The study recommends that we focus on 8 areas: parking, zoning, leveraging the seaside, creating stronger ties with the colleges, improving business collaboration, downtown appearance, creating a cohesive art community and increasing the number and variety of retail stores.  In addition, there are 3 major city initiatives happening downtown in the next few years which will enhance our ability to attract new businesses and residents: the MBTA garage, waterfront development and the Rantoul Street project, and they also need to be a focus for BMS.

 

As a result, we have formed a committee which we call "Downtown 2020" to create a vision, in words and pictures, of what downtown could look like by the year 2020 once we address all the recommended areas.  The name also conveys the 20/20 clarity with which we'll move forward and stay focused.  The first thing the Downtown 2020 Committee has done is research successful revitalization efforts in other cities.  We are meeting with the consulting teams working on the waterfront and Rantoul Street projects and we're collaborating with the city's Economic and Community Development Commission and the Beverly Chamber of Commerce to advance ideas that benefit downtown and the city as a whole.  Next steps include reviewing the Master Plan and creating some visual images of the possibilities, prioritizing the 8 focus areas and engaging community leaders and volunteers to work on those that are identified as high priorities.

 

If you have an interest in working on the Downtown 2020 Committee, please contact Gin to see how we can put your talents to work!