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The 1Berkshire Economic Development Team : Ben Lamb , Kevin Pink , and Jonathan Butler .
The Berkshire Blueprint , Five Years In
›› In February 2019 , after two years of research , engagement , and planning , 1Berkshire launched the Berkshire Blueprint 2.0 . This ten-year strategic plan for regional economic growth presented a scaffolding that recognized where the region was , where we were headed , and what needed to happen to move us forward .
Over the first five years of the Blueprint ’ s
life , the Berkshires has seen significant progress and growth , despite international economic volatility , increased impacts of climate change , and a pandemic . We have seen the emergence of our sixth primary economic cluster : outdoor recreation . We have experienced the expansion of entrepreneurial support and innovation resources like EforAll and the Berkshire Innovation Center . We have witnessed the pre-development , development , and redevelopment of housing like Windrush Commons in Great Barrington , commercial complexes like Pittsfield ’ s William Stanley Business Park Site 9 , and long-planned projects like the Greylock Glen ’ s Outdoor Center . Investment continues at a meaningful clip , and we ’ ve seen powerful coalition building , resulting in things like the Housing Vision for the Berkshires , Berkshire Funding Focus , Berkshires Outside , and Berkshire Benchmarks ’ relaunch . These collaborative endeavors continue to advance the work and provide strategic and tactical steps to further our future .
Persistent challenges require increased attention , investment , and strategic action to ensure
that the Blueprint model remains meaningful .
The Berkshires continues to face transportation service gaps and mobility challenges within as well as to and from the region , as west-east rail options work through their respective processes . The workforce challenge in 2019 has become a full-blown crisis in 2024 ; we have more open positions than we do job seekers . Broadband ( an absolute lifeline during the pandemic ) still doesn ’ t reach everyone , with only one service provider and excessive costs for to-the-door access . Diversity , equity , and inclusion — slowly gaining traction across industries — continue to face an uphill battle in terms of improved practice adoption , meaningful investment , and appreciation as a regional priority . Any meaningful conversation in the Berkshires always comes back to housing . Gaps in affordable and market-rate housing production are exacerbating downward pressure on existing affordable housing , reducing access for the housing insecure . We are at a critical moment . Those are just some of the cross-cutting challenges that continue to demand focus and attention , and persist as
Pontoosuc Lake , Debbie Storie
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106 // BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE Holiday May / June 2023 2024