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Transformative Development Initiative Fellow Julie Copoulos outlines the three-year program's progress in bringing life to North Street and its goals for 2024.

Pittsfield TDI Partnership Aids Downtown Businesses, Activates Spaces

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A total of $469,000 aided downtown businesses through MassDevelopment's Transformative Development Initiative last year. 

On Tuesday, TDI Fellow Julie Copoulos outlined the three-year program's progress in bringing life to North Street and its goals for 2024.

"Recently someone said to me, 'Well, you know, mayor, we need to start getting some storefronts open,' and thanks to Julie's work, we have six or seven new downtown businesses," Mayor Peter Marchetti said.

Since 2022, Copoulos has collaborated with over 20 stakeholders in the TDI district to foster equitable investment. Efforts are focused on housing, pedestrian infrastructure, public spaces, and small businesses.

"Tonight I want to highlight a few early wins for the council," she said.

Downtown Pittsfield became a TDI district a couple of years ago after the initiative was successfully applied to Tyler Street. TDI concentrates economic development activities, resources, and investments within designated neighborhood areas for a term of two to four years. The districts are mixed-use with a commercial component, compact, and defined by a walkable, dense physical environment.

In 2023, $469,000 in investments supported small businesses directly and indirectly through equity and local grants and an additional $125,000 will launch on Friday to support support existing businesses by providing direct grants and consulting and improving community connections.

The equity grants are administered by the state and the local grants are administered by partners in the area. Eight businesses secured funding including Marie's North Street Eatery, Brazzuca's Brazilian Market, and BB's Hot Spot at The Lantern.

A $65,000 TDI Creative Catalyst grant funded a series of "Let it Shine" murals, "The Lab" technology at the Boys and Girls Club of the Berkshires, and Pittsfield Community Design Center.



Looking ahead, there is a focus on activating spaces such as Dunham Mall and Burbank Place with plans for lighting, seating, art and programming guided by community input. Designs will be unveiled in just weeks. A hearing was held for the activation of the two alleyways last month.

The project has secured $52,000 of its $70,000 goal through a $35,000 Commonwealth Places grant, $15,000 from Pittsfield Beautiful, and $2,000 from NBT Bank's partnership with the Let It Shine! public art program. A fundraiser was launched for the $18,000 gap, as the $35,000 state grant needs to be matched by the community.

Last year, the city unveiled eight new murals through the public art partnership with local artists, Downtown Pittsfield Inc., and the TDI.

Behind the scenes, artist housing is being explored with theater nonprofits, identifying underutilized spaces for downtown mixed-use housing development.

"I want to emphasize that this progress and process is driven by local partners and leaders," Copoulos said. "I'm pleased to work with the hardworking and innovative people of Pittsfield every day."

She reported that since coming to the district, 18 to 20 businesses have opened in the downtown.

"I appreciate the work that you do," Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey said, explaining that there was a time before the pandemic when the corridor was bustling and he feels it is returning to that way.  


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Former Country Club Reopens as The Venue at Skyline

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

The new Patty Barnaby's name is all over the venue. 

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — A new but familiar space is opening for event rentals as The Venue at Skyline.

Patty Barnaby recently leased the former Skyline Country Club building at 405 South Main St. Barnaby used to attend events there, including holding her own "Jack and Jill" wedding shower.

"I've been to the golf tournaments. We've been to fundraisers. We've been to benefits. Actually, sports banquets for our girls, my oldest daughter. We had quite a few of her sports banquets here, just town events, truly, but our Jack and Jill was here," she said. "I had my stepfather's retirement party here, so, we've had a lot of events here as a family."

The golf course closed in 2021 after 58 years and sold to Mill Town Capital, which is using the course for a solar installation. The town's eyed the driving range for a new police station, and the club has been used intermittently, such as for the town's winter festival last year.

Barnaby is active in the community, including serving on the Lanesborough Community Development Committee. She enjoys hosting events and having get-togethers.

"I just have always loved to bring people together, like at our house, doing parties. And our house is very small, so it's always a big summer party," she said.

Barnaby wanted a place for people to host events that may be too big or busy for their homes, but also in an open and beautiful area.

"We need a space like this, not only in Lanesborough, for Lanesborough residents, but in general, for people to be able to come and have events, whether it be inside or outside when the weather permits," sshe said. "It's a beautiful spot, it really, truly is. And I didn't want to see it sit because it really is one of those staples in our town that everybody just knows."

Barnaby had indicated interest in the space after the Winter Festival. She signed the lease on Oct. 31 and has worked hard to make it her own.

She's painted, added new seating, redone the bathrooms, and some other cosmetics upgrades. She also added six televisions, more bar equipment, and will be adding a jukebox.

Barnaby kept the name Skyline because of the location's history and just added "The Venue" to make it her own.

"I just love this space. It is just one of those spaces that, like you don't want to see ever sit," she said.

The former pro shop will be turned into a thrift store. She currently sells clothes out of her house and hosting pop-up thrift events but is now excited to have a permanent space. It will have hours outside of events and will be listed on her social media page once it is ready. 

Barnaby is asking that vendors should reach out so that she can compile a list for those who want to host events. She is also looking for a food vendor to sublease the space.

"I would love to have people reach out to me as I have reached out to them, to be put on a list of like vendors that we can suggest to people that are coming up for events," she said.

Barnaby said she'll help with planning at the location and that she wants to create a comfortable and joyous environment that people would like to come back to.

"It's family friendly, like I am very community-oriented and being very family oriented, so I understand when you're trying to plan a birthday party, or you just need a space, or you're trying to put little details together. I want to be able to help with that," she said.

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