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Site 9 has been called a "scar" and was described as looking like the surface of the moon.

Work Underway at Pittsfield's Site 9

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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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.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — An army of construction vehicles can be seen cracking and crushing the surface of Site 9.

"It's pretty amazing the amount of work that is going on over there," Business Development Manager Michael Coakley said to the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority on Thursday.

"There is a lot of equipment they have and it's pretty great, 12 or 13 of those big huge construction pieces of equipment."

Crews are working to excavate the area and bring fill over from another site by working in thirds, starting on the southern portion of the property and working towards the middle.

The long-anticipated project took off earlier this year after a $9.8 million bid was awarded to William J Keller & Sons Construction.  The Castleton-On-Hudson, N.Y., company plans to have the rough surface ready for development in October.

Coakley reported that everything is going well and on time.

"They found a little bit more concrete than they had originally planned but they're working through that," he added.

In about a week, it will be known if the additional concrete will affect the cost.

As far as air monitoring and ground testing for pollutants, there have been no occurrences yet.



Chair Michael Matthews said it has been positive news so far this year and he is impressed with the organization of the site work.

Site 9 has been called a "scar" and was described as looking like the surface of the moon. 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.

The project was fully funded earlier this year. 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.

PEDA voted to engage in a year-long, $3 million line of credit with Berkshire Bank for interim bridge financing in case there is a delay in the grants coming through.  Vice Chair Pamela Green brought forward concerns about interest charges on the loan and it was explained that this is a safety net that will hopefully not have to be used.

"I want to know where that interest money is coming from," she said, adding that she would like to know if it is reimbursable in the grant because, in her opinion, it should be reimbursed if the entity has to incur the interest because a state agency is "taking their sweet time" sending the reimbursement.

"Why should that come out of PEDA's fund?"

The board agreed to look into the grants to clarify the terms.


Tags: PEDA,   

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Adams Community Bank and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank Officially Become Trailmark Bank

Staff Reports

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Adams Community Bank and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank announced the successful legal closing of their merger, marking a milestone in the formation of Trailmark Bank. 

The merger officially took effect on Nov. 1, 2026, bringing the two longstanding community banks together as one financial institution under the Trailmark Bank name.

The legal closing follows receipt of all required regulatory and governance approvals, including approvals from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Massachusetts Division of Banks.

"Today marks an exciting new chapter for our employees, customers and communities," said Julie Fallon Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of Trailmark Bank. "Trailmark Bank brings together two community banks with deep roots in the Berkshires, shared values and a longstanding commitment to the people and communities we serve. We are proud of what each bank brings to this partnership and excited about what we can accomplish together."

Trailmark Bank is an independent, community-focused bank with approximately $1.5 billion in assets, nearly 200 employees and full-service banking locations across Berkshire County. The merger combines the resources, expertise, and capabilities of two established community banks while preserving the personalized service, strong relationships and local decision-making customers have long valued, stated a press release.

Beginning Nov. 1, Adams Community Bank and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank will operate as divisions of Trailmark Bank. The combined bank will officially open for business as Trailmark Bank on Monday, Dec. 7, with customers gaining access to all branch locations across Berkshire County.

Until then, customers should continue banking as usual through their existing Adams Community Bank or Pittsfield Cooperative Bank locations and systems, using their current checks, debit and ATM cards, online and mobile banking, and other banking services. Late fall, customers will receive detailed information outlining important dates, what to expect and any actions they may need to take.

"The legal merger is an important milestone, but it is also another step in a carefully planned transition," said Gregg Levante, President of Trailmark Bank. "Our focus throughout this process has been making the transition as smooth as possible for our customers while building a stronger community bank for the future. Trailmark Bank gives us greater resources and capabilities while preserving something that matters tremendously to us—the ability to make decisions locally and remain deeply connected to the Berkshires."

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