Second Street Second Chances in Pittsfield celebrates renovated and expanded space to provide resources and training for people who've done their time and are trying to reintegrate into the community.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In 2024, Berkshire County organizations saw new locations and successes in their fields.  

Downtown Pittsfield saw some new tenants — in fact, Downtown Pittsfield Inc. even relocated to North Street to be right on the pulse of activity.

Last month, 1Berkshire announced that it had sold its property at 66 Allen St. after 12 years and will move to the second floor of Crawford Square on North Street.

"It was not for lack of a fondness of the space. We love Central Station but like many other landlords, as we owned the building, we reached a point kind of post-pandemic where making those numbers with finding tenants and keeping commercial space full was becoming challenging," President and CEO Jonathan Butler said at the organization's annual meeting.

"And as a nonprofit where that's not primary to our mission, we made the decision that moving on from owning our own real estate was probably the best move. We actually quickly were able to identify a buyer and closed in August."

Moving into the space is another prominent local organization: the Elizabeth Freeman Center.

In mid-December, the domestic violence program and rape crisis center moved its main office from 43 Francis Ave. to 66 Allen St. Its satellite offices at 168 Main St. in Great Barrington and 61 Main St. in North Adams will continue to operate as normal.

The organization outgrew the former office's capacity and after months of searching for solutions, the EFC purchased the building with a mortgage from Lee Bank in August.