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- Brush Art Gallery - Come and meet working artists in their natural habitats!
- Cultural Organization of Lowell (COOL) - Great local calendar of events.
- Lowell Opera Company - Community opera.
- Lowell Philharmonic Orchestra - Local community orchestra.
- Lowell Poetry Network
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- Merrimack Repertory Theatre - A local theatre "presenting an exciting mix of contemporary and new plays in historic downtown Lowell."
- OUtlET - Paper and online 'zine making a splash locally with events in art, poetry, music, and everything in between!
- Revolving Museum Contemporary, local, public art space with a plethora of children's programs and art by and for the community.
- The Fine Print - Socially aware, themed, arts and issues periodic publication available throughout Lowell.
- The Image Theater - Theatre company which puts on all original works by local playwrights.
- Whistler House Museum - A great collection of contemporaries of Whistler at his historic birthplace.
October 29th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I may be oversimplifying, but here goes: The city received an unsolicited inquiry regarding the River Place parcels from a national developer with hotel connections. The city decided to get assessments and estimate environmental cleanup costs and then declare the site surplus and request bids. In the meantime, the bleeding continued at the arena and the university was interested in maybe taking over. However, a practice rink is needed to free up the arena for other events. Where do you put a practice rink? The River Place parcels. So now the council wants the surplus declaration put on hold until the “best possible” investment can be made with those parcels.
October 29th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
A practice rink for the arena was part of the original bidding process, but came back too high for the tastes of those making the decisions so it was cut from the specs.
October 29th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Agreed Mimi defenite seat shifting going on!
October 29th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Eleanor is correct. The original plans called for a practice rink to free up arena ice time for other events. The original plan also called for a much larger arena. Thank god that didn’t happen. We’d be in an even bigger problem than we are right now. I thought a majority of the Council was pretty clear when they instructed the Manager to work with the University to determine the feasiblity of transferring the arena to them. Wait until that is resolved before they do anything. If UMass needs the land for a practice rink to make it viable and take it off our hands I’m all for it. Let’s give it to UMass and save $1 million a year in a deficit plus all of the other funds we’re pumping in over there. The arena is in desperate need of capital upgrades including the scoreboard etc etc. Let the deep pockets of the State system take this on. That should have been the route taken originally when this white elephant was being en”vision”ed by the Lowell Sun et al. Ironically, we find ourselves, back to the original debate: should the arena be owned and operated by the City of the University? I think its pretty Obvious, the answer to that question was the University. Unfortunately, the proponents framed the debate as a “For or Against” the arena to get what the wanted at all costs. The focus was shifted from the real question of who should own and operate it. Lowell taxpayers are out upwards of $10 million dollars over the course of owning this building. Between deficits, bond payments and interest payments I bet its even higher. Funds that could have been used for teachers, police officers, elderly programs etc. With the problems the state is facing, local aid will be cut either this year or next. One million dollars would be really useful to balance the budget.
October 29th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Kami makes great points but in following the ins and outs of this saga my recollection is a bit different. I think the CM and the Council have been on the same page of looking at the feasibility of UML taking over the Arena. I believe the CM and Chancellor have spoken publicly of their discussions but neither have indicated whether it will be done or doable given state budget problems. In fact I thought the Sun reported that it was unlikely since Marty has to cut millions out of his budget due to budget reductions. I think the only way to truly understand what is feasible and in the best interests of the City is to look at all options including private development. Maybe along with a practice rink. All I know is some Councillors seem to be getting a bit too involved in things they shouldn’t be involved with. Let the work take place in getting all the information. Perhaps they could think of the City for once.
October 29th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Adam Baake said that they had thick booklets of how they came up with the clean up amount of the site. This went out to bid and they had no bidders in a good economy. Put it out to bid again and see what happens. The CC was supposed to dispose of surplus property and whether it is getting the arena off our hands to the University or selling this to a private developer would both be what taxpayers demand.
October 29th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
If the sale falls through again, this would make a great site for a new police and fire station. Any thing would be an improvement over the dump we call the Civic Center.
October 29th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Yeah, that makes sense. Take a prime, waterfront development parcel and use it for a police and fire station. Not.
October 30th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Does the University want it?
Have they got $1 million/year burning a hole in their pocket?
October 30th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Heh. Nearly every parcel of land in Lowell is waterfront. What with the rivers and the canals. LOL.
October 31st, 2008 at 10:20 am
Prime waterfront development parcel my behind. Take a contaminated former government property on a lousy New England riverbank (with a flood risk) throw in a lovely view of Lower Centralville and see what you get for interest. You get a police repair garage on the site because no developer wants it and the city can’t afford to put it anywhere else after relocating it for the new (and expensive) 911 center.
We’re not talking about the Hamptons or the Riviera here people. If it were so spectacular an opportunity we’d have had developers lined up around city hall. As for a hotel concept, its not like the Doubletree location has been a knockout success all these years either and its on the water too. River Place Towers next door to this lot is borderline public housing. Put the land out to bid, take whatever the highest offer is, put it on the tax rolls and move on. Let the private market decide. Let’s focus the city’s energy on the HCD project. The canals and closer transportation infrastructure are a better sell than being located next to a failing arena and an ugly housing development.
I’ll back up fireball on one thing: the JFK Civic Center complex is an embarassment. Its amazing the city’s 100 year old buildings are in beter condition than something built in 1972. Its ugly, in disrepair and everything bad about urban renewal from that time period. They should tear it down, put DPD, LPD and LFD somewhere else and reopen Moody Street through to Arcand Dr/Merrimack St. I can’t believe they keep sinking money into the building (re: new million dollar 911 center). Yet they keep renting HVAC equipment every year because the building’s system is junk.
The former 1400 Motors Gorham St. location would be ideal for the police repair facility, an emergency managment facility and fire equipment storage and training, all things the post office site is currently used for. They should do something similar to the DPW facility on Middlesex St. (or merge them even). 1400 Gorham is set up for repairs, has plenty of space and appears to only be used for the CSO project equipment staging. I don’t see any major demand for a new auto dealership or commercial space on route 3A far from highway access in a largely residential neighborhood. Just my 2 cents.
October 31st, 2008 at 10:28 am
Just as an aside, does anyone know what the development on the Tremont Powerhouse (next to the current post office in front of the arena) is going to be? It looks like a pretty impressive building and they saved the turbines to boot. I had heard about plans for a restaurant, but that would have to be one big restaurant. Anyone know what else is in the works?
November 1st, 2008 at 5:51 am
The Tremont Powerhouse is going to be office space on the upper floors that will house Jeanne d’Arc Credit Union offices. The credit union itself will stay where it is. The developer hopes to bring a restaurant to the bottom floor. Thats what I read in the paper.
I disagree with “trying to stay anonymous” with regard to the property next to the arena. If you read Bernies answers to questions posed in a prior post FY 10 & 11 are going to be very difficult. If we can transfer the arena and its operating deficit and (hopefully) debt/interest payments to the University that will free up millions of dollars to keep city services level and avoid the huge cuts other cities/towns will face once local aid is cut next year. The University needs to build a practice rink there to make the project viable. You’re never going to get millions of dollars in tax revenue on one building on that site. But, you’re going to save millions of dollars if you get rid of it. If the Unions in Lowell want to do themselves some good they should be lobbying the city council for this transfer and save their jobs next year. The arena will still be here. It’s in the University’s best interest to make it work. UML had a full house on opening night for the Riverhawks. Marty has really made of go of it over there with that team. He has marketed that team like no tomorrow. He’s done a much better job than the Devils and thats there only job. He’s running the Unversity as well. Transfer it over and save the city millions versus sell it and get a one time payment and possibly a couple hundred thousand a year in tax revenue. I think its a pretty clear choice.
November 1st, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Kami,
Thanks for the info on JDCU and the powerhouse site, I missed that in the paper.
Which part did you disagree with me on, putting the property out to bid? I agree with your take on how this could work out in the best case scenario. I’m all for handing over a contaminated piece of land if they will take the arena and its debt too. However while we may not get millions in tax revenue over the short term, we would get something over the long haul, plus the sale price. I’m not sure a transfer deal like this could be pulled off in time for FY 2010.
Once the arena debt is paid, the annual cost to the city goes down significantly. Dumping it only accelerates the process by a few years, but we’re asking for a very large favor from the university and state in the short term. We do need the money now, no doubt, but the debt service is not forever, even if the maintenance is.
I believe that while the UML has grand plans, the money may not be there to take the debt off the city’s hands and build a practice rink at the same time. A practice rink would be an excellent use of the site. I’m not saying its wishful thinking, but if the financial picture is as bleak for the state as we’re being told, I can’t see it happening. Its not like UML has a huge endowment. If the way you envision it works out it would be good for the city and the university. I just can’t see how the current fiscal situation will allow it to happen. In the meantime the land isn’t doing anything.
Maybe Marty is going to open up his campaign fund?
December 7th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
That site the city wants to sell is contaminated. For proof ot this all anyone has to do is check the old city atlases at the library to see what was there before. I believe it was a manufacturing site and who knows what kind of pollutants they left behind.