Category Archives: Planning and Development

Planning and Development, Newburyport, MA, urban planning, the design, construction and organization of Newburyport’s urban spaces, architecture and activities.

Dithering Over a Place for Seniors

Maybe all this dithering for so many years about where to have a Senior Center, and predictably the resistance to the most recent site, among many, many “resistances” to a whole host of sites, could be our collective unconscious resistance to the notion of our own inevitable aging process and death, and the aging process and death of the people that we love.

Maybe it’s time to slightly change the focus. Not on where to have the ultimate location for a Senior Center (not that I don’t think that that is a good idea), but rather where to house all the senior services in one place, how to make sure that the Newburyport Council on Aging is always properly funded, and how to make sure that the Director of the Newburyport Council on Aging is appropriately compensated for working 24/7.

This “new” approach, actually didn’t come out of my “brilliant brain.” It came out of a conversation with Newburyport Councilor at Large, and pretty much close neighbor, Katie Ives.

Her thinking was that even (due to some miracle–my injection) if we do agree on a site for the Newburyport Senior Center, it’s going to take quite a while to fund it, and quite some time for it to become a reality.

In the mean time, something has to be done to house all the services and activities in one central location.

Hear, hear. Good for Katie Ives. An actual rational thought process.

My.

Not everybody has children, but everyone in Newburyport, MA does share the same fate, no matter what a “Paris Hilton” world might tell us. No matter how distracting the “flash and gash” of our culture might be.

Why wait until your last minute, or the last minute of someone you love, to realize that the services of the Council on Aging are applicable to everyone. Period.

And yes, we are all going to age, and if we are “lucky” grow old, and our loved ones are going to need information and support and just plain old help, even if we think that we might magically skip the aging process in the all together.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Growing Old in Newburyport, MA

I never would have imagined my father’s death, and the last weeks of his life would affect me the way it has.

Yesterday, for the first time in two and a half months, I sat down in front of my easel and painted. And it was a relief.

It won’t last, but like Spring, for me, it was a sign of hope.

Having watched the last five and a half years of “my” senior’s life, I have become passionate about having a place for seniors in Newburyport, MA, that house all the necessary services and activities, as well as making sure that the Director of the Newburyport Council on Aging, who works 24/7 is adequately financially compensated.

And as one of my favorite seniors in Newburyport (not my father) put it, “Mary, there’s nothing ‘golden’ about the ‘golden years.’ The ‘golden years’ suck.”

As a society, we seem to focus, guided by “Madison Avenue,” as they used to say, on “youth.”

Old age appears to be an anathema to the advertising agencies, and we as a society appear to have little tolerance, for the process of aging and the inevitability of death. And for goodness sakes, forget the wisdom and knowledge of our elders. Who has time for that, when in a “Paris Hilton world,” the “flash and gash” have so much more appeal.

I got news for everybody, the ones who are “lucky” enough, will get their “golden” years, and they are going to be just as “sucky” as they were for my Newburyport friend.

And for those people who think that they might not need the services of the Newburyport Council on Aging, collected in the same place, listen carefully, and respectfully to the “process of old age,” because that would be your old age as well.

And for those people who feel that they are wealthy enough, well educated enough to feel that they would not need the services of the Newburyport Council on Aging, congregated in the same place, I’ve got news for you. In life there are no guarantees. There are no sure bets. Period.

And for those out there who might not think that having the services of the Newburyport Council on Aging all in one place, might not be a good idea, I’ve got more news for you–it is not and it will not be “all about you.” The people who are around you, if you are lucky enough to grow older, will need support and education and just plain old help, in helping you with the “sucky” process of growing old.

Am I pissed about all the dithering about where and how to house the services provided by the Newburyport Council on Aging and the lack of respect and support by so many people in Newburyport, MA? Yup, you bet I am. As they say in New York, for goodness sakes, “get off the shtik.”

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

What is a High Street Plan

What exactly are High Street “plans?”

The original plans from MassHighway for High Street were 52 pages of detailed drawings.

