Pittsfield begins first cultural plan for city

12:00AM / Thursday, November 02, 2006Print Story | Email Story

Mayor James M. Ruberto announced today the creation of a steering committee to guide the community in the formation of a three-to-five-year cultural plan. The Steering Committee members represent a broad spectrum of the community. The committee is co-chaired by Elie Hammerling, Chair of the Cityâ€™s Cultural Development Board and former vice president for planning at the Berkshire Medical Center and Cory Hines, a management consultant specializing in strategy implementation, who has worked with major organizations in the U.S., Canada, and South Africa. â€œAs arts and culture continue to help drive economic revitalization in the City of Pittsfield, it is critical that we plan to establish a firm foundation for continued success and growth,â€ said Mayor Ruberto. â€œThe development of the cultural sector not only improves the quality of life for our residents, it also makes our city more attractive to new businesses and residents, and generates jobs and new income to our economy.â€ â€œThis plan will help us celebrate and expand Pittsfieldâ€™s rich cultural heritage, due in no small part to immigrants past and present, our schools and community groups, and the many excellent artists and cultural institutions we have here.â€ Committee members include Mary Beth Eldridge, an art teacher at Taconic High School; Pam Rich, marketing director for Paul Rich & Sons, a longtime anchor store in downtown Pittsfield; and Hope Sullivan, the executive director of IS183, Art School of the Berkshires. Other members of the Cultural Plan steering committee are Peter Lafayette, Director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation; Shirley Edgerton, Director of the Youth Alive Drum & Dance Group and co founder of the Women of Color Giving Circle; Mary Rentz, a longtime community volunteer and board member of cultural organizations, who chaired 2004â€™s Sheeptacular public art project; and Jenny Hersch, professional musician and interim Artistic Director at the Mahaiwe Theatre. The Cityâ€™s Director of Cultural Development, Megan Whilden, serves as staff support to the committee. All members live and/or work in the city of Pittsfield. â€œWe are looking forward to a broad-based thoughtful approach to putting together a cultural plan that will best serve this wonderful city,â€ commented Hammerling, a Pittsfield resident for over thirty years who also serves on the Board of Directors of Sinai Academy of the Berkshires. â€œThere are a number of other key initiatives moving forward in Pittsfield and the Berkshires," noted Megan Whilden. â€œThey include the Cityâ€™s updating of the Master Plan and the Creative Economy Strategy Project for Berkshire County. We are closely coordinating our work with these initiatives so that they enrich each other and so there is no redundancy." It is believed this will be the first time that a citywide cultural planning process has been done in the city of Pittsfield. The committee has been reviewing plan from other cities, as well as the Downtown Pittsfield Arts & Entertainment District Plan developed in 1999 by Downtown, Inc., a local downtown improvement association. Hammerling added, â€œWe were impressed when we reviewed Downtown Inc.â€™s plan how many of the action items are in progress or have been accomplished. The plan was right on target in many respects and we look forward to continuing and expanding the work they have done.â€ The cultural planâ€™s process is designed to create a â€˜roadmapâ€™ to establish Pittsfield as a center of culture, arts and entertainment in Berkshire County and beyond. The plan will identify strategies to increase access to arts and culture for all Pittsfield residents; foster the continuing vitality and expansion of the City's cultural sector; and attract new individuals and businesses interested in participating and investing in the City's creative economy. The Cultural Plan steering committee is planning to undertake a number of one-on-one interviews, as well as focus groups and a community meeting to gather public input in early 2007. For more information on the committee or the planning process, please contact Megan Whilden, Director of Cultural Development for the City of Pittsfield, at 413-499-9348 or mwhilden@pittsfieldch.com.

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Born and reared in Pittsfield PHS, Class of 50). Joined the service and left Pittsfield and except for leave and later for summer vacation jobs during college, never came back except for short visitsa with reatives and for class reunions. After that , only drove through Pittsfield on way to Vermont, Boston, and vacations in Neew Hampshire. I only got minimal exposure to the deteriorating city I once loved. The tree graced Park Square is uninviting. North, Upper South and much of West street are aged, uninspired vestiges of a once thriving community that cared. Drug and other related crime from neewspaper reorts and conversations with friends and relatives is significant. It would seem that more effort and funding should be allocated to the reductdion of crime and the cleansing/beatification of the downtown area BEFORE EXPENDITURE OF RESOURCES on the desireable goal of becoming an ARTS CENTER. In the sicties and early seventies, we (me, my wife and my two daughters) loved to visit Pittsfield and all it has to offer but since that time it has become increasingly a place we choose to AVOID! We (and many others) will not visit an Arts Center in the existi'ng environment. There is great art to be seen in many other venues! Fix YOUR NEGATIVES, them worry about an Arts Center.
from: Maury Malo	on: 11-12-2006 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

