Sunday, September 20, 2026

News and Ideas Worth Sharing

Ed Abrahams and Pedro Pachano

Ed Abrahams is a fundraising and management consultant working in New York City for 20 years before moving to Great Barrington 20 years ago. He is vice-chair of the Great Barrington Selectboard, president of the Friends of the GB Libraries, co-chair of the Downtown Great Barrington Cultural District, a cemetery commissioner, a member of the school council of Muddy Brook Regional Elementary School and Monument Valley Regional Middle School, a member of the Great Barrington Economic Development Committee and a former member of the Board of Library Trustees where he served as chair for three years. Ed has served and continues to serve on the boards and advisory boards of many nonprofit organizations. Pedro Pachano attended Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation where he received a Masters in Architecture. He has subsequently worked for New York based Acconci Studio, Eisenman Architects, Diller, Scofidio and Renfro and FXFowle Architects (now FX Collaborative). In 2007 he founded Pachano & Vollert Architects with partner Amparo Vollert with whom he has designed and completed architectural projects in New York, Miami, San Francisco and Bogotá, Colombia. Pachano & Vollert Architecture continues to develop ideas about architecture and urbanism while engaging in innovative energy efficiency and reduction strategies which encompass century old passive traditions to new cutting edge technologies. Since 2016 Pedro has served on both Great Barrington’s Design Advisory Committee and Planning Board. Pedro has taught Architecture at Columbia University, The Cooper Union, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rensselaer Institute of Technology; is a licensed architect in New York, Massachusetts, Florida; and is NCARB Certified.

written articles

It’s not that simple: Low density development, an idea whose time may have passed?

By allowing more uses on fewer acres of land we can support more people on the same limited footprint while lowering housing costs and business start-up costs.

It’s Not That Simple: The matter of special permits

All of zoning is the balance between an individual property owners rights and the rights of the rest of the community.

It’s Not That Simple: Where should solar power installations be sited?

This column is a companion to the WSBS radio call-in show, “It’s Not That Simple.” Every other Friday at 9:05 we will discuss and...

It’s Not That Simple: The case of Ried Cleaners

We’re all familiar with Reid Cleaners. It’s been vacant, deteriorating, and toxic for years and it sits right in the middle of our downtown.

Hotels and traffic poles: Please stop the name-calling

In his op-ed article, Selectboard member Ed Abrahams writes: "Now is the time to influence the decisions about the hotel. Come to the meetings and give opinions."

An invitation from Selectboard member: Ideas wanted  

It isn’t fair to sit on the sidelines and say, “Why don’t you cut, why are my taxes so high?” unless you can say what you are willing to do without. Here’s your chance. Come on Tuesday, March 24, and tell us. 

No magic wand for school renovation

In the actual world we live in with the actual options before us, there is no better option available than the one on the ballot. That is true financially (for which we have facts and numbers) and educationally (for which I am trusting the educators, administrators and community volunteers who worked on the plan for the past eight years).  

Get politics out of politics

Local politics isn't about politics. It’s not about Democrats or Republicans. It’s not about slogans. It’s about working with others and sharing ideas and getting things done.
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