Manchester Infill & Small Developments

It was the old courthouse. I thought the building should have gotten an update, and poof... it did. I hope they will make it modern and cool. Well, cool for a courthouse.
 
There was an article in "Architect" awhile back detailing some of the projects being done in Manchester (they do a snapshot of a local market every issue). One of those featured was the Courthouse renovation. Click on the slideshow for a few images. It looks like a nice improvement. I remember a few years ago there was some talk of developing the parking lots around the federal building across the street from the courthouse, and building some sort of hotel I think there. I'm not sure what the plans were exactly or what happened, but with both of those buildings getting some nice renovations, it would be good to see some improvement around them.
 
I don't think new development will really expand for a while. I have been talking to some people who know more about this than I do (I know very little, actually, aside from what I glean from conversations with others and online pleasure reading) and they seem to agree. Unless a project is being internally financed, it will be tough to get construction financing. Moreover, it will be tough to get tenants lined up, because they too are dealing with the credit crunch. However, of the projects that do go forward, we should start to see a lot more mixed use, because that will diversify the investment and spread the financial risk. I mention this because that type of project is, in my opinion and that of many others, best for urban vitality. So, while projects like the courthouse are likely to proceed (renovation and reuse), I don't know if the parking lots across the street will turn into anything great for a while--at least if the investors are relying on borrowed funds. Kind of a tough time for development. As we all knew...
 
ok ok. I saw this sideshow before. This makes sense now. Hope to see something nice go there. Does anyone know the planned use for the renovation? I hope the park side of the building is nicer as well to tie into the park a bit more. Yes, the federal building could as well use a bit of an upgrade. And yes patrick, once this economy gets better there should be some new development, but for now, too risky.
 
I believe the use will stay the same, but it's a good point about the park-side of the building. If I remember correctly, the park was originally a bit larger, encompassing the courthouse site, and was known as Merrimack Common. The park is a good size even with the courthouse in it, and the courthouse can provide a nice backdrop.

I wonder if the plans call for more openness--a glass facade on the park-side or something so that you could look through the building from the park. Even if very few (if any) people entered the courthouse through the park, and even if you couldn't actually pass from the park through the courthouse to Pine Street, it would be a strong visual connection. I think that would make the courthouse a much more enjoyable backdrop for the park, as well as connecting the largely low-income neighborhood (Kalivas Union is the name the city's prescribed to it) behind there with the park and downtown. That could only help generate some improvements in the neighborhood.

Lavallee Brensinger is a pretty big name as far as Manchester or New Hampshire architects go, and their work is generally good. They designed the airport, City Hall Plaza, a number of mill renovations, and less successfully in my mind the giant water tank called the Verizon Wireless Arena. I'd be very surprised if the courthouse renovation disappoints or neglects the very important, and previously overlooked park face.
 
Manch. really needs to develop the Arms park better (I went to school there and still planning on going back next year) and I think Arms park on the other side as well of the river. The river walk needs to get done, nicely done, with gardens, benches, water features, riverfront access and walkways, some green patches, nice lighting, and restaurants and stuff along the walkway outside and that would be a HUGE hit. The fact that it is an old Mill city is awesome and bringing people down to the water with a more attractive walkway and water viewing along the entire city will be great if it ever gets done the right way.

But Manch also needs a larger central park IMO. Big, with nice gardens and either a pond or huge fountain. Somewhere where people will be more attracted to just to walk it. Where vendors go to sell food around lunch time on nice days.

Now the courthouse, I ask what is the use of the building because I do not know what it is now. It has been referred to as the old court house, is it still a court house? If so, for what?

Verizon... another story here. I think the building is fine. It looks great, but what could be done to make it a TON better (I know what you mean as water tank) plant some bushes and trees along the sides and back. go to google street view and just notice the lack of trees and bushes around it. This will help cover up the unsightly view. But big places like this always look a bit like that.

The older neighborhood connecting to downtown. I just see more side streets like Manchetser St. growing like Hanover st. did. That woudl improve things.

Also connect better to the mills and the water as a properly designed riverwalk would do.
 
