By TOM SPOTH, Sun Staff
Downtown businesses have for the most part failed to benefit from this decade's massive influx of high-income residents into the downtown. Two crucial needs stood out: More downtown shops should be open at night, and more unique and enticing restaurants and retailers are needed. SUN/Bob Whitaker
LOWELL -- About 150 residents, business owners and city officials packed into a conference room at the DoubleTree Hotel yesterday for the first of three "downtown summit" meetings.
Intended as an idea-gathering exercise, the event generated dozens of suggestions, complaints and proposals -- some of which may eventually be incorporated into the city's strategic plan for the downtown, to be unveiled in May at the third summit.
"Clearly, it's a great task we have ahead of us," City Manager Bernie Lynch said yesterday. "This effort is really one of my top priorities."
Downtown businesses have for the most part failed to benefit from this decade's massive influx of high-income residents into the downtown. Yesterday, speakers and attendees offered several possible solutions to that problem. Two crucial needs stood out: More downtown shops should be open at night, and more unique and enticing restaurants and retailers are needed.
UMass Lowell Provost John Wooding, a Medford resident, used as an example Somerville's Davis Square, with its restaurants, movie theater and vibrant nightlife.
"It's that kind of thing that would engage our students downtown," he said. "We need more life in this downtown at night."
Later in the summit, presenter Beth Siegel pointed out that it took about 20 years for Davis Square to make its comeback. Siegel is president of Mount Auburn Associates, a Somerville company hired last year to conduct a study of Lowell's cultural environment.
"When we started in Davis there was no place to drink coffee, no place to see a movie, no restaurants," she said. "It shows you how a community can change."
Lowell is well-positioned to continue its ongoing renaissance, Siegel said, praising the downtown's historical features, strong community of artists, growing housing stock, and commitment to cultural institutions.
"Lowell has the assets other post-industrial cities can only dream of," she said. "Now how can you bring this work to the next level and be the model for revitalization?"
Siegel suggested improving the gateways to the city, trying harder to make repeat visitors out of the hordes who come to Lowell for the Folk Festival and other events, and bringing Lowell's marketing message into sharper focus.
Karen Bell, left, owner of The Club fitness center, meets with Teresa Lynch, keynote speaker at the downtown summit meeting yesterday. Sun/Bob Whitaker
Keynote speaker Teresa Lynch of the National Trust Main Street Center suggested improving signage in town and offering visitors "experience shopping" with unique attractions.
Attendees said the discussions at the summit did not break new ground, but it was a positive step to discuss them in a formal setting and move toward concrete solutions.
Bernie Lynch said he was heartened by the turnout. The summit, sponsored by the city's Division of Planning and Development, the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce and the Lowell Plan, was initially expected to draw about 50 people. Organizers distributed a survey consisting of eight questions, designed to pinpoint the pros and cons of downtown and the major issues that need to be resolved. The survey results combined with the input at the summit should give a clearer picture of what needs to change downtown, city officials said.
Last year, the DPD surveyed 226 new downtown residents and determined that restaurants and grocery stores were in high demand. Residents asked specifically for Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Market, Starbucks and Panera Bread.
Tom Spoth's e-mail address is tspoth@lowellsun.com.
This story appeared in the Lowell Sun on Thursday, January 25, 2007