Congratulations to Mayor Ruberto and to the city of Pittsfield on the appointment of a steering committee to help the city develop a cultural plan! This is yet another example of the forward thinking and progressive vision of Mayor Ruberto. What a wonderful choice in Elie Hammerling to help lead this committee. Elie is extremely talented in moving forward with great ideas!! If the committee is interested in consultation from the town of Stockbridge, feel free to contact me.
from: Rob Guerette, M.D.	on: 11-19-2006 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

Friday Front Porch Feature: This Luxury Home Has Plenty of Amenities

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:20PM / Friday, December 12, 2025

LENOX, Mass. — Are you looking for a big house to enjoy your days with a big movie theater, a sauna, and more? Then this is the house for you.

Built in 2004, this seven-bedroom, and nine-bathroom home is 7,073 square feet on more than an acre. The home comes with an elevator to the lower level to access a theater, sauna, gym, wine cellar, massage room, and its very own soda fountain.

The home also has a guest house with a saltwater pool. A multi-car garage greets you with heated floors.

The this home is listed for $4,950,000 and is located in the 125-acre, gated Pinecroft compound.

We spoke to Leslie Chesloff, the listing agent with William Pitt Sotheby's.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

Chesloff: This gated Berkshire stone estate truly redefines luxury living in the Berkshires. What sets it apart is the rare combination of resort-style amenities and complete privacy. The property offers Canyon Ranch-level wellness living with a full spa experience at home — including a sauna, massage room, and gym — plus an eight-seat hi-def theater with wine cellar for entertaining. The heated, gunite saltwater pool and spa are complemented by a fully equipped pool house with a guest suite and complete kitchen, perfect for extended family or guests.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

The moment you step inside, you're struck by the quality and craftsmanship — those 300-year-old reclaimed timber floors set an immediate tone of authenticity and warmth. The scale is impressive but never overwhelming; this is a home designed for gracious living, not just show. The natural light, cathedral ceilings, and thoughtful flow between spaces create an inviting atmosphere that balances grandeur with genuine comfort.

How would you describe the feel or atmosphere of this home?

This home feels like a private wellness retreat meets sophisticated family estate. There's a serene, spa-like quality throughout — enhanced by features like the sauna, steam shower, and massage room — but it never feels clinical or cold. The Berkshire stone exterior and reclaimed timber floors ground the home in a sense of place and permanence. It's designed for people who appreciate the finer things but want to actually live well — whether that's screening a film in the eight-seat theater with wine from your own cellar, hosting poolside gatherings, or simply unwinding in your own spa sanctuary.

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?

This is perfect for the discerning buyer who values wellness, privacy, and culture in equal measure. I envision someone who spends their days hiking or exploring the Berkshires, then comes home to unwind in the sauna or pool. They might entertain guests in the theater wine room, host multi-generational gatherings with family staying in the pool house guest suite (which has a full kitchen), and appreciate being minutes from Tanglewood, world-class dining, and Berkshire arts.

This could be an executive looking for a primary residence with work-from-home flexibility (there's an office/bedroom suite), a wellness-focused family, or empty nesters who want to host adult children and grandchildren in style and comfort.

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

Picture Saturday morning: you're sipping coffee on the terrace overlooking your heated saltwater pool, planning a day at Tanglewood. Your guests are making breakfast in the pool house kitchen — they have their own private retreat but are steps away when you're ready to gather. Evening arrives, and you screen a favorite film in your eight-seat theater, selecting a perfect bottle from your wine cellar. This isn't just a home; it's a lifestyle that brings resort-level wellness, entertainment, and hospitality to your doorstep — all within a secure, maintenance-free compound where nature meets luxury.

Are there any standout design features or recent renovations?

Absolutely. The home includes an elevator for multilevel accessibility, which is both practical and forward-thinking. The lower level is exceptionally well-conceived — a true entertainment and wellness wing featuring the eight-seat hi-def theater, wine cellar, sauna, gym, massage room, and even a charming soda fountain. The gourmet kitchen has been recently updated, customized wet bar, while outdoor living is elevated with the heated gunite saltwater pool/spa, firepit, and that incredible pool house with guest suite and full kitchen. Also, new HVAC system and heated driveway.

Thoughtful details like cedar closets, steam showers, central vacuum, and backup generator show this home was built to the highest standards.

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

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