From the Union Leader:

Residential rentals in Manchester lead market
by Mark Hayward

MANCHESTER ? The residential market is back, at least the rental market.
Brady-Sullivan Properties yesterday said it should start construction within the next two weeks on 178 apartments at Mill West, and discussed plans for another 98 at the West Side mill complex. The company also proposed fitting the six-story Bombshelter mill building off Eddy Road on the West Side for 49 two-bedroom apartments.
Meanwhile, the Manchester Planning Board last night approved a 195-unit, six-building complex to be built on unused land at St. Augustin Cemetery. Almost an afterthought: the development calls for 11 single-family homes.
Developers yesterday said occupancy rates are extremely high for medium to high-end apartments.
"The market's extremely hot for residential units," said Tim Sheldon, director of design for Brady-Sullivan. "When you put them in mills with beams and brick and overviews of the city, we'll have something no one has."
David Armanetti, director of residential real estate for The Richmond Company, said construction on the $20 million Legacy Park could begin as early as next month if state permits are issued. The south Manchester project could be ready for rental by next summer.
It will appeal to people who want new construction. It will also offer convenient access to the airport, South Willow Street and Interstate, he said.
"We feel we have separation (to Brady-Sullivan), being in south Manchester, Armanetti said.
Two years ago, Brady-Sullivan received permits for the 178 units: 100 in the top two floors of the main, McGregor Street building and 78 in an annex east of the mill building. But the economy slowed, and the company shelved the plans.
Sheldon estimated the work at $10 million to $12 million.
However, the company has decided against building a 237-car parking garage, which would have been financed with $3 million in low-rate financing through the federal stimulus program. Sheldon said the project did not work economically.
Last night, he asked the board for approvals for a second-phase of Mill West, which involves 98 units on the first and second floors. He estimated that work at $8 million to $9 million.
The Bombshelter is "a truly adaptive reuse," Sheldon said. With 8-foot ceilngs and concrete floors, it lacks the charm of mill buildings. But Sheldon said he is adding windows and, in some apartments, ceiling shafts, for light.
Sheldon said he has not determined rental rates for the Millyard units yet. He said they could be converted to condominiums when the market turns around. The apartments are being made with stainless steel, granite countertops and recessed lighting.
He said the apartments are needed because no one's building houses now. Both he and Armanetti said some of their tenants will likely be homeowners who have lost their homes to foreclosure.
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To the best of my knowledge, these will be the first apartments in any of the former Amoskeag Mills, though Mill West is actually on the base of the Rimmon Heights neighborhood on the West Side and not in the Millyard. Still, they'll have great views of the city and a good precedent for future residential development in the Millyard. They'll also be a great addition of dense housing in or very close to downtown.

My hope is that in the reasonably near future, the Rite Aid plaza across the street and the parking lining both sides of McGregor Street will be redeveloped as a dense, mixed-use area. This was the heart of the West Side French community until urban renewal a few decades ago, and is still an important gateway to both downtown and Rimmon Heights. CMC recently restored a street wall just south of here, and I think you could really see buildings facing McGregor Street and Lafayette Park making for a great development opportunity. Having a few hundred people who obviously prefer walkable, urban living already in the mill right there will help.

The "Bombshelter building", I'm pretty sure, is the smaller warehouse building behind the much larger mill building located just north of the Notre Dame (Bridge Street) Bridge along the Everett Turnpike. I'm less certain of this one--it's a bit isolated in an area that I don't see being redeveloped or people walking to. Not bad, just not as exciting as the Mill West development.

Finally, even the Saint Augustin/Legacy Park development in the South End, while it sounds like a much more conventional suburban apartment complex, is interesting. The site is right on the South Manchester Rail Trail that is currently being developed, and which was recommended as a potential future BRT/light rail between the airport and downtown. Even if mass transit never happens there, the location of several hundred, relatively dense housing units along a rail trail with easy access to downtown is better than nothing.
 
They mention "something no one has in the mills" take a look at Haverhill MA. VERY NICE Luxury lofts there in the mills. That's for the business people who commute to Boston. I am glad to hear all of this. http://hamelmilllofts.com/default.aspx

Eventually I want to move to Manchester and I hope there will be some nicer apartments. (gonna put my business near Manchester) Manchester is in need of medium-high end housing. They got only a handful now. And when I visited Portland ME yesterday, wow the difference. Money is laying on the streets compared to Manchester where you feel someone will steal you money.

But the city is changing fast. And hopefully for the better. All those new developments on Hackethill however, the well I call them the non-dense apartments. Those things where they make like an apartment complex neighborhood with like 2-3 high apartment buildings. I hate those. They are the same thing as developed neighborhoods. We need greener developments not ones that just mow down a forest. Dense buildings like the mills and high rises are so much more practical. And now with the Hackett Hill office park and all the new Hooksett large retail (Lowe's and Walmart) that area is being developed. I hope Hooksett does pull through with the plan they had for exit11, the development / park plan there looked more practical and planned out, I love the park idea. That part of the Merrimack is very nice.

