Berkshire-based collaborative workspaces have been slow to find their footing.
Several have opened recently, including MUSE, formerly the Studio for Integrated Craft, in Housatonic, and the Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield—both of which cater to specific industries and provide access to shared equipment.
But just as many collaborative workspaces closed in the past three years as have launched. Makers’ Mill, a fiber and printmaking makerspace, and Cloud85, a coworking space, both opened in North Adams in 2015 yet closed in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Shire City Sanctuary, a repurposed Catholic church-turned-makerspace and commercial kitchen in the heart of Pittsfield, was sold in 2019 and is now the Alkhalil Islamic Center.
