Lanesborough Select Board Hears Mall Pitch, Fills Two Planning Board Seats

Select Board · Meeting of August 10, 2026

Lanesborough Select Board gets first public look at Berkshire Mall redevelopment concept. Scott Harrington, Managing Director of Cypress Equities, told the board Monday that the Dallas-based developer is under contract to acquire roughly 89 acres of the mall site, excluding the Target parcel, and plans to master develop the full property as a retail center anchored by two undisclosed tenants whose corporate approvals are expected by late September or early October. Harrington was unequivocal on one contested point: "We are not building apartments," he said, adding that multifamily housing cannot currently be financed in any market.

The development footprint is limited to approximately 42 existing paved acres to avoid triggering Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act review, and a sewer line extension of roughly 2,200 feet from Partridge Road, including a new pump station, is the project's largest identified infrastructure cost. A property closing is targeted for the first quarter of 2027. The board also unanimously appointed Jose Rivas and Mark Hawthorne to fill two Planning Board vacancies, both of whom may be seated before formal Cypress permitting discussions begin.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,671 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of August 10, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.