More info on the Legacy Park?

That would be impressive if they had a light rail between the two. I think however more so there is a bigger push for a commuter rail from Boston all the way up to Concord, stopping at the Airport and Down Town.

I am glad to see them recognize that now residential is starting to pick up, good to see they notice that properly, and address that, and sounds good for the economy.

I was out today along rt. 28 in Salem NH, South Willow St., and the amount of people, it is hard to believe that our economy is doing poorly. I am hoping that this holiday season will help lift the economy a bit more enough to get us out of the hole.

In Salem NH there is a bunch new development along rt. 28, and new business moving into vacancies. Well this is for another post.

Good to hear, and thanks Frank.
Maybe it is time to move back to Manch. from Cambridge.

Edit: After looking at our beloved Google Maps, if they ever do redevelop the Rite Aid, gotta do something to bring out Lafayette park ad incorporate it into the area.
 
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Which building is "Mill West"? I was told 200 apartment units are to be built, but most of the building is to remain commercial. I thought Mill West was the one North of the bridge, but is it another one? I thought that mill is vacant now.
 
Mill West is the big mill (I believe it's Mill No. 11, the largest of the Amoskeag buildings) right across from the Rite Aid, south of the bridge. To the best of my knowledge, the building north of the bridge is still used for some sort of manufacturing, but it may be vacant now. That building is actually right along both McGregor and Bridge Streets, which makes it ideal for future conversion of some sort. Mill West does have a good deal of commercial in it (or used to at least), but is a truly enormous building. The 200 units would have to be extremely generous to take up the entire building--I'm assuming it would still be at least half commercial.
 
As far as Lafayette Park (and smaller Simpson Park north of Amory) is concerned, it's a really nice spot with an incredible view and also a great entrance/gathering place for Rimmon Heights. It's also bounded by mostly very attractive, well-kept buildings along Notre Dame, and a huge community and neighborhood focal point in Saint Marie. There are some small businesses just up the block on Amory, and it's close to Kelley Street. I think there's also a good chance that the buildings on the corner of Amory and Notre Dame could see small businesses--particularly cafes or restaurants--on the ground floor in the future as the neighborhood takes off.

Unfortunately, as it stands it is bounded by mostly private residences along Notre Dame Ave, the side of a hospital along Wayne Street, and the backside of a shopping plaza (and backyards in the case of Simpson) below it. This has the effect of making it more of a place that has to be an intentional destination rather than a place that people spill into from neighboring businesses, events, etc. or stop by/pass through between destinations.

The West Side will always play second-fiddle to downtown, so I don't see Lafayette/Simpson ever becoming major destinations in the city like Arms, Veterans, or even Derryfield Parks, but I think this is actually a good thing. It's an excellent neighborhood park at a place where a number of neighborhoods converge. It's hard to see from the aerial photos/maps, but the topography there is pretty dramatic. The parks slope down from Notre Dame Ave to the lower area around McGregor Street, which then slopes again behind Mill West to the river.

Most importantly, though, the lowest side of the park, along the back of the Rite Aid, is still about the height of the roof of the plaza there. There's a retaining wall and an alley at the back of the plaza, but what that means is that instead of looking at the back of the plaza, you look over it to the city. I know I've seen better photos online, but for now this one illustrates this pretty well:
manchester-carrotmob-tent-manchester-nh-national-night-out.jpg


Not that the top of a plaza is very attractive, but it's better than the back alley. What I think is really interesting about this though is the unique design potential it offers. It's easy to imagine a new building on the site of the existing plaza (or even a renovated, expanded building) that could have some large scale retail, like a grocery store or even a Target or something at the McGregor level, with some smaller scale retail above facing the park and a raised side street along the lower end of the park. Wayne Street could be restored and regraded connecting Notre Dame and McGregor.

Hopefully all this would be done along with replacing all the surface parking along either side of McGregor with mixed-use development and a parking garage. I believe Maine Medical in Portland recently added some housing for its workers nearby, and I'd love to see that done as part of any redevelopment in this area.

This could happen piecemeal or even without planning as the neighborhood takes off, but I'd love to see the city get involved in redeveloping what is one of the city's least interesting urban areas (McGregor Street), which the city created when it removed the vibrant Little Canada/McGregorville neighborhood there. Redeveloping that area would not only improve that corridor and the Mill West mixed-use complex, but also tie them into and improve one of the center city's best assets in Lafayette and Simpson Parks.
 
