September 27, 2017
By Andy McKeever
iBerkshires staff

PITTSFIELD, MA The city is putting forth $1 million from the GE Economic Development Fund to jump start the stalled construction of the Berkshire Innovation Center.

The City Council unanimously approved using the money to help cover a $3 million funding gap for a 20,000 square-foot facility at the William Stanley Business Park. The remaining $2 million is expected to come from the state.

The Massachusetts Life Science Center had already committed $9.7 million, and an additional $2 million will bring the total state support for the research and development operation to $11.7 million.

“We know that advanced manufacturing is a key sector for growth opportunities in Pittsfield and the region,” Mayor Linda Tyer said in advocating for getting the project off the ground.

The project dates back to 2008 when the first $6.5 million was earmarked for the city to build a life science incubator at the park in a bond bill put forth by former Gov. Deval Patrick.

In 2013, the city launched a study to make that incubator happen. The Pittsfield Economic Development Authority hired Rod Jané to plan out the center at the park.

What Jané found was that an incubator in the traditional sense didn’t seem to fit the area, which lacked many opportunities for new startup companies. Under former Mayor Daniel Bianchi, the city re-envisioned the use of the earmark to instead focus on the small to mid-sized advanced manufacturing businesses that are already here. The new concept of a research and development center came to the forefront.

In 2014, the Massachusetts Life Science Center allocated another $3 million or so to bring the total earmark up to $9.7 million. The Berkshire Innovation Center was born and Jané and others began to create the new institution. The Berkshire Innovation Center model is subscription based in that companies pay dues to use the state-of-the-art equipment being made available. Dozens of companies and educational institutes have signed on to become members and use it for research and development.

The BIC became a non-profit in 2015 and had some 20 letters of intent from companies wanting to use the facility and equipment. Through another grant with Berkshire Community College, $1 million worth of equipment was purchased. PEDA and the City Council each approved a quarter of a million dollars to help the newly organized non-profit off the ground. The groundbreaking was all but set.

And then the bids came in too high.

The organization and the city scaled back the design but couldn’t make the numbers work. The 20,000 square-foot building that was set to break ground that October now remains an empty site with a “coming soon” sign starting to fade.

The BIC identified a $3 million funding gap between what it wanted to build and what it had.

At the same time, Bianchi was ousted from office and there were changes in state administration. Jané told the City Council on Tuesday that much of the time since has been catching those new officials up to date, teaching them about the project, and then looking for a funding source.

“We’ve been considerably engaged working with the city and the state to obtain those funds,” Jané said.

Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash was the key partner for both Bianchi and Tyer. Tyer had pitched the project to Ash during a tour of the city but the secretary told her to look at current buildings that could be retrofitted instead.

Tyer and BIC officials looked at the now vacant SABIC facility on Plastics Avenue and another space downtown, to see if either of those were more economical. They weren’t, according to Tyer.

“New construction at the William Stanley Business Park is the right strategy,” she said.

The idea cycled back to the former General Electric land on East Street. PEDA, which manages that land, has been involved with the project since day one and had believed that that’s where it should be located anyway.

“It belongs as an innovation center people can point to and can see and come to and not hidden away in some old building that requires retrofitting,” Executive Director Corydon Thurston said.

But the financial picture hadn’t changed. The BIC was still $3 million short of building what it envisioned and has depleted the $700,000 — $250,000 from PEDA, $250,000 from the city and $200,000 from memberships — in startup operational costs.

The membership hasn’t changed either. There are still 20 letters of intent signed from companies and 10 had actually signed on — eight of them paying into the center alongside some larger donations. None of those companies have walked away from the project.

“All 10 of those members are still members. We literally had a two and a half year delay from when the doors were supposed to open and they will if this funding is approved,” Jané said.

The BIC continues to operate even without a home. It used its equipment to launch certification training programs, seminars, and allowed companies access to the equipment. The workforce training component had actually grown to become a larger focus of the organization.

There are numerous educational facilities on board with the project and with the state’s urging, a deeper level of commitment to providing those opportunities was incorporated into the plan — tackling an issue many companies face in the inability to find employees with the skills needed in their fields.

“We have an obligation to try to find ways to train the workforce for the jobs that are available,” Tyer said.

That took all of that work back to the state and Tyer says state officials have all but promised $2 million if the city would put in $1 million to cover the gap.

“The city’s expected to almost immediately trigger a $2 million investment from the commonwealth,” Director of Community Development Deanna Ruffer said.

On Tuesday, the City Council unanimously decided to pull that $1 million from the GE fund — a pool of money given to the city years ago as part of the settlement when General Electric left.

That brings the state’s investment — as long as it actually does provide that $2 million that is expected on Oct. 10 — to $11.7 million.

Thurston said he is excited with the next steps. He’s been hoping for a groundbreaking for years and trying to get the park developed.

“We cannot, as a community, let an $11 million gift — it was $9.7 before now it looks like it is up — we’ve got $11 million plus gratis on the line here,” Thurston said. “We’ve got to do something with that money and we will.”

PEDA Chairman Mick Callahan said development at the park will help spur other investments and that was the idea behind the incubator to begin with.

