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New downtown look gets started
 Kyle Hollander of the city highway department gets the streetscape project under way, cutting along the curb in preparation of demolition of the sidewalks. (Staff photo by TOM MAGUIRE)
Top Headlines The streetscape project the city kicked off Wednesday is a matter of hope of a better day. Changing the look of the business district with landscaping, decorative street lamps and colored stone crosswalks sends a signal that Attleboro welcomes new businesses, they said. And, attracting new businesses will in turn draw more people to downtown, they added. "I think if they see all these improvements, it will be more inviting," said Nancy Young, owner of the Attleboro Jewelry Makers on County Street. "I'm really excited about this. It is badly needed." She said the changes - although cosmetic - will give the impression "something is happening there," and that the downtown is a safe, well-lighted area. Claire Jeffrey, owner of Claire's Casuals on South Main Street for 19 years, said the improvements are encouraging to local businesses. "I see the glass as half full. I'm very optimistic," she said. City Planning Director Gary Aryassian said the cosmetic changes alone will not be enough to revitalize downtown. But, the physical improvements along with a development project in the nearby MBTA parking lot will combine to boost the area, he said. Mayor Kevin Dumas kicked off the project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Memorial Common. The project has been in the planning stages since 2002. Dumas said the small park will be landscaped and new light poles similar to old-fashioned gas lamps will be installed, making it a more fitting tribute to veterans. Throughout the downtown area, sidewalks will be replaced. The new concrete and granite sidewalks will feature a 2-foot ribbon of red brick. Crosswalks will get stone treatments called concrete pavers that look like a cross between cobblestone and brick. The stones will be lined with granite borders. Two other types of decorative street lamps will be installed along downtown streets. The lamp posts will have plants hanging from them and music can be piped in through weather-proof speakers in the bases of the poles. Dumas said walking across streets in the downtown will be made safer and easier by building small "bumps" from the sidewalk into the street to shorten the walking distance and improve visibility. "If we want to improve downtown, we have to make it more pedestrian-friendly," he said. He said the bumps will not eliminate any parking spaces. "This is a monumental day for the city of Attleboro," Dumas told about 125 people gathered at the ceremony. He thanked the volunteers who worked on the streetscape committee to come up with the plan and Aryassian for working with him to refine it. Other speakers recalled the hustle and bustle of downtown in the years before shopping malls took shoppers away. The shopping district was a "very vibrant area" in the 1960s and 1970s, city council President Barry LaCasse said. "We look forward to bringing back that pedestrian traffic and those shops," he said. State Rep. Betty Poirier, R-North Attleboro, said she worked at the old Attleboro Saving Banks downtown years ago and remembered factory workers flooding into area restaurants on their lunch breaks. State Rep. John Lepper, R-Attleboro, praised the leadership of Dumas and other city officials in making the project happen. The $800,000 project is actually only the first step in a four-phase plan to rebuild downtown. Aryassian said the hope is to complete the first phase by spring. The funding will come from a $150,000 state grant, $200,000 in community development block grant money and $450,000 in state road repair funds.
Post Your Comments spell check wrote on Aug 30, 2007 8:20 PM: " To "south bound somday" - You may want to sharpen up on your spelling before going on any more interviews.
" south bound somday wrote on Aug 30, 2007 7:31 PM: " we need jobs in this town not cobblestone crosswalks.ive been out of work for five months and cant find decent work anywhere.maybe in my next interview i sould try a fake spanish accsent and boggas SSN " Hopeful with reservations wrote on Aug 30, 2007 5:29 PM: " To "to733ok" Cut 733ok some slack,the post was positive constructive feed back to another post. HEY 733ok looks like you just can't win. " 733ok wrote on Aug 30, 2007 5:05 PM: " To "Missed Opportunity" - Thanks for your 20/20 hindsight. Any ideas (or predictions) going forward? " Missed Opportunity wrote on Aug 30, 2007 4:37 PM: " Attleboro missed a golden opportunity to build an office building where Balfour factory used to be. This would have filled up with hungry office workers who would pump up the downtown economy every day by eating, shopping etc. Instead, the powers-that-be decided to build a park that, while nice, is empty most times and when its not, its being vandalized by local punks. So, instead of helping the economy, Balfour Park has cost the city thousands for the cost of cameras to keep an eye on the park. Too bad. An nice office complex at that site would have been a real plus. But, at the time, the push was on for some kind of a "memorial" for the former Balfour (they even wanted to save the smokestack!) and once the Balfour Park idea go rolling it couldn't be stopped.
