North Adams Transcript

February 5, 2007
Section: News

Developer eyes extending town's 'streetscape’
By Bonnie Obremski, North Adams Transcript

Monday, February 5 WILLIAMSTOWN —

Next year may mark the beginning of a new look for Water Street. The new developer of the Cable Mills project said Thursday he hopes to unite with town officials in the desire to extend the Spring Street "image" to other blocks. But Bart Mitchell of Mitchell Properties LLC in Boston acknowledged he is not sure what the results of a unified vision will be.
His first focus will be to restart renovations on the buildings at the Cable Mills site, the former General Cable plant on Water Street (Route 43), just a few blocks from Spring Street. He said work on the housing development could begin as early as six months from now.

"One thing I'd love to coordinate with the town about is the streetscape on Water Street," Mitchell said. "Water Street is vibrant and full of interesting retail businesses in a part of downtown. Spring Street and Latham Street now have what we see as very attractive, general streetscape improvements. We would like to work on finding a way that Water Street could have a streetscape up to the same level."

Mitchell listed reasons why an extension of the downtown sidewalks and street lamps would benefit the community.

"I think it would be easier to get around. We'd have another, nicer looking street, and from a functional point of view, it would also connect Water Street to the rest of downtown," he said.

Mitchell signed a purchase-and-sale agreement to buy the Cable Mills property in December, and the deal is expected to close some time next month. His associates are examining design plans drawn up by the project's previous developer before proceeding with construction.

Mitchell said he is still uncertain if his development team will make major changes to plans that were designed for the now-defunct Keen Development Corp. Plans had included 83 condominiums and townhouses, and some preliminary construction work had already begun in 2005. If planners make changes, they will delay the construction start date, Mitchell said.
Mitchell graduated from Williams College in 1980 after majoring in political economy. He said his history with the area and his positive relationship with Robert Kuehn, the late owner of Keen Development, are two reasons he decided to pick up the Cable Mills project.

"I have a modest familiarity with Williamstown as a wonderful town and a great place to live and work," he said. "I knew Robert Kuehn for 25 years and always admired him. And, we have some very similar company goals, so it's not a complete surprise that something they would do is similar to us."

The company's goals include restoring buildings into housing that sometimes contain units listed at "affordable" prices, he said.

In the case of Cable Mills, 25 percent of the condominiums will be listed at 80 percent below what the average Williamstown resident can reasonably afford to pay.

The managers of Keen Development Corp. used its remaining assets to complete more than $500,000 in environmental cleanup of the site in December, according to documents at the Northern Berkshire Registry of Deeds.

Mitchell said he is looking forward to Cable Mills attracting people who enjoy Green River views and proximity to the downtown.

"It's something that doesn't really exist as a housing option right now," he said. "And it's a great housing option to have a 13-acre site with extensive Green River waterfront and beautiful old mill buildings."

(c) 2007 North Adams Transcript. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Media NewsGroup, Inc. by NewsBank, Inc.