Private Developer Eyes New Hangar at Pittsfield Municipal Airport

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
12:40PM / Thursday, October 08, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Municipal Airport has faced an ongoing need for additional hangar space, and now a private developer has stepped forward with a proposal to build one, with hopes of bringing his aircraft back to Pittsfield.

In early February, the airport was approached by a prior tenant, Leon Shabott of Hangar4Planes, about the possibility of constructing a hangar at the airport.

"The developer is a current aircraft owner who moved to New Bedford due to the lack of available hangar space at Pittsfield Airport. He is interested in moving back to the area and would prefer to store his aircraft in a hangar," said Airport Manager Anita Akor-Yeboah.

Hangar4Planes was one of the few individuals who approached the Airport Commission about privately developing a hangar at the airport, she said.

"There is a continued need for additional hangar space at the airport. As an aircraft owner, the developer understands the significant cost of purchasing and maintaining an aircraft and prefers to keep his aircraft in a hangar rather than stored outside," Akor-Yeboah said.

"His goal is also to provide similar opportunities to other aircraft owners who are seeking hangar space."

The project is still in its early stages so Hangar4Planes does not have a projected cost or timeline.

The proposed project is a privately funded development, so the airport will not be responsible for the cost of construction or related service. However, it will receive revenue from Hangar 4 Planes through the ground lease.

In early April, Hangar4Planes and the Airport Commission signed a development agreement that allows the developer to determine if constructing a hangar at the airport is feasible, Akor-Yeboah said.

The development agreement with the airport currently has a term of six months.

During the commission's last meeting last, Akor-Yeboah informed the board that Shabott is requesting a one-year extension because he had recently received a permit to fund the foundation of a hangar he is working on in New Bedford.

Shabott's immediate focus is on completing that project and once the foundation is completed in New Bedford, his focus will shift to the proposed project in Pittsfield, Akor-Yeboah said.

Tags: pittsfield airport,

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MassDOT, CSX Agree on Improvements to Support Berkshire Flyer, Passenger Rail

Staff Reports iBerkshires
06:01AM / Thursday, October 08, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state Department of Transportation and CSX have reached an agreement for local infrastructure improvements that will be a "major step" to making the Berkshire Flyer a permanent seasonal service.

Gov. Maura Healey's administration said the improvements will also help toward the years-long project of expanding passenger rail in Western Massachusetts.

"People in Western Massachusetts have been clear that they want better rail connections, and we're delivering," Healey said in a statement released on Thursday. "This agreement puts the Berkshire Flyer on a path toward permanent seasonal service and invests in the infrastructure we need to keep expanding West-East passenger rail service between Boston and Albany. Combined with new federal funding for modern trains, we're giving people more choices, supporting local businesses and better connecting Western Massachusetts to opportunities across the Northeast."

Mayor Peter Marchetti said the Berkshire Flyer is an important asset to the city and that he was grateful for the investment to make it permanent.

The Berkshire Flyer was established in 2022, connecting the Berkshires directly to New York City for the first time in a half-century. The Amtrak service was based on the seasonal Cape Cod Flyer with the goal to increase tourism opportunities. The 2026 season expanded service with an additional round-trip, including new opportunities for Berkshire County residents to travel to New York City.

The administration also announced that new federal funding awarded to Amtrak for additional modern trainsets will support Compass Rail services, including the Berkshire Flyer and the future Inland Route between Boston, Springfield and New Haven.

Under the new agreement with CSX, MassDOT will fund construction of a siding and other track improvements in the Pittsfield area to increase rail capacity and reduce conflicts between passenger and freight operations. MassDOT will also explore the feasibility of a new platform at the Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center.

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