OLD TOWN, Maine — Concept designs to improve the downtown area have been reviewed and crafted into a draft master plan that will be unveiled at a community meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the library.
“What we want is to bring people downtown,” Ron Harriman, the city’s economic development director, said Monday. “We want people living there. We want a mix of young families and professionals — the whole range of college students and families. Then we can retain and maintain the smaller businesses.”
Harriman didn’t want to reveal too much about the draft put together by engineering firm Wright-Pierce from thoughts residents shared at public meetings in November and February and through 125 surveys submitted about a master plan for the center of the city.
“The consensus really supported a mixed-use development,” Harriman said. “We would not want to rule out a small hotel … or maybe we’ll have a craft brewery, who knows.”
Part of the downtown plan includes reuse of the approximately 6-acre former Old Town Canoe factory site which is ready for redevelopment.
One of three concepts discussed for the parcel in February called for businesses exclusively, another called for combined retail and residential space, and a third a gathering place with parks and recreation areas and a farmers market.
No matter what the community decides about the downtown draft plan, the first step will involve small changes for businesses already in existence, Harriman said.
“We’re talking about a facade program and providing incentives for small-business owners to increase their curb appeal,” Harriman said.
Revolving loans or tax increment financing are being considered to help pay for improvements.
Travis Pryor, project manager for Wright-Pierce, said at the February community gathering that the city has a number of options for redevelopment and marketing the area through the city’s economic development office should be one of the first steps.
“We want to build an image and put emphasis on the river and outside activities,” Harriman said.
Even though the city has been working on the redevelopment plans for months, there is still time for people to offer their thoughts, Harriman said.
“This is just the initial rollout, so we’re still listening at this point,” Harriman said. “Nothing is carved in stone.”