Manchester Infill & Small Developments

I'd be interested to find out more about the additional retail at the downtown supermarket. Unfortunately, I assume that they will be more auto-centric spaces like the grocery store, which is simply too setback from the road and occupies too much land to feel pedestrian-friendly or make that end of downtown feel urban or walkable.

I hope, at least, that the additional retail will be built as a single, not purpose-built structure along Elm Street perhaps on the site of the parking lot in the upper right in the site plan below. I'm not especially optimistic, though--the people who came up with this plan are clearly not exactly on the cutting edge of good urban design.

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I'm not saying anything new here, but I really wish the grocery store was being built as first-floor retail up to the road at the corner of Elm and Auburn with at least two stories above, parking below and reserving the existing building and back of the site for future TOD and a train station.

I'd like to think that someday new buildings might be built on the corner of Auburn and Elm with parking below, and the supermarket can still be accessible down side streets but not be behind an enormous parking lot. If the City or the developer had retained ownership of the site and just leased the building to Market Basket, I'd be somewhat optimistic about this. Unfortunately, that's not the case and even when they can make money by selling land or leasing space, grocery stores aren't usually interested in being landlords.

It's hard to say just how disappointing this project is compared to what might have been.

As far as the UL article, I'm not too surprised. The economy is still a little slow and with all the austerity measures that the city and state seem to be insisting on, I wouldn't expect any big building boom soon. Hopefully that will change in a few years, but for now I think it will remain slow.

My biggest concern with the slow growth is that the City, developers and landowners will be too eager to sell or develop unworthy projects. Is a Dunkin Donuts (no doubt with a drive-through) really the best thing to help revitalize Queen City Ave, for instance?

The City should take this time of slow growth to create more rigorous standards and tweak its zoning to promote more urban, walkable neighborhoods.
 
ManchVegas said:
Last week in the Union Leader, I saw an article about new development in Manchester. I got excited until I read it. The only projects listed were a new Dunkin Donuts on Queen City Ave, a renovated Hess Station on Queen City Ave, a Goodwill store, a Dollar Tree, and a cell tower behind McDonald's on Second Street.

I hope the Elliot continues quickly with the next phase of River's Edge. It seems like things have been quiet in the city lately.
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Do you know the date (and maybe even page) of that story? I'm going to be in town tomorrow, and hopefully my dad won't have taken the recycling out yet.
 
A DD is not that bad. Anything new along Queen City ave and even updated station is good. That area is trashy and needs to be improved.

The MB is being built in an existing building, and I bet this is the only reasons a MB is being built there rather than on the outskirts mowing down a forest (like they did in Hooksett for the MB, Lowes, and Walmart.) Yeah a better designed one would have been awesome (South of Boston there is a parking garage under a Target, cool concept.) But I am very glad to see that at least there will be a walkway and it will be brick. I just wish it was street side as well with parking in back.

I am glad however to see additional retail there. I have not heard anything about this until now. I do think they bought a few other parcels to go along with the MB. Anything on southern end of Elm St. is good now, but again within reason. Can't have it turn into South Willow.

Not surprised nothing major is going on now aside form what has already been discussed. But actually second St buildings behind the McDonalds is interesting. Maybe more to me as I have been looking on that street for a location for my own business, but Second St. has potential and needs work.
 
ManchVegas said:
Last week in the Union Leader, I saw an article about new development in Manchester. I got excited until I read it. The only projects listed were a new Dunkin Donuts on Queen City Ave, a renovated Hess Station on Queen City Ave, a Goodwill store, a Dollar Tree, and a cell tower behind McDonald's on Second Street.

I hope the Elliot continues quickly with the next phase of River's Edge. It seems like things have been quiet in the city lately.
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And the additional two other River's Edge developments I mentioned a long time ago again by the same developer. With these I was hoping for a down town movie theatre. The developer is only working on getting the land, not plans yet.
 
Funny negative reviews. I really do not see any of this bad, just kinda neutral.

Naults is out of business? I thought I hear their commercials on the Radio
 
I think it was Nault's motorcycle business. I don't even know how long that's been vacant. I know any new business is good, but it's just more exciting to hear about actual companies coming to town instead of dollar stores. Queen City Ave desperately needs some sprucing up, so maybe these projects will help somewhat. Also, I'm glad that the old Furniture World site will be used for something.

I'm hopeful for a downtown movie theater too. More bars and restaurants are awesome, but you need more attractions and retail to turn people's downtown visits into day trips.
 