“We’ve always been confident that any development brings new opportunities. In this case, the synergy of the BIC operation gives us the opportunities to advance some of those other parcels, specifically on the same quadrant,” Callahan said.

From the city’s perspective, it will address both the workforce development piece but also help local companies expand. Those involved often aren’t able to purchase machines that can be used to develop and take to market new products.

“The most important job of our time is to ensure our very own successful, locally grown, and often unrecognized businesses continue to thrive,” Tyer said.

Jane said construction will take about 18 months.

But, alas, the work isn’t done yet. Despite closing the $3 million funding gap, Jane says the BIC still needs to figure out how to cover what is expected to be increased construction costs because of the delay to the tune of about $900,000 and replenish the organization’s operating funds. Only then will it be able to start the construction process.

“It has been two years so the capital construction costs don’t stand still,” Jané said.

Jané said the organization is cutting half of its budget for equipment — from $2 million to $1 million — to address the rising construction cost. He said the organization has prioritized the more important pieces for opening day and will seek to buy, or find grants, the others later.

A change to the agreement between the city, PEDA, and the BIC will help sidestep public procurement process that Jane hopes will help lower construction costs. The previous agreement was that the city would build the center for the BIC to use. PEDA owns the land and had signed a lease with the city for the land.

Now, the city is terminating its agreements with PEDA and the BIC will now sign new leases and take responsibility for constructing and owning the building. The earmark from the state will also switch over to the BIC.

“It can be more nimble and more flexible,” Ruffer told the council of the decision to switch agreements.

From PEDA’s perspective, the structure seems to just make more sense.

“We’re very happy with the structure based on the tweaking that went on to improve the whole thing. I think we have a solid agreement that was put in place by a lot of good people and the PEDA board has supported the BIC front the start,” Callahan said.

The unanswered question remains about operating costs. Jane said once all the construction funds are secured, the organization will be in a better position to attract new companies. And there are still 10 letters of intent still out there. Thurston echoed those sentiments saying once it is “real” the operational concerns will evaporate with the newer interest.

The city, however, doesn’t want to see its money be spent like that. The agreement for the $1 million specifies that it should be used for construction and only if construction moves forward in a timely fashion will the money be dispersed.

“We will see that it is moving forward before our funds are expended,” Ruffer said.

Jané said once that operational problem is solved, he gives it 18 months before a ribbon cutting.

December 14, 2016, Berkshire Eagle
By Tony Dobrowolski, [email protected]

PITTSFIELD — A $30 million Walmart Supercenter at the William Stanley Business Park of the Berkshires is another step closer to reality.

The Pittsfield Economic Development Authority and the project’s developer, Waterstone Retail Development Inc. of Needham, have agreed on the terms of a purchase and sales agreement and a lease.

PEDA approved the measure after the board met in executive session at Wednesday’s board meeting. Waterstone’s board approved the measure on Tuesday, according to PEDA Executive Director Cory Thurston. The agreement is expected to be fully executed by the end of 2016, he added.

The project is now contingent on Waterstone receiving required approvals from the city to construct a Walmart Supercenter on the 16.1 acre “teens” parcel at the 52-acre business park. A quasi-public agency, PEDA is charged with the park’s development.

The formal contracts that have been approved replace a Letter of Intent that the two parties originally signed in June and detail the terms of the lease and subsequent sale of the property.

“We have now formally documented the process, and have a binding commitment from Waterstone to proceed with the project provided they get the permits,” Thurston said. “If they get the permits, the deal is sealed as far as the land goes.”

Waterstone is expected to file the necessary applications for the project with the city of Pittsfield in early January, he said.

If the permits are approved by the city, plans call for the developers to lease the site from PEDA while the building is being constructed, then purchase the property once the structure is completed.

The 60-day letter of intent between Waterstone and PEDA originally gave the developers an exclusive 60-day window to negotiate a purchase and sale agreement for the site with PEDA. When the preliminary work took longer than expected, PEDA approved two 60-day extensions, one in August and the other in October.

Wednesday’s agreement occurred 16 days before the second extension was scheduled to expire.

As a gesture of good faith following the second extension, Waterstone gave PEDA a nonrefundable deposit of $20,000, a portion of the $65,000 the developers were required to make as a down payment once an agreement was finalized. The additional $45,000 was provided on Wednesday.

In October, Waterstone principal Anton Melchionda said the delay was a procedural matter that required the completion of a traffic study. He could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

This is the third time in five years that Waterstone has proposed constructing a Walmart on the teens parcel. The current proposal calls for the construction a 190,000 square foot Walmart Supercenter at the teens site, the largest of the park’s nine building lots.

The store is considered to be the first step in a larger Waterstone project known as Woodlawn Crossing, a mixed-use development that would eventually include medical offices, life sciences firms, retail, light manufacturing and other development situated around the business park’s boundaries.

Waterstone believes the property would bring between $300,000 and $500,000 in tax revenue to the city, along with 350 construction jobs. Plans call for Walmart to move its existing Pittsfield store at Berkshire Crossing on Hubbard Avenue to the business park after the building is completed, which would add an additional 100 employees to the Pittsfield Walmart’s current staff of 200 workers.

