The Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association, with partners the City of Pittsfield, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI), Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. (DPI), and the Pittsfield Community Design Center, are seeking public input and contributions on a relaunch to activate Dunham Mall with lighting, plantings, programming, and seating.
Reimagine Dunham Mall! aims to support area business, recreation, pedestrian networks, and parking accessibility for residents and visitors of downtown Pittsfield. Pittsfield residents and stakeholders have identified beautification as a top priority for downtown.
The project has gone through an initial phase of public input: a community session held on January 31, 2024; feedback collected online after an initial set of design concepts; and additional feedback collected in person on May 3, 2024, at First Fridays at Five.
Feedback to date has changed the project significantly; organizers have moved away from stylized design concepts. The new iteration of the project will include a phased approach (detailed below). Installation of elements and style will depend on what the community deems essential to the project’s success.
The public is invited to provide additional feedback and contribute to a community fundraiser on Patronicity (Patronicity.com/ImagineDunhamMall) to help determine the concepts that move forward to implementation. Every community dollar (up to $15,000) will be matched twice. *Commonwealth Places will match up to $35,000 through June 28, 2024.
If the Reimagine Dunham Mall! design team is able to raise $7,500 in public contributions, the team will be able to implement some great basic improvements like café lighting, new trash receptacles, signage, and new tree planters. With $20,000 in public contributions, additional improvements can be implemented including ways to define the space, new edge plantings, more shrub and tree tubs with seating, and mobile planters or dividers for activities. With $35,000 in public contributions, the team will be able to purchase green benches and permanent picnic tables, public art, and more trees and shade.
In November 2023, the Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association was awarded a $50,000 Commonwealth Places Grant: $35,000 to activate Dunham Mall and Burbank Place and $15,000 to enhance the Berkshire Lightscapes program. This award must be matched to access the funding. Pittsfield Beautiful has pledged to match each dollar crowdfunded on the Patronicity site up to $15,000. Berkshire Lightscapes will match $15,000 for Lightscapes internally. Administered by MassDevelopment, Commonwealth Places provides funding to support place-based, locally driven placemaking projects in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts throughout Massachusetts.
IMAGINE Dunham Mall FAQs
What is the IMAGINE Dunham Mall/Reimagine Dunham Mall! project?
To activate Dunham Mall and Burbank Place with lighting, plantings, seating, and programming that supports area business, recreation, pedestrian networks and parking accessibility in Pittsfield’s downtown core for all residents and visitors.
Who is organizing IMAGINE Dunham Mall?
The Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association (DPCA), The City of Pittsfield, MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI), Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. (DPI), and the Pittsfield Community Design Center are spearheading this project. Pittsfield Beautiful is a community partner.
Where is the money coming from for this project?
In November 2023, the Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association was awarded a $50,000 Commonwealth Places Grant: $35,000 to activate Dunham Mall and Burbank Place and $15,000 to enhance the Berkshire Lightscapes program. Administered by MassDevelopment, Commonwealth Places provides funding to support place-based, locally driven placemaking projects in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts throughout Massachusetts.
Why are we being asked for donations?
This grant is designed to promote a collaborative process through which people in communities work together to raise funds to improve vacant, underutilized, or repurposed publicly accessible spaces and maximize their shared value. This award must be matched to access the funding.
Who is the Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association?
The Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association (DPCA) is a 501c3 non-profit organization created to promote and operate cultural, artistic, educational, and community enhancement programs in and around downtown Pittsfield, Massachusetts and to support and collaborate with other Berkshire County cultural artistic, educational, and community initiatives, which favorably impact art, cultural, and educational programs, and the general well-being of downtown Pittsfield. DPCA acts as the fiscal agent for projects such as First Fridays Artswalk, Artscape, Berkshire Lightscapes and the Let It Shine! Art initiative.
What is the Transformative Development Initiative (TDI)?
The Transformative Development Initiative (TDI) is MassDevelopment’s signature place-based economic development program for Gateway City downtowns and commercial districts. TDI uses an accelerator model, committing intensive resources for a defined period to real estate development, small business stability and growth, arts and cultural amenities, placemaking, and targeted technical assistance and strategic planning. This work is laid on a platform of community engagement and partnership development; the agency requires that cities assemble a cross-sector partnership to apply, and over the course of the program works to make the partnership more representative of the neighborhood and use it as a platform to grow sustaining, working relationships. MassDevelopment designated downtown Pittsfield a TDI District in 2022. TDI Fellow Julie Copoulos works full-time in the community with local partners to support investment in housing, pedestrian infrastructure, public space activation, and creating a supportive ecosystem for small businesses that is self-sustaining.
What is Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. (DPI)?
Since 1983, Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. has been the recognized leader, facilitator, and principal advocate for downtown. DPI is a membership organization consisting of property owners, businesses, residents, cultural & entertainment venues, restaurants, and non-profit organizations who have joined forces to increase economic activity by promoting downtown as a great place to live, work, and play.
The mission of Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. (DPI) is to strengthen and promote Downtown Pittsfield, Inc.’s membership through advocacy, collaboration, and celebration.
What is the Pittsfield Community Design Center?
The mission of the Pittsfield Community Design Center is to inspire positive changes to Pittsfield’s urban design, in order to build more connected, authentic, neighborly, and strong communities around the city.
What is Pittsfield Beautiful?
Pittsfield Beautiful is a Pittsfield based non-profit that operates with the goal to create a welcoming presence in public sites throughout Pittsfield, Massachusetts with colorful plantings of flowers and ornamental shrubs.