Bill Whittaker, one of the founders of the Garden on North Street, has concerns that parking enforcement is too strict. He is working at the store counter preparing an order for a customer.
Laurie Tierney, who owns Hotel on North with her husband David, has concerns about the lack of a police presence on North Street. Thursday, August 12, Ben Garver, The Berkshire Eagle. Upon the invitation from The Eagle, Mayor Linda Tyer walked Pittsfield's North Street to discuss the concerns of the business district, which include vandalism, parking tickets, and a lack of police presence. Cutting crosswise through the Dunham Mall pedestrian side street to North Street, she has a choice.
As part of the rules for buildings in the district, windows are required to have at least 50 percent transparency "to create an active relationship between the storefront and sidewalk.
A sign in the window of the Garden on North Street is a reminder to patronize merchants in town. A view of southbound traffic in the heart of the business district on North Street from the Corner of Depot Street in Pittsfield. But, talk with business owners these days and a consensus emerges that downtown has reached a critical juncture.
Optimism intermingles with frustration and resignation, sometimes in the same breath. The florist Township Four is looking to pull out because of safety concerns. This Fall! She is walking past a vacant storefront at the corner of Fenn Street before coming upon a prime example of what downtown has going for it: Barrington Stage Company, whose shows this summer have been sold out. Huldeen, who also serves as board president for Downtown Pittsfield Inc.
