image description — The 1924 Hibbard School, closed in 2009, will be refurbished for housing in the future.

Path Paved for Housing in Pittsfield's Former Hibbard School

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:27AM / Tuesday, November 03, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee has voted to discontinue the former Hibbard School for educational use, paving the way for future senior housing.

The building at 280 Newell St. has not been used as a school since 2009, and the district has been storing supplies in it. With three stories, it sits on nearly two acres and is surrounded by paved open space and a front lawn.

"The city is looking to take that beautiful building and repurpose it. Our intention would be to turn it into housing; affordable housing, particularly senior housing, for which we know we have a critical need in the city," Director of Community Development Justine Dodds explained to the committee last week.

"And so this is the first step. We require you to determine that this is no longer being used for educational purposes, and then it would go back to the city for us to use the building for a differing purpose."

The committee, having care and custody of the property, unanimously approved its discontinuation for educational use, determining it is no longer needed in that capacity.

Charles E. Hibbard School opened in 1924 as an elementary school and served as such for 57 years until 1981, when it became the alternative education programs.

Pittsfield is trying to secure another storage location while simultaneously working on a conversion, which Dodds said will take some time. Alternate storage considerations include space the city already owns and rented space.

She reported that they did some preliminary feasibility studies and know that it would make "exceptional" housing.

The Pittsfield Public Schools store food and other supplies, such as paper, in about 13,000 square feet of the building in a corner of the first floor.

"We need some storage space, just not that much," Dodds said.

It was a tough night for School Committee member Katherine Yon, who went to Hibbard School, but she is glad to see the building have a new life.

There was some lighthearted laughter throughout council chambers, and Yon said, "So if she’s gotta go, I suppose."

Fellow committee member Daniel Elias recognized that this has been discussed for several years now.

"So I'm glad to see that it's actually coming to fruition. I think it's long overdue. It makes sense," he said.

"Ideally, it would be nice to be able to find storage that we currently possess without having to pay additional costs, but I think affordable housing is the way to go."

Tags: housing, school reuse,

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Adams Community Bank and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank Officially Become Trailmark Bank

Staff Reports11:20AM / Tuesday, November 03, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Adams Community Bank and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank announced the successful legal closing of their merger, marking a milestone in the formation of Trailmark Bank.

The merger officially took effect on Nov. 1, 2026, bringing the two longstanding community banks together as one financial institution under the Trailmark Bank name.

The legal closing follows receipt of all required regulatory and governance approvals, including approvals from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Massachusetts Division of Banks.

"Today marks an exciting new chapter for our employees, customers and communities," said Julie Fallon Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of Trailmark Bank. "Trailmark Bank brings together two community banks with deep roots in the Berkshires, shared values and a longstanding commitment to the people and communities we serve. We are proud of what each bank brings to this partnership and excited about what we can accomplish together."

Trailmark Bank is an independent, community-focused bank with approximately $1.5 billion in assets, nearly 200 employees and full-service banking locations across Berkshire County. The merger combines the resources, expertise, and capabilities of two established community banks while preserving the personalized service, strong relationships and local decision-making customers have long valued, stated a press release.

Beginning Nov. 1, Adams Community Bank and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank will operate as divisions of Trailmark Bank. The combined bank will officially open for business as Trailmark Bank on Monday, Dec. 7, with customers gaining access to all branch locations across Berkshire County.

Until then, customers should continue banking as usual through their existing Adams Community Bank or Pittsfield Cooperative Bank locations and systems, using their current checks, debit and ATM cards, online and mobile banking, and other banking services. Late fall, customers will receive detailed information outlining important dates, what to expect and any actions they may need to take.

"The legal merger is an important milestone, but it is also another step in a carefully planned transition," said Gregg Levante, President of Trailmark Bank. "Our focus throughout this process has been making the transition as smooth as possible for our customers while building a stronger community bank for the future. Trailmark Bank gives us greater resources and capabilities while preserving something that matters tremendously to us—the ability to make decisions locally and remain deeply connected to the Berkshires."

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