Cities seek ways to draw residents

December 05, 2009

AUGUSTA -- Many Maine downtowns are in a chicken-or-the-egg situation.

Which comes first, the shopper, or the shop?

About 55 people at a Maine Downtown Institute session Friday swapped ideas on how to overcome the challenges of revitalizing Maine downtowns typically filled with historic buildings and nostalgia but few shoppers.

In Augusta, one of the challenges in drawing potential shoppers to live downtown is the difficulty of meeting modern fire codes on the upper floors of historic buildings.

"Fire code restrictions can be big stumbling blocks for business owners," Cecil Munson, a city councilor in Augusta, said at the institute session.

The institute is organized by the nonprofit Maine Downtown Center, which provides advice and assistance to local groups looking to revitalize downtowns in Maine.

Noreen G. Norton, of Eaton Peabody Consulting Group, the lead presenter Friday, said requirements to provide better access to the upper floors of old buildings could be met by creating shared access.

She pointed to a long-discussed but never acted upon proposal to connect the upper floors of downtown Gardiner buildings so a single elevator in one could provide access to the upper floors of others.

Norton and John P. Holden, an economic-development consultant, described different incentives downtown advocates can use to draw and retain businesses in downtowns.

Perhaps ironically, some Maine downtowns -- such as Augusta's and Waterville's -- are benefiting from tax revenue generated by new big-box stores.

Maine law allows municipalities to shelter new tax revenues in tax increment financing, or TIF, districts. And those tax revenues can be used to help fund downtown improvements and, in turn, use those improvements to draw people and businesses.

Shannon Haines, executive director of Waterville Main Street, said Waterville's TIF to benefit the downtown, in place about four years, generates about $100,000 a year.

Roxanne Eflin, program manager for the Maine Downtown Center, said Augusta was the first municipality to use TIF funds generated outside its downtown area -- such at The Marketplace at Augusta and Augusta Crossing shopping complexes -- to fund downtown infrastructure improvements.

Participants Friday also discussed drawing certain types of businesses to a downtown.

For example, Jason Simcock, development director for Gardiner, said many residents have long wished for a downtown bookstore, but no one they've approached has been interested in opening one there.

Holden suggested a market analysis be done, to see if there is enough demand for a bookstore in Gardiner and, if there is, show that data to potential business owners.

"The market is the market, and you've got to pay attention to it," Holden said. "You may want a bookstore, but the market may not support it."

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com