As part of the project, Waterstone also is expected to build a $4 million storm water system that will improve the quality of water discharged from the business park into Silver Lake.

Reach Business Editor Tony Dobrowolski at 413-496-6224.

PITTSFIELD, MA – The Pittsfield Economic Development Authority (PEDA) will host three Open House events, on August 24, August 31, and September 14 at the William Stanley Business Park, to showcase the park’s developable building sites. PEDA is encouraging potential developers, builders, existing businesses and community members to attend and learn about current and future plans and view available properties.

Each open house will run from 4-7 p.m., at the PEDA office on the corner of Kellogg Street and Woodlawn Avenue. Refreshments will be offered, and guests can gather information and see firsthand the sites available at the park. In addition, guided walking tours will be offered at 4:30 and 6 p.m.

“The summer season draws numerous visitors to the area, many of whom own or run businesses, so it’s an ideal time to highlight these wonderful building site opportunities,” said Corydon Thurston, PEDA Executive Director. “These are folks who already love to vacation in the Berkshires, and we’d like to encourage them, along with our local area business people, to consider growing their companies here at the William Stanley Business Park.”

In addition to current features and recent park enhancements, attendees can view the proposed site for Woodlawn Crossing, a 190,000-square foot building project that would transform the existing 16-acre concrete slabs on the “Teens” parcel for a Walmart Supercenter. The plan, offered by Needham-based Waterstone Retail Development, is expected to leverage mixed-use opportunities on adjacent and nearby neighborhood properties for additional retail businesses, medical offices, research and development, life sciences and light manufacturing, which PEDA anticipates will bring new, entrepreneurial focus on the eight available lots within the Park.

Take an aerial tour of the park.

 

For Immediate Release: June 23, 2016
Contact: Corydon Thurston, Executive Director
Pittsfield Economic Development Authority

PITTSFIELD, Massachusetts. – Pittsfield Economic Development Authority (PEDA) and the City of Pittsfield will host a community dedication ceremony at the William Stanley Business Park on Monday, June 27, to celebrate the opening of the new Woodlawn Bridge.

State and local officials are expected to attend the dedication which will begin at 9:30 a.m., under a tent adjacent to the PEDA office, on the corner of Kellogg Street and Woodlawn Avenue. The ribbon cutting is scheduled for 10 a.m.

“The reopening of the Woodlawn Bridge creates an actual pathway to bring neighborhoods within the City of Pittsfield together, removing a very visible stark barrier of access. I look forward to the many ways the bridge will be utilized as a resource for our community,” said Mayor Tyer.

PEDA Executive Director Corydon Thurston echoed the mayor’s sentiments. “This will quickly become a popular route to connect from north to south, and brings important new visibility to the business park,” he said.

Woodlawn Bridge 2016 logoClosed to traffic since 2006, the reconstructed bridge bisects the William Stanley Business Park and reconnects the Morningside neighborhood with East Street. General Electric transferred the privately owned road and bridge to PEDA in December of 2011 and an agreement was reached with the state and CSX, for the demolition and reconstruction of the bridge, in August of 2012, with construction beginning three years later. The new bridge improves the rail right of way to allow CSX to transport double-stack containers between Worchester and Selkirk, NY. The $4.5 million project was funded by the state Department of Transportation.

In addition to being a valuable neighborhood connector, the bridge also completes the new 2.5 mile Morningside Walking Loop, an initiative of Be Well Berkshires and Healthy Pittsfield, with sponsorship from the Tyler Street Business Group, Berkshire Health Systems and the city. Guests will be able to participate in a ceremonial first walk of the loop, following the ceremony.

The extension of Woodlawn Avenue to East Street will open to traffic following the dedication.

###

Pittsfield Economic Development Authority (PEDA) is a quasi-public agency created by a special act of the Massachusetts State Legislature, for the purpose of receiving and redeveloping approximately 52 acres of General Electric Company’s former industrial facility located in the heart of Pittsfield Massachusetts. For additional information, visit williamstanleybp.com

 

 

Developer Announces Woodlawn Crossing Project at Old GE Site Hundreds of Jobs and Significant Revenue for Pittsfield,

June 15, 2016— Waterstone Retail Development has announced Woodlawn Crossing, a complete redevelopment of the Teens Parcel of the former GE property at the William Stanley Business Park. The Phase One portion of this redevelopment proposal (Walmart Supercenter) alone will generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in new revenue and create hundreds of jobs. Currently, there are over 2,000 unemployed people in Pittsfield.

“We look forward to stimulating the future growth of the William Stanley Business Park with the improvements Woodlawn Crossing will bring,” stated Waterstone Retail, out of Needham, Massachusetts. “Our aim is to bring new energy to the currently dormant site to help solidify Pittsfield’s path to prosperity by bringing over 350 construction jobs and 85-100 quality full- and part-time jobs for a total of 300 jobs with just the Walmart alone for the City.”

