Lawrence Developments

[cubalibre]

I had an hour to kill in Lawrence this morning so I took a stroll down Main Street and around Campagnone Common.
While there is plenty of evidence that the city is struggling - empty storefronts, loitering, open drug use on the street - I found it reasonably clean, well-kept, and I felt safe.
Campagnone Common is enormous (think Boston Common) and impeccable. There are some very nice buildings on Main Street and around the Common that are in pretty good shape. There are some enclaves of interesting retail, bagel shops, and restaurants. Some of the large mill buildings on the Merrimack river have been converted into lofts and office space.

First Main Street:

Court House:

City Hall:

Converted Mills:

Around Campagnone Common:

Boston City Hall's little sister: the public library

Lawrence High School:

Back around the Common:

 

[vanshnookenraggen]

As they say, it has good bones. What we are seeing in NY state is more people get driven out of NYC due to cost who are relocating to upstate, Hudson river towns which have spent the last 50 years bombed out. Even in Troy, which I couldn't get out of fast enough when I was 15, you are seeing brownstones reaching the $1m mark (although this isn't common). No doubt this is happening in the Boston area as well and it will be small cities like Lawrence, Lynn, Lowell, and Worcester picking up the slack. I think it's a great thing to breath new life into these small cities.

 

[reverend_paco]

As they say, it has good bones. What we are seeing in NY state is more people get driven out of NYC due to cost who are relocating to upstate, Hudson river towns which have spent the last 50 years bombed out. Even in Troy, which I couldn't get out of fast enough when I was 15, you are seeing brownstones reaching the $1m mark (although this isn't common). No doubt this is happening in the Boston area as well and it will be small cities like Lawrence, Lynn, Lowell, and Worcester picking up the slack. I think it's a great thing to breath new life into these small cities.

Completely agree on this. I spent a wonderful couple of weeks in the Hudson river area and was loving the quality of life.

I have a particular affection for Lowell and its canals, but all of the cities of the Merrimack river from Concord down to Amesbury are untapped in good bones potential.

 

[FK4]

Great Lawrence pictures. I don’t think I’ve ever been to the downtown.

And yes - the high cost of living’s silver lining is the rejuvenation of outlying towns and cities. I went to Hudson NY last fall and it was pretty unbelievable how boutique-y the main drag was (and how extensive)... but, step off Main Street and it was more bombed out than any town I’ve seen in Massachusetts.

 

[Arlington]

More proof that we need an investment in Regional Rail...clockface service all day long...to connect places like Lawrence (and Haverhill, Lowell, Lynn, Framingham, & Worcester, (& Pawtucket/Providence) to the Boston economy.

Houston's outermost loop (99) is 30~35 miles out from downtown Houston--basically at the radius of our I-495-- being able to sprawl out that far has been what's kept Houston so affordable.

Boston's solution to affordability has already been built. We just have to connect it with rail.

 

[BostonUrbEx]

Love this little car-free court in Lawrence. It is near the Common, downtown. Good looking houses, but the court looks a little forlorn these days.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

goo.gl

 

[kingofsheeba]

It's a city that has been left to rot. Lowell, Haverhill and Nashua have ascended while Lawrence is essentially on the declination. The past two mayors promised to bring tech to the city and they couldn't deliver.

 

[BostonUrbEx]

Hundreds of new apartments approved in Lawrence
Three projects pass Planning Board

Hundreds of new apartments approved in Lawrence

LAWRENCE — The city’s mills seem to be making a renaissance of sorts, with developers gobbling up hundreds of thousands of square feet of high ceilings, hardwood floors and brick

www.eagletribune.com

 

[cubalibre]

Insightful article on Lawrence’s struggles, recent small successes, and uncertain future in light of COVID-19

One City’s Road to Recovery Offers Lessons, and Hope (Published 2020)

Lawrence, Mass., once an industrial power, set out to reverse a long decline with the Federal Reserve’s help. Now it faces a new economic challenge.

www.nytimes.com

Like other gateway cities, the economic boom of recent years had more modest impact than it had in the large cities, and any hard-won gains are in danger to be wiped out.

 

[#bancars]

Some U/C stuff from a walk around Lawrence today (9/11).

 

[stick n move]

Hasnt been posted

Project site
https://www.lupolicompanies.com/282-merrimack

 

[cubalibre]

Once-abandoned mills are now home to thousands of Massachusetts residents

How Massachusetts became a model for turning industrial-era mills into modern housing.

www.wgbh.org

 

[Blackbird]

Hasnt been posted

Lowell City Council OKs sale of Hamilton Canal land to Lupoli Companies

LOWELL — The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize City Manager Eileen Donoghue to enter into a land disposition agreement with Lupoli Companies for five city-owned Jackson Street parcels located in the Hamilton Canal Innovation District.

It’s a major move for the redevelopment of this part of the city, in which Lupoli Companies CEO Sal Lupoli has envisioned a mixed-use development across multiple buildings, including a large tower.

Donoghue said it will be a minimum $30 million investment in the district.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.lo...-hamilton-canal-land-to-lupoli-companies/amp/

Current plan
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Project site
https://www.lupolicompanies.com/282-merrimack

So someone is confused here. I don’t think it’s me.

 

[stefal]

So someone is confused here. I don’t think it’s me.

First picture looks like the Lowell project. The rest look like Lawrence?

 

[Blackbird]

First picture looks like the Lowell project. The rest look like Lawrence?

Huh. I just kind of assumed that it was all Lawrence and the author just got the city wrong.

Color me actually confused now. Why are two different cities being discussed?

 

[LowellGuy]

Hopefully I can clear this up. The news article and the first picture are related to development parcels in the Hamilton Canal district in Lowell that the city sold to Lupoli Companies for redevelopment (that mid-rise is planned on the parcel directly across the canal from the new court). Everything else below what reads current plan is related to the Lupoli Companies development plans for Lawrence.

 

[stick n move]

Sorry about that, I fixed it.

 

[Arlington]

Nice story on the redevelopment of the Lawrence Mill(s) into Riverwalk:

How a hulking mill no one wanted became a huge Massachusetts success story

Lupoli has dubbed the ethos of Riverwalk as “work, live, play” — a 50-acre complex where people can make a living, find an apartment and enjoy life.

www.masslive.com

 

[stick n move]

MassHousing

“Congratulations to Lawrence Community Works and Equity Development Group on breaking ground for four new homes on Orchard Street that will be for affordable for sale to first-time homebuyers. MassHousing provided financing for the homeownership project through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.”

https://www.facebook.com/1000648393...f4YruaWj5fTSkNu4hK1gRND96yBl/?mibextid=cr9u03

 

[stick n move]

Island Parkside

“[ THE CHALLENGE ] Develop affordable housing on a prominent waterfront site to address the needs of a diverse community and reinforce the resurgence of Lawrence as a regional urban center.

[ THE RESPONSE ] Conceived of as a modern version of the historic mill building type, the project is comprised of two 5-story 40-unit apartment buildings with a linear courtyard between that serves to connect an adjacent city park with restored mill buildings containing residential and commercial spaces. The ground floor levels are occupied by resident and community amenities including a connected educational/athletic facility, the New Balance Squash Busters Center, by Stack + Co.”


Construction progress