HOUSATONIC MILLS PROJECT
A Brief History
Working with a Realtor in West Stockbridge, we identified, three mostly empty mill buildings and six open acres of land on the East side of the Housatonic River to be developed as artist lofts and affordable housing units thereby creating a new town center for this mostly abandoned section of town. The three buildings we were interested in were, at that point, for sale at reasonable prices. We produced a video of our proposed plan for this multifaceted development. In addition to the housing aspect, the plan included a mixture of diverse uses. Restaurants, small shops and/or offices at "sidewalk" level which would ensure 24 hr safety and help develop a feeling of community. A space was reserved for a museum or large gallery. It was a first take on a long path to a master plan for the village of Housatonic. The appearance in town of a south Florida developer who promised to redesign the Housatonic downtown area immediately raised the prices on all three of the buildings under consideration by our New York developer and the project was put on hold. We still hope that the project will one day take shape in Housatonic.