There is certainly a well enumerated series of downtown projects in this story, but don't forget the small investments now happening downtown as a result of a perception this is a good place to live and do business.
There are the Bradleys who quietly and privately turned their second floor on Court Street into nice apartments. On the Square's northeast corner, a vacant tavern was renovated in to the Nautical Turtle and adjacent buildings now have upstairs apartments. The Solar Building is being rehabilitated after years of being owned by a teetering owner.
The North Country Children's Clinic is coming out of insolvency problems now that the local hospital stepped in to correct issues.
Nearby, significant investments are being made in Knowlton Technologies and the Urban Mission. Ultimately Factory Street will be rebuilt, probably in 2015.
And in an omen, on Friday night , thousands filled the Square for a Christmas Tree lighting and parade, something you never saw when downtown was at its nadir.
The realization things are moving ahead will also spread the word that investment is not just OK, it makes sense.
There are some isolated bad buildings remaining but they are now in the minority.
On Friday, people were glad to be downtown. It's a change long in the making and welcome.
Watertown Daily Times | Boom town: Downtown Watertown on verge of a renaissance
No comments:
Post a Comment