town moves closer to developing historic mills

The Newmarket Community Development Corporation recently named College Street LLC as the preferred developer to revitalize the historic Essex Mills in downtown Newmarket. The announcement brings the town one step closer to finalizing development plans that have constituted an ongoing debate for years.

College Street LLC, which is based out of New Haven Connecticut, specializes in redeveloping historic properties. The company hopes to turn the remaining stone mills along Main Street and the Lamprey River into a combination of residential units, retail and commercial space, artists’ lofts and community space.

The NCDC is a private, nonprofit entity operated by a board of volunteer directors. The group was incorporated in 1983 for the promotion of growth and prosperity in Newmarket. The mills, which the NCDC acquired from the Essex Corporation in 1997, are comprised of concrete and “trap rock” buildings along Main Street. Most of the structures were built between 1824 and 1903 to house fabric mills, but several additions were made over the years. The NCDC previously owned companion buildings across the river, now known as Bryant Rock, but sold the complex to a developer in 2001.

In 2004, Smuttynose Brewing Company approached the NCDC with plans to convert the riverfront portion of the mills into a brewery, café, restaurant and other mixed-use spaces. The NCDC entered into an Option Agreement with Smuttynose in July 2004, allowing the brewery to explore the project’s viability. After several extensions of the agreement and endless wrangling over project details, both parties agreed to discontinue the negotiations.

Property development is a long and complicated process. One of the first steps is making a formal Request for Proposals, a step the NCDC took in January 2007. The request invited firms to submit proposals for ways to revitalize the mills in a cost effective way, while at the same time providing for other public and community interests, including artist housing, open space and retail and commercial spaces. “We provided a variety of project planning and real estate and marketing advisory services,” said Steven Cecil of the Cecil Group, a Boston based planning and design firm. 

Cecil believes the NCDC chose College Street LLC as the preferred developer because it has “a demonstrated background in mixed-use development in historic and mill structures.” The New Haven-based company has been involved in a number of similar development projects in New England, including work on the Malden Mills project in Methuen, Mass. The College Street team includes Richard Swett, a former N.H. Congressman and principal of Swett Associates and the architecture firm of Dinkeloo Associates of New Haven.

The next step for College Street LLC, according to Cecil, is to conduct a detailed review of the site and building conditions. “The next step is homework,” he said. After assessing the project, College Street will draft a more specific proposal to present to the town for further review. “The NCDC will be working with the development team to review key engineering and design approval requirements and making sure that the planned approach of the project is appropriate so that the project can move ahead,” Cecil said.

There are several important factors to keep in mind when working with historic structures. “I think that the key is to retain the unique, historic character and features,” Cecil said. “Clearly, retaining and converting mills into other uses can be really expensive. That is the balance. How can you retain the buildings, but do it in a cost effective manner?” But the benefit of working with historic buildings is their special charm in the hearts of town residents. “They are really unique and tied to the community. They are clearly linked to Newmarket’s past and future,” Cecil said.

And what about the inclusion of green design in the redevelopment plan? “It is a consideration. Part of the idea is to meet the short-term and long-term interests of the town. So it’s definitely a consideration,” Cecil said. But such specific design plans are still a long way off, he added.

“Because this is long awaited, we all have to understand that it is an important step in the process, but there is a long way to go. There will be many opportunities for public input and review. It is a step in the process, not the end, but a really important step,” Cecil said. 

This important step coincides with the kickoff of Phase Two of the Newmarket Downtown Revitalization Plan, which is an effort to spruce up the downtown by installing more pedestrian friendly sidewalks, better lighting and improved water and sewer infrastructure. “I think it is great that the NCDC has selected a developer and it’s coinciding with the downtown revitalization plan,” said Brian Hart, chair of the Newmarket Town Council. “The development is crucial to the long-term vitality of the downtown. A mix of residential and commercial space will help strengthen the investment the town is making to revitalize the downtown.” According to Hart, the development will put more than 150,000 square feet of underutilized space into use.

Phase One of the Downtown Revitalization Plan focused on a section of Route 108 running from the railroad tracks to the Irving Station. The town replaced sewer lines, improved sidewalks and added new lighting. Phase Two will focus on a section of Route 108 from the railroad tracks to the Lamprey River. The goal is to upgrade the infrastructure to better meet current and future needs of the town, according to Hart. Overhead utilities, like utility lines, will be buried underground. New lighting will be added and other more pedestrian-friendly improvements will be made.

The town of Newmarket also owns a vacant parking lot across from the mills. When the redevelopment project is complete, Hart expects the town to turn its gaze on the empty lot. “That area is a pretty large, underused space,” Hart said. A possible use of the lot would be a mix of commercial space and parking. “But that is a long way off, and it’s not being formally planned. Its viability will depend on the downtown revitalization,” he added. 

“I think it will continue to put Newmarket and the downtown on the map for people,” Hart said. “We’ve got this great jewel of a downtown and we’re really getting it ready for people to fall in love with.”