Downtown Laconia Urban Renewal 2020

[Major]

Originally Posted by Shrimpbrain

What are the Political Demographics of the people who are in charge of Laconia? That might answer a lot about what direction Laconia is going in. I believe one of them owns the Laconia Daily Sun. I also grew up in Laconia and as someone did mention " It is a ****hole ". As long as the same people are in charge NOTHING will change. Section 8 and Drug Rehabs.

Here is a list of the Laconia City Council:

Edward Engler, Mayor
•Bruce Cheney, Ward 1
• David Bownes, Ward 2
• Henry D. Lipman, Ward 3
•Mark Haynes, Ward 4
•Robert Hamel, Ward 5
•Andrew Hosmer, Ward 6

Engler, Bownes, Lipman and Hosmer are left leaning. Hamel is pretty conservative. I'm not sure about Cheney and Haynes. The bottom line is that they will vote for anything that increases property tax revenue. So when a Section 8 housing project comes up for debate, they are apt to take the quick money. They don't seem interested in long term initiatives.

The state school property will be a good indication of what they value. I bet you'll see a lot of "affordable housing" in the plan.

[Shrimpbrain]

Originally Posted by Major

Here is a list of the Laconia City Council:

Edward Engler, Mayor
•Bruce Cheney, Ward 1
• David Bownes, Ward 2
• Henry D. Lipman, Ward 3
•Mark Haynes, Ward 4
•Robert Hamel, Ward 5
•Andrew Hosmer, Ward 6

Engler, Bownes, Lipman and Hosmer are left leaning. Hamel is pretty conservative. I'm not sure about Cheney and Haynes. The bottom line is that they will vote for anything that increases property tax revenue. So when a Section 8 housing project comes up for debate, they are apt to take the quick money. They don't seem interested in long term initiatives.

The state school property will be a good indication of what they value. I bet you'll see a lot of "affordable housing" in the plan.

Exactly. Liberals ruin everything to the ground. Chicago San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego. All are spiraling down and out of control for the easy dollar. Maybe in a hundred years Laconia will
change but in our lifetimes things will remain the same or worse.

[fatlazyless]

For maybe ten years or longer downtown Laconia was home to a very happening Goodwill 2nd hand store, and I used to go there a couple times per month. Now, Goodwill went and moved to a former Hyundai store in Belmont, and it is not as good as the old Laconia Goodwill.

The Salvation Army store in Laconia has a very happening hard cover book department, located in what was a walk-in vault complete with a big, heavy steel vault door. It is neat as a pin, organized, and well designed. Hard cover books from the 70's-80's'90's that have msrp of 20-30 dollars will sell for about $1.50 there. All sorts of hard cover books ..... is like a mini bookstore.

With Walmart, Lowe's, Hanniford's, TJ Maxx and Homegoods just a couple miles away in Gilford, it's not easy for retail to make it work in the downtown Main St area of Laconia?

The Saint Vincent dePaul 2nd hand store for clothes and furniture in Lakeport is a super-duper store.

Laconia has Irwin Marine, the biggest boat dealer in NH, and only 5-star Sea Ray dealer in New England.

Laconia has the Irwin Zone, a huge Ford-Mercury-Lincoln-Toyota-Scion-Hyundai dealer.

Politics don't really make any difference ...... whether the local Laconia government is run by either party ..... it's all about the individuals and what's possible ...... it's a tough challenge trying to get that downtown up and happening .... which is almost impossible.

As a camper from Camp Alton in 1964, I can recall getting bused to the Main St, Laconia, Playhouse to see a few different plays, always on a Thursday, including Lil' Abner, and Annie Get Your Gun, so getting the playhouse up and running will be nice.

Whoopsie-doopsie .......oopsie.......no........methinks I got it confused with the Rochester Playhouse?

So, you know that downtown Laconia is sooooo dead that even the Goodwill Thrift Store closed up and left town .......... now, that's pretty danged dead.

Who knows but just maybe a mortuary business, a funeral home, could be a good fit there, what with the downtown already being totally dead, it could be a great fit!

[tis]

That is one of my pet peeves when voting in local politics. They don't tell you if they are Republican or Democrat. So if they are an unknown political, you have no idea how they will vote. I thought Laconia used to be pretty conservative, but I guess it is changing???

[joey2665]

This is an extremely interesting thread in the forum and I am really curious to hear from as many posters as possible. I just do not understand why FLL has to derail this thread with nonsense just to "poke the basket" and taking it off topic. It is extremely annoying. Sorry for the rant

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by joey2665

This is an extremely interesting thread in the forum and I am really curious to hear from as many posters as possible. I just do not understand why FLL has to derail this thread with nonsense just to "poke the basket" and taking it off topic. It is extremely annoying. Sorry for the rant

Because he has nothing else to do.

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by Biggd

Because he has nothing else to do.

