PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The price tag for Wahconah Park's new grandstand has been cut in half, and planners are looking at a "less is more" approach that is sustainable for the future. 

In 2023, the park's restoration committee recommended a $30.2 million overhaul of the historic grandstand that was condemned the previous year. Now, the city is considering an approximately $15 million, smaller design within the same footprint, along with a staged approach that allows baseball to be played before the project is complete. 

"There's some real, practical changes that we're making, which we think will still meet the spirit and intent of what we're trying to do but also recognizing that, hey, you know, we've got to maintain this thing into the future, and it's got to be designed and constructed in such a way that we can do that," 
Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath said. 

The Historical Commission OKed the demolition of the grandstand on Monday. The plan is to demolish it  in April and immediately make provisions to allow baseball on-site. The Pittsfield Suns will be back at the park this season after a two-year hiatus because of the grandstand. 

There is no guarantee that the new grandstand will start to materialize in 2026, but the team is working swiftly to meet timelines. 

McGrath described the 2023 proposal as an "all-in" design that met the robust needs of baseball players and the wider city. With some scaling down, material changes, and alterations to seating, it was shaved down to half of the original cost estimate. 

A fair portion of the overall cost relates to site work, as the floodplain property is prone to flooding. The original civil engineer was not performing to expectations, and SK Design was brought in to take over the job.