The Great Barrington Select Board on Monday night approved plans for a hotel at a shuttered downtown school. A change from 95 to 88 rooms earlier this year quieted some opposition.The roughly $25 million hotel known as The Berkshire will feature a farm-to-table restaurant, meeting space and a pool. Initial plans to raze the 19th century building were altered after concerns were raised about the Searles School’s historical importance. Attorney Gavin Cockfield spoke on behalf of the Mahida family, which is behind the proposal, at a January meeting.
“The Searles building is basically staying the way it was long ago,” Cockfield said. “We’re going to reincorporate some things. The perimeter and density stay the same.”
Developers say the hotel will bring in about $450,000 in annual taxes.
