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Today in the Daily News you will see the first part of a unique project, "A Port in Progress."
It's a series of stories that we will publish weekly, over the next several months. Our goal is to tell the incredible story of how Newburyport fought the federal bulldozer of Urban Renewal and restored its downtown. We'll also focus on the people who became involved, the problems that were solved, the challenges that remain to this day, and how this recent past might affect the city's future.
We chose this time to run this series because recent events have made it clear that the next several months will be pivotal decision-making times for Newburyport's downtown. Consider:
r After nearly four decades, the fate of the Newburyport Redevelopment Authority's waterfront dirt lots is likely to be decided. Plans have been submitted to make them into a waterfront park and parking lot.
r Steven Karp, the billionaire developer who owns the largest share of downtown Newburyport, has now bought all the private land along Newburyport's downtown waterfront. This places him in a position to complete the redevelopment of the downtown in ways that people a generation or two ago never envisioned.
r The public dialogue over preservation, and the future of Newburyport, is growing. As Newburyport approaches the next major stage of its downtown evolution, it seems important to recall how we got where we are, and what the community hopes for in the future.
For the past two-and-a-half months, the staff at The Daily News has been digging in places all over the city, from the well-cared-for basement archives of the Newburyport Public Library to the cobwebbed attic of City Hall, from our own extensive photo archives and microfilm, to the photo albums of Newburyporters who documented the downtown's fall and rise. And we've talked to many people who have shared their thoughts and recollections.
We'll be sharing all of this, and more, with our readers over the next several months, because, like Newburyport itself, it is a work in progress.
The most important part of the series is you. We hope this will be an opportunity for Newburyporters to renew the dialogue about what has happened here over the past four decades. Also, it's an opportunity for the community to discuss what lies ahead.
If you lived here during the time of these great changes, we encourage you to share your own recollections and photos, and your feedback. If you're a more recent resident, your opinions and thoughts are valuable, too. We welcome your views on our opinion and news pages.
Our Web site — newburyportnews.com — will have extensive information on the series, as well. We encourage you to log on and check us out.
We at The Daily News have never done a series like this. In fact, we couldn't find a paper that had done something like this -- usually newspapers will publish an intense series of stories over a period of days, or maybe a couple of weeks. Too often, attention dies out before people have a chance to think about what they have read.
We want to carry "A Port in Progress" over a long haul because it is about our community. We want to give our readers ample opportunity to take part.
Our goal is to tell as many stories, show as many photos, and publish as many opinions as possible. Then, let's see where it leads us.
John Macone is editor of The Daily News.
Click here to return to the Port in Progress Homepage
Port in Progress
A Port in Progress
- Port in Progress
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Look of downtown signs a calculated process
The NRA had the power to make virtually all downtown signs conform to the new look of Newburyport. At the NRA’s insistence, the sign at Bob’s Subs eventually came crashing down in 1976.
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Long path to Merrimac Landing
Vision for 'Parcel 8' crystallized after several failed attempts to develop lot.
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Parcel 8: Urban renewal’s only new building in downtown Newburyport
Merrimack Landing at 1 Merrimac St., opposite the Firehouse Center for the Arts, was completed in 1984, but not before three other development projects were tried and failed on what was known for many years as urban renewal Parcel 8.
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Synergy brought mayor, NRA head together
Port in Progress
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Bradshaw brought new direction to NRA
Jack Bradshaw assumed the chairmanship of the Newburyport Redevelopment Authority, the board charged with finding a developer to revitalize a then-gasping downtown.
"While we'll be happy and willing to meet with any group regarding the selection of developers, we do have the final vote as to what will happen," Bradshaw said after being unanimously elected by his fellow members. - Third time not the charm for Newburyport waterfront
- Group swayed city to reject hotel, create arts center
- 37 years later, waterfront's woes remain unresolved
- A Port in Progress Archive
- Homecoming, city's revival share roots
- A place with 'so much charm'
- Three mayors, one goal
- Sidewalk superintendents watched and worried as the buildings came down
- The day the 'federal bulldozer' came to town
- The hardest place to restore: East Row showed Urban Renewal's growing pains
- The day Bossy's garage fell
- 30 years later, city's front porch is showing its age
- Renovators had to make new look old
- Perry's contributions to Port seen today
- Meet Inn Street's pioneers
- In twilight of his life, famed architect gave Port hope
- Inn St. was first renewal experiment
- "The roofs were rotting and the walls were bulging"
- Centuries later, Watt's Cellar keeps its secrets hidden
- Port's revival hinged on a few crucial actions
- Famed doctor helped save Port a building at a time
- 40 years later, art association expands, thrives
- Custom House struggles to find its way
- Page building a forerunner of Port's transformation
- An unwelcome glimpse of the future
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Look of downtown signs a calculated process
- Offbeat
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Plane through: Cessna lands on Houston golf course
HOUSTON (AP) — An area near the 11th hole at a Houston golf course provided a smooth landing spot after a small plane ran out of fuel and glided on to the grass.
The Cessna 170 was expected to be moved from Hermann Park on Tuesday. The unplanned landing of the single-engine plane happened Monday night on a flight from Lafayette, La. - Maine ice shack transformed into 'Shangri-La'
- PETA proposes robotic groundhog for Pa. festival
- Judge: Dance parties a no-no at Jefferson Memorial
- Video: Man playing with chicken on NYC subway
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Plane through: Cessna lands on Houston golf course