I had been a bit optimistic about Gatsas, because he seems to care more about Manchester than his predecessor, but this settles it for me: Gatsas is clueless when it comes to making Manchester a stronger, urban city. After proposing to close the West Side library, selling off the land designated for an intermodal transit station for use as a suburban-style grocery store, and promoting suburban style growth on the periphery, he's now proposing drastic cuts to the already underfunded MTA:

There's been both good and bad news for the Manchester Transit Authority this month. While a recent report shows that ridership is up city-wide about 2 percent over last year's tally, Mayor Gatsas is proposing cuts in routes and frequency of service. His plan calls for cutting all Saturday service and eliminating all service to Bedford, Nashua and the North End of Manchester (bus route No. 5).

Alderman Craig is concerned about ending bus service through her ward, but isn't sure where the aldermen are going to find the funds to continue it.

MTA Director Mike Whitten said he expects ridership to continue to grow this year, especially now that fuel prices are rising and more people need the bus to get to and from work.
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I get it--times are tough and the MTA should really be a regional operation, but this is beyond stupid. Ridership is actually improving, the MTA is working on becoming more efficient and trying to attract elective riders. If the City wants to improve service, increase ridership and revenue while reducing per-rider costs, and--imagine this--make the city more attractive to prospective residents and workers looking for an urban lifestyle, it needs to increase frequency, adjust a few circuitous routes, extend hours and begin Sunday service. This settles it for me: Gatsas is either clueless or doesn't care about making Manchester more urban and vibrant.
 
It's all the chicken or the egg, sorta. Cutting all of this ultimately is going to reduce jobs, reduce any further expansion of the service, and not be good for the growth of the city. However keeping it will cost money that the city does not have.

I think the MTA sucks, and cutting funding for it is pointless, just get rid of it. However the area needs transportation, so a regional transit system makes sense.

The MTA is poor service due to what was already explained, hour waits for a bus, not servicing everywhere thoroughly, and a lack of bus stops and signage for them making it clear.
 
I was in town this weekend, and while I didn't get any photos, I did scope out some construction sites. I'll be back this weekend, and will take some photos if I have a chance. The lot at 175 Queen City Ave, discussed above and the subject of a recent LivableMHT post, looks like it's been excavated a bit, but I assume this has more to do with the Elliot than anything going on there yet.

I also checked out the ongoing development on South River Road in Bedford. For those unfamiliar, this is a relatively dense, but mostly suburban-style retail/office strip that still has a good deal of housing nearby, approximately 2.5 miles from Downtown Manchester. It's in the neighboring suburb of Bedford, but is considerably denser and with more buildings lining the street than at the busier, larger South Willow Street retail district in Manchester.

There's a new, three-story medical building that appears to be nearing completion at 11 Washington Place. It sounds like the developer and architect had originally proposed building the structure at the same setback of the existing houses. The Town required a greater setback to accommodate sidewalk improvements, as well as any potential road-widening, which will hopefully never happen (though the road could use a line of trees or landscaping down the middle to calm traffic). In any event, the massing and scale seems good and in keeping with the kitchen store being rebuilt (following a fire in the existing former house and barn, I believe) next door.

Just south of these buildings is the Bedford Mall, which is undergoing major redevelopment. The mall was built in 1963 and has been dying for some time. Most of it is currently being demolished and replaced with a more typical shopping mall. It's still very auto-dependent and not the most exciting project by any means, but it should be an improvement. In addition to some big box retail along the back where the present mall is, there is smaller retail close to the street currently being built. It's certainly not pedestrian-oriented, but the siting is better than most suburban strips and with the small retail buildings across the street gives some definition to the street. The other good aspect of this project is that it is reusing an existing, previously developed piece of property rather than open space. The same was true across the street with the Stop n' Shop where a Caldor had been.

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As part of the recent Master Plan process, planners for the Town commissioned a schematic look at what a new urbanist-type development on the Bedford Mall site might look like. The mixed-use neighborhood envisioned would have been nice, but I don't think it was very realistic. The Town of Bedford is hoping to see more mixed-use development in the area along South River Road, which they are currently calling either the River Corridor or the Performance Zone (the zoning name). I'd say they should take a cue from neighboring Manchester and try to give the area more of a neighborhood identity, maybe Riverside or something.

Anyway, none of these projects is particularly exciting from a walkability, livability or urban perspective; none of them will make South River Road less of an auto-reliant retail corridor. However, the Town's repeatedly stated interest in improving transit and density in the area, their commitment to getting more urban-style housing in the area, and containing growth in the town to the already relatively dense area in close proximity to Manchester bodes about as well as I could hope for suburban development in greater Manchester.
 