The High Street Master plan is also (or I would imagine be somewhere around) 52 pages of detailed drawings.

When the original plans came back from MassHighway, the High Street Ad Hoc Committee that I was on (this would be the spring of 1999) was asked to “mark-up” the plans, another words write comments on the plans as feedback for the MassHighway engineers.

As I recall every page had “NO” written all over it in red pencil.

I don’t know how the Newburyport Planning Office marked up the High Street Master Plan, but I do remember that the plan itself was huge. Each page seemed huge to me (like 1.5 by 3 feet–that’s not exactly the exact size, and yes I could call the Newburyport Planning Office and ask, but you get the idea, the pages aren’t exactly puny).

And when the plan was put end to end, it seemed long enough to almost cover the back of the City Hall auditorium wall. I’m not exactly sure if that is exactly right, but we are talking long, really, really long.

And the plans are detailed. You can get an idea by pressing here, a page labeled “Kent and Johnson Street”. You can see that there are markings for detailed things like trees, where steps to houses are, whether a spot in front of a house has an iron or a wood fence, how long the fence would be, exactly where the grass is, where a house starts and the beginning of a house’s “foot print.”

All of this was and still is visually fascinating to me as an artist. I could appreciate the hours and hours of work that went into such a document/plan. Every inch had been measured. Every inch had been sometimes agonized over.

Having followed the process from the beginning, I realized when I saw the final High Street Master Plan, that it was truly a labor of love. And I was very moved and very thankful to all the people who helped create it.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Weird Bike Lane Politics

A little history on the weird Bike Lane politics. Oy Veh.

The High Street Master Plan was presented at a Public Hearing in 2004, to cheers, except for Tom O’Brien, who was at that time the President of the Newburyport City Council. The mayor (Mary Anne Clancy) was at that meeting. All seemed to be well. In fact, all seemed to be great.

(And as a btw, the High Street Master Plan calls for things like textured cross walks, that look like bricks, but are not, so the Fire, Police and DPW could navigate without any problem, brick sidewalks for all of High Street, and yes, trees, and other good stuff.)

As I recall the Newburyport Planning Office had urged the mayor to give the press, press releases before the bike lanes, (the first phase of the High Street Master Plan) went down, so that people would have some information, and not be totally surprised. It is my recollection, that that piece of civic information never made it to the press, and the bike lanes were a surprise to folks who weren’t following along, which turned out to be almost everyone in Newburyport, MA.

Massive confusion and a visceral dislike of the bike lanes followed (this is a vast understatement). The Newburyport City Council decided that it would be prudent to officially vote on the High Street Master Plan, which they did, and it passed.

Then the Mayor, Mary Anne Clancy, vetoed the plan, and there were not enough votes on the Newburyport City Council to override the mayor’s bike lane veto (you need a lot of votes for such things as overriding vetoes).

What a mess.

What a mess especially because the bike lanes were only partially done. For example, as I remember, there was no signage put up to explain to the bikers and drivers when the bike lanes would stop and when bikes and cars would share road space together.

The rounded painted corners look like parking spaces. They are not. If things had been finished, those areas would have been striped, for no parking, so that people could have proper “sight lines,” or in other words, be able to see traffic coming from either direction.

And of course the textured crosswalks never got done, to help slow down traffic further.

All of this, and other stuff, left us in Newburyport, MA, in “bike lane limbo.”

So I would imagine that the Newburyport Planning Office and the Newburyport City Council would dust off the High Street Master Plan, take a good look at it after 4 years now, and decide what to do next. And give the public, I am sure, all kinds of good and helpful information.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

High Street, a Little History

Let’s have a little chat. Let’s have a little chat about how in the world did we end up having a High Street Master Plan, and what about those wretched (for some) bike lanes.

To go back to the beginning, sort of. In January of 1995, the city of Newburyport, MA asked and then received a grant from the Massachusetts Highway Department to fix High Street. The original grant (all of this can be found on the High Street website under “Reference Documents.”) acknowledged that it would adhere to Federal and State “design requirements.”

