New downtown residents support Saco businesses
WMTW reporter Jim Keithley recently broadcast a news report about the surge in demand for downtown housing, and efforts by The Forge Collection to meet that demand. Watch the video posted here for the key excerpts from Jim’s report.
Attracting more residents who live downtown accomplishes several things. First, it uses existing infrastructure and does not saddle taxpayers with the cost of City services like new roads, new plowing chores, extended trash pick-up and demands for more police or fire coverage on the outskirts of town. It increases the taxable value of downtown properties, generating more tax revenue over time. It also introduces a growing core of new customers for Main Street and other downtown businesses. That’s right in line what folks are saying in feedback to Saco City Hall.
City leaders recently commissioned an “Economic Development Market Analysis,” and they’ve also launched an effort to update Saco’s Comprehensive Plan. Both processes have taken great pains to solicit direct comments from residents. A recent meeting on the Comprehensive Plan reported that residents want “improvements to downtown,” and more development “such as apartments above restaurants and shops.” They want “different types of housing” and they want the City to control “sprawl.” The economic report specifically noted that “a major opportunity to increase the vibrancy of downtown Saco is to better integrate the mill area of Saco with the downtown.”
That’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re forging ahead one step at a time, rebuilding Saco Island and making it a real neighborhood. We recently completed 31 new apartments in what used to be known as “Unit 91,” and now we’re building 6 new two-bedroom units at 110 Main Street, with another 6 to follow after that. We are contemplating additional improvements that would add to the vibrancy of Main Street, Saco. Altogether, The Forge Collection has invested more than $7 million sprucing up our Saco Island campus. We have more work ahead of us, and we’re in it for the long haul.
The Forge Collection supports the City’s efforts to listen to residents and taxpayers to see what they want for their community. We also urge our neighbors to help the City’s efforts by participating in their online survey, to help them gather more data. The survey is open until February 28.