Pittsfield's Department of Community Development to Hold Second Public Workshop

07:47PM / Thursday, March 19, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield's Department of Community Development has announced a public workshop and input session as part of the preparation of the City's Master Plan, Pathway to 2036 on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 6:00p.m.

This workshop will be held at Conte Community School located at 200 West Union Street in Pittsfield.

In collaboration with VHB, the Department has initiated a year-long planning process aimed at crafting a Master Plan that will guide the city's growth and change while preserving its unique character and reflecting shared community values. The updated Master Plan will serve as a key policy document for physical development, addressing critical areas such as land use, infrastructure, sustainability.

Input from city residents is a crucial part of the planning process. Residents are encouraged to attend to learn about the planning process and provide their feedback. The meeting will also provide a brief discussion on the development of the Westside zoning project that was undertaken by the city in 2025. This is the second public workshop to solicit community input.

For additional details about the event, please contact:

City Planner: Kevin Rayner at (413) 499-9368 or via email at krayner@pittsfieldma.gov
Luke Mitchell at lamitchell@vhb.com

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Lanesborough Seeks State Support for Berkshire Mall Redevelopment

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires.com
05:58PM / Monday, October 12, 2026

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town plans to petition the state to take ownership of the Route 7/Route 8 Connector Road, which officials believe is a "critical component" of the Berkshire Mall’s redevelopment strategy.

On Tuesday, the Select Board approved a letter to state Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. John Barrett III to request their support for the vacant mall's redevelopment by helping advance transfer of the Route 7/Route 8 connector and considering funding for essential infrastructure.

"We have held discussions with the Baker Hill Road District … which will take the necessary steps to formally petition the commonwealth to take over ownership of the Route 7, Route 8 connector…Your continued support in facilitating this transfer is greatly appreciated," the letter says.

Berkshire Mall owner JMJ RE Holdings has said the potential sale and redevelopment of the mall hinges on dissolving the Baker Hill Road District, a condition of the agreement that, if unmet, would render the contract null and void.

As a result, the mall will continue to deteriorate and the litigation will proceed forward, said Tim Grogan, of JMJ.

Vera Farrell, the liaison to the Baker Hill Road District, said the district board had discussed at one of its most recent meetings that the connector road could be transferred directly to the state, rather than returned to the town; Barrett and Mark were also a part of the discussion.

"The representatives recommended that as an option, that it could transfer the connector road directly to the state, as opposed to deeding it back to the town to dispense it. If we get to that point, that would be a better option to do it that way," Farrell said.

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