COHOES, N.Y. — According to an article from the Times Union, WP Strategic Holdings is reported to be purchasing Crane Stationery company that was formerly located in North Adams.
The article, that was published Feb, 20. 2024, stated that the holding company's owner Todd Kletter told the Albany Business Review that "In principle, we have a deal," in regard to the purchase.
The article continued that WP Strategic Holdings already listed Crane as one of its properties on its website, and Kletter told the Albany Business Review that he hoped to have Crane in operation this week.
He expects to close on the deal within 30 to 45 days.
Earlier this month, the Albany Business Review reported that the 220 year old stationery company was being acquired by international Fedrigoni Group and employees at Crane were laid off. They confirmed that 75 people in the Crane unit were notified that they were laid off "effective immediately."
Mohawk Fine Papers purchased Crane Stationery in 2018 The New York company closed the North Adams, Mass., plant in 2020 and laid off nearly 200 employees.
A number of them were offered jobs in Cohoes, where the printing of Crane was to continue, and remotely.
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North Adams Airport Sets Deadline For Cell Tower Project
By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Airport Commission set a November deadline for Diamond Communications last week, accepting a contract extension on installing a cell tower through Nov. 25.
After that date, the commission wants some form of compensation.
This initial extension was built into the original contract, and commissioners had no objection to honoring it. However, Diamond's second request for a nine-month extension gave the board pause.
The airport accepted a bid from Diamond in 2024 to install a cellular tower on the airport campus. Diamond offered a $30,000-a-year lease with a scheduled 2.5 percent annual increase. Terms also included a $100,000 bonus and a percentage of the tower's gross revenue if it becomes fully leased out.
Shirin Everett of KP Law, who helped negotiate the original agreement for the airport, called into the meeting. She confirmed the project is on hold because Verizon, which plans to utilize the tower, has yet to commit money toward it. Everett said understands Verizon has potentially budgeted for the project in 2027.
This means that at the very earliest, Verizon might make a decision in mid-2027. Following a standard due diligence period, the airport likely would not begin receiving rent payments until 2028. Everett added that telecommunications projects are experiencing delays nationwide.
The situation did not sit well with Airport Commissioner William Hooper.
"Verizon is not ready to pull the trigger for Diamond, so they are at risk of not having their primary subtenant ready to go," Hooper said. "So my concern is, does Diamond have a real commitment to be able to do this?"
He added that Diamond currently has no financial commitment to the city, making him hesitant to hold potentially valuable land for them without receiving anything in return.
"I would hate to be reserving the rights of Diamond for a square inch of the airport if we don't have real commitment from them," Hooper said. "As I read the agreement, I don't like where I feel we are at the moment."
Everett stated that come Nov. 25, the city could grant another extension — this time accompanied by a request for compensation. She emphasized that Diamond is not entitled to anything beyond Nov. 25, though she noted that in prior conversations, Diamond was not open to providing substantial compensation.
If Diamond and the city simply allow the contract to expire, Diamond remains responsible for paying the city's legal fees, according to Everett. Furthermore, if Diamond eventually completes the process with the city, they must pay an automatic $100,000 to the airport.
Everett added that if the city decides to reopen the Request for Proposals (RFP) process, they would likely still be waiting until at least 2028.
"These leases, for whatever reason, are taking months and months ... it is really between a rock and a hard place," she said. "You can stay with the devil you know and hope it comes through, or we can choose someone else."
In related news regarding land use at the airport, the commission expressed interest in exploring the possibility of installing solar panels.
The state Department of Conservation and Recreation is planning to purchase a total of 250 abutting acres in Clarksburg and the town of Florida. The purchase was on the Florida Select Board's agenda on Wednesday night.
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