Not way back, Waterville, Me., was a metropolis of empty storefronts, with its streets in disrepair. Now, some 25 new companies have arrange store within the downtown over the previous 4 years or so, together with every part from a bagel store to a classic clothes and furnishings retailer. A startup accelerator is planning to launch its first cohort over the subsequent three to 6 months in a renovated 4,000-square foot area situated in a former mill constructing.
That’s simply a part of what’s occurring within the once-struggling former mill city, due to a coordinated effort to revive the town. Pushed largely by funding from Colby College, situated two miles away, together with the Central Maine Growth Council and others, the initiative is remodeling the downtown, attracting new companies and jumpstarting an financial revival. Inhabitants is rising, after years of decline, as are property values.
“You see it day-after-day. You’ll be able to see the cranes within the sky. You’ll be able to see the brand new storefronts. You’ll be able to see the vans shifting the earth as we revitalize this iconic mill city,” says Garvan Donegan, director of planning, innovation and financial growth for Central Maine Development Council.
The revitalization challenge obtained its huge impetus in 2014 when David Greene grew to become president of Colby, a small, non-public liberal arts college, and he obtained a superb take a look at Waterville’s disrepair. Since that point, Colby has invested $85 million into the town, which is situated on the Kennebec River about 20 miles north of Augusta. That funding, in flip, has attracted important extra exterior funding. Complete funding downtown from Colby, non-public and public sources is now about $200M, in line with Colby.
A number of Tasks
Now, a number of initiatives have both been accomplished or are within the works. In a former parking zone, there’s a 101,000-square foot residence for 200 Colby college students, who’re required to suggest and take part in local people engagement initiatives. A 100-year-old former financial institution, deserted for many years, was renovated and homes a tech firm and retail area. The brand new Lockwood Lodge, now offering pupil housing for Colby college students who couldn’t take part in semester overseas applications because of the pandemic, is slated to open subsequent yr. And a brand new upscale restaurant on the bottom ground has been open since March.
Then there’s Dirigo Labs, a startup accelerator to be launched by the Central Maine Development Council with a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Financial Growth Administration via the Workplace of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to assist a $1.2 million challenge finances. It will likely be housed in a beforehand redeveloped former mill and manufacturing manufacturing unit.
The primary cohort is scheduled to start subsequent yr. Colby, together with Thomas School, Kennebec Valley Neighborhood School and others will provide tutorial and workforce assist. Bricks Coworking and Innovation House is offering occasion and work area, tools and curriculum design help.
A giant a part of the plan is utilizing the humanities as an anchor. To start with, there’s the 25,000-square-foot Greene Block + Studios, situated in two renovated deserted buildings. The $6.5 million four-story artwork middle has group area, artist studios and workplaces for the Lunder Institute for American Artwork, which is affiliated with the Colby Museum of Artwork. Underneath development is the 32,000 sq. foot, $18 million Paul J. Schupf Artwork Heart. Colby can be constructing a performing arts middle on campus. “It’s all a part of a brand new ecosystem for the humanities,” says Greene.
Time to Pay Again
Greene dedicated to reviving Waterville largely due to the historical past of the town-gown relationship. Throughout the Nice Melancholy, the faculty, which was situated within the city on the time, struggled mightily. In response, the group helped increase funds for a brand new campus. “It appeared to be time for Colby to pay again the generosity which had supported it at its most tough second,” mentioned Greene. “I felt like I actually had no alternative.”
A bunch of about 25 enterprise leaders and elected officers, together with Greene, spent a yr hammering out the framework for a revitalization plan. It included bettering residential housing, remodeling the enterprise local weather and bettering the streetscape, with a concentrate on artwork and enterprise growth. “It’s deeply problematic for faculties to sit down aside from their communities,” Greene says.