Woodlawn Crossing will transform the existing 16-acre concrete slabs on the property into a productive re-use as part of a mixed-use project that will eventually bring space for medical offices, life sciences, retail, light manufacturing, and research and development. Waterstone intends to pursue adjacent parcels outside of the WSBP where appropriate to accommodate these additional uses. The Phase One retail portion includes plans for a new Walmart store with a full line of groceries as a relocation of the existing Pittsfield Walmart. This transformation requires a substantial investment by Waterstone to rehabilitate the site before construction can begin.

“We invite community members to take a look at the details and drawings on our new website and at our upcoming Community Open House this summer to help create a broad understanding that virtually any other use for this land is not economically viable, given the vast oversupply of comparable vacant industrial buildings and the amount of developable land available at literally a fraction of the cost of this development,” Waterstone stated. “We want the community to know we are here to listen and answer questions about what we believe to be an exciting opportunity for economic development in Pittsfield.”

Residents are invited to learn more about the new Woodlawn Crossing proposal on Tuesday, June 28th at an informal Community Open House event, during which community members can learn more about the traffic improvements, environmental cleanup, new streams of revenue and jobs that will result from the proposal. This event will be held at Hotel on North in “The Hall,” and guests are invited to attend anytime between 5-8pm.

Waterstone has set up a website www.woodlawncrossing.com for community members to learn more about the proposal, and a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/woodlawncrossing) has also been created for supporters to join.

###

About Waterstone Retail Development
Waterstone is a privately owned real estate company specializing in the creation and repositioning of commercial properties throughout the United States including a growing portfolio of retail shopping centers, stand-alone retail sites, residential buildings, industrial properties and medical facilities. Waterstone has 50+ properties in Eastern U.S. including more than 1 million square feet of retail space under development. With a portfolio of more than 250 national and local tenants, Waterstone prides itself on maintaining longstanding relationships with our retailers and being an active participant in our surrounding communities to be local in service, national in scope. Waterstone’s strategy includes ground-up new development, acquiring stabilized assets and purchasing retail centers in need of repositioning/redevelopment. Waterstone’s headquarters in Needham, MA with a satellite office in Spartanburg, SC. For more information, please visit www.waterstoneretail.com.

PEDA Board Approves LOI with Waterstone,

Today’s approval by PEDA of a Letter of Intent with Waterstone Retail is a necessary first step in the process that allows Waterstone the opportunity to pursue development of the site, including submitting applications to the appropriate boards and departments in the City of Pittsfield for consideration of necessary permitting and approvals that will be required for this project.

As an economic development agency, PEDA has a responsibility to bring all qualified opportunities to the City that put the properties of the William Stanley Business Park back on the tax rolls with quality investments that create jobs but the special permit will be up to others.

This project proposal meets that obligation and this Letter of Intent simply sets the basic terms for the lease / sale of the land to Waterstone contingent upon it receiving the necessary permits.

Pittsfield seeks new day, not an echo of its heyday,

By Jaclyn Stevenson
BusinessWest
February 9, 2016

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The pervasive feeling in the city of Pittsfield — the Berkshires’ largest city and county seat — is that it’s done trying to return to its heyday.

Rather, elected officials, business- development professionals, and entrepreneurs alike are calling for a new day in Pittsfield, one that celebrates the creative economy, makes great use of existing resources, and stands ready for entrepreneurial endeavors of all types and sizes.

Mayor Linda Tyer, who took office in January and will serve Pittsfield’s first-ever four-year mayoral term, made these tenets some of her key platform points during her campaign, and the message appears to have resonated. The former Pittsfield City Clerk defeated two-term incumbent Mayor Daniel Bianchi with 59% of the vote, winning all 14 precincts.

Tyer said the city has long suffered from what she calls “group depression” following the departure of General Electric, which became part of the Pittsfield landscape in 1903 and at its peak provided 13,000 jobs in a city of 50,000 residents. Its influence on the city’s economy dwindled steadily through the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, but many people long held hope that another outfit similar in size and scope may someday return.

Mayor Linda Tyer Embarks on First Term in Pittsfield

BusinessWest spoke with Pittsfield’s Mayor Linda Tyer on day 11 of her administration.

“Pittsfield has a tendency to say, ‘someone is out there,’” Tyer noted. “But we’ve already seen that one business will only be able to sustain us for so long. I’m interested in who is already here, on the cusp of expansion or ready for something new. In the end, the best investment is local, big or small.”

Corydon Thurston, executive director of the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority (PEDA), has a similar, if not more concentrated, view of the city and its opportunities for business development.

“The chances of landing a major corporation are akin to winning Powerball,” he explained. “Today, competition isn’t just statewide, it’s worldwide, and finally the realization here is that we need to support who we already have, help them grow, and find ancillary opportunities for additional growth and added diversity — not create another a one- industry town.”

If You Build It…

The largest development currently underway is the creation of the Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC), which will be located at the William Stanley Business Park (created at the massive former GE complex) and cater to small and medium-sized businesses positioned to add to the supply chain of various life-science and biotechnology projects.

“The BIC is designed to provide access to high-tech equipment that will allow businesses to innovate, grow, and respond to customer demands in an efficient and timely fashion — rapidly prototyping products and bringing them to market,” Thurston said. “Temporary space will be available for lease within the center to allow companies to mature, and hopefully they will stick around. Pittsfield has plenty of existing manufacturing space at low cost, and once we get them here, we can grow them here.”

