Otis resident buys old Lenox Town Hall

LENOX – The old town hall on Housatonic Street has a new owner who is very interested in preserving its rich history.

The building was purchased by Steve Oakes, an Otis resident who, in addition to the old town hall, is also the owner of two other pieces of commercial Berkshires real estate: 54 Main St. in Lee and 85 East St. in Pittsfield. All three properties are located in their respective historic downtown centers.

“I love the Berkshire towns,” said Mr. Oakes in comments to The Beacon. “I have a place in Pittsfield and Lee and now, Lenox.”

Mr. Oakes recently sold his animation and special effects business in New York City in order to spend more time at his residence in The Berkshires.

A 1976 graduate of Hampshire College, Mr. Oakes and his wife were long time visitors to the area before buying their house in Otis in the early ’90s: “We then said, ‘Why don’t we get our own little spot in the woods?’”

One of the reasons he purchased the old town hall is because of its historical significance.

“Before it was the town hall, it was the original court house of Berkshire County,” said Mr. Oakes, noting it was built in 1790 and originally located where the current town hall is before it was sold to private interests and relocated to Housatonic Street in the mid-19th century.

He also said the building used to have a cupola: “Someday, I’m going to rebuild that cupola.”

Mr. Oakes said he intends to restore the building to its original historical condition despite the significant work that will be involved in doing so and has scheduled meetings with contractors about the project: “It still makes good business sense to put good money into restoring it.”

He also said he’d heard rumors that one of the interested buyers, when he was trying to purchase the building, wanted to tear it down. Mr. Oakes said if that was true, he was happy to have prevented it.

“I don’t expect any changes short of a natural turnover over time,” said Mr. Oakes, when asked how the planned restoration would affect his current tenants. “I hope I can contribute [to their businesses] by making it a more attractive destination.”

As for why he’s chosen to go into the commercial real estate business in The Berkshires, Mr. Oakes said real estate is something he’s had experience with before, and it seems like a good investment in the current economic climate.

“I really believe in the basics, and real estate is something I’ve worked on,” he said.

Posted by Bera B. Dunau on May 30, 2013. Filed under Community News,News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry