Looking East down the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall in Salem. Early work to revitalize the area will begin on Monday with the removal of three raised landscaping beds.
Photo by Ryan Mooney
City officials have announced that construction on the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall in Salem is set to begin on Monday with the removal of three landscaping beds along the pedestrian causeway.
The work is an early part of the city’s effort to revitalize the downtown area. The planters, city officials say, are obstructive to pedestrians, both in terms of traffic flow and vision.
“The pedestrian mall is an important amenity downtown, and I’m pleased to move forward with this needed work,” Mayor Kim Driscoll said in a statement. “The project will make it safer for pedestrians and will increase visibility for businesses.”
But how do businesses in the area feel about the work beginning on Monday, and the city’s plan to embark on a major overhaul of the street in the near future?
A stroll down the brick-and-cobblestone thoroughfare reveals that while full agreement on every little detail is unrealistic – one business owner recalled a public meeting on the subject last year that descended into a “forum to complain” – merchants are largely in favor of seeing changes made.
“We need some kind of maintenance to be done on the surface area, that’s past due,” said Tom Tetrault, co-owner of Bernard’s Jewelers. “I think it’s going to improve the walking areas. It’s been a positive reaction.”
Tom Daniel, the city’s economic development manager, said in May that fundraising efforts have not been great, and Tetrault – who has run the store with his brother, Ray, since 1978 – is glad to see that the city is easing into the work slowly, even if only for budget reasons.
The family-owned business has been on Essex Street since 1934, and Tetrault says that construction was a disaster when the city turned it into a pedestrian way in the 1970’s.
“When it was done initially…it was all done at once. Complete disruption, shutting everything down,” Tetrault said. “[Now] they’re going to be doing it in phases and sections, so we’re not going to lose the whole traffic area at once…it makes sense.”
Sam Pollard, who has operated Mud Puddle Toys with his wife, Kristen, for the past two years, agrees with the city officials who believe that a change is needed to bring an upswing in foot traffic to struggling retailers.
“I encourage it as a business owner,” Pollard said. “The changes they’re proposing are excellent. And the fact that I might lose a little business for a couple days, to me it’s worth the long term goal.”
But not all business owners share the sentiment that a redevelopment will lead to more foot traffic, or that increased foot traffic will lead to more customers.
“They think that this is going to change anything? I doubt it,” lamented Bill Avellis, who’s run a designer shoe store, The Bootery, in town for 47 years, the last seven of which he’s spent on the Pedestrian Mall.
The problem he sees is one of substance. Too many businesses on the Pedestrian Mall, Avellis says, cater to tourists looking for souvenirs and a taste of Salem circa 1692 – such as witchcraft and tarot readings – rather than everyday residents.
“If you had sand [on the ground], and the right stores, people would come in regardless,” he said. “You could have practically gold, and if you haven’t got the stores you’re not going to draw the people. That’s the real problem, they’ve got to invite businesses to come into town. Not just witch businesses, active clothing stores and men’s shoe shops, dress shops.”
Aesthetically, however, Avellis is all for change, and even offered up a suggestion of his own.
“I don’t know if they’re going to put any tables or anything like that out here, that would be a great idea,” he said.
Forums for Avellis and similarly interested parties to bring up ideas for the future will be coming this fall, when city officials will hold further design discussions.
City officials were not immediately available for comment, but possibilities for the future include removing the fountain at Washington Street, addressing the cobblestone areas, planting trees, and opening opportunities for public art, according to a statement on the city’s official website.
The phase of work beginning Monday is scheduled to wrap-up no later than September 28, and no work will be done in October, by far the busiest month for businesses in the city.
“I’m sure there will be days when it’s not ideal,” said Christine Robidoux, owner of the clothing retailer Modern Millie. “But there’s problems at any location of any business, whether it’s construction in the front of the business…things happen, you just kind of roll with the punches.”
Ryan Mooney can be reached at globe.mooney@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @mooney_ryan.
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