Pittsfield Finance OKs TIF, GE Funds for Solar Masonry Company / iBerkshires.com

A screenshot from a SolaBlock information video shows how the blocks are made. The Pittsfield Finance Committee is recommending a TIF and a boost from the GE funds for the startup.
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A company that combines solar panels with masonry blocks to make urban renewable energy is being welcomed to the city with subsidized taxes and economic development funding.


 

On Thursday, the Finance Committee supported a five-year tax increment financing agreement for SolaBlock Inc. The Community and Economic Development Committee also supported allocating $125,000 from the Pittsfield Economic Development (GE) Fund for the company.


 


It will go to the City Council for final approval at next week’s meeting.


 


“SolaBlock is an innovative clean energy company that I’ve been working with for the past two or three years now, trying to bring their operations to Pittsfield, I’m very excited that they’re planning to come here,” Pittsfield’s Business Development Manager Michael Coakley said.  


 


“SolaBlock combines a solar panel masonry block and then creates a solar wall which is very innovative, it’s the only one in the country, in the world for that matter, they plan to create a minimum of 17 full-time clean energy manufacturing jobs, with salaries ranging from $37,000 to $55,000, they plan to lease the recently vacated 10,000 square-foot building over at 15 Hubbard Avenue, which was the Modern Mold building.”


 


SolaBlock…

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