Well its got planet fitness in there I think. but yeah, going to stay primarily commercial. But 200 units is a lot. I think the residence at Manch. has like 2q1 units or something. I am just very glad to hear that more apartments are going in as I think too many condos are going in but nothing in the downtown area.

Didn't catch your other post, yeah the park being at roof height would be cool for something interesting to go in there. I could see a mall type thing go in with larger retail below and at the park height on the other side have maybe glass entrance to a few smaller shops that leads down to the main road.

I also could see these parks, especially Simpson being further away, getting a bigger and better playground. I think it still has one there now, but I could see something really impressive going in there that will attract families, and then maybe nicely fence of the park to make it more attractive to young children so it is safer.
 
It sounds like all the work of the NH Rail Transit Authority, Manchester Chamber of Commerce and others has finally paid off. There have been several setbacks on getting commuter rail running between Concord, Manchester, Nashua and Boston, including a disgruntled (and probably politically motivated) rail line owner and a lawsuit by truckers several years ago, but New Hampshire is set to receive a $2 million grant to study and design a commuter rail system:


New Hampshire is getting more than $2 million in federal stimulus funds to study a $300 million high-speed rail corridor project from Boston to Nashua and on to Concord, U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes announced Monday.

NH to get $2M from feds to study rail project

Hodes said the rail project is important to New Hampshire's economy.

"This is the completion of the critical first step in the build-out," he said. "I think it's highly unlikely we would not want to move forward."

Hodes -- a Democrat who is running for U.S. Senate -- said the funding source points out the difference between him and his opponent in the Nov. 2 election. Republican Senate candidate Kelly Ayotte opposes stimulus funds.

Ayotte spokesman Jeff Grappone said the United States doesn't need a "bloated, wasteful stimulus package to examine the feasibility of commuter rail."

Grappone said Ayotte believes in strengthening the state's infrastructure but wants to ensure the rail project "doesn't have to be propped up by taxpayers for decades to come."

Mike Pillsbury, New Hampshire's deputy transportation commissioner, said the study will provide answers to necessary questions before moving ahead with the engineering and construction phases of the project.

"It really answers the questions: Is this feasible? Is there enough capacity there? Are there enough riders?" he said.

The project -- called the capital corridor -- calls for train stations in Concord, Manchester and Nashua, as well as at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Manchester.

Pillsbury estimated the study will take 18 months once a consultant is hired. Hiring an engineering firm to conduct the study could take several months, he said. Pillsbury said the study not only should show the benefits of having the high-speed rail connections, it also should show what needs to be done to provide the services.

He was optimistic the study would be the first step to winning future funding to complete the project.

The rail line being studied currently is a freight line.
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Well that is awesome.

I read in the Sunday paper (I think Lawrence Eagle Tribune) about Plaistow and the rail to there. People in Atkinson and near the rail layover site (end of rail where they park and stuff) are complaining about it being in their "backyard"

Hopefully that goes through. This would be a continuation of the Haverhill line whereas the Concord-Boston would be a Lowell Extension I believe.

I do hope both of these go through as if they do and we continue to move back into the area of rail/public transportation, rail may eventually extend further with more regular trains running than just Concord.

And in other news, I am applying to New Hampshire Institute of Art in Manchester and was told by a few people that they do plan to build yet another classroom/dorm building in the near future.

I went inside the newest built "green" building (I think the one on Lowell St.) and is is very nice inside. Dorms floor 3-6 and classrooms floors 1-2.
 
Doesn't the Amtrak Downeaster already run through Plaistow (though not stopping there)? If so, there is no cause for complaint from neighbors if MBTA service is added to this.
 
Ron Newman said:
Doesn't the Amtrak Downeaster already run through Plaistow (though not stopping there)? If so, there is no cause for complaint from neighbors if MBTA service is added to this.
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You are right about that, the Downeaster continues past the Haverhill Station. They are actually extending the Downeastersn service beyond its current final destination.


The people complaining are not complaining about the rail, but basically the end station, where the trains are kept when not in use, turn around, and idol. It is has more noise and pollution than just one train passing every so often.

Similar thing to windmills are great, just not in my back yard.

Trains are great, just do not want the train yards in my back yard.
 