What the “design requirements” ended up being (all of this being presented to the City of Newburyport, 3 years later, in 1998, on 52 detailed pages) was the removal of 77 trees, 3 traffic lights (one at Three Roads, one at the High School and a new one at High and State Street), and a whole lot of other things that people weren’t too crazy about.

The new stop light at High and State Street required that the street be widened and a number of feet be taken by right (I believe) from the Mobile Station at the corner of State and High, all the way down to somewhere around Fruit Street or lower. And a retaining wall to be put up, to hold up that part of the “Ridge.”

It took about a year to get people’s attention, about what was about to happen to High Street, and the residences, once they got the message, pretty much went berserk, and MassHighway finally backed down in the fall of 1999.

Long, long story, but the long and short of it, was that the residence wanted the street to be historically restored, and also wanted traffic to be slowed down without stoplights.

Years of research and public hearings later, a (beautiful, in my mind) High Street Master Plan was created in 2004. And to “calm” traffic (or make it go slower) one of the elements were the bike lanes.

And, it is my belief, that before the bike lanes went down, and there was just a yellow strip down the middle, with wide open spaces on either side, it was real easy to go down High Street at 50 miles an hour, and that was not uncommon.

It’s hard to go more than 40 miles an hour now, and often the speed is more like 30 miles an hour, which, except for around the schools, would be the speed limit.

So the bike lanes do appear to “calm” or slow down traffic. And they also do other things, like get people out of their cars to walk and bike. And it appears, at this point, that we would like a walkable and bikable community.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

High Street Master Plan and Bike Lanes

My.

I’ve always thought that The High Street Master Plan is inspirational, and quite frankly, a little bit a head of its time, with its emphasis on “green living,” walkable and bikable community, much less restoring High Street to its rightful glory.

But then again, a great many people disagreed with me about those bike lanes (yes, this is a vast understatement).

Full disclosure: Ever since February 1999, I’ve been working towards a High Street Master Plan, and was beyond joyous when the Newburyport Planning Office presented the High Street Master Plan in 2004 to an enthusiastic crowd. And befuddled beyond belief by the convoluted politics that followed, leaving us in “bike lane limbo.”

Do I want this inspirational plan to go forward? Yup, you bet I do. And am I extremely grateful that the Newburyport City Council has put this way up on their “to do” priority list? Yup, you bet I am.

Wow.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Insight, Wisdom and Inspiration

I miss my Dad.

One of the things that my Dad and I would always do, is talk about politics, national and local. And I want to ask him so many things.

One of my Dad’s great gifts, and I’ve heard this over and over from so many people who knew him, was his ability to listen to an issue or problem, business or personal, and in one or two sentences get to the kernel of the what would be at stake, but always with an optimistic twist.

I remember when I talked to my Dad about the override for our schools, and his wonderful remark, that folks were afraid that if an override passed, that they would “lose their town.” Bingo. It was always a “bingo.” It might not be a “bingo” I might want to hear, but it was a “bingo,” nevertheless.

I want to ask him about Mr. Karp’s visit. He would have some wise insight that eludes me. I want to ask him about Newburyport’s critical need for funding, which is at odds with people’s often desperate personal financial struggles. He would have ideas. Lots and lots of ideas. And very wise ideas at that.

He always taught me that change was an organic part of life. And one of his many gifts, was not only to make change acceptable, but almost always to make change inspiring.

Change is and has and will happen to Newburyport, MA. And how do we as citizens and residents of this small New England city, make that change, not just acceptable, but how do we make change an inspiration?

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Stephen Karp’s Visit to Newburyport, MA

I wasn’t at Mr. Karp’s visit to Newburyport, MA (see previous post), and having read all the newspaper articles, blogs and having talked to any number for folks, and having put all of that in a stew in my brain, the following “stuff” has emerged.

It does appear that Mr. Karp did good. As Public Relations go, in fact, of all the many, many ways he could have conducted the evening, it was “brilliant.”