He added that support of the BIC, which was made possible by a $9.75 million state grant, has been citywide and dovetails with a number of other initiatives in the areas of workforce training, real-estate development, and education. In the coming year, PEDA is expected to blend its efforts with 1Berkshire, a regional economic- development organization, and Pittsfield’s Office of Community Development.

“One of the reasons why we’re so bullish on the innovation center is it has a broad base of community support at every level,” Thurston went on. We also believe that a young startup company, whether it’s in Worcester, Boston, Albany, or Rensselaer, that is looking for a place to commercialize or test their ideas and inventions, will be attracted here because of our existing manufacturing structure and lower costs of doing business.”

A built-in mentor network will be part of the BIC’s offerings, with 19 mentoring partners from across Pittsfield already signed on, along with several academic partners from across the Northeast, including UMass and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

“The support from the education side is rewarding to me because it’s a foundational element that will create a number of new opportunities for our industrial base,” Thurston said, noting that Berkshire Community College has been a particularly active participant.

In the absence of a physical building, for instance, BCC has taken the lead on the programmatic components of the center, identified a variety of courses to complement the BIC’s eventual hands-on work, and set up a temporary center at Pittsfield’s Taconic High School that includes a pipeline for students to pursue advanced-manufacturing careers.

Hire Education

Ellen Kennedy, president of Berkshire Community College, echoed Thurston’s excitement for the BIC.

“This could be the most promising economic-development engine to enter Pittsfield in a long time,” she said. “As the facility itself comes into play, training opportunities are already in place that allow existing businesses to share research and identify workforce-development needs.”

Kennedy said BCC has been instrumental in identifying academic opportunities for Pittsfield students from grade school to college, as well as career-development and refresher courses for the workforce. It received $500,000 in funding from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center last year in order to create educational components to support the BIC, such as the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment and new courses in advanced manufacturing and engineering technology, and another $10,000 just last month to fund career-path programming for middle- and high- school students.

The BIC has also become the new lead organization of the Berkshire Robotics Initiative, with an eye toward underscoring the use of robotics in today’s manufacturing world and the career opportunities that may arise.

“We’re looking to build on students’ interests, allow them to see the different employment opportunities open to them, and start them on a career path,” Kennedy noted, adding that this and other projects have the dual benefit of increasing the college’s profile among prospective students, and therefore that of the city, which has an aging population.

“Berkshire County’s demographics are challenging, and it has become the job of both Pittsfield and BCC to keep the younger population engaged,” she told BusinessWest. “In a sense, we’re making a commitment to the Millennial.”

For Kennedy, that means offering more opportunities for the community to visit the campus, be it to play sports, attend a career fair, or utilize campus amenities. By extension, she hopes the city’s cultural destinations, retail shops, eateries, and nightlife will also get a boost.

“In order to attract people here to experience what we have to offer, we all need to market the quality of life and the world-class culture. In that respect, we are tied at the hip with the city of Pittsfield.”

North Star of Our Nights

That’s a construct the team involved with Hotel on North, a boutique hotel on Pittsfield’s main thoroughfare that just opened its doors in June, subscribes to as well.

Owned by Berkshire residents David and Laurie Tierney and managed by Main Street Hospitality Group, a hotel- management company based in Stockbridge that manages three other properties in the county, Hotel on North includes a restaurant, bar, event space, and gift shop housed in a pair of adjoining 19th-century buildings that are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sarah Eustis, CEO and part-owner of Main Street Hospitality Group, said work between the partners began in earnest in 2012, and moved swiftly into “two solid years of highly collaborative project work.”

“We represent two deeply rooted Berkshire businesses with different skills that we wanted to apply to Pittsfield, to contribute to the renaissance that is happening here,” she said, noting that a hospitality venue in Pittsfield has been a goal of Main Street Hospitality Group for several years. “We looked originally to Pittsfield to build on a base, and now we have an undying passion that this is right for the city. That belief comes from both gut and numbers.”

The hotel features brick walls, tin ceilings, and hardwood floors that hearken back to the buildings’ original décor, as well as Victorian themes paired with nods to the Berkshires in the form of vintage maps and organic elements. The scheme is bound together with the ‘on North’ tagline, i.e. ‘Eat, Drink, Stay on North.’

In more ways than one, the entire business was “made on North,” said Eustis, by partnering with local vendors and craftsmen whenever possible, from architects to designers to furniture and décor makers.

“We like to create hotels that give you a sense of where you are, and we realized early on that it had to be ‘by Pittsfield for Pittsfield,’ with influences from around the world. That’s one reason we didn’t partner with a large brand or make a slick New York hotel and plop it in the Berkshires,” she went on. “The ‘on North’ concept arose from that idea of using local businesses.”

One of the hotel’s owners, Laurie Tierney, added that she hopes its luxurious feel paired with local accents will instill a feeling of pride in Pittsfield’s residents, and attract them downtown along with other visitors to the region.

