Pittsfield Announces North Street Re-design Open House

07:57AM / Friday, April 04, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield invites residents, business owners, and community members to attend the North Street re-design open house on Wednesday, April 9, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Onota Building located at 74 North Street (first floor).

This initiative aims to transform North Street into a street that ensures safe, comfortable access for all modes of travel and creates space for community interaction, culture, and commerce. This open house will be an opportunity for community members to help shape the future of the downtown.

At the Open House, attendees will:

Learn about the vision, goals, and planning timeline for the project
Review previous and ongoing improvements
Provide input on how North Street can better serve all users
Explore design alternatives and placemaking ideas

This open house is intended to be a drop in opportunity with interactive planning activities. No formal presentation will be provided. The current Planning Study phase runs through June 2025, followed by design and with construction slated for in summer 2026.

For more information, contact Commissioner Morales at rmorales@cityofpittsfield.org or by calling 413-499-9330.

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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Rename

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:11PM / Tuesday, October 13, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday.

The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to rename the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection.

Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.

Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.

At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data. Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost."

Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.

The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor.

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