Page 15 - BusinessWest February 19, 2024

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“You can come any night of the week into Northampton or Florence and get live music or some kind of performance. That’s encouraging, and of course it means not only the music scene will thrive, but people will eat out at more, hang out at bars and restaurants, and go shopping.”
Northampton
kind of performance. That’s encourag- ing, and of course it means not only the music scene will thrive, but people will eat out at more, hang out at bars and restaurants, and go shopping. It’s the kind of city that invites strolling.”
Duclos agreed. “A lot of businesses support artists and have artists up in their shops and doing events. We want to work more closely with everyone on the ground to connect them and use our resources to support what’s already happening.” BW
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the project’s goals match the acronym SAVE: safety, accessibility, vitality, and environmental sustainability.
“There is a need. There is a propen- sity for accidents, which have involved a death or two. And the state has said there’s an issue with two lanes on each side of Main Street that are not really marked for two lanes, and wide cross- walks and a number of other issues. And with accessibility, that means
for everyone — bikers, people who have disabilities, people with mobility issues.”
In terms of vitality, Jackson is excit- ed about how the redesign can build on some of the energy already being created not just in downtown busi- nesses, but outside them.
“We’ve seen what outdoor dining can do for a community like this and how that has evolved. Even though we’re out of the pandemic, outdoor dining spots in Northampton are still very popular. That’s one of the silver linings to come out of the pandemic — we continue to capitalize on the beauty of the outdoors. That gives vibrancy to the city and gives people a reason to come downtown and shop, eat, and explore.”
Finally, environmental sustainabil- ity means not disrupting the environ- ment too much, replacing and plant- ing new trees so Main Street isn’t all about concrete and asphalt.
Despite these positive goals, “busi- ness owners are nervous, rightfully so, about the disruption,” Jackson said. “What we’ve been told is that construction is expected to begin sometime in the fall of 2025, and
the project is expected to take 18 to 24 months. So businesses are concerned.”
That said, the expectation is that the actual construction — both on the surface and with the underground infrastructure — will be tackled in phases, a stretch of road at a time, with the exact schedule communi- cated in advance. “It won’t be Main Street disrupted for a full mile; it will be broken up.”
Jackson pointed to previous road projects on Pleasant Street, where the chamber is located, and on King Street, that were successful, with plenty of commerce and activity along those well-traveled thoroughfares today.
“So I think, at the end of the day, people are optimistic about the future and realize this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to think holistically about all the things this project represents.”
Continued Momentum
Jackson reiterated that the city, chamber, and DNA are committed to unifying the community and thinking of creative ways to plan events, activi-
ties, programs, and general excitement about downtown momentum, giving people reasons to visit even after the road project commences.
“So there’s new opportunity and
new performance venues,” he added, citing the return of the Iron Horse Music Hall this May. “You can come any night of the week into Northampton or Florence and get live music or some
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