CENTER CITY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

May 4, 2010

The next informal meeting of the Center City Committee

will be May 11, 2010

8:30 AM

at

The Coffee Mill

23 Palmer Street

The next meeting of the Stakeholder Representatives

will be

Tuesday May 25, 8:30 AM

The MCC Morse Federal Building

East Merrimack Street

Present: Suzanne Cromwell, George DeLuca, Mike Frye, Capt. Thomas Kennedy, Bill Lipchitz, Jamie O’Hearn, Chris Samaras, and Terry Williams

Also present: Peter Aucella, Michelle Bergeron, Shawn Cote, Greg Harding, Tony Lucacio, Jeanne Osborne

The meeting opened at 8:30 AM.

This was a joint meeting of the Center City Committee and the Downtown Lowell Business Committee of the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce. The first topic was the survey sent out by the Chamber to downtown businesses concerning loading zones, a topic which had been covered at the previous month’s joint meeting. It was observed that Boston requires deliveries to businesses be done in the morning and that perhaps something like that could be done in Lowell. Bill suggested that instead of having specific loading zones, that no parking be allowed in the mornings until say 10am to allow deliveries, and then have all the spaces available for parking the rest of the day. Greg Harding of Giovanni’s Trends said that carriers are usually willing to work with businesses to make deliveries at times convenient to businesses.

Chris Samaras reported that he had received feedback from 30 businesses and that about 10% responded they would keep the present hours at loading zones the same; other responses varied quite a bit. Times suggested for loading zones are Monday to Friday 8am to 5:30pm, and Saturdays from 8am to 12 noon rather than the 24 hours they are now.

Greg talked about the informal retail and restaurant group that has formed in the downtown. He said downtown businesses are open to staying open later one day a week as long as it is a cooperative effort. He said he felt that although staying open late on a week night such as Thursday would be good, he personally feels staying open Sundays is a better option. Bill said Franky Descoteaux is interested in organizing a larger meeting with downtown businesses and other stakeholders and that the CCC would help to organize it. Greg also suggested having sidewalk sales on Friday evenings or on Saturdays as a way to draw people to the downtown and to take advantage of the Summer Music Series at Boardinghouse Park on those evenings. This idea was well received.

The issue of weekend parking also came up. Although meters and kiosks state that meters must be fed on Saturdays, it is not enforced by the Parking Department. George suggested that free parking on Saturdays be used as an enticement by businesses to draw people to the downtown. Bill suggested this issue could be used as an organizing tool to get businesses to work together.

Peter Aucella, acting Park Superintendent of Lowell’s National Historical Park, spoke to the group about Lowell’s Summer Music Series for this summer. The series has been able to attract major talent this year. While sales have increased 30% this year over last year, so have costs. For example, the cost for the talent alone this year is $400,000. Ticket prices have increased as well, averaging $25. This is still below what other venues are charging for the same talent. Peter said advertising for the music series is being done through the Boston Globe, the Phoenix, local papers, the radio, the website, and social media such as Facebook.

George DeLuca mentioned that his website CometoLowell.com is in the process of compiling a retail section, and that retailers can send him information for the website.

The meeting adjourned at 9:30 AM.