Pittsfield's Third Thursday
Lively Turnout Launches New Season
By: Charles Giuliano - May 16, 2008
A few years back visiting downtown Pittsfield in the heart of the Berkshires was rather depressing. The main drag was largely deserted with empty storefronts. Small shops and restaurants were struggling to survive.
The hard scrabble home of the formerly mighty General Electric had fallen on hard times. The large scale loss of jobs had a devastating impact. There was also the staggering cost of a toxic waste cleanup. As a part of that settlement GE arranged for the donation of a million a year for a limited number of years. This was to be used by the city as a stimulus to local business. Some of that funding has been applied to the arts including the renovation of the historic Colonial Theatre and the establishment of Barrington Stage. Recently the city endorsed a grant to the Berkshire Museum which was seeking funds to hold onto a grant that set standards in a $9 million drive for renovations.
Several years ago arists approached owners for use of those long unoccupied commercial spaces. The Storefront Artists Project has become an important ongoing entity in the revitalization of the city. Now that there is a solid rebound, of course, those free or dirt cheap rentals are becoming ever more scarse. But the artists have been developing strategies to maintain a long term presence.
We chatted with gallery owner Leslie Ferrin who just a year ago was preparing to open a space and phase out of an expensive venue in Lenox. With its proximity to Tanglewood Lenox (a fifteen minute drive fom Pittsfield) is the epicenter of seasonal tourism. It remained to be seen whether Ferrin would succeed in luring her clients to Pittsfield.
"We have averaged 200 people for our special events all through the dead of winter," Ferrin commented. She appears to have no second thoughts about moving on from pricey Lenox. Her gallery is noted for high end ceramics, studio furniture, and is now expanding more representation of fine arts. The reputation of the gallery is so well established that she appears to be successful in holding onto her base. Ferrin is creating a long term commitment that puts her out of the flux of an every changing and escalating real estate market.
In addition to making her own gallery and business a success she is also commited to putting resources and energy into marketing strategies that benefit the entire arts community.
What we witnessed during our visit to the Third Thursday was an outpouring of energy. There were lots of folks on the street enjoying a lively mix of live music, food, face painting and other family oriented activity. The ethnic diversity of the largely working class city was reflected in the people enjoying events as well as the special emphasis of shops and vendors.
There were vintage cars lined up on the curb. They were so crisp and clean that they evoked drooling admiration from passersby. Folks wondered out loud about the narrow slits of windows in a spiffy white Mercury.
We were pleased that the Brazil Restaurant was celebrating a reopening under new management. They offer live music on the weekends in addition to a great buffet and grilled meats.
There are a number of dining options from pizza and pasta, to a brew house, the popular burger joint, Lantern, and the flavorful House of India where we settled in for a meal of lamb and curry.
While there is progress for Pittsfield not all the news is positive. The very ambitious, upscale restaurant, Spice, has now closed. It occupied an entire city block in the center of town. All that remains is its burger annex. There was an overly ambitious projection that Berkshire folks would be willing to pay New York prices for gourmet meals. That may work in the summer when the region is flodded with upscale tourists but how then to get through the offseason? Most local diners found it overpriced for what it delivered.
What is much needed are mid level restaurants with an ambitious menus and affodable prices. In order to sustain Pittsfield needs to attract and hold a year round audience. This becomes all the more critical as we are yet to learn the impact of $4.00 a gallon gas. The pain at the pump is sure to have an impact as the arts and leisure market in the Berkshires will have to make a real effort to reach out to a local audience. Charity, as well as the economy, starts at home.