NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — City workers spent the morning on Monday installing this year's Christmas trees.
"We love this," Wire and Alarm Inspector Mitchell Meranti said. "Everybody looks forward to it."
The tree closest to city hall is a Blue Spruce donated by the Mancini Family on Hathaway Street.
Kathy Mancini said the tree has been an important part of their lives for over 30 years. She said her daughter Katie made her first communion in 1993 and all she wanted for her first communion gift was a pine tree sapling to plant
"My husband's uncle Henry Dean went out into the woods and came home with the tiniest sapling I have ever seen," Mancini said. "They planted it and that is the tree that we just donated to the city."
She said the tree is well over 40 feet.
"We always decorated it at Christmas time until we couldn't, and it has been just such a sentimental tree for us…it just brought so much joy to this neighborhood," she said. "But I know I am not going to be here forever. We talked it over with our daughter…and we felt what better way to memorialize it…we wanted to donate it to the city for everyone to enjoy because it is such a beautiful tree."
She praised the city workers and said they cut her a slab from the tree. They plan to place photos of their daughter with the tree as well as a photo of the tree at city hall as a gift.
The monument tree was donated by Juan Bolte from Houghton Street. Meranti said it was a double balsam, about 30 feet tall.
"If you look at the branches on a single balsam, they are flatter. Double balsam has more of a rounded look to it," Meranti said.
Meranti said that although installing the tree was easy, getting it to downtown North Adams was a challenge.
"It's the first time we've had to unhook the truck from the trailer. I had to get in position first with the bucket to get the harness on," he said. "Then we had to back the trailer in. In very tight quarters, we had to back the trailer in and unhook that. Then we drove the crane in and got him set up. Then we reversed the whole operation."
"It went in very smoothly, and it is a beautiful tree."
Once both trees are secure, Meranti will spend the time between now and Thanksgiving stringing the lights.
This story will be updated with more information on the trees.
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Friday Front Porch Feature: A Charming House Like New
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
The home prior to renovations.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Are you looking for a newly renovated home with great space? Then this might be the perfect fit for you!
Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 100 Autumn Drive.
This three-bedroom, two-bathroom split level was built in 1965 and is 1,396 square feet on 0.32 acres.
The house was completely renovated recently. It includes a one-car garage, and comes with appliances including a dishwasher and stove/oven, and other major appliances.
The house is listed for $359,500.
We spoke with owners Michael Zeppieriand Chris Andrews, who did the renovations. Zeppieri is an agent with Alton and Westall Real Estate Agency.
What was your first impression when you walked into the home?
Zeppieri: I purchased this home to do a full renovation flip and saw tremendous potential in this mid-century split level home that had not been updated since it was built in the 1960s, in a great North Adams neighborhood.
Andrews: The house was a much different house when we first purchased it in 2022 (photo attached is from about 2010.) The interior was painted all in dark colors and we brightened it up with neutral colors. The transformation makes you feel like you are in a totally different house.
What were the recent renovations, any standout design features?
Zeppieri: The house has had a complete reconfiguration including new kitchen with high-end appliances, ceramic tiled baths, hardwood floors, new windows and roof ... just to name a few. All a buyer has to do is move in and enjoy.
Andrews: Yes, we renovated the entire house. New windows, new roof, all new custom black gutter system, new blacktop driveway, hardwood floors were installed through out the house. New kitchen and bathrooms as well as painting the exterior and interior of the house. New paver patio in the back yard.
What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?
Zeppieri: The buyer for this home could be a first-time homebuyer or a retiree ... the location is close to attractions in North Adams ... and the property is located in Autumn Heights, which is a very small residential development with several long-term owners.
Andrews: This home is truly ideal for a variety of buyers. Whether a first-time homebuyer, a small family or even someone looking to downsize from a larger home.
What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?
Zeppieri: The location, price and move-in condition of this home make it a true market leader in the North Adams Market.
Andrews: This house is completely renovated and in a desirable location of North Adams. The natural light in the home really makes the interior pop. And with all the upgrades the home stays quite cool in the summer months.
Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history?
Zeppieri: This home was built for the Gould family in 1969 and they lived there till 2010. It was always a family home during that time in which the Goulds had two children ... and Virgina Gould managed Mohawk Forest Apartments and was a very active resident of North Adams.
Andrews: Built in about 1965.
What do the current owners love about this home?
Zeppieri: As the current owner it was a fun project to transform this home and get it ready for its next adventure with a new family to enjoy for many years.
Andrews: No one has lived in the house since we purchased the home. The new owners would be the first to live in the house since the renovations have been completed.
What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?
Andrews: I would suggest seeing the house either on a sunny day or at twilight to really get a vision of how special the home feels.
You can find out more about this house on its listing here.
*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.
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