Missed an opportunity there. " to lets get real? wrote on Aug 30, 2007 4:25 PM: " There are relatively few pedestrians from the commuter rail, who are the "regular citizens" and a only few hundred people will live downtown.
You base this on what? I ride the train every day and I see the same people every day. I see tons of those people out and about in Attleboro. You'd be surprised how many "regular citizens" ride the train every day.
If you build it, they will come! " 733ok wrote on Aug 30, 2007 4:13 PM: " To Let's get real - O.K. I think we agree that there is a problem with the downtown, right? Where we seem to disagree is the solution. The City has embarked on a plan which I've summarized below (and which is backed up by the report of Goody Clancy). So, exactly what is your solution?
" Paying wrote on Aug 30, 2007 3:58 PM: " The sewer rate is set by the City Council. They, not Mayors Robbins or Dumas, did not set the rate properly nor did they adjust up in small increments. " Nick wrote on Aug 30, 2007 3:43 PM: " To Let's get real: You are putting the cart before the horse. There are no businesses in downtown that the so-called commuters seem to be interested in. I live and work in Attleboro and I am not very interested in going downtown to shop. I run to the bank and then drive to the route1 area to shop. So the question should not be "where will the customers come from?" The question should be where will the businesses come from? Right now, downtown looks and feels tired. Since the property owners with commercial space are not doing their part to keep their properties appealing to business tenants, at least the city is doing its part to make the streets and sidewalks look nice. The rest falls on the owners of these buildings to get them rented with businesses. A prospective business owner is not going to spend their hard earned rent money on some dumpy space and then attract customers into this dumpy space. We should thank the city for what they are doing and go after these slum lords. " Bob wrote on Aug 30, 2007 3:32 PM: " The sewer treatment plant may have been past its prime but the rate was not set properly and adjusted up in small increments so the "powers that be" at the time (i.e. Judy Robbins)could get herself re-elected time after time. Since the rate was not set correctly, now we are seeing such high jumps to correct for it because the debt is accruing interest. The debt and interest need to be paid off before we can see the rates recede. Also, to "tax tired," the red bricks and sidewalks are being paid through block grants and chapter 90 monies which cannot be used for other projects. Water rates are up because of former administration corruptions so you might as well enjoy the bricks! " Let's get real wrote on Aug 30, 2007 2:34 PM: " To "733k" (sounds like a consultant's fee, doesn't it?)- again the point is missed with the statement "which will hopefully convince the building owners to re-invest ". Hope will not bring it back. Why did people leave downtown? The Mall is blamed, but there were a lot of economic factors. There are relatively few pedestrians from the commuter rail, who are the "regular citizens" and a only few hundred people will live downtown. These are not enough people to support a news stand. So unless someone can show me numbers I will still doubt the success of this project. Hope may get Barak elected, but it is a lousy way to run a city. " Thanks 733ok wrote on Aug 30, 2007 2:25 PM: " 733ok, great response - typical bloggers on here aren't happy unless they are complaining about something. It's about time this city has had leadership that got things done. Kudos to them and the new downtown! " HINDSIGHT wrote on Aug 30, 2007 2:23 PM: " Yes, I was wrong, it is catch 22. Why not take the approach that Providence took to re-energize. They focused on the arts first and then brought business and other entertainment ( the P-Bruins) downtown. They condos followed once there were reasons for people to be downtown. The thought there is to bring people to an area, have them spend money and then leave. No worries about new families draining the schools, hospitals and social services. Sure you would need more police and fire, but that can be suplimneted by the new businesses, much like the fire department built behind Emerald Square Mall. With the build-up of Rt1, I hope the new shops and stores dowtown Attleboro can pull away those dollars. Does anyone else see the similarities between Attleboro of today and of the early 1900's, where the city built up around the train station? But back then the center of the community was the church, train, general store and meeting hall. Lets hope those basic ideas are included today. " 733ok wrote on Aug 30, 2007 2:11 PM: " To "to 733ok" - I realize nobody asked me specifically, but I thought the question was up for grabs to anyone reading these blogs. Geez, just trying to help out a fellow citizen.
" Hey 733k wrote on Aug 30, 2007 1:58 PM: " There was no choice, the sewer treatment plant had to be updated it was past it's prime. " to 733ok wrote on Aug 30, 2007 1:57 PM: " no one asked you personally, you act like they did. " 733ok wrote on Aug 30, 2007 1:29 PM: " WOW!! Just logged on to see all this spirited discussion going on. Let's see if I can answer some of the concerns/questions.