To meet folks in person before hand, I gotta tell you, A+. (Does this blogger feel a little bit arrogant giving a developer of Mr. Karp stature, grades that one receives in High School? Yup, she does.) Being the only one to address the audience, relaxed, joking, in shirt sleeves and taking questions–as my son would say, “classic.” Definitely good go’n Mr. Karp.

Stressing public input and public process, on the record no less, well, this blogger likes this big time.

However, there were a few, “wait a moment” moments for moi.

The stress on the city coming up with a solution to the parking issue.

My first thought was, well, we’ve been fighting over this since the automobile first made its appearance, good luck with that one. I guess nothing is ever going to get built on Waterfront West or East. As my mother would say “tant pis,” or French for “too bad.”

And then I thought, hmm, the best proposed location for a parking garage by far, in my opinion, had been on the Lomardi Oil site, on Merrimac Street, behind the Newburyport police station. The Newburyport Planning Office had come up with a pretty awesome design (it failed in the Newburyport City Council at the time by one vote–in hindsight, it appears to be an “oh dear”).

And Mr. Karp has mentioned that he would not be opposed to a public, private enterprise. So 2 great locations on Mr. Karp’s property. Around the Fitness Factory, but even better, a well designed garage right off of Route 1 where the land going down to Michael’s Harborside is, and where I gather the hotel-condominium is being proposed. I think that the citizens of Newburyport, MA might go for a parking garage on that site. I have a feeling however, that that might not give the bang for the buck that Mr. Karp could be looking for.

There was a “ding, ding, ding, ding” going off in my head, hearing that when the question was asked, who on the development team would be the contact person for the Newburyport public on this project, and that at that time, no one had been appointed.

And on the subject of affordable housing, it sounds as if Mr. Karp drew a blank, and our own Nancy Colbert (Newburyport’ Planning Director), came to his rescue.

On his blog, Newburyport According to X, Mr. Npbt X had some interesting observations about Mr. Karp’s audience. What can I say, I wasn’t there. An interesting read.

And it appears that the audience broke down into three separate groups: the “skeptical group,” the “cautiously optimistic group,” and the “can I KYA, leechy group.” All of which, I would imagine, in Mr. Karp’s long career, must seem all very, very familiar.

So welcome to Newburyport, Stephen Karp.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Service, Fixing and Helping

My Dad passed on March 3rd, 12 hours short of his 90th birthday.

My father was a remarkable man. He taught me about the gift of “service.”

He taught his daughter that service is different from “helping” or “fixing” people, situations, institutions. That in “helping” and “fixing” one often sees individuals and institutions as being weaker than oneself, and that people could feel diminished, something my father never wanted.

My father taught me that service honors life, and the wholeness and holiness of life. And that service is not about taking credit for whatever is accomplished, but that amazing things could be achieved when one does not care who takes the credit.

And this brings me to Mr. Karp, who arrives in Newburyport, MA today for his first encounter with the people of Newburyport, MA.

And my hope would be that Mr. Karp would see Newburyport, MA not as a place to be “fixed,” or a place to be “helped.” But that Mr. Karp would use his knowledge, his expertise and his wealth in a spirit of “service.” That he would honor Newburyport, MA, and see his purpose, not as putting his “mark” on our small New England city, but see his work here, as a way of enriching Newburyport’s “wholeness” and enriching the city’s “spirit.”

That he might see himself not as a “powerful” landlord, but as a servant to a place that is much greater than himself.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Being An Activist, A lot of Work

I gotta say that I’m scratching my head here as I read the article on Buy Local by Stewart Stokes, in the Newburyport Current, February 22, 2008, “Buy Local lacks momentum.”

Say what?

Excuse me?

It sounds to me as if Mr. Stokes has never been an “activist.”

Let me tell you honey it’s hard work. It usually comes down to 1, or if you are lucky 2, or if you are really, really luck 3 (I mean really lucky) people doing all the work.

And the “work” involved in being an activist, is the equivalent of having a second, if not a third full-time job, on top of what anything else might be going on in life.

So good grief, give these people a break, and thank them for all the hard work that has gone into this endeavor, which would be on a volunteer basis, no less, on behalf of the citizens of Newburyport, Massachusetts.

