News : Connect

As Mayor Ruberto took a look back at his 8 years in office, one of his greatest successes was the renovation and restoration of the Beacon Cinema center on North Street in Pittsfield.

Read the full article below as Mayor Ruberto reflects on his four consecutive two-year terms as Pittsfield’s Mayor and his substantial efforts towards the revitalization of downtown Pittsfield.

At Berkshire Bank in Lenox, changes are being made to give the customers a more efficient and personal experience when they step inside to do their personal banking. Eliminating teller lines, the new concept offers speedier transactions, better accuracy and more personalized service.

Unlike a traditional bank, the layout is more open with a pod concept separated by partitions for privacy. The Lenox branch has received positive feedback from customers. According to Lenox Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Ralph Petillo, the Lenox branch was a great fit to launch the new teller configuration as the town has been a ‘stabilizing force’ for the economy in a time of economic downturn.

Read more on this article below.  

Pending home sales rose strongly in May with all regions experiencing gains from a year ago, pointing to higher housing activity in the second half of the year, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

The Pending Home Sales Indexrose 8.2 percent to 88.8 in May from an upwardly revised 82.1 in April and is 13.4 percent higher than the 78.3 reading in May 2010. The data reflects contracts but not closings, which.....

Back in December 2010, mortgage rates reached 4.61% or lower for a 30-year mortgage. For the fifth straight week in 2011, mortgage rates have, once again, inched their way down, mirroring the rate back in December 2010, according to reports by Freddie Mac in its weekly market survey.

 During the spring and summer seasons is the most popular time for potential home buyers to purchase a new home, especially with the mortgage rates taking another plunge. As interest rates continue to fall, the mortgage applications continue to rise. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association on realtors.org, the mortgage loan application volume has increased almost 8% last week, while those refinancing have also increased about 13% over the prior week.

 Read the full article on http://www.realtor.org/RMODaily.nsf/pages/News2011052001?OpenDocument.

Mr. Michael McManmon has proposed to renovate the historic Bookless Building on Lee’s Main Street, maintaining retail businesses on the first floor and using the upper floors for his College Internship Program.