“My goal is to change perceptions so people realize what’s downtown and feel safe,” she said. “The locals need to be brought into the change, and I do believe that there is a movement afoot.”

Sometimes, Tierney added, getting big things to happen in a city is like starting a lawnmower.

“You pull the cord, but it often takes a few times to start. That’s how it’s been in Pittsfield … almost, not quite, almost, not quite. I’m hoping this is what turns the engine.”

Indeed, it’s been nearly 90 years since GE made Pittsfield a boom town, and many people are now seeing the city’s heyday as something ahead of them, not behind. The key, says Tierney, is to maintain momentum.

“We can’t stop; we have to keep going,” she said. “I hope to be in a place someday where I can sit back and watch the ball roll a little, and maybe be a background person who whispers in someone’s ear, ‘hey. You know what we should do?’”

One person Tierney may be able to whisper to is Mayor Tyer.

“I’m interested in anyone who wants to make an investment in the city,” Tyer said in conclusion. “The idea of a hip, walkable urban center is coming back, and we have the infrastructure for it. Now, we just need to be plugged into the modern economy.”

Pittsfield at a glance Year Incorporated: 1761
Population: 43,697 Area: 42.5 square miles County: Berkshire
Residential Tax Rate: $18.76 Commercial Tax Rate: $38.06 Median Household Income: $35,655 Family Household Income: $46,228 Type of Government: Mayor, City Council
Largest Employers: Berkshire Health Systems, General Dynamics, Berkshire Community College, SABIC Innovative Plastics

Latest information available

 

 

By Andy McKeever
iBerkshires Staff
October 27, 2015

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The beams spanning the Woodlawn Avenue bridge have been laid. The long-awaited project will connect the Morningside neighborhood with East Street and is seen as not only a north-south connection but also a boost to the development of the William Stanley Business Park, which it cuts through.

The road was closed to traffic in 2006 and the bridge demolished in 2012. The reconstruction lifts the bridge high enough to allow double-decker trains to fit underneath. “It’s a huge step. The abutments are complete. We’re spanning the bridge with steel and getting ready to set the deck,” said Pittsfield Economic Development Authority Executive Director Corydon Thurston.

The $4.2 million state project was delayed multiple times with construction finally started in the spring. The goal is to have the road reopened in 2016. The placing of the beams, a total of eight, represents somewhat of a topping-off ceremony. The beams will be covered by a steel decking followed by concrete.

“Eventually there will be a road surface on top of that,” Thurston said. The beams represent a midway point in construction with the biggest benefit being that coordination with the railroad will be at a minimum. A protective floor will be placed underneath the beams and the majority of the remaining work will take place above the tracks, so trains can still operate unabridged.

Since the road has been closed, traffic has been diverted over residential and winding roads. For PEDA, the exposure of being able to drive through and see the sites will help attract businesses to the park and improves transportation around the city for any company that does move there.

“I believe it will be a very popular route to connect north to the south,” Thurston said.

The city transferred the land to PEDA in 2011 for reconstruction and the demolition took place shortly after. However, the state was uncertain about the level of replacement so the property sat for eight months with no action. In 2012, state Sen. Benjamin Downing secured $2 million in state funding for the project in a bond bill but that money was
dependent on being completed in 2013 in conjunction with the remediation of Silver Lake.

The city then found out that the City Council needed to take some additional easements by eminent domain to proceed. Both General Electric and PEDA waived payments for the easements.
From there, the state’s bidding process pushed back the construction yet again. Ultimately, Northern Construction, of Palmer, was awarded the contract.

By Andy McKeever

iBerkshires Staff
August 19, 2015

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Daniel Bianchi remembers growing up in a vibrant Morningside neighborhood. And he wants that back.

“This was just an incredibly vibrant area. Anything a working family would need was right here in Morningside,” Bianchi said.

But then General Electric closed up shop putting many in the neighborhood out of work. The once hopping neighborhood became a shell of itself and businesses struggled, storefronts emptied, and residents moved away.

But, “there are hundreds of people who still live here, who grew up here, who still believe in Morningside. I still believe in Morningside,” the mayor said.

On Wednesday, those who “believe” in Morningside gathered to start planning the steps to bring the Tyler Street community back to life. The city is part of a Transformative Development Initiative, through <a href=”http://www.massdevelopment.com/” target=”_blank”>Mass Development</a>, with the goal to restore economic vibrancy to the neighborhood through a partnership of community groups, the city and private businesses.

The first step in the process is to develop an action plan envisioning what the community will eventually look like and how to get there.

“We’re passionate about community development. It is our job to stitch these [stakeholders and ideas] together,” said Lisa Nagle, a principal with the planning, design, and architecture firm Elan. “We want this to be an action plan people can use.”

Over the next eight months, the firm will be holding public meetings, open houses, meeting with stakeholders, identifying funding sources, and crafting what Nagle calls a “roadmap” for redevelopment. The plan will identify specific properties for redevelopment, who could do it, and where the funding will come from.

“We’re looking to have a draft in early winter,” Nagle said.

