LOWELL CENTER CITY COMMITTEE, INC.
Stakeholder's Representatives Meeting
November 25, 2008
MEETING MINUTES
The meeting opened at 8:40 AM.
The Stakeholder groups were represented by the following members:
Business/Resources, Russ Smith;
City of Lowell/Police Dept., Sara Khun;
Education/Middlesex CC, Molly Sheehy;
Non-Profit Corporations/CTI, Bill Lipchitz;
Visitors/CVB, Chris Deveau;
Youth/UTEC, Greg Croteau;
Absent:
Artists, Steve Syverson;
Building Owners, Marshall Field;
Business/Chamber of Commerce, Jeanne Osborn;
Business/Community Banking, Jamie O’Hearn;
Business/JAMBRA, Tim Shanahan;
Business/Lowell Plan, Jim Cook;
Business/Restaurants, Franky Descoteaux;
Business/Retailers, George Vallaras
City of Lowell/DPD, Theresa Park;
City of Lowell/DPD, Christopher Samaras
Cultural Organizations, L.Z. Nunn;
Cultural Organization of Lowell, Susan Cromwell
Education/Lowell High School, Roxanne Howe;
Education/UMass Lowell, Dr. Joseph Lipchitz;
General Population/LRTA, Jim Scanlan;
General Population/NMCOG, Beverly Woods;
Residents/Lowell DNA, Ted Lavash;
Visitors/Lowell National Park; Peter Aucella
Visitors/Lowell Festival Foundation; Janet Leggat;
Also present:
Alternates: City of Lowell/Police Dept., Janet Lopez; UTEC, Eddie Mercado
Guest: Dr. John Wooding, UMass Lowell Department of Regional Economic and Social Development
Minutes of Previous Meeting
Due to a lack of a quorum, the minutes were tabled until the next meeting.
Treasurer’s Report
There was no report due to the absence of Treasurer Jamie O’Hearn. A vote to donate $200 to the City of Lowell Christmas Shopping Promotion was approved in principal and will be ratified at the next meeting.
UMass Lowell in Downtown
Professor Wooding was introduced. He is a co-author, along with Professor Bob Forrant, of a recent article in the Lowell Sun regarding ways to connect the downtown with UML students and faculty. He began with the question, “what do you do to revive post-industrial cities like Lowell?”
Clearly, much has been done in Lowell but much more could be done by bringing a large academic institution into the life of downtown.
He said that while faculty, staff and students need to be downtown more, most of the students don’t even know where it is, or that it is a short walk away from the campus. The question is, what would attract them to downtown? They are focused on their classrooms and their dorms. Counting full time and part time students, including continuing education, there are about 10,000 people connected to the campus.
Dr. Wooding threw out some ideas that have surfaced. For example, the new Life Sciences building being planned could be built in the downtown. Rehabbing an existing building would be faster than building a new one, although he thinks most faculty are against such a plan. Thinking bigger, why not move the entire South Campus downtown since most of the students are in Liberal arts or Management? The economic climate isn’t helping since most institutions entrench inward during such times.
Changing gears to thinking in small increments, he suggested that perhaps some classes could be taught in the downtown if suitable space were available. Several faculty members have expressed an interest in doing that. The usual problems with transportation and parking would have to be addressed, giving rise to the idea of extending the trolley line that now ends near the ballpark across the bridge to the North Campus.
Bringing classes into the downtown would help sustain the development in small businesses, retail and restaurants. He said teaching is not as effective if it is only done in the classroom. It is better to introduce real world examples (an idea espoused by Pat Mogan). He feels a public university should be based on more than research, but he realizes that reputation and tenure are based on that. It would be good if the faculty could be more focused on the community. It would probably require a change in the culture of the University. He cited a report from Temple University in Philadelphia where the City was turned into a classroom for a cultural program.
Molly Sheehy mentioned that MCC has worked well with Dr. Wooding when he was UML Provost, and in fact, some UML classes are taught at MCC at night. She mentioned a MCC program she has been connected with for many years in which teachers in training are brought over form Ireland every summer and stay in the dorms at Fox Hall. They think nothing of walking downtown every day to go to Middlesex and to work with public school kids. She asked if UML could use some of the rooms in the Tsongas Arena for classes. She also mentioned an event that was planned last year as a joint UML-MCC effort to have a concert at the Auditorium with a group that sings Beatle’s songs that was hoping to attract students from both colleges. Unfortunately, a problem with the band itself caused the event to be cancelled.
Professor Wooding said that in order to start teaching a class in the downtown, all that is needed is suitable space for about 30-35 students.
Molly asked if the Art Department at UML was partnering with the artist community in Lowell. John said there is a partnership with the Revolving Museum, and that the “creative economy” fits in with this idea.
Reports from Representatives
Greg Croteau and Eddie Mercado gave an update on UTEC’s progress in their new building. The former St. Paul’s Church on Warren Street has been rehabbed enough for the program to be up and running. Phase II is to build a 3-story, 8,000 sf addition on the small parking lot next to the church that will be used for a courtyard/gathering space for the students on the first floor, a dance floor/open space, and classrooms on the third floor. The plan is to make the building as “green” as possible. Phase III is to do more work on the church building like pointing and painting. Greg estimate the entire project will cost about $6.3M. UTEC has so far raised $3.4M with their capital campaign. They have an Alternative Diploma Program with the Lowell School Department and a GED program for drop-outs using City of Lowell teachers. All their students have to pass the MCAS test to graduate. UTEC also has a staff person working with the Lowell Police Department.
Bill reminded members about t the annual City of Lights Parade on Saturday, November 29th. Activities start at 12 Noon with the parade kicking off at 4:30 PM followed by the lighting of City Hall. There will be another window dressing contest following up on a successful event last year.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 AM.
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