Page 12 - BusinessWest July 7, 2025

Mayor Pete
Marchetti says
that, while new
housing units
are coming
online, there
is more work
to do to meet
enormous need
in the city.
keting campaign involves $1,000 grants to three summer event
series to promote their offerings:
• The Pitt, a Friday summer music series being spearheaded by
Hot Plate Brewing Co.;
• Rhythmscape, which offers weekly dance lessons on Sundays.
(like the Pitt, these take place in Dunham Mall, a public pedestrian
walkway that has seen several aesthetic improvements over this
past year); and
• Depot After Dark, which pairs Tito’s Mexican Bar & Grill and
WANDER Berkshires, a new gathering space, adding late-night
dance parties to the alleyway just outside their businesses.
Developing Stories
Such efforts are expected to bring more momentum to a down-
town that has seen healthy doses of that commodity in recent years,
even as it continues to build back from the many types of disruption
resulting from the pandemic.
Perhaps the biggest of these is the change in how and where
work is done, said Butler, adding that, like all downtowns in the
region, Pittsfield’s suffers from having fewer people going to work
there everyday.
This trend, coupled with critical need, is fueling investments in
housing downtown, he went on, adding that several projects are in
various stages of development.
These include renovation of the Wright Building, just a few
doors down from Hotel on North, which represents an example of
“There’s a lot
more work that
we need to do,
mostly because
ours is an aging
population.”
space,” she explained, adding that, while most area residents will go
Northampton for dinner and a show, most don’t fully appreciate that
they can do the same in Pittsfield.
the shift from commercial to residential uses for downtown real
“Why aren’t those same individuals coming here?” she asked
estate. Butler said there are maybe a few hundred more people liv-
rhetorically, adding that the answer may well be a simple lack of
ing downtown than a decade or more ago, and this growing popula-
awareness.
tion has helped support existing businesses and inspire new ones.
Meanwhile, Hey Neighbor will spotlight 10 downtown busi-
Meanwhile, this new housing is helping to meet soaring need
nesses through those aforementioned cinema and radio spots, said
across the city and the region, said Marchetti, a former Pittsfield
Brien, adding that the eclectic mix includes Hot Plate Brewing Co.,
Cooperative Bank executive and city councilor, who was elected
Thistle ’n Thorn Floral, WANDER Berkshires, Otto’s Kitchen &
mayor in November
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Comfort, Methuselah, and Berkshire Nautilus.
2023.
“Together, they say, ‘come back downtown and see what’s new,’”
He said the city is
Pittsfield
she told BusinessWest, adding that a third piece to the broad mar-
ready to cut the ribbon
Continued on page 44 >>
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JULY 7, 2025
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