I'm really excited about the (hopefully certain) opening of commuter rail between New Hampshire's three largest cities and Boston. It's been discussed here quite a bit, but Manchester's proximity to Boston has both good and bad effects for the city. What has been discussed less, however, is the city's proximity to several other major cities in the state. Neither Portland or Burlington are so close to other major in-state cities, except for those that are directly suburbs. Because Manchester is both a satellite city of Boston and the center of a metropolitan area in the state, it really needs a rail transit connection with Boston to take advantage of its proximity rather than becoming a far-flung suburb and seeing jobs and investment being siphoned off.

Commuter rail between Manchester and Boston is great on its own, but combined with the ability to take rail between New Hampshire's three largest cities will help to create more connectivity regionally within the Merrimack Valley. As it is, there's a bit too much competition between Manchester, Nashua and Concord (though Manchester is still clearly king), and my thought is that Manchester is really best positioned to and should serve as the anchor for the region in terms of business, entertainment, transit, and even visitors with Concord and Nashua being important, but secondary and well connected to Manchester. I think commuter rail will inevitably lead to better public transit in each of these cities, and help attract people to the dense, walkable neighborhoods around the stations. In a 10 or 20 years, I really hope that someone will be able to take a bus from their house in central Manchester to a job downtown, then walk to the rail station and take a train to an event at the Capital Center in Concord or something.

On a separate note, where exactly in Plaistow is this end station planned to be located? It's always a shame when shortsightedness leads to stalling or stopping a beneficial project. NIMBYism kills me, because it's always somebody's backyard and those are the breaks. Unfortunately, projects are often located in low-income areas where there will be less resistance, so I generally have very little sympathy for people living in relatively affluent areas like southern New Hampshire or the Cape who oppose projects that will have huge positive impacts while driving cars or heating their homes using fuel and parts made in the extremely polluted backyards of people in West Virginia, etc.

Finally, good luck with NHIA, monopoly. I think NHIA is the single best thing to happen to downtown Manchester, and I hope you get in and enjoy it there. I interned the summer of 2005 at an architecture office that does a lot of work for NHIA, and I think the buildings they've added to (or renovated) downtown are great, but the real asset is brining creative, young people to the city center.
 
Thank.

They have looked at a few places in Plaistow, and multiple times they came up with on the border near Atkinson. And the people form Atkinson dislike this.
 
Next door, Bedford has adopted a new master plan that calls for mixed-use development, walkable neighborhoods, and alternative transportation. Bedford is among the most conservative towns in New Hampshire, in addition to being perhaps the suburb most closely linked with Manchester (though Hooksett, Londonderry and Goffstown probably all vie for this in different ways), and it's the closest town to downtown Manchester. Whatever your politics, the fact that a rather conservative town--and one where a large number of residents like to differentiate themselves from Manchester--has embraced a forward-thinking policy toward land use is very encouraging. I'd still rather see the regional planning commission do this sort of thing on a regional scale, but hopefully this will tie in nicely with development and policy in Manchester:

Bedford adopts master plan
The Planning Board on Oct. 18 adopted the new Bedford Master Plan, a document that provides guidelines for the next 10 to 20 years of the town?s development.

More than a year in the making, the update drew on community input, demographic trends and development strategies to maximize the town?s quality of life and economic potential.

State law requires New Hampshire towns to update their master plans every 10 years.

?The master plan committee met with all the relevant agencies and people in town and took input from people like the Bedford Economic Development Commission and the Energy Commission,? Town Planner Rick Sawyer said.

Among the master plan?s main findings is that clustered, mixed-use development may be the best way to develop the town?s shrinking amount of buildable land.

A mixture of residential, commercial and public space, the mixed-use developments could offer Bedford?s aging population ? and younger workers ? a more walkable, less expensive alternative to the town?s subdivisions.

The plan also calls for increased pedestrian and bicycle networks to tie those developments together and provide an alternative to the town?s busy roads.

Sawyer said residents who attended master plan workshops were united in their desire for such an alternative transportation network.

?It was by far the one thing that was agreeable to everybody that came to those public input sessions,? Sawyer said.

Planning Board member Karen McGinley asked whether the town could start its alternative transportation network by putting bike lanes on roads that already have wide shoulders.

Public Works Director Jim Stanford said concerns over rights of way could initially make it difficult to build bike lanes along the town?s roads.

?The best way to do it is create a bike lane,? Stanford said. ?The problem is, when you?ve got an older community, you?ve really got the constraints of the right of way.?

Bedford?s complete master plan can be viewed online at www.vhb.com/bedfordmasterplan.
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