To "Tax Tired" - The sewer rates have gone up because former Mayor Robbins pushed for a $30m sewer treatment plan, and the bonds for that plan are now coming due. So blame her.
To "Customers" and "Let's get real" - As I understand it, the City's strategy is to fix up as much of the downtown as it can (e.g., streetscape), which will hopefully convince the building owners to re-invest and fix up their buildings. In fact, several new buildings have already been constructed and several more are currently being renovated. These new (and renovated) buildings then become attractive to potential shops. At the same time, progress is being made to create new pedestrian traffic (e.g., the new Registry of Deeds and residential condos above the downtown shops), and to make pedestrian and automobile travel safer and more efficient (e.g., streetscape and revitalization plan). As new shops continue to appear, pedestrians from the MBTA, employees from the new IBP and regular citizens will also become potential customers. That's the best I can do to help explain my understanding of the overall plan. I'm sure there will be some who disagree, but at least I answered the questions. " Civics Prof wrote on Aug 30, 2007 12:22 PM: " To: "A Big change" - as my students would say lol. Also crying too. You describe the loss of West Boston all too well. " To "Hindsight" wrote on Aug 30, 2007 11:19 AM: " It's a catch-22, not 42. Unless there's been inflation. " A Big change wrote on Aug 30, 2007 11:18 AM: " I guess urban renewal is more subtle now than in the 60's. Back then the mayor and honored guests would don hardhats stand by a wrecking ball machine and give speeches. Then the mayor would push a lever sending the wrecking ball into a historically significant, yet visionarily inconvenient, structure and all would applaud as the poor and politically uninfluential were uprooted and forced to move. Now, instead of dignitaries and the mayor it's just a cop and a city employee with a concrete cutting machine. The effect is still the same, though. " Let's get real wrote on Aug 30, 2007 11:08 AM: " TO "Nick" - most posters aren't complaining, they are offering up valid ideas. The purpose of this blog isn't to just praise the powers that be, it's to offer other views and opinions, a real need since reporters don't do much research anymore. "HINDSIGHT" and "Customers?" bring up a valid points. I would like to know which INDEPENDENT studies show where the customers will come from? The "old" downtown was prosperous because of the foot traffic. The most traffic that downtown sees now is to and from commuter rail. What will keep the cars in the lot and the people walking to downtown after a hard day at work. I don't think the planned residences will have enough people to support the down town area. I have to disagree with the view of "Hopeful with reservations". Maybe one can build a presidential campaign on the vague concept of hope, but hope without empirical data is a poor way to spend millions of tax payer dollars. So someone, please answer the question - where will the customers come from? " Nick wrote on Aug 30, 2007 10:21 AM: " Bunch of complainers you blogges are. This is great news for the City. Thanks to Mayor Dumas and the many people who have made this happen. Keep up the good work!!! " Hopeful with reservations wrote on Aug 30, 2007 10:09 AM: " Streetscape may not be the answer,but unless we start to systematicaly address all perceived hindrenses we will never know the answer.And yes in the end maybe there just aren't any customers, but at least it will not be for the lack of trying. " Customers? wrote on Aug 30, 2007 9:29 AM: " You forgot to explain where the customer come from, other shops? The area was very busy in the 1960s and 1970s. The problem is most of the factories are gone from downtown (the mayor will eliminate the pesky few remaining ones) and many of those factory workers only get a 30 minute break now anyway.
The businesses that were there then also catered to the middle class blue collar crowd that built the city. Most tool makers I knew would not spend $4.00 a day for a Latte. " Tax Tired wrote on Aug 30, 2007 8:06 AM: " The water and sewer rates go up, up, up. Glad I'll have red bricks to look at on the sidewalks. " HINDSIGHT wrote on Aug 30, 2007 7:55 AM: " "State Rep. Betty Poirier, R-North Attleboro, said she worked at the old Attleboro Saving Banks downtown years ago and remembered factory workers flooding into area restaurants on their lunch breaks."
This is the only mention in the article that states where the people who are going to shop downtown are going to come from. From what I have read, this new plan calls for removing factory workers from downtown, not adding jobs. These factory workers hopefully are to be re-planted in the new industrial park. Also, an past article regarding the Canton downtown plan didn't bear as much fruit for the older business in that town's center. I guess it's a catch 42, the people will not come downtown unless there are businesses to spend at, and the businesses will not move in unless there are people there to spend their money. " GREAT NEWS wrote on Aug 30, 2007 7:51 AM: " This is so exciting! Thank you Mayor Dumas!!! " or
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