Page 13 - BusinessWest May 26, 2025

“This whole
area needs
more workforce
housing; our
employees can
find places to
live, but often at a
fairly substantial
commute.”
work because they don’t have a choice.”
On another note (pun intended), this
is shaping up to be a big year for the
Mahaiwe, built in 1905, which has a full
slate of performances on tap — from
classic movies like Casablanca, shown
on Valentine’s Day, and Sabrina, which
aired May 23, to a Brian Cox tribute to
opera, comedy, and a wide variety of
musical performances — and is set to
open an accessory venue in the town’s
former fire station.
“A group of businesspeople have
restored the firehouse, and they’re leas-
ing us a portion of the first floor,” said
Martinson, adding that the building is
roughly the same age as the Mahaiwe.
“We’re using that as an intimate, flexible
performance venue and a concession
space.”
The Mahaiwe is one of many key contribitors to a vibrant down-
town that has made a near-complete recovery from COVID and
extensive infrastructure work in the central business district, said
Martinson, adding that, while Great Barrington once had slow
times of the year — most of September, for example — it is now
vibrant year-round.
“I think the town has grown a little younger,” she said. “And
while there used to be some times when it would be pretty sleepy,
it’s not like that anymore; this is a 12-month-a-year busy town.”
Andrus agreed, noting that the investments made in several
downtown properties will bring more people, and more vibrancy, to
the area, with some new businesses and several existing ones with
new mailing addresses.
“Change is always a positive thing,” she said, noting that several
existing businesses have or will find new and better spots. Mean-
while, new housing units equate to more people living in the central
business district — and more opportunities for some workers to
The Daniel Arts Center is one of many individual pieces on the
Bard College of Simon’s Rock campus that have caught the
attention of developers.
shorten their commute.
For this latest installment of its Community Spotlight series,
BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at Great Barrington and the
many developing stories in this destination community.
A Loss — and an Opportunity
Weinstein said the decision to close Bard College’s Great Bar-
rington campus and relocate its various programs — early college
and some high-school offerings — came down to numbers.
Getting more specific, he said it was the number of students that
would make sustaining
that campus feasible.
That number is at least
450 and preferably much
Great Barrington
Continued on page 15 >>
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