The Berkshire Carousel will be constructed on a ¾ acre lot in the art district of downtown Pittsfield. This site, located at the corner of Center Street and South Church Street, is close to the location of the late B&A Union Station, Pittsfield’s landmark Beaux-Arts building, that inspired the building’s design. From the time the first train arrived in Pittsfield in 1841, till Union Station was razed during the city’s 1970s urban renewal, the railroad was a vital link that linked Pittsfield’s mills and people to Albany, Boston, and beyond. Its Grand Hall celebrated each arrival with an impressive show of stone pilasters and arched windows that supported a coffered ceiling and square skylights. Outside on West Street, its symmetrical façade, round pediments, and brick parapets dominated the streetscape. Berkshire Carousel will resurrect Pittsfield’s lost Beaux-Arts heritage with the construction of the new, 11,000 square foot landmark facility. A 6,400 square foot, two -story ‘jewel box’ will display the carousel through an arcade of arched windows and street-level openings that recall the façade of Union Station. Similarly, interior columns will tie into a coffered ceiling that supports a central square skylight. The combination of this skylight, illuminating the carousel from above, and the arcade will highlight the carousel year round, regardless of the weather. A one-story, 4,600 square foot structure will wrap around the rear of the ‘jewel box’ and house essentials like a gift shop, a café, an exhibit and event room, offices, restrooms, storage, and mechanical spaces. The exterior of both buildings will exhibit other facets of the Beaux-Arts tradition, including ornate cornices, brick parapets, and a rusticated base.