Northeast Building construction begins 11 years after fire

Northeast Building construction begins 11 years after fire

At the groundbreaking ceremony Jan. 12, representatives of Northeast Building & Home were joined by Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, middle left, and Cornwall First Selectman Gordon Ridgway, far right.

Riley Klein

CORNWALL — Northeast Building & Home broke ground on its new retail store on Route 4 Monday, Jan. 12.

The ceremony took place on the 11th anniversary of a fire that destroyed the old lumberyard facility at the same location in Cornwall Bridge. Representatives of the construction supply company were joined by community members, customers and government officials.

First Selectman Gordon Ridgway, who volunteers at Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department, recalled the devastating blaze in 2015 and said the glow of the flames was visible from his home about five miles away.

“Twenty fire departments responded,” Ridgway said, on what was described as an icy January night. “It’s a wonderful day to see a phoenix rise from the ashes.”

Rick Kearns, branch director at Northeast, described the last 11 years as “a long, hard road” of overcoming obstacles, primarily related to the insurance company. He said the fire was so intense that the cause could not be determined, but it was likely electrical.

“I’m very fortunate that we had a group of loyal customers that were willing to come back and support us because without them, none of this would have ever happened.”

Connecticut Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz praised the determination of the company to rebuild. “Your business just epitomizes tenacity and resilience in the face of challenge.”

She spoke of regional real estate activity, both new construction and renovation work, that has spiked in the Northwest Corner following the pandemic. “Your business is critical to that continued rebuilding,” she said. “This whole part of the state relies on you.”

Kearns said construction of the 17,000-square-foot facility located at 44 Kent Road South (Route 4) is likely to take about a year with the grand opening expected in late 2026 or early 2027.

The business, which has been operating out of the hardware store up the road at 26 Kent Road S., will remain open during construction. Northeast also has a location in Bridgeport.

Latest News

A new life for Barrington Hall

A new life for Barrington Hall

Dan Baker, left, and Daniel Latzman at Barrington Hall in Great Barrington.

Provided

Barrington Hall in Great Barrington has hosted generations of weddings, proms and community gatherings. When Dan Baker and Daniel Latzman took over the venue last summer, they stepped into that history with a plan not just to preserve it, but to reshape how the space serves the community today.

Barrington Hall is designed for gathering, for shared experience, for the simple act of being together. At a time when connection is often filtered through screens and distraction, their vision is grounded in something simple and increasingly rare: real human connection.

Keep ReadingShow less

Gail Rothschild’s threads of time

Gail Rothschild’s threads of time

Gail Rothschild with her painting “Dead Sea Linen III (73 x 58 inches, 2024, acrylic on canvas.

Natalia Zukerman

There is a moment, looking at a painting by Gail Rothschild, when you realize you are not looking at a painting so much as a map of time. Threads become brushstrokes; fragments become fields of color; something once held in the hand becomes something you stand in front of, both still and in a constant process of changing.

“Textiles connect people,” Rothschild said. “Textiles are something that we’re all intimately involved with, but we take it for granted.”

Keep ReadingShow less

Sherman Players celebrate a century of community theater

Sherman Players celebrate a century of community theater

Cast of “Laughter on the 23rd Floor” from left to right. Tara Vega, Steve Zerilli, Bob Cady (Standing) Seated at the table: Andrew Blanchard, Jon Barker, Colin McLoone, Chris Bird, Rebecca Annalise, Adam Battlestein

Provided

For a century, the Sherman Players have turned a former 19th-century church into a stage where neighbors become castmates, volunteers power productions and community is the main attraction. The company marks its 100th season with a lineup that blends classic works, new writing and homegrown talent.

New England has a long history of community theater and its role in strengthening civic life. The Sherman Players remain a vital example, mounting intimate, noncommercial productions that draw on local participation and speak to the current cultural moment.

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

Reimagining opera for a new generation

Reimagining opera for a new generation

Stage director Geoffrey Larson signs autographs for some of the kids after a family performance.

Provided

For those curious about opera but unsure where to begin, the Mahaiwe Theater in Great Barrington will offer an accessible entry point with “Once Upon an Opera,” a free, family-friendly program on Sunday, April 12, at 2 p.m. The event is designed for opera newcomers and aficionados alike and will include selections from some of opera’s most beloved works.

Luca Antonucci, artistic coordinator, assistant conductor and chorus master for the Berkshire Opera Festival, said the idea first materialized three years ago.

Keep ReadingShow less
BSO charts future amid leadership transition and financial strain

Aerial view of The Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts.

Provided

The Boston Symphony Orchestra is outlining its path forward following the announcement that music director Andris Nelsons will step down after the 2027 Tanglewood season, closing a 13-year tenure.

In a letter to supporters, the BSO’s Board of Trustees acknowledged that the news has been difficult for many in its community, while emphasizing gratitude for Nelsons’ leadership and plans to celebrate his final season.

Keep ReadingShow less
A tradition of lamb for Easter and Passover

Roasted lamb

Provided

Preparing lamb for the observance of Easter is a long-standing tradition in many cultures, symbolizing new life and purity. For Christians, Easter marks the end of Lenten fasting, allowing for a celebratory feast. A popular choice is roast lamb, often prepared with rosemary, garlic or lemon. It is traditional to serve mint sauce or mint jelly at the table.

The Hebrew Bible suggests that the last plague God inflicted on the Egyptians, to secure the Israelites’ release from slavery, was to kill the firstborn son in every Egyptian home. To differentiate the Israelites from the Egyptians, God instructed them to mark their doorposts with the blood of a lamb. Today, Jews, Christians and Muslims generally believe that God would have known who was Israelite and who was Egyptian without such a sign, but views of God’s omnipotence in the Abrahamic faiths have evolved over the millennia.

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.