image description — The town of Adams is receiving $330,000 in Rural Development funds to support the redevelopment of the 70,000 square-foot Memorial Building, including 25 units of new rental housing and community uses.

Berkshires Getting $11.4M in State Economic Development Grants

Staff ReportsiBerkshires
12:45PM / Monday, October 28, 2024Print Story | Email Story

The redevelopment of the Wright Building on North Street in Pittsfield is receiving nearly $2 million in grant funding.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Berkshires is getting more than $11 million in grant funding through the state's One Stop for Growth program.

State officials on Thursday announced more than $161 million for 313 grant awards to support local economic development projects in 171 communities across the state.

Among the awards were $330,000 toward the redevelopment of the Memorial Building in Adams into housing, $888,000 for sidewalk repairs and upgrades in North Adams, $1 million for Lanesborough to renovate Brodie Mountain Road, and $2 million toward the redevelopment of the Wright Building in Pittsfield.

Fifteen Berkshire communities will receive a total of $11,405,230 toward public and private economic development.

The awards were made through the Community One Stop for Growth, an application portal overseen by the Executive Office of Economic Development that provides a streamlined process for municipalities and organizations to apply for 12 state grant programs that fund economic development projects related to planning and zoning, site preparation, building construction, infrastructure, and housing development.

The grants were announced during a kickoff celebration in Worcester at the site of the Greendale Revitalization project, which is a recipient of an award through the MassWorks grant program, one of the largest programs in the One Stop.

"We are proud to be a state of strong cities and towns, made stronger by programs like the Community One Stop for Growth, which deliver the resources our communities need to grow their local economies and meet the needs of their residents," said Gov. Maura Healey. "Communities will use these grants to build more housing and lower costs, improve road safety, revitalize their downtowns, create new jobs and more. We can't wait to see the results of these investments all across the state."

Through this round of the One Stop, EOED received 756 applications from 510 organizations with projects in 229 communities across the state. Of the 313 applications awarded, 33 percent are located in a rural or small towns, 32 percent are located in a Gateway City, 48 percent are located in a Housing Choice Community, and 50 percent are located in an MBTA community. Forty communities are receiving a grant through the One Stop for the first time.

"Every year, the Community One Stop for Growth invests in transformative projects that unlock local and regional economic growth," said Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao. "We are grateful to the hundreds of municipal partners, developers, and community leaders who submitted applications, and we look forward to partnering with you to bring your economic development projects to life in the years ahead."

Berkshire communities and their grant awards:

Adams: Rural Development Funds, $330,000 toward the Memorial Building redevelopment project; Adams Theater LLC: Underutilized Properties Program, $276,048 for theater renovation

Cheshire: Massachusetts Downtown Initiative, $25,000 for wayfaring signage

Clarksburg: Community Planning Grant Program, $55,000 to develop a master plan and an open space and recreation plan; Rural Development Fund, $140,000 to upgrade and repair the public water system.

Egremont: Community Planning Grant Program, $54,000 to complete Phase II of its zoning bylaw revisions; Rural Development Fund, $75,000 to develop design alternatives to rehab Karner Brook Dam and adjacent raw water infrastructure for flood resiliency.

Great Barrington: MassWorks Infrastructure Program, $580,000 to stabilize and repair West Sheffield Road.

Hinsdale: MassWorks Infrastructure Program, $1,000,000 to complete the second phase of the three-phase, 2.6 mile Schnopp Roads Project.

Lanesborough: MassWorks Infrastructure Program, $1,000,000 to renovate Brodie Mountain Road.

Lee: MassWorks Infrastructure Program, $1,000,000 to reconstruct Brodie Mountain Road; Rural Development Fund, $60,000 toward developing parking to support downtown economic development.

Mount Washington: Rural Development Fund, $86,000 to support renovations of the unused one-room schoolhouse to be used as a cultural center.

