AHF has been working in Pittsfield with Allegrone Companies since 2011, when the contractor/developer carried out their first downtown, market-rate housing and retail rehab project at the Howard Building. In recent years, AHF has also supported Allegrone’s historic rehabilitation of the Wright Building, which will add another 29 units of housing and ground-floor retail opportunities, furthering Pittsfield’s revitalization efforts.
Built in 1896, the Berkshire Country Savings Bank (BCSB) building is a notable cornerstone of the Park Square Historic District. Listed on the National Register, the 6-story brick and limestone Renaissance Revival historic building has a prominent presence in downtown Pittsfield. At the end of the 19th century, Park Square was considered the commercial and civic center not only of Pittsfield, but of all of Berkshire County.
Today, Allegrone Companies look to redevelop the historic building into 19 market rate housing units and bring back the historic first floor retail/restaurant. The adaptive reuse of this prominent building will bring desperately needed housing and economic activity to the downtown, building on the success of other Park Square historic projects, including the ongoing project at the nearby Wright Building Block.
AHF is assisting Allegrone Companies with accessing both State and Federal Historic Tax Credits and general historic preservation consulting. We are also providing ongoing grant writing and consulting services to secure additional funding.
Most recently, AHF was successful in helping to access grant funding for the project from Mass Development’s Underutilized Properties Program.