Overview:
The Downtown Vitality Committee in Athol is planning a "Vacant Storefronts Tour" on May 12 to highlight available downtown spaces and encourage new business development. The committee's planning intern, Brian Hobin, has developed a preliminary map of vacant properties and created a flyer for the event. The tour aims to draw attention to and spark conversations around economic development in downtown Athol. Additionally, the "Remaking Main Street" initiative was discussed, which includes small business development, clean energy career pathways, and a creative economy program.
ATHOL – The Downtown Vitality Committee is continuing plans for a May 12 “Vacant Storefronts Tour” aimed at highlighting available downtown spaces and encouraging new business development.
Director of Planning and Community Development Eric Smith introduced the town’s planning intern Brian Hobin, who recently graduated from the Regional Planning Program at UMass Amherst. Hobin has been helping develop a preliminary map of vacant properties as part of the tour.
“I’m really passionate about downtowns. I think that was one of the things that stood out about the internship when we first connected,” Hobin said at the March 10 meeting. “I wrote a thesis about centering growth in urban cores, like downtown areas, so this is exactly what I’m interested in doing.”
Hobin also created a flyer for the event, which states the tour is intended to “draw attention to and spark conversations around economic development in downtown Athol.”
Smith said he and Hobin identified about 18 vacant storefronts and began reaching out to property owners about participating in the tour. Smith added that response has been limited, with only one owner expressing interest so far. The tour is expected to last between 90 minutes and two hours, depending on how many properties are included.
During the discussion, Chantell Oliveras, a prospective business owner, described challenges connecting with property owners while exploring opportunities to open a business locally.
“I have had such an incredibly difficult time trying to contact somebody,” she said. “There’s faded out numbers on the sign.”
Committee members discussed possible solutions, including improving signage and making contact information for vacant properties more accessible. Smith suggested creating a fact sheet to have at the tour for available properties. These would include key details and a reliable point of contact for prospective business owners.
“We’re really looking for people who are interested in small business, and particularly those who would like a business on Main Street.”
Michael Lundquist
Remaking Main Street
The committee also heard a discussion led by Michael Lundquist of the Polus Center and Samantha Beauvais of Athol Credit Union on the “Remaking Main Street” initiative.
According to a handout shared at the meeting, this is a community-driven effort led by the Polus Center and Athol Credit Union to revitalize downtown Athol through three core initiatives – small business development, clean energy career pathways and a creative economy program.
“We’re really looking for people who are interested in small business, and particularly those who would like a business on Main Street,” Lundquist said.
Beauvais said participants would have opportunities to develop and pitch business ideas, with funding awarded to selected proposals.
“There would be a cash prize for the winner,” she said, adding that organizers are still working on funding.
Beauvais also described the creative economy initiative, a public arts program that invites residents to create multimedia artwork for display throughout downtown, aimed at bringing more activity and visibility to Main Street.
Lundquist said this effort also includes a workforce development component. He said the Polus Center supports employment opportunities, particularly for individuals with disabilities, and recently received a planning grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to help introduce local residents, ages 18-24, to career pathways in the clean energy field.
“We’re looking forward to working with young people here in the area to really offer them competitive employment opportunities with good wages and good career paths,” he said.
He added that they conducted a community survey on introducing a technical training program, with about 95% of respondents reacting positively.
ParkMobile app
The committee later received an update from Smith on the delayed rollout of the ParkMobile app.
Smith said some signage issues, including missing or incorrect sign numbers, have slowed implementation, and additional signs are expected to be installed.
“I actually checked this morning, and it still wasn’t live,” Smith said.
Once the system goes live, the town plans to share information with local businesses and the public.
The Downtown Vitality Committee is scheduled to meet again on April 14.