A resident of Westbrook for just a year, Jim Bickford figured out quickly how to make the most of its downtown.
Walking from his home on Lincoln Street, he frequents the Frog and Turtle and makes trips to Portland Pie Company, Freaky Bean and CVS. On Tuesday, he was on his way back from the library, when he was faced with a dilemma he’s become accustomed to – crossing Main Street.
“They need more crosswalks,” said Bickford, who’s heard the same complaint from others.
Fortunately, city staff is on it. City Planner Molly Just said improving the pedestrian access on Main Street, especially during the busy commute, is one of several considerations in front of the Downtown Streetscape Committee, which has been meeting to talk about low-cost ways to improve the city’s business district.
That’s just one effort under way to get people more excited about Main Street. Westbrook is no exception to the increased vacancy rates downtown districts throughout the country are experiencing. But, in the meantime, the city is preparing Main Street to be more attractive to new businesses and customers when the economy turns around.
In addition to improving pedestrian access with more visible crosswalks, Just is guiding the Downtown Streetscape Committee toward coming up with ideas for making Westbrook’s Main Street unique, like creating a color scheme for signs and adding features to the sidewalks.
At the same time, the Planning Board is scheduled to vote on changes to city ordinance that would phase out tall pylon signs, like at CVS or Dunkin’ Donuts, in favor of ones that are lower to the ground and more visible to pedestrians, rather than motorists.
While Just is working toward creating a distinct image that sticks in the minds of people who come to Main Street, Economic and Community Development Director Keith Luke is working on getting customers downtown to begin with.
Luke is launching an ad campaign with the slogan “It Starts in Westbrook,” which will include commercials on WPXT, at Cinemagic on County Road and on the Maine Hotel Network.
Earlier this month, he presented a trade show display to the City Council, which he plans to take to various real estate-related events throughout the country to try to draw new businesses to Westbrook.
The display cost the city $1,800 and the air time on the Maine Hotel Network will cost $2,500. However, the production and airing of the other commercials were included in the tax increment financing district negotiated between the city and WPXT in 1999, when the television station moved to Westbrook.
Luke said he’s working on scripts now, but is waiting for warmer weather to begin shooting the commercials.
The last time the city ran a promotional campaign was in 2002, Luke said, with the slogan, “Yes! Westbrook.” The idea then, Luke said, was that people, with the image of the mill still in their minds, would be surprised to find a growing business community in the city. Now, he said, that’s no longer the case.
“We’ve got a diversified business community that frankly is the envy of communities throughout New England,” he said.
The concept behind the latest campaign is to get more diners from surrounding towns into downtown restaurants, and eventually bring new businesses in – something Luke said is on the verge of happening.
“The phones are ringing,” he said. “We’re not canceling Planning Board meetings.”
According to Just, at a Planning Board meeting next month, a new three-story office building at 795 Main St. will be coming in for a site plan review. The applicant, she said, plans to create a path from Main Street to the riverwalk – another attraction the city will play up in promoting its downtown.
There’s still a lot of room for improvement left on Main Street. Luke and Just said redeveloping Saccarappa Park and improving sidewalks on the west end of Main Street are not projects that are poised to happen any time soon. For now, their focus is on the business core that already exists, getting more people into the stores and restaurants and, once they’re downtown, making their experience more memorable.
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