Marchetti Details Vacancies, New Efforts in Downtown Pittsfield

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The downtown has 20 commercial vacancies, and 16 have been empty for more than a year. 

On Monday, Mayor Peter Marchetti gave an update on the occupancy levels of commercial spaces in the corridor and the city's strategies to recruit and retain local businesses. 

"I know when we talk about the downtown, we always talk about the vacancy rates, and I think one of the pieces that we need to do a better job is advertising and blowing our own horn about the businesses," he told the subcommittee on community and economic development. 

"And so you can see the list of 25 new businesses that have opened up in the downtown since January of 2024, and some of the cases, there's been some moving pieces, but I think we also need to celebrate the work that's happening in the downtown with the new businesses that we have opened." 

In 2021, Downtown Pittsfield Inc. indicated there were 160 storefronts and 540 total businesses in the downtown area. 

The four properties that have been vacant for one year or less include the former scuba store at 369 North St., Placita Latina Salvadoran & Mexican cuisine, which moved from 41 North to Wendell Avenue Extension, and the former Dottie's Coffee Lounge at 444 North. 

Marchetti reported hearing "rumblings" that Dottie's may reopen. In the last couple of days, the eatery suggested an upcoming announcement and sought weekend baristas on its Facebook page. 

Seven downtown properties have been vacant for more than one year, two properties have been vacant for more than two years, and seven have been vacant for more than three years. 

This includes the former That's A Wrap at 132 Fenn St., the former Spot at 38 North, and the building next to Walgreens, all vacant for more than three years. 

The mayor explained, "We wanted to take a comprehensive look at all the things that have been happening in the downtown to kind of talk about our strategies and where we've been." 

He reported that the city is working with Downtown Pittsfield Inc. and MassDevelopment's Transformative Development Initiative to establish a Business Improvement District within the downtown. A BID is a locally established, geographic area where property owners pay a fee for additional services such as enhanced sanitation, security, marketing, and public space improvements.

The update was requested by Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey and Ward 6 Councilor Dina Lampiasi, chair and vice chair, respectively, of the subcommittee.

Kavey explained that they wanted to create a conversation about the good things happening in downtown, adding, "and I know that it says commercial vacancy. I think that in order for us to have a clear picture of what's going on, it's important for us to see all the data points." 

Lampiasi added that there is confusion about what is happening downtown, and agreed it is important to remember where the city is succeeding with new businesses. She found the possibility of a BID "really exciting" and has considered how Pittsfield can channel its focus and bring the business community together to improve the downtown. 

"It is just as important to outline and identify the buildings that seem stuck and stagnant, and we can do the hard work of figuring out why that is true and what we can do as a community, as a government to help move them forward," she said. 

WWII Veteran Reflects on D-Day at VFW Post Induction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
12:25PM / Saturday, June 06, 2026

The members in the picture are Bret Miller, Coast Guard, Desert Storm; Hank Morris, Army, Vietnam; Brad Havill, Navy, Global War on Terror; VFW Post 448 Vice Cmdr. Mark Pompi, Army, Global War on Terrorism, Afghanistan; Post Cmdr. Arnold Perras, Korea; Joe Difillipo, Army, Vietnam; Teri Billington, Navy, Desert Storm; and Carmen Ostrander, Air Force, Afghanistan.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Anthony Salatino Jr. says his memory is getting a little foggy about his time in the Army. 

But he remembers how terrible D-Day was, and feeling lucky he wasn't among those in the initial invasion force 82 years ago. 

 

"One of the most horrible things was in Normandy. We went shortly after D-Day. I got lucky, very lucky on D-Day. We went to a staging area the night before … and at the very end, somebody called, I was in headquarters, they called all the headquarters personnel at the center," the 103-year-old said. "We did not go. There's about 30 of us. The rest of the battalion was gone, and the reason for that was because there was another battalion coming from the States, and they had no headquarters. 

 

"We stayed back, but we did go to Normandy shortly after that, and when we went to Normandy, it was all over."

 

Salatino was attending an induction ceremony on Thursday at the Lt. John N. Truden VFW Post 448. Joseph Texidor, who served in the Army for 17 years with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, was sworn in as the post's newest member. 

 

Salatino served in the Medical Corps and wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, a World War I veteran wounded at Verdun. Salatino was in the Army for about three years.

 

"The whole memory is what I just told you, very, very alive to me," he said. "That is, I can never forget, never forget that."

 

D-Day on June 6, 1944, was the start of Operation Overlord, and the largest invading force to cross the English Channel since 1066. Their goal: to liberate Europe from Nazi Germany.