Absolutely, It is really aggravating, this is an excellent topic

[jetskier]

The local economy is absolutely seasonal and highly dependent upon the influx of outside money. This represents a challenge for a number of businesses such as restaurants and hotels. In addition, there is less money coming in for boats etc... (the speed limit on the lake probably did not help this one).

I have been coming to the lake for 40 years (owned here for over 20 years). Back in the 80s there was the spend spend spend economy which brought money in from MA etc... Demographics have changed and the economy has changed.

So, some thoughts:

• Create high paying jobs that don't rely on seasonality.
• Limit growth the of infrastructure that is not supportive to economic growth (ex: section 8 housing).
• Commission an economic development board comprised of successful entrepreneurs and business people with contacts outside of the region.

Just my 2 cents.

Jetskier

[kawishiwi]

...I think population is not enough, year round, to support much any 'industry' there beyond what is there now. Why manufacture anything new, from machines to software to brooms, there vs access to more employees & talent near Nashua, Manchester, Portsmouth, Concord, etc? Unless the summer influx can be extended into a year round draw its just really difficult for me to imagine how Laconia rises to the top of anyones list for new business.

[jetskier]

• Don't have the skilled workforce, so it is difficult to attract new businesses.
• Don't have the businesses to attract the skilled workforce.

There are advantages to the area:

1. Lifestyle afforded by the lake
2. Generally, reasonable cost of living....check Boston..off the charts.
3. No state income tax

There has to be a definitive catalyst to break the cycle. Right now, Laconia needs to build both the skilled workforce and attract the right businesses. Creating a university affiliation and a startup ecosystem would be one potential way to begin to break the cycle.

Just my 2 cents.

Jetskier

[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by kawishiwi

...I think population is not enough, year round, to support much any 'industry' there beyond what is there now. Why manufacture anything new, from machines to software to brooms, there vs access to more employees & talent near Nashua, Manchester, Portsmouth, Concord, etc? Unless the summer influx can be extended into a year round draw its just really difficult for me to imagine how Laconia rises to the top of anyones list for new business.

I agree that the lack of employees to fill manufacturing positions is a big problem. Another thing that has a substantial impact on trying to manufacture anything in this area is the location of the state. The cost of shipping or transporting is substantially higher because we are located in the northeast corner of the country. That is why so many large manufacturing companies are located in the central part of the country.

[jbolty]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

I agree that the lack of employees to fill manufacturing positions is a big problem. Another thing that has a substantial impact on trying to manufacture anything in this area is the location of the state. The cost of shipping or transporting is substantially higher because we are located in the northeast corner of the country. That is why so many large manufacturing companies are located in the central part of the country.

exactly. car companies were in the upper midwest because the iron was there. shoe factories could run in Manchester because they got power from the river. today a place like NH needs jobs that don't require natural resources or shipping product. Education, biotech or technology in general are the first that come to mind.

CruCon appears to be a huge success story and there could be others like it with a little encouragement

[fatlazyless]

About ten years ago, the city had a very nicely designed kayak/canoe/stand-up paddle board, hand carry launch ramp built on the Winnipesaukee River, opposite Sawyer's Jewelry, and I've never seen anyone use it?

It's just below the Avery Dam and close to the big intersection of Main St and Union Ave, or Routes 106 and 107.

Depending on time of year, dam outflow volume, and water temperature, the river is good fishing and very clean. About five different low clearance road over-passes or bridges cross over the run from the Avery Dam for 1 1/4 miles down to huge Lake Winnisquam, making a lot of the river unaccessable to many motor boats that will not fit under the low bridges.

Could be worth a look see for the local paddler looking for someplace new to explore ....... an urban river with old stone wall style embankments in the downtown, and earthen natural embankments just downstream from the downtown area.

www.downtowngymlaconia.com just recently opened, opposite the kayak launch ramp, so's maybe some of the athletically inclined may want to go hit the river on a sup ..... maybe sup yoga ..... and do that downward dog moving down river with the natural river flow .... you be paddl'n down dat river on a sup ..... low bridge ahead ..... got to kneel down to fit under dat bridge dere...... you be paddl'n down dat dere inner city lazy Winnipesaukee River ......mak'n some waves ...... yo!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnipesaukee_River

Paddling the Winnipesaukee River, downstream from Laconia, in Tilton: 2:21, July 9, 2016; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXWFQp72NH4 ...... more out in the country than the Laconia downtown section ........this is below Lake Winnisquam, which has a dam.

[Shrimpbrain]

Originally Posted by tis

That is one of my pet peeves when voting in local politics. They don't tell you if they are Republican or Democrat. So if they are an unknown political, you have no idea how they will vote. I thought Laconia used to be pretty conservative, but I guess it is changing???

New Hampshire used to be Conservative.... However to many Left/Democrats have moved INTO this State and have changed it to a Liberal state. Lived here all my life and have seen the change, Just a shame.