image description
The former Kmart shopping center has a new owner and a new name — Parkade Plaza.

North Adams' Downtown Shopping Plaza Sold Again

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The former Kmart shopping plaza has changed hands again and the new owners are seeking tenants as "Parkade Plaza."
 
The 127,626 square-foot retail center was sold on June 4 for $2.6 million to Guru Realty LLC of Mendon, with listed managers Nitant Raval of Mendon and Chirag Patel of Dalton. 
 
KeyPoint Partners of Burlington is handling property management and leasing, according to a press release received on Monday. 
 
"There are number of opportunities in various sizes for a variety of uses: retail, entertainment, medical and health, personal service, and others," states Rob Grady, vice president of retail brokerage at KPP. "We're hoping to create a mix of local, regional, and national tenants that will reinvigorate the center and enhance the North Adams downtown area. We're open to all inquiries."
 
The more than seven-acre site on Main Street includes the L-shaped mall along Main and American Legion Drive and the former 93,000-square-foot Kmart building, which currently houses a Rent a Center and a Planet Fitness. 
 
Two anchors — the North Adams Cinemas and Gordman/Peebles — were shuttered in the last four years and the spaces left empty. A third, V&V Liquors, closed when the plaza was sold in February but is set to reopen under new ownership once a license is in hand. 
 
Extreme Model Railroad and Contemporary Architecture Museum, or EMRCA, which had been based in the corner of the L-shaped mall (where Sleepy's Mattress had been), moved out earlier this year. The offices had been empty of employees for months before and no one answers calls to the numbers listed on its outdated website.
 
First Hartford Realty, under then CEO Neil Ellis, purchased the property in 2005 after Kmart closed and gave it the rarely used name Steeple City Plaza. Over the years, it's also had a Staples, a Sears Hometown and an Olympia Sports. Ellis took over operation of the cinemas when previous owners ran into financial difficulties and pledged to keep them going; First Hartford also owned liquor store it opened in 2014. The L-shaped mall also has a Papa Gino's, a Label Shopper, Dollar Store, H&R Block and T-Mobile and there's a separate Burger King on the property.
 
Ellis has since retired and the plaza was sold to a realty company last year, then to DDM Property Group of West Springfield in February for $1.75 million. 
 
Keypoint manages a number of shopping plazas throughout New England, including the Center at Lenox on Route 7 that has a Kohls, Marshalls and Market 32.
 
An informational flier for prospective tenants lists more than 70,000 square feet of space available: the former Kmart garden center, the cinemas, Peebles, the Sears Hometown space and the corner space of the L-shaped mall and two smaller adjacent spaces (one had been a nail salon). 

Tags: plaza,   shopping center,   

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

SteepleCats Fall to Upper Valley Nighthawks

By Ben McDonoughFor iBerkshires.com
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams SteepleCats were unable to overcome a pair of multi-run innings Friday night at Joe Wolfe Field, falling 5-1 to the Upper Valley Nighthawks.
 
North Adams pitcher Jakob Foster was making his first start after throwing only two innings earlier in the season and looked sharp early. The right-hander struck out two in a scoreless first inning before punching out three more hitters in the second, allowing just a hit batter to reach base.
 
Upper Valley broke through in the third. Alejandro Puig opened the inning with a single before James Love doubled with two outs. A two-run double by Magoulik gave the Nighthawks a 2-0 lead before Foster escaped the frame.
 
The SteepleCats struggled to generate offense against Upper Valley starter Trey Sejnoha, who retired the first nine North Adams hitters in order. Nick Lamelo finally reached in the third, hustling into second on a ball misplayed in right field.
 
North Adams put together its best threat of the game in the fourth. Bobby Stang reached on an error and Nelphie Lopez worked a walk to put two runners aboard. Chris Diaz moved both runners into scoring position with a groundout, but Sejnoha induced a foul fly ball to end the inning and strand both runners.
 
The Nighthawks added to their lead in the fifth. After an error extended the inning, Upper Valley loaded the bases before a hit batter forced home a run. Jake Bell followed with a two-run double, pushing the Nighthawks’ advantage to 5-0.
 
The SteepleCats answered with another opportunity in the bottom half of the inning. Shawn Stephenson and Owen Arias recorded back-to-back infield singles, and a walk to Evan Meier loaded the bases with two outs. Reliever Nick Tamburro entered and escaped the jam with a strikeout, preserving the shutout.
 
View Full Story

More North Adams Stories