If folks care about the efforts of what Buy Local has already accomplished, for goodness sakes, help them out and step up to the plate, already. And plan on the stepping up to the plate thing, being in the form of an extra full-time sort of occupation.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport Politics as a Contact Sport

Wow, the last comment on Newburyport City Councilor Ed Cameron’s blog would be quite something.

It is “Anonymous” and in my mind, a good example of why politics in Newburyport is referred to as a “contact sport,” and why this town has often been called “Cannibal City.”

A partial quote:

“I hope those who raise perhaps valid questions about the wisdom of building a senior center at Cushing Park will not be depicted as “anti-senior” or villified like some neighborhood school advocates were. And I hope councilors will not dismiss their concerns as simple resistance to change. Jim Roy raises some valid questions, which I hope are not dismissed in a cavalier fashion, especially by those elected by all citizens.”

It’s hard for me to imagine this Newburyport City Council as being the sort of folks who are going to be “dismissive,” “cavalier” or “vilify” their constituents.

And it takes a lot of courage for our local politicians to take a stand and advocate a position.

I could not possibly speak for Mr. Cameron, but reservations about a site for a Newburyport Senior Center, would hardly make any citizen “anti-senior.”

To say finding a consensus for a location for a Senior Center would be difficult, could be an understatement. And I applaud Mr. Cameron and Mayor John Moak for taking what definitely is for some, a very unpopular stand.

Mary Eaton,
Newburyport

Resistance to Paid Parking

I am very pleased to have a new blog by a long time resident.

The blog is: MrXNbpt.wordpress.com.

One of the reasons that I am so please, is that there is now a voice on the Newburyport blogosphere that expresses what so many of the residents of Newburyport, MA would feel. And I think it would be very helpful for those in political office, in helping them to understand all of their constituents.

When the issue of “paid parking” came up, inwardly, I rolled my eyes. It may make fiscal sense, but if there is not the political will (and there certainly has been major opposition to the idea in the past), it could be a good idea for our local politicians, whether it would be the mayor or the Newburyport City Council, to take that viewpoint into consideration.

I remember when the issue of paid parking came up before. Someone from the community called me up and asked me what I thought. As I recall, my response was something like, “Honey, not in a million years are ‘they’ are going to go for that one. You can try, but dollars to donuts, it ain’t going to happen.”

It didn’t back then. And it would be my guess, that the concept of paid parking downtown, would have major opposition now, and my reply would be exactly the same.

However, as a “by the way,” the last time paid parking was addressed, the Newburyport Planning Office came up with an incredibly thoughtful and intelligent approach. And Geordie Vining of the Newburyport Planning Office, who could be involved in this present endeavor, to come up with a plan for paid parking, in my mind, is one of the people that I most trust in all of Newburyport, MA. We as a city, are incredibly lucky to have Geordie Vining, in the Newburyport Office of Planning and Development.

Mary Eaton, Newburyport

Time, Trust, Comfort and the Established Every Day

Tom Salemi on his blog, Newburyport Posts asks a very important question, and a question I think that many people ask themselves as well. And that is, since a Senior Center is going to cost the city of Newburyport, MA money, why not save that money, and have the much needed services scattered around the city in various places.

And let’s face it. That’s a very good question, one that I’ve been giving a lot of thought to.

And there are still a few families in Newburyport, MA that are lucky enough, that Mom and/or Dad have sons, daughter, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, who either still could afford to live in town, or at least would be able to live nearby. But even families who have grown up in Newburyport, MA find themselves in the “modern” world, where loved ones have jobs and lives that are not so close to home.

And many of us who have moved to Newburyport, MA, since urban renewal took place in the 1970’s really do not have family members who live in the area at all. And this poses a dilemma.

And what I have noticed is that loneliness is one of the biggest culprits. Sitting in a small 2 room apartment, day after day, with only the television, maybe, to keep one company, would be soul numbing, to say the least. And this is what many of our senior population are faced with. Maybe that’s something that’s not a lot of fun to think about, but it is true.

