PITTSFIELD — City of art, city of funk. The SoHo of the Berkshires,
the Brooklyn of the Berkshires.
The sobriquets urban planners bestow upon this bygone manufacturing hub speak of their confidence that Pittsfield can become a center of culture and entertainment on par with Lenox and Stockbridge and Williamstown.
Once-vacant buildings in downtown Pittsfield are filling with galleries, theaters, residences, and restaurants. North Street, the city’s long-depressed main drag, now hosts regular street festivals, open houses, and art shows that draw thousands of residents and visitors. People are starting to believe that Pittsfield is an attraction, rather than a moribund pit stop on the way from Tanglewood to Mass MoCA.
“We’re
seeing the buzz,’’ said Mayor James M. Ruberto, who since taking
office in 2004 has spent millions of dollars under the conviction that
the arts will help revive a city devastated by the loss of more than
10,000
To read the full, original article click on this link: 12 Degrees of Freedom: "...the best darn small city in the Northeast’’
Author: David Filipov
