovation, not just in our labs and universities, but through the strength and creativity of our people," Gov. Maura Healey said in the press release.
"The TechHubs Program reflects our belief that every region should have the opportunity to shape the future of technology and to share in the prosperity it brings."
The BIC is seeking $500,000 to expand, and Myrias Optics Inc. is seeking $500,000 to establish the manufacturing laboratory at the BIC. Both requests were referred to the Community and Economic Development subcommittee, which will meet on Monday, Nov. 10.
Funds would go toward a specialized nanoimprint lithography (NIL) lab to support the Massachusetts-based photonics company that is currently reliant on space in Austria.
Myrias Optics was born out of the UMass Amherst, and this facility is expected to "dramatically" advance the company's commercialization goals. The manufacturing lab would be modeled after the Austria facility and house NIL tooling, process engineering, and metrology operations.
By 2028, the company plans to expand from 10 to 55 employees with an average annual salary between $112,000 $127,000, and the annual revenue growth from $1 million to $33 .7 million.
The BIC has more than 50 members and 14 academic partners. It has recruited and supported Pittsfield startups through the Stage 2 Accelerator Program tailored for hard tech ventures transitioning from prototype to commercialization. This program provides mentorship and facilities, as well as connections and funding pathways.
"As the BIC continues to drive this growth, it has observed a clear shift in regional needs— from basic capacity-building to advanced research, development, and commercialization," the funding ask reads.
"Today, the demand for lab space, prototyping tools, and startup support significantly exceeds available resources."
The BIC currently has an advanced optics lab in partnership with EMA and UMass Amherst. In 2019, Pittsfield gave EMA $140,000 in economic development funds towards the purchase of a space environment testing chamber and a tax agreement that will curb the taxes EMA pays to the city from fiscal 2020 to fiscal 2026.
"This funding is a big step forward in enabling the Berkshire Innovation Center and the City of
Pittsfield to plant a mustard seed into soil that has been cultivated at the BIC allowing for the next
critical step in the community’s economic revitalization and into the future," said Farley-Bouvier.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute also received $5.2 million for a Bioindustrial Manufacturing TechHub. These grants are said to support regions ready to "execute large-scale projects that enhance innovation infrastructure, promote the development of local high-growth scaling companies, catalyze technology commercialization, and foster workforce development with up to $5 million in capital funds over a period of up to three years."
Evelyn Julieano and Leanne Maschino each put down seven kills, and the Lenox volleyball team came out strong in advancing past Whitinsville Christian in three sets in the Division 5 State Tournament quarter-finals on Friday.
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The program was implemented four years ago, with the first bus opening in Illinois. It has expanded to California, Florida, New York, and now Massachusetts. click for more
Kids who came to the soft opening the night before the ribbon cutting were unsure how the arcade works and Krzysztof said he was delighted to teach them about coin slots.
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Local food providers told the state's health and human services secretary how they are meeting the growing threat of food insecurity during a visit to the Pittsfield Community Food Pantry.
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