Port waterfront resolutions in city's future

NEWBURYPORT — The next time we take stock of a decade past, we should have much to ponder.

In Newburyport, flying cars may not be ready, but an electric trolley or water shuttles in the downtown might be.

We may or may not have a parking garage, but we will likely have Stephen Karp's waterfront development.

"I do envision, in less than 10 years, that Waterfront West will be a thriving part of the community," former Mayor John Moak said. "I definitely see that. We're close to that."

Posed with the question of what they believe will be accomplished in the city, Moak and other local leaders said they see many projects, some of which have lingered for decades before, potentially accomplished: a senior center, a parking garage and a waterfront park in place of the dirt lots.

Ann Lagasse, the retail property manager for Newburyport Development, a part of New England Development owned by Stephen Karp, has a vision of a vibrant waterfront by the end of this decade.

"I do see a finished waterfront," Lagasse said of the city by 2020.

Waterfront will evolve

Lagasse envisions parks, parking and a performing arts space on the city-owned waterfront land. She sees a mixed-use development for Karp's properties, which will include a few small hotels.

"Clearly, I still see a very vibrant year-round downtown where people eat, shop and play," she said.

Other pieces of the waterfront will come together, as well.

The Towle property — which now lays mothballed after a project to build luxury condos lost its funding — will be developed in some way by 2020, Moak said. And with the Rail Trail up and running, visitors to the city will want to see even more of the waterfront, he added.

"It's not going to be that long before Newburyport sees a resurgence in building again," he said. "I think you'll see Newburyport's waterfront really coming to life. I see that starting pretty soon."

In 10 years, the Custom House Maritime Museum will have a new addition, Mark Guay, chairman of the Maritime Society/Custom House Maritime Museum, said this week.

The society is currently launching a feasibility study in an effort to build an annex on the rear lawn of the Custom House that will expand the exhibit space for collections, create an annex for the birthplace of the U.S. Coast Guard, house a visitor center for tourism and cultural exchange, and be an outreach for water-based educational activities along the adjacent waterfront park and boardwalk, Guay said.

The annex will be the result of what the community wants through following interaction and conversations with the public, Guay said.

"It's their story, not mine," he said. "I want to first and foremost listen to people. This image board represents the opportunities and experiences that are a part of our exciting project ahead. We look forward to this vision and embrace it with enthusiasm."

The waterfront will also be home to a "beautiful, open park," said new Mayor Donna Holaday, who also sees Waterfront West as a mixed-use development with a hotel.

"It would be wonderful," Holaday said.

Finding alternatives

But changes in the city will go beyond development. With environmental initiatives in full swing in 2010, Moak and Holaday both see those ideas blossoming even further.

The city is already a leader in pursuing alternative energy, Moak said. That will continue, and more wind turbines will spring up in the city over the next decade, Moak predicted.

"I definitely see wind turbines, unless some other kind of technology comes about that's more effective," Moak said.

Holaday said yesterday she would love to see a lot less traffic downtown in the city in 2020. She envisions people using more bikes, scooters and electric trolleys.

With the completion of the Rail Trail, Holaday sees a very popular parcel of land and a connection to the train that will offer more than just recreation.

She has also stated her desire for a parking garage.

To manage downtown traffic and make it easy for tourists to navigate the downtown, Lagasse said she envisions the city will need a parking garage — convenience and affordable parking will be key, she said.

Lagasse would like to see a water shuttle on the river by 2020, which would connect downtown and the hotels to Salisbury Beach or Plum Island.

"It will get people out of their cars," she said.

Citywide improvements

A number of lingering issues, including a senior center, will be resolved, Moak believes.

"I definitely envision a senior center. I think that's going to happen for sure," he said.

The Crow Lane landfill will be capped, completed and boast grass — it will be a hill that people pass by.

"I think that will be a part of our past," he said.

At the schools, Moak sees a curriculum that has restored foreign language. He sees work being completed on the city's older school buildings and the removal of the mobile classrooms at the Bresnahan.

"Do I see a new school? Probably not," he said. He does see an updated Bresnahan School, however, in a building that is more open and energy efficient.

"I think we have to work with what we have and make it better," Moak said. "I think we need to maintain what we have."

Holaday agrees. She envisions renovations completed at the older Nock and Bresnahan schools. She sees students graduating from high school having taken more online classes and with more dual credits for high school and college courses.

While the city's newly formed Charter Commission will spend the next few years debating over changes to the city's form of government, whether the city has a mayor or city manager will be secondary to what needs to happens over the next decade, Moak said.

"What I see as more drastic is the sharing of a lot more services with Newbury and things of that nature," Moak said. "I don't think we can exist with the individual entities that we have today."

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