Economic and government leaders in North Adams are raving about a series of business proposals concentrated within a half mile of each other in a city that’s taking on a tourism and recreational brand.State Road in North Adams is home to three major efforts aimed at reinvigorating the former industrial city once home to Sprague Electric. A development team recently purchased the 1960s era Redwood Motel intent on making it a motor court lodging destination. The group intends to renovate and reorient some of the existing buildings to face the Hoosic River that runs behind it. New construction would bring the total to 40 rooms complemented by a riverside pool, fire pit along with access to the river, canoe launches and hiking trails. The group has also acquired the Blackinton Mill home to several businesses and Williamstown Theatre Festival’s scene shop. As developer Ben Svenson explains, the team plans to turn roughly 30 acres of open space into a cohesive campus.
“This property we’ve discovered, you have this gateway opportunity to the Appalachian Trail and the hiking and outdoor experience of the Hoosic River and water sports and fishing,” Svenson said. “Then whatever creativity campus we are able to create at the Blackinton Mill. I think we’re looking for something unusual. We don’t know what it is yet, but we’re hot on the trail to try to find some additional uses that make things richer and more interesting.”
The team has found tunnels that burrow underneath railroad tracks that would connect the motel and the mill. They hope to have the city’s developing bike path run through the property and potentially serve as a stop on the Appalachian Trail. The proposals are early in the development process with many hurdles to jump. The motel is expected to open 11 rooms by the summer.
Just down the road, two New York City architects are proposing to redevelop the 240,000-square foot Greylock Mill, also known as the Cariddi Mill, into a multi-use structure. Sal Perry is with Latent Productions, which is behind the project.
“It’s primarily focused, for the first phase, on food entrepreneurs and celebrating the local agriculture,” Perry said. “Subsequent phases include an event space, farm-to-table restaurant, a park area, a hotel, amenities for the hotel and residential condos.”
Finally, Thomas Krens, who helped lead the creation of MASS MoCA, is planning another contemporary art museum at the city’s airport. The 160,000-square foot venture would reportedly total more than $10 million. And not to forget, MASS MoCA is in the midst of a $55 million expansion nearly doubling the museum’s gallery space. Mayor Richard Alcombright says the proposals create a rectangle of development on the city’s West End.
“There’s a new and renewed interest in the city of North Adams from the outside,” Alcombright said. “I think it’s because of our cultural assets and natural resources. I think it’s really a cool place. In my own mind, we are two to three years from being the place to be in the Berkshire County as far as that destination point. We’ve got pretty much everything.”
North Adams Chamber of Commerce program coordinator Ricco Fruscio says the projects can be huge for the city.
“That’s due to the open door policy here,” Fruscio said.
