The River Street Package Store was torn down on Monday.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The former River Street Package Store bit the dust on Monday.
The two-story building at 177 River St., which also had contained apartments, was demolished after being mostly empty for a number of years.
The structure and business had been owned by the Lora family of Stamford, Vt., for many years. Joseph S. Lora III sold the building to Berkshire Hills Development Co. LLC in December for $250,000; the business was relocated to the east end of River Street, in the former Lopardo's Liquors.
The principal of Berkshire Hills is John S. "Jack" Wadsworth Jr., a partner in the Porches Inn on the west side of the building. Berkshire Hills also owns properties on Veazie and Houghton Street.
Another building yards away, the former Homestead Tavern at 155-159 River St., was purchased on Nov. 22, 2013, for $130,000 by Ginko Power LLC, of which Wadsworth is also a principal.
A motorcycle group had attempted to open a club in the empty bar but was forestalled by the sale. A number of neighbors, including the Porches Inn, had opposed the club.
The package store building had had two commercial storefronts; the one the corner of Houghton and River had been empty for some years and was damaged in 2008 when a police cruiser went through the wall.
Developers at various times attempted to purchase structures around the Houghton, Marshall and River streets intersection, often with the backing of the city, to make the area around Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts and the Porches more tourist friendly.
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The River Street Package Store was torn down on Monday.
