CENTER CITY COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
September 18, 2007

Present: Mehmed Ali, Larry Field, Bob Flynn, Ted Lavash, Bill Lipchitz, Chris Samaras, Russ Smith, Steve Syverson, and Terry Williams.

The meeting opened at 8:40 AM.

President Mehmed Ali gave an update on the calendar project. Jackie Ormonde had been working on the project but has moved out of the area. The quote from Patriot Printing was amended to a higher number from when Jackie obtained it, so Ali will look at other bidders, specifically Red Mill Graphics. Also, there were not enough photos from the High School project to make twelve months so the calendar will use Bill Lipchitz’s pictures. Ali will select a printer by the end of the week and plans to have the calendars ready for October 1st. It was suggested that we could sell some at Newcomer’s Night.

Speaking of Newcomer’s Night, the committee has sent out 1500 postcards including 350 to downtown businesses and entities, and over 1,000 to newcomers. Steve Syverson asked about whether renters were included in the mailing. Ali said that LZ Nunn would be dropping off cards to rental agents in the downtown buildings. It was also suggested that we try to reach UMass Lowell students and faculty.

Chris Samaras said that there have been some complaints from the Bombay Mahal restaurant on Middle Street about residents who could be parking in the garage but who leave their cars on the street overnight and take up spaces normally used by patrons of the restaurant. Chris talked to Chuck Carney about it, and the Meter Maids will extend their tagging hours until 6 PM to try to get it under control. While on the issue of parking, Steve mentioned that the Meter Maids seem much more concerned with giving out tickets than using common sense or any charity about people who park over the limit. For example, customers coming to his store tell of parking, coming in for change to put in the meter, and finding a ticket a few minutes later when they went to pay. Also, if there is a broken meter and an unknowing person parks there, they will be ticketed. Or, if there is no meter and no “no parking” sign, they get ticketed anyway. The problem with this approach is that customers who have trouble finding a spot or who get tagged for a very short overrun, will most likely not come back to buy anything downtown. It was decided that we should ask Chuck Kearney to come to a monthly meeting to talk about parking issues in the downtown.

Other members pointed out that the downtown streetscape is suffering from inappropriate decorations put out by businesses for sidewalk seating, there is dirt and grease on some sidewalks after patrons have used the areas that don’t get cleaned on a regular basis, and a general unsightliness is creeping in that is characterized by the term “urban blight”.

Under the heading of General Comments, Ali said the sale of 24 Merrimack Street by Louis Saab has apparently been put on hold while the buyer completes other projects; Larry Field reported that his efforts to lease space on Merrimack Street are not paying off because retailers are not in expansion mode; Ted Lavash said condo sales downtown have slowed considerably, with five units in Ayer Lofts unsold for several months; Russ Smith said small business startups are down from an average of 40-45 per year coming through the Small Business Center to 24 last year; and that although Saturday and Sunday are now the biggest retail days, stores in downtown Lowell by and large remain closed.

Steve Syverson reminded folks that Open Studios will be held September 29-30 in several locations in Lowell.

The agenda for the monthly Stakeholder’s meeting was discussed. Topics to be discussed include: Newcomer’s Night plans, parking issues, two-way traffic on Middlesex Street, the calendar project, and follow up on the ideas presented by Bob Forrant at the last meeting regarding getting more UMass Lowell students to come downtown.

The meeting adjourned at 9:25 AM.