image description — The trees have been cleared and equipment stationed at Greylock School in North Adams in preparation of demolition.

New Greylock School Project Underway

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
04:39PM / Wednesday, March 11, 2026Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Greylock neighborhood has been alerted to the beginning of demolition at the old Greylock School.

Construction equipment is already at the site and the trees that lined Phelps Avenue in front of the school have been removed.

A superintendent at the site confirmed that some abatement was occurring in preparation for demolition of the 1951 elementary school to make way for a new building.

The $51 million project was awarded to Fontaine Bros. Inc. of Springfield last month. The entire project is estimated at $65 million though it is currently running $2 million under budget.

Mayor Jennifer Macksey, chair of the School Committee, wrote to residents in the area to inform them of the possibility of disruption from noise and construction equipment.

City Councilor Marie McCarron read the letter into the council's minutes on Tuesday night. The mayor was not present.

In the missive, the mayor noted the city has entered into the agreement with Fontaine as general contractor and that Collier's International, as the owner's project manager, will continue to guide the project.

"You may notice increased activity in the area surrounding the school, including construction vehicles, equipment and occasional noise during the week of March, 9, 2026," she wrote. "The general contractor is expected to mobilize equipment on site to begin demolition and abatement of the existing building. Around the same time, installation of the site fencing in the initial stages of the site work will begin."

The mayor said the project team will be on site daily and will work closely with the general contractor to make sure any activities are within the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.

"We are committed to maintaining clear and consistent communication with the neighborhood throughout this approximately 18-month project," Macksey wrote. "Updates will be shared through the school website and newsletters and will include information about major milestones, any changes to traffic patterns and activities that may temporarily affect the surrounding area."

Anyone wishing to receive periodic construction updates can provide their email address to Jeffrey Manley at Jeffrey.Manly@Collierseng.com or Todd Ashford at Todd.Ashford@Collierseng.com.

Tags: Greylock School Project,

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North Adams Restaurant to Closing in Two Weeks

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
02:18PM / Wednesday, November 04, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A downtown restaurant announced on Wednesday that it will be closing.

In a Facebook post, Door Prize stated its last day of service is Saturday, Nov. 14.

"We are not making this decision lightly and wish there was another way forward," read the post by owners Bryan "Swifty" Josephs and Jenny Klowden.

"We feel great pride for our successes and for a wonderful year of serving our community. Now on to the next adventure!"

They also thanked their staff and patrons who enjoyed their food

The restaurant opened over a year ago in Hotel Downstreet after Josephs and Klowden previously had a residence at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, where they sold some of their signature dishes, as well as working in area restaurants, bringing their food to farmers markets and operating a catering business.

The two named the restaurant after a John Prine song that they danced to at their wedding. Josephs described their fare as European comfort food, with one of their most popular dishes being pierogies.

They also successfully renovated the covered porch outside the restaurant for dining, raising $7,000 through a Kickstarter

While their post did not allude as to why they are closing, iBerkshires has reached out for more answers.

The 90-room hotel has reportedly been sold, with a closing expected by the end of the month. Owner Peregrine Group put the former Holiday Inn up for sale earlier this year after purchasing the property for $4.45 million in 2021. According to reports in The Berkshire Eagle, the cost of renovations to the 55-year-old property put a dent into revenues that limited the hotel's ability to cover obligations.

It's not clear if this has anything to do with the restaurant, which operates as a separate entity.

"We are not looking for a public discourse on our business model or the closure," the Door Prize post states, inviting patrons to personally contact the Josephs or Klowden rather than comment on the posting.

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