ADAMS — It has been three years since the Hintons bought the former Adams Community Center, now the building is going to house 13 market-rate apartments.

The Hintons — under the company Hintons Berkshire Homes LLC — bought the building at 20 East St. in late 2022 for $25,000 from the town of Adams. The space had been vacant since 2019.

A file photo from 2023 showing 20 East St., the former Adams Community Center which housed the council on aging and youth center. It was vacant from 2019 until the Hintons bought the property in 2023.

After "a couple million" dollars in investment, according to Robert Hinton, the three-story building will bring two one-bedroom, five two-bedroom and six studio apartments to market in the coming weeks. Their rents will range from $1,390 to $2,300.

"It's going to be a great fit for the town," said Kristin Hinton. "And I just feel like the building is going to sell itself in a way."

The Hintons, who are from New York state, aren't new to remodels, having built and redone smaller multi-family buildings, but it was the first of this size, Kristin Hinton said.

Robert, formerly a construction manager, and Kristin Hinton, who works in criminal policy for New York state, stand in one of the apartments.

Both were hands on with the project; Kristin — who works in criminal policy for New York State — showed apartments and Robert — who was a construction manager previously — spent hours on-site every day to oversee the project.

Even one of their daughters installed many of the bathrooms in the building over her summer break, Kristin Hinton said.

The apartments are days from completion, with only the installation of the waterline and some small touch-ups needed, Robert Hinton said. And, as soon as the waterline is in, they'll apply for a certificate of occupancy so tenants can begin moving in.

According to Kristin Hinton, apartments are already 90 percent pre-leased.

Robert Hinton walks from a bedroom into the kitchen and living room of a second floor apartment in the East Street Apartment development in Adams which is nearing completion. The complex has 13 units in total.

John Duval, the chair of Adams' Board of Selectmen, said he was impressed and proud with the investment coming into the town.

"You want to live in Adams," he said.

The apartments feature dark white-oak flooring contrasting the tall white walls and ceilings. Although the community center had been gutted, pieces of the historic building remain, giving some apartments exposed brick and one a large stone fireplace.

"I'm a history major, and I just said there is no way that fireplace is getting demolished," Kristin Hinton said. "So we incorporated it."

Apartments on the second floor have deck access and some have windows with an unimpeded view of Mount Greylock. This is all complemented by the location, as it is set back off East and Summer streets, giving the building ample privacy.

A marble tiled bathroom in an apartment at the East Street Apartment development in Adams which is nearing completion. The complex has 13 units in total.

The Hintons previously had plans to add 27 additional units and a day-care center, according to iBerkshire.

However, there needs to be infrastructural improvement, specifically with the water infrastructure, according to Robert Hinton.

"We're kind of going to sit on this, once this is finished," Kristin Hinton said. "I've been able to work with people, and I feel now I'm more prepared to call them and say, 'Hey, we want to do this.
Let's figure out together how we can make this happen.'"