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MonopolyBag said:
It's all the chicken or the egg, sorta. Cutting all of this ultimately is going to reduce jobs, reduce any further expansion of the service, and not be good for the growth of the city. However keeping it will cost money that the city does not have.

I think the MTA sucks, and cutting funding for it is pointless, just get rid of it. However the area needs transportation, so a regional transit system makes sense.

The MTA is poor service due to what was already explained, hour waits for a bus, not servicing everywhere thoroughly, and a lack of bus stops and signage for them making it clear.
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For those of us who don't have to take it, the MTA does suck. It winds in one direction through the entire West Side, runs routes only once an hour, has no evening, night or Sunday service, and doesn't provide enough route and transfer options. It is, however, an invaluable resource to those who for whatever reason cannot drive. Of course, improving it to attract those of us who can choose whether or not to take public transit would also improve the service, frequency, routes and options for those who rely on it.

All that said, I think the MTA does a good job with the very limited resources and broad mandate that it has. By all accounts, the manager and staff at the MTA are friendly and provide good customer service; the MTA has actively sought and received federal grants to improve and expand service; it runs rider appreciation programs and solicits feedback online; and so on. The problem in my mind is not the management or service of the MTA, but the lack of commitment and funding on the part of the City, neighboring towns and the State. While I wouldn't mind a less common acronym or name, I don't think getting rid of the MTA is a good idea. The structure, mandate and funding should be changed; it should be a regional entity and no longer a city agency. Rather than scrapping one agency and starting a new one, I think the MTA could easily be melded into something bigger, stronger and faster (in terms of frequency).
 
Thanks for the pics of the Bedford Mall! It's going to be a big improvement over what's there. The new Staples building is coming along quickly.

I was up in Manchester this weekend and noticed a new apartment building is going up next to the existing development on the hill near the 93 and 101 split. I don't know if this is going to be a whole new complex or just one building.

And on to Gatsas, I was very optimistic when he first got there, but he's nothing more than a Ray Weiczorek clone who as mayor opposed anything good in the city. He's certainly trying his best to ruin the school district.
 
ManchVegas said:
And on to Gatsas, I was very optimistic when he first got there, but he's nothing more than a Ray Weiczorek clone who as mayor opposed anything good in the city. He's certainly trying his best to ruin the school district.
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Manchester needs another Bob Baines, or just Bob Baines. I'd love to see him run again, but I don't see that happening. Either Gatsas' priorities need to change (about as likely as Baines running again, I'd say) or there needs to be another strong contender for mayor in November.
 
Oh, if the world actually looked like proposed development concept renderings...

The MTA sucks, yes, and I did not ride it once when I was there for a year at school (not living there, but made friends and spent a lot of time in the city.) This is part because there was never a reason to take it because it was so inconvenient.

And yes, if it did just die, I think there would be a problem, especially for those who do rely on it. However like I explained, it is already so bad, I feel any money put into it, especially with cutting more out, it is not worth what is put into it. I think this is an example of the more money put into it the more you get out of each dollar. Kind of like buying a low quality item at $6 twice because it breaks rather than buying a $10 item and it doesn't break.

I think a better bus system would provide better city growth overall. And definitely if a regional transit was made the city would benefit more and less weight financially would be taken away form the city alone.

Back to Bedford, I think the primary reason why it is not walkable is because the road is just simply not designed that way. With narrow sidewalks along a fast busy road. I think the side walks need to be widened, road narrowed, and some trees, benches, and bike racks along the sidewalk would help considerably. From there the future development would take on more of a pedestrian design. Many people just lean away from walking because the road is so busy probably with a fear of safety. A more narrow road with more defined crosswalks would make slower traffic. I think much of this was explained in the Rimmon Heights plan to improve the road and walkability, which although much work needs to be done (primarily with attracting better business and improving aesthetics IMO) it is much nicer than it use to be there prior to street upgrades.
 
MonopolyBag said:
Confused....
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Yeah sorry. I realized that after I posted that. I had meant to add in that I took a photo with my phone at nighttime and it turned out horrible. There is a photo on Livable Manchester, that was what I was commenting on. Sorry for being so vague.
 
pel, I should note that I did not take that photo. It is a great shot, though.

I'm only using images available through Creative Commons, that I have received permission for, that are part of a public record, or that are being used for promotional purposes (in which case I'm linking the images back to the promotional piece). The Rivers Edge photo comes from their promotional website, which I linked to, for instance. In all cases, I'm doing my best to correctly attribute the photographers.
 
Thanks for the information Frank. It's such a nice building in person.
 
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