Pittsfield Construction Updates: April 27-May 1

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield shared the following updates of ongoing construction projects:
 
West Street Improvement Project:
  • April 27: Temporary line painting. Drivers should expect delays and short-term lane closures while paint is applied and dries. Please use caution when traveling these roadway and seek alternate routes to avoid traffic delays.
  • April 28 - May 1: Adjusting structures to final pavement elevation. Drivers should use caution, as structures will be raised temporarily as this work is being completed.
Fenn Street Project:
  • Eversource continues their underground utility work on Fenn Street between North Street and Allen Street. This work is expected to continue over the next several weeks. The westbound lane on Fenn Street between Allen Street and North Street remains closed.

Catch Basin Cleaning:

  • Catch basin cleaning will occur on:
    • Leroi Drive
    • Roselyn Drive
    • Loumar Drive
    • Woodleigh Road (near Route 20)
    • Springside Avenue
    • Tyler Street
    • Grove Street
    • Brown Street
    • Woodlawn Avenue
Sidewalk Repairs:
  • Marlboro Drive
    • Replacement of panels between 55-65 Marlboro Drive
  • East Street:
    • Reconstruction of pedestrian ramps and setup up for installation of pedestrianbeacons. Please note that pedestrians will be unable to use crosswalks near Berkshire Superior Court (76 East Street), St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church (67 East Street), and Price Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church (27 East Street) from April 27- 29. This area will be closed to pedestrian traffic from April 27-29 while work is underway.
  • Bank Row:
    • Replacement of pedestrian ramp near Berkshire Probate & Family Court and the Berkshire Middle Registry of Deeds (44 Bank Row) and damaged brick pavers. This area will be closed to pedestrian traffic from April 27-May 1 while work is underway.
It is important to note that the schedule for each project is subject to change based upon weather conditions. 
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State Housing Secretary Tours Downtown Pittsfield Developments

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state's new secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities on Monday saw how local developers are transforming historic buildings into downtown housing units. 

Secretary Juana Matias, appointed to the role in February, toured the former St. Joseph's High School on Maplewood Avenue and the near-complete Wright Building Block on North Street.   

Matias observed local leaders working collaboratively to dismantle bottlenecks in housing production, something she said the administration wants to see across all 351 municipalities.  

"This is a perfect model of the partnerships we want to see, and we love coming to the ground and seeing how people are leveraging public taxpayer dollars to help address the issue of our time, which is housing production," she said after the tours. 

Developer David Carver, of Scarafoni Associates & CT Management Group, is seeking support from the state Housing Development Incentive Program to transform St. Joe's into apartments, and Allegrone Companies has secured millions from the program towards the Wright Building renovation

They first visited the shuttered school that functioned as a shelter during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, greeted by broken windows and leaving with Carver's vision. 

The plan is to transform the school with good bones into 19 apartments, 20 percent designated affordable, and 30 percent of the building for commercial use.  Units are expected to cost between $1,700 and $1,900 per month; 14 one-bedroom units and five two-bedroom units are planned. 

The project team is in talks with the nearby Berkshire Family YMCA to expand their childcare activities to the building's lower level.  Residents and the daycare would use different entrances. 

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