The Master Plan and Nobscot blight
Last night at Heritage Hall, Ken Buckland, a consultant with The Cecil Group, gave an overview of possible goals for the Northside's future. But it was very clear, the Nobscot Shopping center was the hot topic. The owner of that land has refused to do anything to lesson the eye soar, even turning down a proposal by the Nobscot Neighborhood group to paint the big sign in front. The abandoned gas station is part of the blight and as we heard, there is no forcing the owner into action. I did hear from Carol Spack, we as residents can demand from the selectman enforcement of rules that govern blight. The new master plan, which the Planning Board hopes to present to annual Town Meeting next spring, will replace one adopted in 1988.
Once again, it appears the residents need to be more vocal about the center. Write a letter, e mail or call and ask what is being done to make the shopping center, vibrant and attractive. Also, please tell them you would shop there if there were more stores.
Center Corp
600 Loring Ave. Salem, MA 01970
Phone: (978) 741.4740
Fax: (978) 745.1223
Acquisitions
Mark Klaman, Principal
mark@centercorpretail.com
Office: (978) 741.4740
Andrew B. Rose, Principal
andy@centercorpretail.com
Office: (978) 741.4740
Property Management
Terri Desjardins
terri@centercorpretail.com
Office: (978) 741.4740
posted by Jim Pillsbury @ 8:09 AM
3 Comments
3 Comments:
It is a blight on the town for sure, but how do we get some guy who clearly does not need the income to clean the place up? If we have not way to force his had, then what options do we have?
How many times have we heard we are going to do something about this? Without the owner buying in, we have no way to get this situation resolved, unless we buy him out. Walsh stands up and spews about some fancy sprucing up of the place. But where is the money to do that going to come from? Is he just another politician who is looking to spend our money without asking us where to spend it? A project like he is proposing will cost this town lots of money, and that means it will cost us, the taxpayors, lots of money.
Clearly, after two years of contact between the owners and BOS with no results, it may be time to re-approach the owners with a different request.
Lets work with other store owners around town and see if we could entice others to fill up that mall. One idea I have is to ask Paul at Anne's book store to merge with the donut shop on the hill, or dunkin donuts... similar to a Starbucks and take a larger store together. Another idea would have up scale grocery store like a Whole Foods take over the large store front. A UPS store could go into a smaller space and a live music venue could go into that mall also. Another idea would be to have the car show at that mall on Saturday's in the summer and an ice cream shop.
The Town offers any business that moves into the mall, no business tax for 3 years or on a sliding scale, 1 year tax free, second year, 2%, third year, 3%.
It's time to take of the blinders and look all the way around to see what the possibilities are.
If the mall were fully occupied, perhaps then the land owner would invest in a new facade and new signage.
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