LEE, Mass. – One weekend remains to see “The Fascinating Story of Baseball in the Berkshires” at the Lee Premium Outlets.
The summer 2025 home of the Baseball in the Berkshires museum project has welcomed 3,000 visitors over the past couple of months, including people from more than 23 countries and 30 states.
Guides John Belland, John Connolly, Marc Simon, Krysten St. John, Stan Tracy and Larry Moore gave the visitors a “lay of the land” and let them cover the bases which spanned almost 8,000 square feet of a former furniture store.
The local stories of more than 40 Major League players were remembered along with two who have been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Frank Grant and Jack Chesbro. The voices of Art, Dale, the Terminator, Turk, the Babe, Lou, Willie and Jackie Mitchell could be heard telling their Berkshire stories as well.
But there were also memories of more than 220 minor leaguers and scores of non-player professional personnel that were umpires, groundskeepers, concessionaires and of course, head office employees.
The future and past stars of recreational baseball were remembered as well, from the pictures, their artifacts and many jerseys and jackets hanging from the ceiling.
All will come down after Labor Day as the sun sets on another year’s celebration of baseball in the Berkshires.
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Ribbon Cut on Lee's Long-Awaited Housing Development
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
LEE, Mass.— After more than a decade of work, tenants will move into the Eagle Mill Lofts this fall.
On Tuesday, Hearthway and Rees-Larkin Development held a ribbon-cutting for the first 56 apartments in the former paper mill. Sitting on the banks of the Housatonic River, this development offers one- to three-bedroom, mixed-income units in the heart of the downtown.
Lead Developer Jeffrey Cohen said the apartments are "unbelievable." The building's original brick is celebrated in the units, which feature different layouts and are contrasted with modern appliances and features.
"I saw the apartments when they first got done, and I couldn't understand really how they look so good," he said during a ceremony in the foyer.
"And I think that is so good for the town of Lee, for affordable housing in general."
This project has been ongoing since 2012. Individuals and families will begin to move in next month. This is the first phase; another 44 apartments will be built onsite.
President and CEO of Hearthway Eileen Peltier said projects like the Eagle Mill are important to addressing the need for housing at varied income levels. These units will house families of varied incomes, with rent-assisted units for people making 30 percent of the area median income, and affordable units for those in the 60-80 percent AMI.
Rents under these guidelines range from $1,360 for a one-bedroom to $2,100 for a three-bedroom.
"What that means is that people with varied life resumes will be living here in this beautiful community," Peltier said.
Sitting on the banks of the Housatonic River, this development offers one- to three-bedroom, mixed-income units in the heart of the downtown.
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