A 'wish list' for downtown Lowell
It may be hard to imagine right now, but Lowell's downtown has the potential to
become a true destination spot.
The key is a combination of an aggressive marketing strategy with serious financial
incentives to attract the right businesses.
The wish list proposed below may prompt a litany of "that'll be the day" refrains,
but they're not unrealistic objectives. Who'da thunk five years ago that today we'd
have an arena and a ballpark, with minor league hockey and baseball teams?
It may also elicit "we-tried-that-already" excuses from certain quarters. Well,
perhaps they didn't try hard enough, or didn't take the right approach -- and
there's no reason in the world why they shouldn't keep trying, as the Arena and the
Auditorium keep on adding acts and bringing people in.
The ultimate goal is to light up East Merrimack and Merrimack streets on both sides, from High Street to
City Hall, Monday through Sunday -- and the best place to start is where the crowds are, at Lowell
Auditorium.
Here's a rundown of some specific goals for downtown Lowell:
1. DEVELOPMENT OF THE EAST MERRIMACK STREET SITE (ACROSS FROM LOWELL
MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM):
* Performing arts center: A scaled-down version, including a 450-500-seat theater for the MRT with
staging, rehearsal and administrative space to facilitate more ambitious productions -- but with a more
reasonable price tag.
A second stage -- the 50-150-seat "teaching theater," as proposed, should be included as well, for
orchestral and dance productions and community theaters.
MCC's options should include classrooms and studios for theater, dance, visual arts and music, as well
as faculty offices and conference rooms to address all their needs.
* Movie theater: A 300-400-seat movie theater operated by Middlesex Community College, offering
second-run features, vintage, art and foreign films, and student productions. Discounts would be
available to students and senior citizens.
It would also serve as a training center for film and visual arts students, and would be a logical extension
of the Colleen Creegan Visual Arts studio at Lowell High School.
It could be housed within the performing arts center, or in Liberty Hall, when MRT moves to the arts
center.
* Retail: Street-level spaces would house retail shops -- a quality "name" clothing store, such as Old
Navy, Gap, J. Crew, outlet stores such as Liz Claiborne or Jones New York; a music store, such as
Newbury Comics, Strawberries, or Tower Records, and a small shop such as a Hallmark store or a
quality gift shop.
* Anchor restaurant: A quality high-profile restaurant that can handle large volume and that caters to
both pre-and post-theatre customers as well as families.
The restaurant must be established and successful, and know how to market and merchandise itself.
We're well aware of the string of failed restaurants and clubs at the old Dillon's site (The Raft, Chevy's,
Bahama Beach Club, Club Odyssey, Polly Esta's, Monkey Bar, to name a few).
Legal Seafoods or a chain steakhouse such as Ruth's Chris would be ideal. A Legal Seafoods at that site
would attract more people into downtown than a performing arts center ever could on its own.
Other options include a chain restaurant offering a more general menu, along the lines of TGI Friday's,
Bennigan's, Joe's American Bar & Grill, and the Cheesecake Factory, or restaurants with more
specialized menus: Mexican, with On the Border or Shorty's (both in Nashua), or Italian, with Vinny
Testa's.
* Other restaurants: Smaller bistros and cafes, such as a successful chain like Au Bon Pain, Starbucks or
Bruegger's, which would be open late to accommodate the after-event crowd.
* Office complexes and parking garage, including a walkway over the river to tie into Gateway 1 and 2.
2. LOWELL AUDITORIUM: Back of the house modifications including a fly gallery, enabling the
Auditorium to bring in the more elaborate Broadway road shows, such as Phantom of the Opera, Les
Miserables, Miss Saigon, Buddy and The King and I.
3. LIBERTY HALL (MRT): Three options include putting the MCC movie theater there, leasing it to
MRT for rehearsal space, or putting it under the control of Auditorium management, to book smaller
acts.
4. FEDERAL BUILDING: A first-class public art gallery/museum that would showcase fine art exhibits,
similar to the Addison in Andover or DeCordova in Lincoln.
This museum would feature major artwork, donated or loaned, and host nationally touring exhibits.
The museum could also devote one section to works by local artists, perhaps in conjunction with the
Brush Gallery and the artist live/work space proposed for Middle Street.
A private art gallery with works for sale would be adjacent to it, with not only local works but from the
art community at large.
The museum could come under the direction of the Whistler House Museum, which could showcase
many of their major works on a rotating basis.
The city should work out an exchange with MCC for this building, which is much too elegant for
classrooms and studios.
5. MERRIMACK STREET AND ITS SIDE STREETS, FROM KEARNEY SQUARE TO
COBBLESTONES:
* More restaurants, including small ethnic restaurants run by locals. The Olympia, Athenian Corner and
Southeast Asian have clearly demonstrated that this idea can work.
* Burger spot: A family-oriented place that's a step above Wendy's/McDonald's/Burger King --
something different, like Johnny Rockets (Burlington Mall), which recreates a '50s atmosphere.
* Ice cream shop: A chain such as Newport Creamery, Ben & Jerry's or Emack & Bolio's, or locally
run.
* Pizza/Italian: A chain such as Pizzeria Uno, Pizzeria Regina or Bertucci's, that can handle large volume.
* Candy: A small shop offering fudge, popcorn, bulk candy, chocolates.
* Bakery: A quality shop that also could offer a limited soup/sandwich menu with tables for customers --
similar to Nashoba Brook Bakery in West Concord.
* Fruit/vegetables: A produce stand offering seasonal fruits and vegetables.
* Jewelry: A quality mall-type outlet, such as Zales or Belden's, as well as a boutique offering funky,
artsy jewelry -- such as the Artful Hand; again, quality only.
* Furniture: A quality furniture store, such as Jordan's.
* Antiques: Shops, such as you'd see in Newburyport or Portsmouth, N.H., offering furniture, paintings,
etc.
* Books: Expand present Barnes and Noble on Merrimack Street.
* Shoes (women's): Nine West, Enzo
* Other: Spinners/Lock Monster store, dry cleaner.
© 2000 MediaNews Group, Inc.
All rights to republication of special dispatches herein are reserved.
This story ran on page 4 of The Sun on 2/27/2000.
Return to Issues Page
Return to Center City Home Page