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With Millions In State Funding, Adams’ Greylock Glen Project Moves Ahead

Greylock Glen
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http://greylockglenresort.com/proposed-resort-project/master-plan
A map of the full, proposed Greylock Glen project.

A long-awaited outdoor recreation center project in Adams, Massachusetts has received $6.5 million in state funding.

In Adams, word that Massachusetts will fund the Greylock Glen project from a state bond comes as a great relief.

“I think it's a level of satisfaction that, to a certain extent, Adams and the Greylock Glen project in general, has just finally been recognized for what it is, as a regional project, what it is for the town of Adams, and that we can finally convert, to a certain extent, this interest in outdoor recreation, the natural asset that it is into an economic development project," said Town Administrator Jay Green. “Greylock Glen is about 1000 acres, give or take. Most of it, with the exception of about 55 acres give or take, is completely wide open space, with trails, et cetera. It's in the shadow of Mount Greylock itself, and it's a beautiful wide open space with great vistas of the mountain range around us.”

The full plan will be executed in phases.

“Most of those phases are meant to be private development, reasonable development that fits into the natural contours and the natural environment that the Greylock Glen is," explained Green. "So the project has two campgrounds proposed. It has a relatively small or medium sized hotel, lodge conference center component, it has an outdoor amphitheater component to it, additional walking trails, more parking for more vehicles. And then the hub or the central component of the project is the outdoor center.”

Green says the center has been the most sought after element of the plan, as it offers the most egalitarian use to visitors.

“You don't have to be an athlete, you don't have to be a mountain biker, you don't have to be a mountain climber," he told WAMC. "You can simply go to the Glen, enjoy the environment, use restrooms, there'll be a cafe in there. And they'll also be the education components so that the local colleges, local high schools, etcetera, can learn about why the Glen is so special.”

“It’s a great project, and one that has been a really long time coming," said Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Kathleen Theoharides. “It’s a spectacular project because it has this celebration of natural resources in the Berkshires while bringing people to nature. And, you know, with, with those people coming into nature, more tourism, more economic development for the town and for the region as a whole. So, just very excited about what the overall package means for the town of Adams and the Berkshires, but also, I think the example it can serve for the rest of the Commonwealth that if you've protected these natural resources and stewarded them, they can become a real opportunity to bring economic benefit to your community.”

“My involvement goes back to actually back to 1977 when I was a member of the county commission," said Democratic State Representative John Barrett of the 1st Berkshire District. “It was a far different proposal at that time. It was crazy. But we thought that as a county commission, we could purchase that property, which was in bankruptcy at that time, and, and develop it into something. We didn't have any idea. But I can say after the over the past 50 years, basically what has happened is that the environmentalist have been involved in it. Everybody's had a seat at the table. Audubon has praised it for its efforts in dealing with the environment and the protection of the entire Mount Greylock range, all up through there. Everybody has been involved and at the table.”

Green says with the money released, the town can move forward as developer of the Greylock Glen.

“We can now go out to bid," he said. "It's a public bidding project. So we can't move as quickly as the private sector, but we're going to move expeditiously and try to get shovels into the ground by late summer, early fall. And that's where we have to go next. The building itself is at 100% design. And now we're going to put these bid documents together. And now that we have the funding, we can go out to bid and get a developer on board and begin construction.”

Josh Landes has been WAMC's Berkshire Bureau Chief since February 2018, following stints at WBGO Newark and WFMU East Orange. A passionate advocate for Western Massachusetts, Landes was raised in Pittsfield and attended Hampshire College in Amherst, receiving his bachelor's in Ethnomusicology and Radio Production. His free time is spent with his cat Harry, experimental electronic music, and exploring the woods.
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