Main Street Waterbury

MAY 2005
Main Street Waterbury
By Carl Rosa, the executive director of Main Street Waterbury

Welcome to Main Street Waterbury and springtime 2005. I think we've finally turned the corner on the wet and cold weather and that can only mean one thing, more people and more events in Downtown Waterbury!

March and April had been extremely busy months. Our first annual Main Street Waterbury fund raising event "Eat Your Art Out" was a huge success. We're still getting positive feedback from it and the planning committee recently held a recap meeting to discuss ways to improve upon it for next year.

On April 4, the Connecticut Main Street Center sponsored a Downtown Waterbury Market Niche Study conducted by John Shapiro from the firm of Phillips Preiss Shapiro Associates, Inc. John spent the day in Waterbury touring downtown, reviewing maps and demographic information and speaking with key stakeholders. He culminated the day with a town meeting presentation at the Waterbury Uconn Campus. The essence of his findings was to recommend a plan and strategy centered on promoting events and restaurants for nighttime activity in our Downtown District. He coined the working title, "Waterbury After Dark". His thought was that if Waterbury can generate activity and people coming into the downtown district for nighttime events and dining on a regular basis, then daytime activity would take care of itself. This will lead the way to recruiting a better business and retail mix for downtown as well. I am currently waiting for his written report and will have more to report on in a future column.

The Main Street Waterbury Board of Directors recently welcomed new members to their ranks. Rachel Sabetta from Carpin Manufacturing, Bob DeZinno from Adjectives, LLC, Ede Reynolds from John Bale Book Company, Lisa Martin from Webster Bank, TJ Senker and Jim Tucker from St.Mary's Hospital, and John Porter from Moynahan Law Offices are now volunteering their time on the Main Street Board.

May and June promise to be just as busy for Main Street Waterbury.

In early May, I am slated to attend the National Main Street Conference which is being held in Baltimore this year. This conference is a gathering of all Main Street cities and towns across America. Workshops, presentations, and downtown tours will be conducted. In addition, it is a unique opportunity to meet with other Main Street officials to discuss similar challenges and share ideas and suggestions for solutions.

The Climber's Cup Bike Race is coming back to Waterbury this year and the starting and finishing line will be right on the Green in Downtown Waterbury. Main Street will have a tent on the Green as well. Once again this year we will be conducting a survey to get feedback from visitors and residents as to what they would like to see in Downtown. Also, once again, those who fill out the survey will be eligible to win a 16" children's bike generously donated by Dave from the Bike Rack on Huntingdon Avenue.

The first Main Street Waterbury Annual Meeting will be held on May 23. Accomplishments and goals will be discussed and highlighted at this meeting.

The Connecticut Main Street Center is holding their annual meeting and awards presentation at the Palace Theater and Waterbury Arts Magnet School on June 6. I'm pleased to say that Main Street Waterbury will be the recipient of two awards. In the category of Best Public/Private Partnership, the Waterbury Clean Team has won the award. Congratulations should go to the Waterbury Development Corporation, Connecticut Community Foundation, City of Waterbury, and all of the volunteers who pulled this project together to make a difference in the cleanliness of our downtown district. Let's hope this award drives us to continued improvement with cleaning up downtown.

In the category of Best Volunteer Project, the Downtown Waterbury Ambassadors program won. Many thanks to all of the high school students who participate in this program to welcome visitors to our downtown. You've not only made a positive impact on our local community but also with the Connecticut Main Street Center as well.

Still to come for Main Street is a Program Assessment Day where the Connecticut Main Street Center comes to town and works with our Board and Committee volunteers on reviewing past year successes and challenges and then makes recommendations for this year.

I'll have more to report on the events of May in my next column. In the meantime, if you are interested in volunteering your time with Main Street Waterbury for any one of the four committees, Design, Promotion, Economic Restructuring, and Organization, please contact me at 203-757-0701 ext. 302 or email me at crosa@mainstreetwaterbury.com and remember, keep thinking Main Street Waterbury, Culture, Education, Business!

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