The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is granting $3 million from the MassWorks Infrastructure Program to the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority to support the redevelopment of the William Stanley Business Park’s Site 9. This investment is in addition to MassDevelopment’s previously awarded Site Readiness and Brownfield Remediation Grants, as well as the City of Pittsfield’s investment of $2 million in the adjacent Tyler Street Streetscape and roundabout projects.

What will happen: The redevelopment of Site 9 will convert 16.5 blighted acres of concrete wasteland into green space, roadways, utility corridors and stormwater management. The project will include parcels for industrial, manufacturing, and commercial space.

Why is it needed? The original plan for Site 9 was to attract a large manufacturer or “big box” retailer. Economic and market forces make this unlikely. Smaller manufacturers expressed interest in portions of the parcel. However, the cost of site preparation is a barrier for smaller private developers.

The impact: Site 9 will be “green” and ready for large and small private investment that will bring jobs to Pittsfield and will be a national example project of transformational urban restoration/revitalization.

Definitions:

• William Stanley Business Park (WSBP) is approximately 52 acres of land and buildings of a former industrial facility that the General Electric Company once operated in the heart of Pittsfield. WSBP currently has three tenants, including the Berkshire Innovation Center and Mountain One Financial.
• Site 9 is the park’s largest and most prominent section consisting of 16.5 acres located at the corner of Woodlawn Avenue and Tyler Streets. Portions of Site 9 are covered in concrete foundations and pavements that once supported 16 GE buildings.
• Pittsfield Economic Development Authority (PEDA) is a quasi-public agency created by a special act of the Massachusetts State Legislature to redevelop what is now the William Stanley Business Park. It works closely with but is not a part of the City of Pittsfield government.

Contact: Michael Coakley, Interim Executive Director of the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority, 413-448-9726, [email protected].