Temescal Facing Eviction From North Adams Plant

Staff Reports04:08PM / Thursday, August 22, 2024Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Two years ago Temescal Wellness cut the ribbon on a $21 million cannabis cultivation facility on Curran Highway with much fanfare.

Now the property owners are trying to evict the business for nonpayment of rent.

The Berkshire Eagle on Thursday reported the lawsuit filed in Berkshire Superior Court last month by IIP-MA 7 LLC, limited liability company based in California. The company bought the former Crane Stationery plant for $3.1 million in May 2021 and entered into a 20-year leasing agreement with Temescal a month later.

In court filings on July 3, IIP-MA 7 LLC claims Temescal failed to make payments in excess of $389,000 and began eviction proceedings on the cannabis company in May.

"To date, Defendant Temescal has neither cured the default, nor quite the Premises," the complaint states. "As of June 30, 2024, Defendant Temescal owes Plaintiff $541,905.59 ... Defendant Temescal also owes Plaintiff for the full restoration of the security deposit under the Lease, which totals $580,000."

IIP-MA 7 LLC is asking for damages in the amount of $1,121,905.59 and "such other relief as the Court deems necessary and proper."

Temescal's attorney has responded denying some claims but admitting the company remains on the property

Two years after Crane closed, the more than 40-year-old plant was completely rebuilt on the inside and the CEO, Alex Hardy, touted it would re-establish the company as a leader in the cannabis industry in the state. (According to The Eagle, Hardy left Temescal last year.)

Temescal estimated it would create about 80 jobs at the start but it's not clear that employment ever reached that number. Some hirees never started and others were laid off months later as a temporary measure because of "ongoing delays in the start of operations" according to a tweet by the company.

Grant Smith Ellis, who reports on the cannabis industry, wrote about the company's closing early this week.

Mayor Jennifer Macksey on Thursday said she had heard about the company's problems from an employee but no one from Temescal's management had contacted her.

A financing statement filed by Lindenmuth Loan LLC with the Registry of Deeds claims all contents in the building as collateral.

Temescal still has retail outlets in Pittsfield, Framingham and Hudson, and medical dispensaries in Dover, Keene and Lebanon, N.H.

Tags: cannabis,

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

Now's the time...

to harvest value from your home. Click for more details about a HELOC. Insured by NCUA.

www.greylock.org

rk MILES Blding Materials

Are You Ready to Update Your Home? Start With rk MILES. 4 Locations (800)670-7433

www.rkmiles.com

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

Steel Structure Completed, Roof Taking Shape at New Greylock School

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
05:45AM / Thursday, September 17, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The steel work is completed and the roof is taking shape at the new Greylock School.

"Nearly all of the steel is complete. They've essentially demobilized from the site," Todd Ashford, representative with owner's project manager Colliers International, told the School Building Committee on Tuesday. "A couple of big trades that have started their construction are the masonry block on the exterior walls, the exterior metal framing has started, and roofing is anticipated to start in the next, I would say, two weeks."

He said a lot of the masonry block and steel framing on the exteriors should be close to completion by the next meeting. Also, a binder course of asphalt should be down by the first week in October, which should help reduce the dirt and mud coming off the site.

A large slab actually was scheduled to be poured Wednesday to house the HVAC equipment and was expected to take until 7 p.m. Mayor Jennifer Macksey said those residents signed up on the email list were apprised of the after hours work.

The committee also approved invoices for the month and Ashford noted that about $17.8 million in invoices have been paid to date, of which $6.4 million was eligible for reimbursement from the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The MSBA is reimbursing the city for 80 percent of eligible costs, or about $42 million.

Committee member Lisa Blackmer asked if the reimbursements were keeping pace with expenditures.

Macksey said it's been about 30 to 45 days for reimbursement, and so far they've had no problems with reimbursements. Colliers and Nancy Rauscher, director of school finance and operations, have been working well together, she said.

View Full Story