Petricca Industries Plans Expansion, Seeks Funding

Petricca anticipates adding 50 jobs along with the building addition.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Petricca Industries is planning a 15,500-square-foot expansion that will add 50 more employees.

On Tuesday the City Council acted as a decades-defunct financing authority to OK MassDevelopment assistance for the company at 550 Cheshire Road. Approval from the Pittsfield Industrial Development Financing Authority, formed in the 1970s, is needed to move the process forward yet the body is far in the past.

"We don’t even know when it went defunct," Mayor Peter Marchetti said.

He explained that Petricca approached the city through MassDevelopment. The project's financing package is about $4 million and the finance agency will vote on it this week.

While these are not city funds, Marchetti reported that he will be requesting assistance for the company at the next council meeting.

"I can share with you that Petricca Industries is doing a 15,500 square-foot addition and planning on adding 50 employees," he said.

"And this isn't the last conversation that we will have regarding Petricca and what we may be able to do to help them."

Expansion to the existing facility will include the installation of overhead cranes to provide additional production and fabrication space to meet increased demand for precast/prestressed concrete structures. 

The company, founded in 1936, is in its third generation of family leadership.

Finance Director Matthew Kerwood explained that these local investment development agencies are a "creature of the 1970s" and that Pittsfield's was established in 1977.

"MassDevelopment, again, does economic development. They do lending. They have access to the bond market," he said.

"And so this is basically allowing MassDevelopment to play that role that would have been or could have been played on the local level in the same area. So essentially gives them access to bond financing."

Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren said it became defunct in the city's charter change.

"As a matter of fact, if you look into the ordinances, you, the community development are the industrial development board so you can do this in the future," he said.

"Obviously, I will not stop this and stuff. I think is a great idea."

Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey pointed out that the company's jobs start around $50,000 annually, adding "Fifty jobs, a little $50,000 a year. I think it's good. We need increases like this with existing and then new businesses."

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.