My post yesterday about the busy weekend in Downtown Waterbury drew a comment on Facebook about some of the problems that our downtown still faces. While I have never denied that there are still issues to be worked out, there is a lot more going on than some people would believe.
Therefore, in the latest installment of my efforts to market downtown, I have attempted address these concerns. In no particular order...
Good shows at the Palace:
Fiddler on the Roof, Grease, Tosca, and Riverdance are all being performed at the Palace this spring alone. Also, there will be shows with Tracy Morgan, the band Chicago, Jim Brickman, John Mellencamp, and Clay Aiken. Sounds to me like there’s something for almost everyone there. And we can’t forget the past visits by Mya Angelou, Weird Al Yankovic, George Carlin, and Tony Bennett, as well as shows of Mamma Mia!, Hairspray, Avenue Q, and Spamalot that have all graced the stage there. (And those are just the ones I can pull off the top of my head.)
Clean up the Green:
It’s not perfect, but the Farmer’s Market that has been held there for the past five years has drawn good crowds from July to October. Not only those that live around the Green, but those who work in the area are often seen out and about getting their produce for the week. It’s my understanding that there has been some success with the concerts that Main Street has hosted there as well.
Furthermore, the Second Annual Spirit of Waterbury Festival this year was a huge success, as was the Fifth Annual Mardi-Gross celebration that brought thousands of kids to Bank Street for an opportunity to do a little Trick-or-Treating.
A Vision for Downtown:
Carl Rosa and Main Street Waterbury have had a plan in place for almost six years now. The Jarjura administration doesn’t always follow it, but much has been done to move along the path that was laid out in 2004.
This includes the market-rate apartments that opened back in January at 70 Bank Street. Isn’t it amazing that those 18 apartments were rented in less than six months? The developer who transformed that building has already started work on 12 more market rate condos in the “Apothecary Hall” at the intersection of Bank and South Main.
This vision also includes the façade improvements that have started in six different downtown buildings, five of them on Bank Street alone. In the future Main Street Waterbury will be rolling out a second round of applications for not only façade grants, but signage grants as well.
This vision also includes the work that Carl Rosa asked me to do regarding outdoor dining regulations for our many wonderful restaurants, regulations to prevent the proliferation of “newspaper boxes” that are not maintained properly, and new signage regulations.
Parking:
That’s going to be a problem in any city, but thanks to the work of Main Street Waterbury the city purchased a sweeper to clean the garage. Also, I have always found the garage well lit, and felt safe whenever I’ve parked there. In fact, during the warm weather months, parking at the Buckingham garage is usually my first option.
Also, if people want to avoid tickets, Main Street Waterbury has set up a website detailing the parking options in downtown. This site lists where the parking sites are, how much it costs to park there, and where you can get a Waterbury Meter Card. These cards allow you to put time on a parking meter, as well as taking unused time off the meter. That way you’re not stuck putting $1.00 of quarters in the meter for a 20 minute errand. In fact, you don’t even need to look for quarters anymore.
In conclusion, if someone asked me what I felt was the biggest problem facing downtown, I’d say perception. Not enough people are paying attention to the work Main Street Waterbury is doing, and the accomplishments that they have achieved over the past 5 years.
Hope to see you at the next big event!
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