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The 6,000-square-foot addition will add about 20 spaces for infant and toddler care and increase the 40,000-square-foot building by about 15 percent.
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The funds will also allow BCRCC to expand its fitness center, upgrade its HVAC system, and relocate administrative offices
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Berkshire South Sees $1M Earmark for Expansion

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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Jenise Lucey presents blueprints of the project.

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.— The Berkshire South Regional Community Center was earmarked for more than $1 million to expand its north wing. 

On Thursday, Congressman Richard Neal sat with Executive Director Jenise Lucey, board members, and other staff at the center to see how those dollars will help expand childcare, among other areas.  He announced a $1,015,000 earmark for the project. 

"As you can see, we are really, really busy and really busting at the seams," Lucey said while showing the congressman plans. 

"So your advocacy to make this happen, so that we can really move on to the next steps and serve our community, couldn't be better timed, and we're just so grateful for your support." 

The 6,000-square-foot addition will add about 20 spaces for infant and toddler care and increase the 40,000-square-foot building by about 15 percent.  It will also allow BCRCC to expand its fitness center, upgrade its HVAC system, and relocate administrative offices. 

BCRCC sees about 200,000 visitors per year and is licensed to welcome 100 summer campers, running a nine-week program during working hours.  Childcare programming runs year-round, with the center serving about 240 youth annually. 

Open since 2002, the community center will soon celebrate its 25th anniversary.  The allocation was made through Congressionally Directed Spending from the Rural Housing Service with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Neal said that childcare was one of the biggest issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"And then one of the reasons that a lot of women did not re-enter the workforce was because they had to choose between caring for the child and going back to work," he added. 



"And the cost was such that it didn't work." 

Lucey explained that there have been difficulties across the sector, such as the closure of the Lenox Children’s Center in June, and some other local programs struggling financially or running into snags. 

The north wing expansion was dreamt up around 2010.  In the meantime, before work is done, BCRCC had its arts and crafts room licensed for toddler care. 

"The idea is that this northern part of the property, the north wing, would be expanded to increase the fitness center space, to create another classroom space, and to create an administrative space," Lucey said while showing blueprints to Neal. 

"…So ultimately, this space back here, where all these offices are, will move over to this space up in the north part of the building, and this whole area will then become the infant and toddler and preschool childcare center."

The project is expected to cost about $3.5 million, and she said this $1 million will help be a catalyst for additional support.  Groundbreaking is expected in the fall of 2027 or early 2028. 


 


Tags: earmarks,   expansion,   Neal,   

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Pryor & Peacock's Whimsical Furniture Environmentally Friendly

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
 

The company uses digital printing to create the upholstery fabric, saving water and saving vintage furniture from ending up in landfills.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — A unique furniture store has popped up on Elm Street this month.

Mom-and-daughter store Pryor & Peacock is hosting the pop-up storefront from Aug. 13 to Aug. 25 at 6 Elm. The New Marlborough business is co-founded by Rosalina Wright and Luca Shapiro, who is also the creative director. 

Their online shop was created in 2024 but they wanted people to see the pieces in person, so they're renting the space for a limited time before a long-term tenant moves in.

The store sources prints to create unique fabrics and reimagines vintage and antique furniture acquired at auctions, local shops, and online.

"We source prints from all over the world that date from the late 1600s up through mid-20th century, and Luca turns those prints into fabric by manipulating them, scanning them, oftentimes has to add or subtract things, and then we manufacture the fabric using only digital printing, which is very environmentally friendly, unlike traditional textile printing," Wright said.

Upholstering the furniture can take weeks of work. Shapiro looks for the perfect design for each piece and, if need be, uses Adobe Photoshop to extend the art work to fit or enhance the print.

"One of the most difficult parts comes in marrying the fabric to a piece of furniture because we only use antique and vintage frames also to be earth friendly, and they're also more beautiful and durable than new furniture," Wright said. "So the image has to go with the furniture, so that takes a lot of work."

One of Pryor & Peacock's missions is to be environmentally friendly. Digital printing doesn't use the same amount of water as traditional textile productions do nor does it contaminate water with ink according to their website.

Not only are they saving water, but they are saving furniture from going into the landfill while also using more durable furniture that doesn't break as easily as current pieces. They started their business to create something unique and to help the environment together.

"It's creating something nobody else is doing. People can't continue to buy throwaway furniture. Six percent of American landfills is furniture, and digital printing not only opens up the possibility of being able to put unique images on a piece of furniture, but it also is, as I said, environmentally friendly. So, for us, the excitement is to take an old East Lake settee that somebody's going to store in their barn and forget about, and make it something completely new and surprising," Wright said.

They hope their furniture helps bring a pop of fun to someone's home.

"We think our furniture is very whimsical and surprising, and most furniture today is oatmeal colored couches and gray neutral chairs, and it's boring," she said.

The two named their business after their mothers' maiden names to honor them and believe the name reflects their pieces.

Shapiro works in interior design outside of the business and the two liked working together and thought it would be great to start a business together. Shapiro says they can work well together and that her and her mother, Wright, has flipped houses before and have the same eye for design.

"So it's very easy for us to work together. When we see something, generally we agree on whether it works or doesn't work on a piece. We agree on the color schemes and that sort of thing. So it's very fun and fulfilling to work together," Shapiro said. 

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