With Apologies To Jonathan Swift

Not one word I have written here is true. None. But just maybe, if you tightly close your eyes, wish really hard and blow out all the candles, one day it might all come true.

While rushing to the microphone, City Manager Thomas Aspell tripped over and slightly injured his special projects assistant Matthew Walsh. After recovering, Aspell announced that the South Main Street, Department of Employment Security Building project has been awarded to Concord’s own developer extraordinaire, Steve Duprey. Aspell further stated that the new project would be named the North Main Street Retail Relocation Project. 

The long awaited announcement came with the news that the city’s library will finally have a downtown location by moving into Duprey’s new buiding. And even though the library won’t be open to the public due to the high lease and maintenance costs of the new building, Aspell assured all those in attendance that the new library will far exceed any current accessibility requirements.

Should the city find funding in the future to open the library to the public, it is anticipated that the library will still be able to meet future accessibility requirements. However, should the library have to be retrofitted to meet new and stricter accessibility requirements, the costs of those improvements could further delay the opening of the library to the public?

Even more exciting then the announcement of the library moving to Duprey’s new North Main Street Relocation Project, is the real centerpiece of this venture. That is what is hinted at in the name of the project. Duprey has promised that identical to his two previous projects (the Smile Building and the as yet unnamed adjacent building) that no leases will be given to any out of town businesses. He has emphatically promised that all leases will come from current businesses on North Main Street and if there is any space left he will also entertain leasing to South Main Street entities.

This is great news. Especially for retailers with empty storefronts next to them. We all know that empty storefronts can hurt those trying to make a living downtown. The obvious answer to this dilemma is to empty all the stores and have them relocate to the redeveloped Department of Security Building. So now it is clear where the name of this project comes from. 

Duprey believes that his new project will have enough space, not only for retail stores located on the first floor but also businesses located above street level. This will completely empty all the buildings on North Main and conveniently locate all those businesses into one easily accessible location. This will achieve an important goal of the Complete Streets project as stated by our mayor, Jim Bouley. Ensuring that all businesses not only meet accessibility requirements but far exceed them.

The only question remaining is what to do with the empty buildings. One of the questions asked by the Complete Streets project is what can we do to make Concord a destination? With the cost of travel increasing at a far faster rate then peoples income, perhaps Concord could create its own ghost town. Reminiscent of those ghost towns out west, but without the added cost of those living in the east having to travel too far.

Others in our community have also weighed in with their thoughts. 

Intown Concord has stated that by locating all the downtown businesses into one building, it will be easier for them to solicit memberships. Having to go door to door the full length of North Main Street and cover both sides of the street really took away from Intown’s main goal of promoting themselves. 

Our city planner Gloria McPherson says she is even more excited with this project then she was when she first saw Concord’s Park Avenue and North Main Street bus stop. 

Jessica Eshleman, the former executive director of Main Street Concord, has stated that this project will bring even more business to the downtown than her idea of reducing Market Days from three days to two.

And Kim Murdoch has stated that even though she has never done a survey of our downtown, that if she did do one she is sure this project would be a solid 10.

Clearly, the North Main Street Relocation Project is a winner for everyone. The goals of the Complete Street project are met: accessibility and reduced traffic. Duprey is able to continue occupancy of his buildings with only those businesses already located in Concord. Downtown merchants will no longer have to worry about the blight caused by an empty storefront abutting one of their businesses. And those that really count, the folks with no financial stake in our downtown, have all jumped on board Concord’s latest manured filled band wagon. 

On a personal note, let me state what a pleasure it has been for me to write this article. The principals I spoke with couldn’t have been more excited and open about their support for this project. Their enthusiasm for the North Main Street Retail Relocation Project made writing about this enterprise one of my most enjoyable blogs I have written.