What Pittsfield area like ? (Boston, Great Barrington: crime, neighborhoods, buy)

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by FCMA

Tumors - I jest but the general idea is I don’t prefer ‘burbs and the Berkshires don’t really need any until there’s a reason to grow. Your description of Pittsfield as rural makes it sound like it’s plopped in rural Montana, or Peru, Mass. There is public water and sewer in Pittsfield just like most any densely populated city or town in MA. Restaurants and businesses can hook in to utilities just fine.

I agree that folks with young families are not flocking to the Berkshires. Most folks relocating there for a rural escape during the pandemic are likely second homers making their retreat a more primary residence. Lots of those folks are older and/or wouldn’t let their kids anywhere near a public school, period.

+1 on that. I spoke with a woman who grew up in Sunapee, NH last weekend and she said that a lot of people who had second homes in Sunapee moved there full-time during the pandemic, putting more pressure on the town's resources (she wasn't thrilled to have more residents). I have a friend who moved from North Jersey outside NYC to his second home in the Catskills and sold the NJ home. His wife is still working remotely now, but he retired a few years early coinciding with the move, and they say that "a lot" of people from the NYC metro area have moved up to the Catskills in their area, which is pretty danged rural - he has a 40-acre former dairy farm that fronts to a dirt road. There's been a surge of people buying properties in mid-coast Maine - it was already mostly retirees before the pandemic, but that just accelerated the influx.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by mdovell

Like 8 said the issue isn't so much Pittsfield but more of the smaller areas around it. You have about six or so places in the Berkshires doing some what OK but the other 26, not as much. Public schools aren't bad

Can you go into a little more detail on what the "issue" is with these smaller rural communities? And what you suppose they should "do" about it? Please give examples.

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by massnative71

Can you go into a little more detail on what the "issue" is with these smaller rural communities? And what you suppose they should "do" about it? Please give examples.

Well as mentioned it would help to provide assistance if someone has a well or a septic tank. Perhaps trying to cluster districts so at least it could make things like public water and trash more viable. Look at what happened to the Becket spring. It was odd seeing people fill up jugs but it's what I saw.
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/archi...ff2dd058f.html

Perhaps have more ride sharing in lieu of public transit. libre taxi could be a good hybrid of public and private.
https://libretaxi.org/

Issues happen in declining populations. You have to be friendly and allow people and businesses to move in. When you hear of some against expanding cell phone service (the tower in pittsfield). It just gets harder to justify business expansion if any population drops.

https://www.berkshireeagle.com/archi...1b86502a2.html

Creating a new exit on the pike would result in faster response times from police, fire and ems and yet some are against it. It would also enable goods and services from the private sector to be more efficient. Outside of the highways (fed and state) backroads are in rough shape.

We can talk about rail to eastern mass (I'm aware of Lesser running for lt governor, I've met him a number of times) but this would be easier in the short term and add more.

[G1..]

Originally Posted by mdovell

Well as mentioned it would help to provide assistance if someone has a well or a septic tank. Perhaps trying to cluster districts so at least it could make things like public water and trash more viable. Look at what happened to the Becket spring. It was odd seeing people fill up jugs but it's what I saw.
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/archi...ff2dd058f.html

Perhaps have more ride sharing in lieu of public transit. libre taxi could be a good hybrid of public and private.
https://libretaxi.org/

Issues happen in declining populations. You have to be friendly and allow people and businesses to move in. When you hear of some against expanding cell phone service (the tower in pittsfield). It just gets harder to justify business expansion if any population drops.

https://www.berkshireeagle.com/archi...1b86502a2.html

Creating a new exit on the pike would result in faster response times from police, fire and ems and yet some are against it. It would also enable goods and services from the private sector to be more efficient. Outside of the highways (fed and state) backroads are in rough shape.

We can talk about rail to eastern mass (I'm aware of Lesser running for lt governor, I've met him a number of times) but this would be easier in the short term and add more.

Yes a new exit on the Pike would make things much more pleasant there.

[mdovell]

Well it looks like the rail is becoming more of a possibility. Initially it sounded bad because who is going to go to Boston on a train five days a week from western mass. But with covid and a hybrid schedule this becomes much more viable.

https://www.masslive.com/news/2022/0...ngs-begin.html

This might not have that much of an impact on housing now but once it starts it will, I saw on the south shore 25 years ago

[western mass and love it]

Originally Posted by mdovell

Well it looks like the rail is becoming more of a possibility. Initially it sounded bad because who is going to go to Boston on a train five days a week from western mass. But with covid and a hybrid schedule this becomes much more viable.

https://www.masslive.com/news/2022/0...ngs-begin.html

This might not have that much of an impact on housing now but once it starts it will, I saw on the south shore 25 years ago

I have been going to Boston 3 days a week from West Springfield for the last 24 years. There are more people living out in the Springfield area and going east every day than you think.

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by western mass and love it

I have been going to Boston 3 days a week from West Springfield for the last 24 years. There are more people living out in the Springfield area and going east every day than you think.

Right I get that as I've lived there for awhile. But the scheduling isn't exactly for everyone. it's not so much the track by itself but improving it and adding more service. Some areas in the country are nearly impossible to have ridership. Long ago I went to Cinncinatti and looked at rail from Boston. I think it was 29 hours. Northeast corridor and then rings around southern areas and then you get spit out like something from Little Shop of Horrors

[ABQSunseeker]

I remember Pittsfield growing up in the 50s and 60s. Downtown was lively, busy. No malls, only small strip malls so everyone shopped downtown. Downtown now feels somewhat forlorn and deserted, but it doesn't feel shabby and is not ugly. Barebones even somewhat attractive compared to other New England factory towns.
It's crying out for development which never seems to come.

GE was once the lifeblood of Pittsfield and its pullout just devastated the city. Nothing came to revitalize it and it wasn't gifted in leadership that might have created something like MassMoca in North Adams.

But the area around is noted for all the cultural and historical attractions, especially in the summer. All kinds of music, theater, dance, the arts. Grand estates and resorts. Close by.
And the countryside of the Berkshires is close at hand. Sports, mountains, lakes, trails, etc. As well as some of the most attractive towns in New England --- Lenox, Stockbridge, Great Barrington and more.

So there is all that to keep it afloat.

[G1..]

Originally Posted by western mass and love it

I have been going to Boston 3 days a week from West Springfield for the last 24 years. There are more people living out in the Springfield area and going east every day than you think.

Dad had a friend who lived in Lenox and worked on Wall Street in the 60's and 70's and took the train everyday! The guy loved it and kept it up till he retired.

[Madknitter]

I really appreciate your post. My husband and I are looking hard at Pittsfield after 20 years in Ithaca (via Boston). Want to be closer to New England family and love the Berkshires. We want a small, affordable, walkable city. Visited a couple weeks ago and really loved the Southeast part of town. I hope you're still happy there.