And the other thing that I’ve noticed, is that when there is something physically or emotionally that is not right, it is very difficult, even more so as one gets older, to say in an instant, or even an hour, what exactly what that “might not be right” could be. It often takes days with someone trusted, to figure out, not only the general problem, but the nuances of the situation.

If there is a place to go, a trusted place, and one would go on a regular basis, there is “time.” Time to talk through what seems to be happening. Time for folks who are familiar with each other, to notice what is happening. Time to think through solutions to a problem that makes some sort of sense.

In short, a Senior Center would be a meeting location, that could often take the place of “family,” that in this day and age is often scattered and sometimes fractured, and simply, in reality, often not there, to provide very basic interactions, that were once a part of everyday life.

Mary Eaton, Newburyport

Senior Center, Newburyport , MA

The frogs are concerned. There has been a family “call for” and they are afraid that I would not get around to blogging the Newburyport Blog. Well, obviously they are wrong. It’s very sweet of them.

(Although the more I think about it, not to be a cynic here, I hope it’s not because they want to make sure that they would continue to make an appearance on the World Wide Web.)

 George-Advice.jpg

George expressing his concern to moi 

I checked in on Ed Cameron’s Blog, and was delighted that he addressed the issue of the Senior Center. Well articulated, and in a calm and sensible manner, no less. A definite must read.

I appreciate all his thoughts, including Mr. Cameron’s thoughts on the proposed location of Cushing Park, and who exactly is going to use the Senior Center, and the number of folks that  there might be.

Good for Ed Cameron.

The frogs although not seniors (far from it), are quite pleased by Mr. Cameron’s, what they feel is good go’n chutzpah.

Mary Eaton, Newburyport

Stephen Karp to Visit Newburyport, MA

Well, this is a relief. Really and truly a relief.

According to today’s Newburyport Daily News, January 30, 2008, Stephen Karp is coming to visit Newburyport, MA. The hope is for sometime in early March 2008.

“”It is just him trying to be visible here,” the mayor said… “It will be open to the public.”

The intention of the meeting, which is being pursued by (John) Moak and other Newburyport officials, is simply an introduction of the “players” involved with New England Development, including Karp, Moak said…”

“Moak said he wasn’t sure what form Karp’s visit would take but said he could address his development philosophy and introduce his team…”

“It is going to be more of an introduction, an introduction of New England Development to the community,” Moak said…

“At this point, the logical thing to do is to get to know the people of Newburyport and listen to their concerns to see if he can put those concerns to rest,” Jones (Newburyport City Councilor Tom Jones ) said. “I think he would find the people of Newburyport to be very welcoming to that…”

He (Newburyport City Councilor Tom Jones) said it is better to work with residents at the start than fighting them throughout…” (Newburyport Daily News, January 30, 2008, “Karp planning first visit to Port to introduce development team,” by Stephen Tait)

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

(Editor’s Note: Gillian Swart in the Newburyport Current, reported on February 7, 2008, that Stephen Karp will be in Newburyport, MA, Thursday, March 13, 2008, at a public forum–time and place to be determined.)

Newburyport, MA, the Integrity and the Fate of our City

I have had this conversation with many folks, always folks who have moved to Newburyport, MA “recently.” And by recently that could be 7 years to a month ago.

The question is, “So what if Stephen Karp’s plan is high-end homogenization. Why would that not be good for Newburyport, MA. Wouldn’t the economic prosperity that would ensue, be a bottom line in helping out our small New England city financially?”

There are any number of levels on which to respond to that question. Buy Local addresses some of the economic concerns, which people may not agree with (see Tom Salemi’s blog, Newburyport Posts).

When Roger Foster bought so much of the downtown property, whether one agreed with Mr. Foster’s goals or not (wanting a hotel on the Central Waterfront, on the NRA property), the land was owned by someone who had an emotional attachment to Newburyport.

When that land was bought by Chuck and Ann Lagasse, many people were concerned on the one hand, but on the other, again these were 2 people who lived within the community, had strong community ties, and also had what appeared to be a strong emotional attachment to Newburyport, MA.

