image description

Taconic Awarded $4M Capital Grant

Print Story | Email Story
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll administration has awarded more than $70 million in Career Technical Education (CTE) program capital grants to 28 high schools and career technical schools across Massachusetts. 
 
In Berkshire County, Taconic was awarded $4,000,000 
 
This multi-year investment expands access to hands-on learning opportunities and help meet the growing demand for career-connected education statewide. 
 
The funding will create up to 2,500 new CTE seats by expanding 23 career tech programs, launching 27 new CTE programs and upgrading equipment, technology and lab spaces across participating schools. 
 
"Across Massachusetts, we’re hearing from students and families who want access to career technical education. That’s why we’re making a $70 million investment to expand programs, create new seats and modernize training facilities so more students can get the skills they need and step into strong, in-demand careers," said Gov. Maura Healey. "This investment will expand capacity, create new opportunities and ensure more students can gain the skills they need to succeed, while strengthening our workforce and supporting employers across the state." 
 
As part of the administration's "Reimagining High School" initiative, CTE programs equip students with the skills they need to succeed in today’s job market through development of innovative, applied learning opportunities that align with current industry needs and provide students with high quality learning experiences that enable them to see and understand cleared pathways to careers and continued education.  
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

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. 

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories