NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — One of Tourists' new model cabins was approved for construction on the Blackinton Mansion property this week. 

 

Tourists had pivoted to a cabin production facility in the Blackinton Mill when financing to transform it into a hotel fell through. The Planning Board approved permitting for the venture in January and the development of the "working" model on Monday. 

 

Partner Eric Kerns said the company's received more than 160 inquiries on cabins, signed up three buyers and is negotiating with six more. 

 

"What we had done back then was take a prototype cabin and put it out on our property," he said. "Just as kind of like a model that people could come and see. ...

 

"But what we're discovering is that as we get into these negotiations with getting to the next stage of this, like we need one where people can come and stay in it, give it a road test."

 

The Tourists partnership, which operates under a number of limited liability companies, purchased the historic mansion last year and has been renovating the longtime bed-and-breakfast.

 

"There's a pool that is well beyond its useful life that we're taking out on the side of the property, and we'd like to put in one of our Robin model cabins," Kerns said.