The identified district is anchored on each end by Berkshire Medical Center and the <a href=”https://williamstanleybp.com/”>William Stanley Business Park</a>, which will soon be home to the Berkshire Innovation Center. Through redevelopment of certain properties — such as St. Mary’s the Morningstar Church — along with a streetscape reconstruction, the hope is to bring more jobs and housing to Tyler Street.

<a href=”https://williamstanleybp.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/1440003098.jpg”><img class=”size-medium wp-image-2052″ src=”https://williamstanleybp.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/1440003098-300×225.jpg” alt=”Photo by Andy McKeever” width=”300″ height=”225″ /></a> Photo by Andy McKeever

“We’re trying to get away from suburban sprawl and build compact neighborhoods,” said City Planner C.J. Hoss of the currently envisioned future of Tyler Street. “This was pitched as a connection from downtown to the William Stanley Business Park.”

Morningside’s future is seen as one where somebody could live, work, and play all within walking distance.

The state is bringing an array of additional tools to make that happen, according to Anne Haynes, director of the Transformative Development program. Those tools include loans for small businesses or even equity investments into properties.

Haynes said Pittsfield is the “front door” of the state and stood out among the applications.

Hoss said outside of the TDI program, the city has set aside money to start planning a streetscape project, is working with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst on revamping commercial design and zoning, and embarking on a survey of endangered historic properties. All of those, coupled with the TDI, conforms with the city’s master plan adopted in 2009, he said.

Meanwhile, the <a href=”http://tylerstreetpittsfield.com/” target=”_blank”>Tyler Street Business Group</a> is envisioned to play a major role in the planning. The group has already laid the foundations for revitalization.

Tyler Street Business Group President Diane Marcella said the group successfully got banners and holiday decor, created walking loops, launched business-to-business meetings and networking nights, is growing the Discover Tyler Street fair, hosts the Halloween Parade, and is helping small businesses grow.

The <a href=”http://pittsfieldeda.org/” target=”_blank”>Pittsfield Economic Development Authority</a> has two projects underway to set the framework for redevelopment of the William Stanley Business Park. According to Executive Director Corydon Thurston, the <a href=”https://williamstanleybp.com/william-stanley/site-3/”>Berkshire Innovation Center</a> is expected to break ground this fall and open in early 2017. That project is a $9.75 million construction of shared workspace for advanced manufacturing businesses and educational institutions.

City Planner C.J. Hoss said Tyler Street is envisioned as an area where someone could live, work, and play without every having to drive anywhere else. The Woodlawn Avenue bridge is being reconstructed now, which will link Tyler Street with East Street. Thurston said he anticipates new traffic patterns to increase visibility of the park as well as increase the feasibility of a company locating there.

“Both of these projects will bring new vitality to the area,” Thurston said.

Nagle said the planning process starts — and started on Wednesday — with finding out what is happening in the neighborhood and what people want it to be. On Wednesday, residents and groups posted notes on boards identifying ideas for property redevelopment and priority areas for focus.

Ultimately, Nagle says the company will come up with a “brand” for Tyler Street. That will then lead into focus on where the key pieces could be.

The process and concept isn’t unknown in the city. A similar plan was used for North Street. On North Street such projects as the <a href=”http://thebeaconcinema.com/accounts/100/homepage/” target=”_blank”>Beacon Cinema</a>, <a href=”http://www.berkshiretheatregroup.org/” target=”_blank”>the Colonial Theater</a>, and <a href=”http://barringtonstageco.org/” target=”_blank”>Barrington Stage </a>were elements to grow the arts and cultural economy and increase foot traffic on the city’s main thoroughfare.

Those projects were also coupled with a massive streetscape projects, which included renovation of Park Square. That streetscape project is now entering its final stages with construction planned to begin on the final section to start the first week in September.

Bianchi said the Tyler Street process is an extension of what the city has done with North Street.

 

Media Contacts:
Angus McQuilken, MLSC Vice President for Marketing and Communications
Phone: 617-921-7749
Email: [email protected]

Heidi Weber, Public Relations Manager, Berkshire Community College
Phone: 413-236-2116 / Mobile: 518-281-6062
Email: [email protected]

$500,000 to Berkshire Community College to Fund Education Tied to the Berkshire Innovation Center

Springfield, MA – March 27, 2015

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) today joined elected officials and school leaders at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) to announce more than $2 million in funding for life-sciences-related capital projects and nearly $400,000 in grants to purchase equipment and supplies for high schools and middle schools in Western Massachusetts.

“Massachusetts’ flourishing life sciences community has created opportunities and spurred economic growth in every region of the state,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “These grants from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center will further strengthen our workforce in order to meet the needs of this growing industry through enhanced training facilities and programs at our middle schools and high schools.”

The largest grant awarded today was $972,850 for Springfield Technical Community College (STCC).  The grant will be used to establish a Biomedical Engineering Technology associate’s degree program with two BMET (Biomedical Instrumentation and Biomedical Device Manufacturing) tracks and to enhance STCC’s existing Biotechnology associate’s degree program.  As the only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC has an on-going need for up-to-date industry-aligned equipment and lab space for life sciences programs.