North Adams: HousingWorks Infrastructure Program, $114,000 to complete design engineering for the Wheel Estate Wastewater Project in response to a MassDEP Consent Order; MassWorks Infrastructure Program $888,000, to repair and upgrade sidewalks on Hoosac, Blackinton, Elmwood, Montana and Porter streets; Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation Inc.: Urban Agenda Grant Program, $85,000 to support the North Adams Artist Business Capacity-Building Program.

Peru: MassWorks Infrastructure Program, $1,000,000 to improve the roadways with safety upgrades.

Pittsfield: HousingWorks Infrastructure Program, $1,370,000 to make improvements on the Wright Building rear vehicular alley, turning it into a pedestrian walkway; Massachusetts Downtown Initiative, $25,000 to create a public wayfinding plan; Pittsfield Economic Development Authority: Site Readiness Program, $500,000 for design and engineering services for Sites 7 & 8 within the William Stanley Business Park; Pittsfield Allegrone Companies: Underutilized Properties Program, $626,732 toward Wright Building Block Phase II; Elegant Stitches Inc.: Underutilized Properties Program, $315,450 to expand its facility on 15 Commercial St. from 2,500 square-feet to 22,000 square-feet; Blackshires Community Empowerment Foundation Corps: Urban Agenda Grant Program, $100,000 toward its leadership program; Rites of Passage and Empowerment: Urban Agenda Grant Program, $100,000 to support monthly empowerment program meetings, after-school clubs, college visits to HBCU's, and additional programming throughout the first half of 2025.

Stockbridge: MassWorks Infrastructure Program, $1,000,000 to replace Tuckerman Warren truss bridge and install a new 8-inch diameter insulated water pipeline on the bridge.

Washington: Rural Development Fund , $500,000 for planning, engineering, and design work on a 2.3-mile roadway reconstruction over Lower Valley Road and Johnson Hill Road, which connects MA Route 8 and Middlefield Road.

Williamstown: Community Planning Grant Program, $100,000 to update subdivision rules and related provisions to further goals of more easily allowing smart-growth style housing.

Tags: economic development, state grant,

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Letter: Virginia Riehl Would Bring a Thoughtful Voice to City Council

Letter to the Editor05:00PM / Monday, November 02, 2026

To the Wditor:

As the North Adams City Council considers who will fill the vacancy left by Alexa MacDonald's departure, I'd like to express my support for Virginia Riehl.

North Adams is a community I care deeply about, and I try to contribute where I can. For the past three years, I've volunteered at the North Adams Farmers Market through various farms. I also volunteer my photography to support local charities and causes, and make an effort to stay engaged with the issues facing our city.

It's through this involvement that I've come to know Virginia. I frequently see her at farmers markets, community events, and gatherings focused on issues like affordable housing. I've come to appreciate not only her commitment to North Adams, but the thoughtful and collaborative way she approaches the challenges facing our community.

Recently, I attended a NACHO meeting that Virginia organized, and I was struck by her approach to the conversation. Rather than focusing on sweeping changes or searching for a single solution, Virginia emphasized listening, encouraging thoughtful discussion, and making space for ideas of all sizes. She seemed to recognize that even small, modest efforts can grow into something meaningful.

The conversation also touched on NACHO's (North Adams Community Housing Organization) future direction and how it could best serve the community. I appreciated Virginia's willingness to examine the organization's priorities rather than assume the existing approach was necessarily the best. To me, that reflected an important quality in civic leadership: a commitment to the purpose of the work, rather than to any particular structure or way of doing things.

Larger economic, social, and political forces shape the trajectory of a city like North Adams, and many are beyond our immediate control. But there's tremendous value in creating opportunities for people to connect, share ideas, and help one another. Sometimes meaningful change begins not with a grand proposal or formal policy initiative, but with a conversation that encourages someone to act on an idea.

Much of what makes a community strong happens through small, often unremarkable acts of participation. I believe Virginia understands that creating spaces for people to exchange ideas and encouraging others to get involved are themselves important forms of civic leadership.

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