For both Roger Foster and Chuck and Ann Lagasse, whether one agreed with the approach or not, there appeared to be a certain “integrity” in the ownership of the land. Both could have been seen as “family-run” businesses, interested about the bottom line, but also having a balance of being involved in and caring about the community of Newburyport, MA.

But this is what it feels like to me. This large piece of land (that contains over “50 retail properties in downtown Newburyport and along the waterfront,” New England Development’s website) has gone from being run as a family-run affair, to being owned by a very large and ambitious corporate entity, with no emotional attachment to Newburyport, MA, whose focus would solely be on the bottom line.

And although I hear all the time, that Ann and Chuck Lagasse are in charge for a reason, to maintain integrity, I do not buy it. That is my opinion.

It is my opinion that there has to be a business plan, and that business plan would have to come from the top, i.e. New England Development. And the way that the business appears now to be structured, it is my opinion that the Lagasses could not possibly have the last say, and final input, which would include input from the community, in what would happen to the fate of Newburyport, MA.

It is my opinion, that the emotional attachment and the “integrity” of the ownership, have been greatly compromised.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

High-End Homogenization, How High

As I mentioned in the previous post, I’ve been reading a fascinating book by Dana Thomas, called “Deluxe, How Luxury Lost Its Luster,” how high end luxury brands, have become globalized, ” and “lost their luster,” and available to the “masses.”

The book “Deluxe,” explains how high-end luxury retail would now be available to developers like New England Development, Mr. Karp, whereas in earlier decades, that would not have been a choice that would have been obtainable.

(As a btw, Tom Salemi on his blog Newburyport Posts has a good list of articles and references to Stephen Karp.)

And the book also explains why “luxury” brands now have the possibility of being an emphasis in retail, whereas it would not have been possible a decade ago.

I was taking a look at the website of one of New England Development’s recent, in the works projects, “Wisconsin Place,” a mixed-use, lifestyle center in Chevy Chase, MD. Chevy Chase, MD is described as “one of the region’s most affluent and discriminating neighborhoods, “synonymous with well-heeled affluence.” And the project does include “a cluster” of very high-end retailers, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Tiffany & Co and Bloomingdale’s.

This appears to be a different emphasis from the retail in the CambridgeSide Galleria, across the river from Boston, one of New England Development’s earlier projects. The retail there, having more what I think of as traditional mall stores, Best Buy, Macy’s, Sears, etc.

I’m not sure what this all means. It’s hard to imagine that we would see Tiffany & Co in Newburyport, MA. Would Newburyport ever be synonymous with that kind of “well-heeled affluence?” Difficult for me to imagine.

Not an emphasis apparently on the low to mid-market. But what the “high-end” of high-end homogenization would it be? For New England Development, is Newburyport a “diamond in the rough,” or do we all ready have enough innate glitter and only need a little “buffing” here and there.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Mr. Karp and New England Development

In thinking about Mr. Karp, he and New England Development are the main story and the main issue that is at least lurking in the background of most Newburyporter’s brains.

And the fact that we are “powerless” over Mr. Karp, at least to me feels uncomfortable.

It feels to me that there is an absentee, non-existent person up there in the castle, and then there is the rest of us down below. And there is no indication of what would be the fate of the place that we are living in, we just know that definitely something is going to happen.

And in thinking about Mr. Karp and how people deal with our relatively “new” landlord, it seems people either trust New England Development and give them the benefit of the doubt. Or they don’t trust New England Development, and their inclination would be to “challenge” them.

But if you are a “challenger,” the frustrating thing would be that there has been little or no information from the New England Development folks, for what I think could be years now, to make a reasoned challenge with.

One could assume a “high-end homogenous” business plan. However, just how high-end that would end up being, don’t know.

So I’m trying to accept that I’m powerless over Mr. Karp, and just relax and accept whatever is coming. However, that’s a tough one, and it feels like a real loss. Because I’ve always felt that if a Newburyport resident paid attention and got involved, that they could make a real difference and contribution to our community. But now, I’m not so sure.

