♪ >> THIS IS "CHRONICLE" ON WCVB CHANNEL FIVE.
>> YOU WILL MEET OUR COWS, OUR CAKES, OUR CHICKENS.
SHAYNA: ON MAIN STREET.
>> THE TOWN IS TRANSFORMED.
SHAYNA: A SLEEPY CITY REAWAKENS WITH CREATIVE ENERGY.
HERE, CHEEKY PRODUCTS SELL.
ANTHONY: A LITTLE RETRO AND DEFIANTLY RIDICULOUS.
SHAYNA: ARTISTS GET EXERCISE.
DRAMA DETERMINES DOWNTOWN AND COCKTAILS GET CREATIVE.
>> WE ARE TRYING TO PROMOTE ART.
SHAYNA: THE MAIN STREETS AND BACK ROADS OF PITTSFIELD, NEXT ON "CHRONICLE." TONIGHT, WE ARE HEADED WEST TO THE BERKSHIRES AND WE ARE NOT ALONE.
ANTHONY: THE CITY OF PITTSFIELD IS ATTRACTING A CROWD.
ARTISTS AND ENTREPRENEURS DRAWN BY AFFORDABLE SPACE AND A CAN-DO ENERGY.
♪ ANTHONY: SPRINGTIME IS NEVER A SURE BET OUT HERE IN BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
WINTER OFTEN SLOW TO RELAX ITS HOLD OVER THESE HILLS AND VALLEYS.
BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T FIND RENEWAL AND REBIRTH.
TAKE PITTSFIELD, THE BERKSHIRES’ COUNTY SEAT.
SIGNS OF NEW LIFE ARE EVERYWHERE AFTER DECADES OF DECLINE.
>> PITTSFIELD HAS TAKEN SOME BLOWS, BUT IT HAS BEEN ON THE UPSWING FOR A LONG TIME WITH THE EXPANSION OF RESTAURANTS, A NEW HOTEL AND OTHER CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS.
ANTHONY: ADAM HINES GREW UP IN THE AREA BEFORE HEADING TO THE MIDEAST TO WORK FOR THE UNITED NATIONS.
HE HAD NO QUALMS ABOUT DOWNSHIFTING FROM THE WORLD STAGE TO THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> THIS IS WHERE YOU GET THAT CONNECTION WITH NATURE, CLOSENESS TO FAMILY AND A GREAT COMMUNITY.
THIS IS WHERE I WAS ALWAYS GOING TO COME BACK TO.
ANTHONY: IT DOESN’T HURT THE LIVING COMES EASY HERE.
RENT IN PITTSFIELD IS REASONABLE BY BERKSHIRE STANDARDS.
HINES LIVES IN A CONVERTED SEED WAREHOUSE.
>> YOU CAN SEE MOUNTAINS ALL AROUND US.
WE ARE IN THE CITY OF 43,000 PEOPLE, AND WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE CITY, I CAN GO SKIING, HOP ON A LAKE, GO MOUNTAIN BIKING.
IT IS ALL HERE.
ANTHONY: NOTHING HAPPENS ANYWHERE WITHOUT A LITTLE KICKSTART.
>> I REALLY BELIEVED IN THE POWER OF A REALLY SINCERE COFFEE SHOP.
I REALLY BELIEVED I COULD BRING US ALL TOGETHER.
ANTHONY: JESS LAMB IS ABOUT LOCAL PRODUCT.
>> BORN AND RAISED RIGHT HERE IN PITTSFIELD FOR THE MOST PART.
ANTHONY: AFTER TIME SPENT IN BOSTON AND BROOKLYN, SHE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A MARK IN HER HOMETOWN.
SHE OPENED AN ALL OR KARNIK -- ALL ORGANIC COFFEE SHOP AND GATHERING SPOT.
AND SHE WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE GOING ALL IN ON PITTSFIELD.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING HERE WANTED TO BE PART OF SOMETHING NEW AND FRESH.
THERE WERE A LOT OF AFFORDABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
♪ ANTHONY: ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, PITTSFIELD’S INTO BUILDINGS BEGIN -- EMPTY BUILDINGS BEGAN DRAWING THE ATTENTION OF ARTISTS.
>> I WAS A LITTLE HESITANT, MY COUSIN WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE BUILDING AND I WAS LIKE, IT IS IN PITTSFIELD.
ANTHONY: CHRISTINA FRENCH, A FIBER ARTIST AND CLOTHING DESIGNER.
>> THIS TYPE OF NET WITH TEXTURE IS SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE DRAWN TO.
ANTHONY: HER MEDIUM OF CHOICE, RECYCLED SWEATERS, WHICH SHE TRANSFORMS AND CLOTHING, PILLOWS, ROCKS AND BLANKETS.
>> WOOL IS KIND OF A MAGIC FIBER.
ANTHONY: BACK TO THE BUILDING SHE AND HER HUSBAND BOUGHT IN 2006.
THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH.
>> PREVIOUSLY IT WAS A ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
ANTHONY: WELCOME TO THE SHIRE CITY SANCTUARY, AND OF THE SPACE THAT HOSTS CRAFTS FAIRS AND PERFORMANCE ART.
DOWNSTAIRS, A MAKER’S SPACE.
>> WE HAVE A SEWING LAB AND COMMERCIAL KITCHEN AND THEY ARE SHARED WORKSPACES.
ANTHONY: MEMBERS PAY MONTHLY DUES FOR ACCESS TO THE EQUIPMENT.
>> IT IS LIKE A GYM FOR MAKERS.
ANTHONY: AT ONE TIME, FRENCH HAD 40 PEOPLE WORKING ON HER DESIGNS, SUPPLYING A BIG RETAILERS LIKE CRATE AND BARREL, BUT A GROWING FAMILY COINCIDED WITH A SHRINKING ECONOMY AND SHE
DECIDED TO DOWNSIZE HER BUSINESS AND DEVELOP THE MAKERS OF SPACE.
>> I LOOK AT THE CHURCH AS THAT IT FITS NICELY INTO MY METHODOLOGY OF REUSE AND RECYCLING.
WE LIKE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER THAT SHARE A COMMONALITY OF CREATIVITY.
ANTHONY: A CREATIVITY BRINGING NEW ENERGY TO THIS OLD CITY IN THE HILLS.
>> PITTSFIELD IS VERY A BLANK CANVAS.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE RARE OPPORTUNITIES YOU CAN COME AND REALLY CREATE AND PAINT AND DRAW AND SCULPT.
IT IS THE CITY YOU WANT TO BE PART OF.
I JUST LIKE TO WELCOME AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME HERE AND TRY IT ON AND BE PART OF IT BECAUSE IT IS REALLY SPECIAL.
SHAYNA: WOW.
SHE BELIEVES IN PITTSFIELD BECAUSE SHE IS EXPANDING, OPENING A NEW BAKERY ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM A COFFEE SHOP.
ANTHONY: BACK TO THE SHIRE CITY SANCTUARY IN THE OLD CATHOLIC CHURCH.
THERE IS A PROPOSAL TO LEASE PART OF THE SPACE TO A CANNABIS GROW HOUSE FOR MEDICINAL AND RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.
IN THE OLD CHURCH.
I WILL LEAVE YOU TO FILL IN THE BLANKS.
SHAYNA: GOOD CALL.
WE DAY YOU TO TAKE A DRINK OF A PICK ME UP CALLED FIRE CIDER.
>> YOU MIND IF I TELL HIM HOW WE MAKE IT?
SH