This investment will build on a $150,000 planning grant that STCC received in 2013 and a $136,000 grant awarded in 2011 to update its equipment and labs to align with the needs of life sciences companies.  The planning grant allowed STCC to conduct a study to identify the most appropriate equipment that will best deliver a life sciences education leading to employment in the field.

“We are very pleased to receive this funding from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, which will enable STCC to launch a new program to train individuals to repair sophisticated biomedical instrumentation,” said Dr. Ira H. Rubenzahl, President of STCC. “Graduates from this new program will help drive down the costs of repairs at area hospitals and other medical facilities while also providing our graduates with good paying jobs and meaningful work.”

Berkshire Community College (BCC) received $500,000 in funding to launch an educational underpinning that will support the development of the Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC).  Berkshire Community College plans to purchase state-of-the-art reverse engineering equipment and 3-D prototype printers, and develop new courses, which will help to establish a foundation to provide students with advanced learning opportunities. These opportunities will help students obtain the essential skills to undertake research and new product development that will ultimately take place upon the opening of the BIC. Construction of the BIC is being funded in part through a previously awarded capital grant from the MLSC.

“We are thrilled to receive this award from the Massachusetts Life Science Center,” said Ellen Kennedy, President of BCC. “The funding for this state-of-the art equipment will ensure that our students develop the innovative skills needed to help our advanced manufacturing and biotechnology companies thrive.  This award will dramatically increase the technical abilities of our students to support the new Berkshire Innovation Center.”

Bay Path University in Longmeadow received $500,000 to purchase science equipment and supplies that will enable the University to expand opportunities for collaborative student research and through the integration of new science equipment, better prepare young women for career success in the life sciences sectors. Last year, the MLSC awarded Bay Path a planning grant of $50,000 that allowed the University to engage key stakeholders from the life sciences industry, workforce development community, and educational institutions to identify the capital needs and other resources needed to fully implement this initiative in the sciences at the University.

“The MLSC grant will strengthen Bay Path’s commitment to increase the number of young women entering the life sciences,” said Carol Leary, President of Bay Path. “It is important that we provide a strong foundation through innovative programming and state-of-the-art equipment in order to support research and laboratory experiences that lead to career advancement in STEM fields.”

Holyoke Community College (HCC) was awarded $300,000 to purchase biotechnology equipment and supplies. This request is part of a larger capital project, for which HCC received a $3.8 million award from the MLSC in 2013 for 13,000 square feet of lab space and the creation of a Center for Life Sciences. This includes a clean room for the biological sciences, which will be the only clean room in Western Massachusetts to support training for students, faculty and industry partners.  The construction is expected to be completed during the 2017-2018 school year.

“We are grateful to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center for its continued investment in HCC and in the economic development of our region in particular,” said Holyoke Community College President Bill Messner. “The equipment purchased with this award will support curricular innovation and allow students to be trained on industry-standard technology while gaining the skills needed to support the region’s growing biotechnology sector.”

“At the MLSC we are using our capital dollars to ensure access to state-of-the-art life sciences training facilities across the entire state, so that students, regardless of zip code, will be able to access careers in our state’s fastest-growing industry sectors,” said Susan Windham-Bannister, Ph.D., President & CEO of the MLSC.  “Springfield Technical Community College plans to use our grant to establish their new Biomedical Engineering Technology associates degree program, and to acquire up-to-date science equipment and lab space for their life sciences programs.  Similarly, our grants to Bay Path University, Holyoke Community College and Berkshire Community College, along with five high schools and middle schools in the region, will help provide students with access to cutting edge equipment and training facilities.”

“These grants will prepare students across the Commonwealth for the promising careers afforded by Massachusetts’s position as a global leader in the life sciences,” said Representative Joseph F. Wagner (D – Chicopee), House chairman of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies and Co-Chairman of the Legislature’s Biotech Caucus.  “I am particularly pleased that this funding will allow Chicopee Comprehensive High School to prepare students for careers in critical local industries by using some of the most advanced equipment available.”

The equipment and supply grant recipients that were also announced today include vocational technical schools, a public high school and two public middle schools. Awardees provide an array of training ranging from general STEM education curricula to biotechnology.  The student population that will benefit from these equipment grants represents a diverse workforce.

The STEM Equipment and Supplies Grant Program, launched in 2011, has previously awarded more than $8.4 million to 61 different high schools and organizations throughout Massachusetts and leveraged more than $1 million in matching funds from the life sciences industry.

About the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center
The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) is an investment agency that supports life sciences innovation, research, development and commercialization. The MLSC is charged with implementing a 10-year, $1-billion, state-funded investment initiative. These investments create jobs and support advances that improve health and well-being. The MLSC offers the nation’s most comprehensive set of incentives and collaborative programs targeted to the life sciences ecosystem. These programs propel the growth that has made Massachusetts the global leader in life sciences. The MLSC creates new models for collaboration and partners with organizations, both public and private, around the world to promote innovation in the life sciences.

About Berkshire Community College
Berkshire Community College (BCC) is a public, fully accredited, community college offering associate degree and certificate programs, as well as various other educational opportunities, primarily to the residents of Berkshire County and surrounding areas. Visit BCC online at www.berkshirecc.edu.