But lately I’ve been thinking to myself, well, with everything going on in the economy, and possible economic uncertainly in the future, that Newburyport might be lucky to have a billionaire who owns so much of Newburyport, MA, that could provide a cushion in difficult financial times.

And although I might not want “high-end homogenization” for my home town, at least I am pretty sure that Mr. Karp would do his best to make whatever happens “attractive.” And I do get the feeling that his intentions are to “do right” by Newburyport, MA. It’s just whether New England Development’s definition of “do right” would coincide with what residents feel would be a good definition of “do right.”

And maybe the worst scenario would be in a bad economy, for Mr. Karp to sell some or all of that very key property downtown and along the waterfront to someone who really doesn’t have any good intentions towards Newburyport, MA at all.

It just appears to be more and more of a long wait and see situation.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Senior Center, Where

This is where it becomes wretched. Where to have the Newburyport Senior Center?

Ed Cameron talks about this on his blog.

And I give Mayor John Moak great deal of credit for making a decision about where to locate the Senior Center, the choice being Cushing Park, a location Mr. Cameron also agrees with.

Some seniors have been actively lobbying for a Senior Center on the Central Waterfront (the NRA property).

Well, a hotel didn’t go there and neither did the Newburyport Library.

And to keep lobbying for the Senior Center to go on the Central Waterfront, could in my opinion, not only sabotage any hopes of a Senior Center ever being built, but also could sabotage any hope of the conundrum of the Central Waterfront (the NRA property) ever being resolved (and it looks like there might be a ray of hope that we could be close).

Is there a perfect place for a Senior Center? No. Otherwise we as a city might have agreed on a spot after all these many, many years.

And if a Senior Center is to actually happen, it would be my opinion that it could be time to get real realistic and do a little compromising on the part of those unhappy with the Cushing Park site.

And yes, I understand how threatening it would be for the neighbors of Cushing Park not to have all of that off-street parking during bad winter weather.

However, the same was true for the Catholic Church property on Federal Street where the 2 historic houses where rescued and the area built on (the Federal Street Overlay District).

That area was mostly used for off-street parking during lousy winter weather. What did all those neighbors do? I don’t know, but they sure did something. (And no one ever expected the Catholic Church to give that piece of land up for development.)

And yes, location is important for a Senior Center. However, what happens inside the Senior Center, the people who are there for the Senior Center and having a place to go for seniors, for me, trumps location.

It seems to me that Cushing Park is the best compromise that the city has yet to come up with for a Senior Center. And if you’ve been reading the Newburyport Blog lately, it would be my opinion, that we really need a Senior Center now.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

To Chain Store or Not

To chain store or not to chain store (a conversation that has been taking place on Tom Salemi’s Blog, Newburyport Posts) would really not be the question for me. The question for me, in actuality, would be about the underlying concern in the community about Mr. Karp and New England Development.

After reading Stephen Tait’s series of articles about Mr. Karp, New England Development, Nantucket and Newburyport (a must read) in the Newburyport Daily News, December 2007, I ended up thinking, “What’s the use?” “What does it matter?”

Newburyport, MA might be lucky if we got a “tweak” in the plans. But my guess, based on that excellent piece of reporting on Mr. Tait’s part, that New England Development and Mr. Karp would do what ever they want, and there is very little, as long as the zoning requirements are within reason, that the residents or political folks could do.

Sigh.

How depressing.

So the “Chain Store Ordinance” could in someway, be a statement of rebellion. It could be a statement of a desire to be able to control some of the destiny, on some small level of Newburyport, MA. Not to leave it completely up to a large corporation, where Newburyport, it appears, could be just another jewel in New England Development’s crown.

It is could not only be about what would be best economically for Newburyport, MA, but it could also be a statement that Newburyport, MA belongs to us.

And I ask myself, what do we as residence of Newburyport have control over, if not the fate of our own downtown.

And 2 of the things that come to mind are the fate of Newburyport’s senior population (if we are lucky, we too might eventually become part of a senior population) and a vibrant and welcoming Senior Center, and the fate of our children’s education.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport