DOWNTOWN CREATIVE DISTRICT

DESIGN GUIDELINES
CITY OF PITTSFIELD
JUNE 2022
 Acknowledgments

Mayor Linda M. Tyer

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD

Sheila Irvin
Floriana Fitzgerald, Clerk
Elizabeth “Libby” Herland
Gary R. Levante
Matthew E. Herzberg, Associate Member
Paul Saldana, Associate Member
Cynthia Brown, Associate Member

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Cornelius J. Hoss, AICP, City Planner

Nate Joyner, Community Development & Housing Program Manager

Prepared for the City of Pittsfield

Prepared by Innes Associates
Emily Keys Innes, AICP, LEED AP ND, Principal

2 Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield

Table of Contents

Introduction....................................................................................5

Purpose...................................................................................................................5
Applicability.............................................................................................................5
Street Types............................................................................................................6

Design Principles.............................................................................7

Design Standards............................................................................7

Checklist: Building on Primary Street..................................................................8

Checklist: Building on Secondary Street..............................................................8
Checklist: Building on Transitional Street...........................................................9
Checklist: Building on Residential Street.............................................................9
Ground Floor Transparency ...............................................................................10
Transitions between Street Types......................................................................12
Checklist: Building on Corner.............................................................................12
Checklist: Off-Street Parking...............................................................................13
Checklist: Site Design...........................................................................................14

Design Guidelines.........................................................................15

Building Scale and Massing................................................................................16

Front Yard Setback...............................................................................................17
Side Yard Setback.................................................................................................17
Storefronts............................................................................................................18
Infill Development and Existing Context...........................................................20
Renovation and Rehabilitation of Buildings.....................................................21

Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield 3

4 Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield
 Introduction
City Council approved the Downtown Creative District in
March 2021. The City of Pittsfield Planning and Development
Department decided in 2022 to add a supplemental set of
design guidelines to assist property owners and potential
developers with applications for building permits, site plan
approvals, and special permits. The guidelines include
the standards established in the zoning ordinance for the
Downtown Creative District and a set of advisory guidelines
that supplement the standards.
The City hired Innes Associates to develop these Design
Guidelines, which included a presentation of the draft to the
Community Development Board on June 21, 2022.

PURPOSE

The purpose of these design guidelines is to provide clarity in

the design process for property owners who seek to develop
their properties. The design guidelines provide illustrations for
standards required in the zoning ordinance for the Downtown
Creative District and for advisory guidelines that supplement
those standards. Specific guidance for infill development and
general guidance for the renovation and rehabilitation of
buildings is included because of the importance of Pittsfield’s
architectural heritage in the Downtown Creative District.
Examples of those buildings, and a few examples of the
District’s culture and history, are shown to the left and on the
cover.

APPLICABILITY

The threshold for these guidelines is an application for one or

more of the following:

ƒ Building permit
ƒ Site plan review
ƒ Special permit
ƒ Variance
City staff will use the guidelines to assist in their review of
the application. If City staff and the Applicant disagree on the
interpretation of these guidelines, the Applicant may request a
review from the Community Development Board.

Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield 5

 STREET TYPES

The requirements for the Downtown Creative District are based on street frontage. The zoning
ordinance defines four Street Types: Primary, Secondary, Transitional, and Residential. These
Street Types are further defined as follows:

Street Types General Description

Primary Street Active ground floor uses with highest transparency requirement; highest
building height; no front yard setback unless for public spaces (outdoor
eating, activated plaza, etc.).
Secondary Street Principal cross streets: mix of ground floor uses but must be active on
corner with Primary Street; building height may step down.
Transitional Street Mix of setbacks depending on relationship to other streets; active ground
floor uses required/encouraged at corners with Primary Streets and
Secondary Streets; landscape and pedestrian-scaled lighting treatments
required to separate public sidewalk from parking; heights step down from
Secondary Streets.
Residential Street Mix of setbacks depending on relationship to existing buildings; active
ground floor uses required/encouraged at corners with Primary Streets and
Secondary Streets; heights consistent with single-family/ two-family/three-
family development.
Standards in this document will refer to the appropriate Street Type where applicable.

Source: City of Pittsfield

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 Design Principles
Design principles are the basis of any design decisions for each
of the four Street Types.

Street Types Design Principles

All Street Types Building massing, form, and architectural
details shall be respectful of the historic
buildings on the street and incorporate
similar materials, façade organization, and
rooflines into the design.
Primary Street Building design shall encourage public
uses at the ground level, including a
direct relationship between ground-floor
businesses and the street. This relationship
shall be enhanced by public seating,
including outdoor dining, and public art
adjacent to the public sidewalk and large
windows, not blocked by signage or window
treatments, showcasing the ground-floor
businesses.
Secondary Street Building with active ground floor uses shall
follow the principles for a Primary Street.
Transitional Street
Buildings without active ground floor uses
Residential Street
shall provide direct connections between
the principal entry and the public sidewalk
with appropriate planting and landscape
treatments between the principal façade
and the sidewalk.

Design Standards
These design standards are based on the requirements of the
Downtown Creative District in the City of Pittsfield’s Zoning
Ordinance. The inclusion of the standards in this document
provides clarifying text, diagrams, and illustrations to assist
both City staff and Applicants with the interpretation of these
requirements.
The checklists on the following pages are organized by Street
Type. The checklists should be used during administrative
review of an application for a building permit, site plan
approval, or special permit to evaluate whether the design
of the building meets the minimum standards set in the
zoning ordinance. In some cases, the checklists specify the
documentation required to show compliance with the standard.
Illustrations of some of the Design Standards follow the
checklists.

Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield 7

 CHECKLIST: BUILDING ON PRIMARY STREET

Standard
Building is between three and five stories.

Building is no more than 90 feet tall.

Front Yard Setback is between 0 and 5 feet.

Side Yard Setback is 0 feet or more.

Side Yard Setback from a residential lot is 0 feet or more.

Rear Yard Setback is 10 feet or more.

Ground Floor Transparency is 75%.

Parking is located in the side yard, outside the front yard

setback.
Parking is located in the rear yard.

CHECKLIST: BUILDING ON SECONDARY STREET

Standard
Building is between two and four stories.

Building is no more than 60 feet tall.

Front Yard Setback is between 0 and 15 feet.

Side Yard Setback is 0 feet or more.

Side Yard Setback from a residential lot is 10 feet or more.

Rear Yard Setback is 10 feet or more.

Ground Floor Transparency is 50%.

Parking is located in the side yard, outside the front yard

setback.
Parking is located in the rear yard.

8 Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield

 CHECKLIST: BUILDING ON TRANSITIONAL STREET

Standard
Building is between two and three stories.

Building is no more than 45 feet tall.

Front Yard Setback is between 0 and 15 feet.

Side Yard Setback is 0 feet or more.

Side Yard Setback from a residential lot is 10 feet or more.

Rear Yard Setback is 10 feet or more.

Ground Floor Transparency is 40%.

Parking is located in the side yard.

Parking is located in the rear yard.

CHECKLIST: BUILDING ON RESIDENTIAL STREET

Standard
Building is between one and three stories.

Building is no more than 35 feet tall.

Front Yard Setback is between 10 and 20 feet.

Side Yard Setback is 10 feet or more.

Rear Yard Setback is 20 feet or more

Ground Floor Transparency is consistent with standards for

a single-family, two-family, or three-family building.
Parking is located in the side yard.

Parking is located in the rear yard.

Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield 9

 GROUND FLOOR TRANSPARENCY

Ground Floor Transparency

is required for buildings on
Primary, Secondary, and
8 feet
Transitional Streets.
ƒ The minimum requirement

Visibility Zone
is based on a 4-foot by 4-foot
visibility zone. The zone is
between 4 feet and 8 feet from
the sidewalk.

At least 70%, 50%, or 40%

(depending on the Street
Type) of this area must 4 feet
be transparent. See the
pictures on the next page for
examples.
0 feet

ƒ The zone extends into the

4
building for four feet from the

fe
et
surface area of the window
glass.

This allows someone standing

outside the window to see a
minimum of four feet into the
building.
et
fe
4

ƒ Signs shall be restricted to 1/3

of the window area or less.
One-third

One-third

10 Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield

Primary Street: 75% of The Ground Floor is Transparent

Secondary Street: 50% of The Ground Floor is Transparent

Transitional Street: 40% of The Ground Floor is Transparent

Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield 11

 CHECKLIST: BUILDING ON CORNER
Standard
Building has frontage on Primary Street and Secondary
Street.

• Requirements for the Primary Street apply for the first

80’ to 100’ of the Secondary Street or the rear lot line,
whichever comes first.

Building has frontage on Secondary Street and Transitional

Street.

• Requirements for the Secondary Street apply for the

first 80’ to 100’ of the Transitional Street or the rear lot
line, whichever comes first.

Building has frontage on Residential Street and another

Street Type.

• Requirements for the non-Residential Street Type apply

for the first 80’ to 100’ of the Residential Street or the
rear lot line, whichever comes first.

TRANSITIONS BETWEEN STREET TYPES

GUIDELINE
Buildings that are located on
the corner of two intersecting
Street Types should reflect
the existing buildings on
the higher street type. For
example, a building with
frontage on a Transitional
Street and a Primary Street
should be complementary to
the buildings on the Primary
Street.

Transition from a Primary Street to a Secondary Street. The ground

floor storefront turns the corner to support the transition from
Primary to Secondary Street. The active use of the store may
continue within the building, but the principal entrance is on the
Primary Street.

12 Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield

 CHECKLIST: OFF-STREET PARKING
Option
On-site according to the standards for each Street
1 Type. Parking in front of the principal facade is
prohibited for all Street Types.
Off-site with a Parking Management Plan that includes
2 one or more of the following:
Shared parking and shared curb cuts among adjacent
owners. (Documentation of shared parking agreement
must be submitted.)
Bicycle racks close to building entries. (Must be shown
on site plan.)
Indoor bicycle storage. (Must be shown on building
plan.)
Electric vehicle charging stations. (Must be shown on
site plan.)
Spaces for shared vehicle services. (Must be shown on
site plan.)

Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield 13

 CHECKLIST: SITE DESIGN
Standard
Required buffer between parking and public right-of-
way and parking and adjacent residential use.
Driveways on a Residential Street are exempt from this
requirement.
A planting plan identifying location and types of plants
is required.
A buffer with a fence of no more than three (3) feet
high and planted with small native or non-native, non-
invasive shrubs or perennials must be no less than
five (5) feet in depth. The fence may not be of wire and
must not be a solid fence.
A buffer with native or non-native, non-invasive trees,
shrubs and perennials must be no less than ten (10)
feet in depth.
Soil or other planting medium and substrate must be
appropriate for the proposed plantings.
Plants that are defined as invasive or likely invasive by
the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group are
not permitted.
Building and site lighting shielded to prevent light
from being directed upward, overspill onto adjacent
properties or the public right-of-way, and glare visible
from nearby properties or the public right-of-way.
A light fixture with a 90-degree cut-off is preferred.

Buffer with native or non- Buffer with a fence of no more than three
native, non-invasive trees, (3) feet high and planted with small native or
shrubs, and perennials must non-native, non-invasive shrubs or perennials
be no less than ten (10) feet in must be no less than five (5) feet in depth. Soil
depth. Soil or other planting or other planting medium and substrate must
medium and substrate be appropriate for the proposed plantings. The
must be appropriate for the fence may not be of wire and must not be a solid
proposed plantings. fence.

14 Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield

 Design Guidelines
These design guidelines are advisory and address design
elements not explicitly stated in the zoning ordinance. This
section includes illustration of building massing and form, uses
in the front yard setback, and storefront design. The section
concludes with some general guidelines for how infill buildings
should relate to the existing architectural context and some
principles for renovation and rehabilitation.

Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield 15

 BUILDING SCALE AND MASSING

All Street Types

ƒ Building massing, scale,
and proportions should
be complementary
to, and respectful
of, the patterns of
existing buildings in the
immediate vicinity.
ƒ New structures should
employ roof forms
compatible with the
roof styles of existing
neighboring buildings.
ƒ Additions should be This photo is an example of a street wall which is a series
set back from the of buildings with similar setbacks from the sidewalk and no
principal façade of the significant breaks between buildings. Passages or alleys to parking
existing building, except behind the buildings can be incorporated into a street wall. Such
when such additions passages should include appropriate lighting and can include
are consistent with an public art and outdoor dining.
established street wall.

16 Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield

FRONT YARD SETBACK

All Street Types

The following uses are allowed
in a Front Yard Setback,
between the lot line and the
principal façade of the primary 
building:

ƒ Sidewalk connecting the

principal entry to the
public sidewalk.
ƒ Sidewalk connecting the
principal entry to parking
in the Side Yard but not
within the Front Yard
Setback.
ƒ Plaza or other paved
and publicly accessible
area with seating and
Paved area for outdoor
landscaping. Public art
dining in front-yard
may also be included. setback Public sidewalk
ƒ Landscaping, including
native or non-native, non-
invasive trees, shrubs,
and perennials.

SIDE YARD SETBACK

The following uses are allowed Allowable Uses in a Side Yard Setback on a Corner Lot
in a Side Yard Setback:
Principal Street to Any Other Street Type
ƒ Any use allowed in the ƒ Treat as Front Yard Setback
Front Yard Setback.
Secondary Street to Transitional or Residential Street
ƒ Parking as noted in the
ƒ Treat as Front Yard Setback
checklists above. No ƒ Parking with buffer as described above.
Street Type is allowed to
have parking in the Front Transitional to Residential Street
Yard Setback. ƒ Treat as Front Yard Setback
ƒ Parking with buffer as described above.

Residential Street
ƒ Landscaping
ƒ Parking

Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield 17

 STOREFRONTS

Storefront systems have a base or bulkhead, the display window, and the top, which may be a
series of panels or transoms that link the door and window(s). The door is often recessed and
also made of glass. The upper panels or transom may be topped with a sign band and a cornice
or just a cornice.


Storefronts with recessed
entryways to ground-floor
commercial spaces should be
preserved or restored to their
original format.

On Primary and Secondary

Streets, storefront windows
must allow a view of the
interior of at least 4 feet from
X X
the glass. Windows may not
be covered with signs or
permanently covered with
shades.

18 Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield

Placement of Awnings


Awnings should be located
within the sign band of the
building (below the sign and
above the storefront window).
Awnings may not obscure
important architectural details
by crossing over pilasters or
covering windows.

On multi-tenant buildings,
multiple awnings may vary
in content (e.g., different

lettering or logos), but should
be of consistent design,
material, fabrication type, size,
and profile. Awning colors
for multi-tenanted buildings
should be coordinated,
but they do not have to be
identical.

Placement of Signs
Signs are typically placed in a  X
sign band or designated area
that extends in a consistent
zone across the storefront
above the windows and door.
Signs should be placed
proportionally within the sign
band; the sign should not
cover the sign band or be too
small in relation to the sign
band.

Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield 19

 INFILL DEVELOPMENT AND EXISTING CONTEXT

Building massing, scale, proportions, and materials should be

complementary to, and respectful of, the patterns of existing
buildings in the immediate vicinity.

Height changes
Infill buildings are buildings that are constructed on a
previously vacant site or replace an existing building. The
height of the new building should match the height of at least
one of the abutting buildings. The Downtown Creative District
allows for a variation in height which may favor a new building
that is significantly higher than its neighbors. In this case, the
new building should try to match other horizontal elements in
the adjacent building, such as sign bands, window aprons or
architrave, or cornices.

Materials
 Materials for all components of a building (roof, walls,
foundation) should be of high quality and durable, appropriate
for the New England climate, and compatible with local building
materials. Non-durable materials, such as vinyl or aluminum
siding or trim, should be strongly discouraged.
The Downtown Creative District includes many buildings with
historic architectural detail and traditional materials of brick
Contemporary design using
and stone. Storefront systems tend to be black (or another
traditional New England
materials dark color) metal or painted trim. Brick buildings often have
stone elements such as engaged pilasters, columns, window
components, or sign bands. Cornices and parapets may be of
wood or stone; some are elaborate.

Architectural Elements
Architectural elements, such as shutters, should be
proportional to the relevant portions of the building. For
example, a set of shutters should be in proportion to its
window; trim should be proportionate to the overall façade
composition; columns should be appropriately sized to the roof
they support. Architectural elements should be appropriate to
the period and style of the building.

 Façade Organization
Older buildings often have a clear differentiation between the
ground floor and upper floors, particularly in those buildings
with storefront systems on the ground floor. New buildings,
additions, or significant rehabilitation should match this
pattern, with larger windows or storefronts on the ground floor
Traditional organization of the
façade
and regular, evenly spaced windows on the upper floors. This is
particularly important for buildings with frontage on a Primary
Street.

20 Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield

 Transitional and Residential Street Types will have different
patterns. A Transitional Frontage will have a gradual change
from the more formal organization of the façade on the
Primary and Secondary Streets. New construction that is closer
X to a corner with one of those frontages should more closely
match the pattern of the buildings on the Primary or Secondary
Street.
Buildings with frontage on a Residential Street should have
patterns of windows and doors that are consistent with the
style of the residential building.

RENOVATION AND REHABILITATION OF BUILDINGS

Residential Street: Parking These general principles for renovation and rehabilitation apply
in Front Yard Setback, poor to buildings on all Street Types. Buildings with preservation
window placement, shutters restrictions or that are of significant historic character should
and entry out of proportion. follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic
Preservation.

Renovation
ƒ Deteriorated historic features should be repaired not

X ƒ
replaced.
Repairs and alterations should not damage or destroy
materials, features or finishes that define the building’s
historic character.
ƒ Original window patterns and openings should be preserved
or restored.
ƒ Historic details should be conserved and repaired when the
existing structures are rehabilitated.
Transitional Street:
Replacement windows are too ƒ Inappropriate materials used for repairs should be removed;
small for the opening, signs this may include plywood plastic or other non-durable
are not within the sign band, components. Replacements should be of a durable material
shutters are not in proportion
to the windows.
as close to the quality of the original as possible.
Rehabilitation
ƒ Changes to a building façade should be consistent with the
original architectural style and the principles of composition
that are typically associated with that style as evidenced in
precedents and relevant examples.
ƒ Contemporary materials and components may be
appropriate if they are visually compatible with the historic
components.
ƒ Additions should be distinguishable from the original
building, although roof forms should be compatible with the
original building.
ƒ Building cornice lines should be maintained, preserved,
or recreated to define building façades and create façade
components consistent with the historic parapet or cornice
lines.

Downtown Creative District Design Guidelines| City of Pittsfield 21