Editorial: Dump the doom and gloom
It's been too easy to have a gloomy attitude when it comes to development in Worcester's downtown.
There have been some successes, yet there have also been been false starts over the years, and unfulfilled promises of a renaissance. All while other New England cities (think Providence, R.I.) have enjoyed the fruits of an enlivened downtown. But for Worcester, it's been a lot of promises, hand-wringing and not enough results to show for the effort.
So, it was only natural that the $563 million CitySquare project in downtown Worcester would spark a sense of euphoria for a time. But now that the dust has settled - and no dust has been created by a wrecking ball - that old sense of skepticism has crept back into the fold.
For months, people have been privately wondering, "Will it really happen?" They've been whispering at cocktail parties, "Why hasn't any progress been made?"
But the issue bubbled to the surface about a week ago, when a couple of city councilors decided to call out the CitySquare developer - Boston-based Berkley Investments - and its president, Young Park.
The haranguing from politicians - who are in the midst of an election cycle - got a big splash in local media. And suddenly all those doubts that everyone had been keeping private spilled out into dinner conversation.
Well, Young Park didn't take being called out lightly. He made the rounds of local media, including this publication, arguing that the CitySquare project is still moving along and that the political grandstanding about a perceived lack of progress wasn't accomplishing anything.
And his arguments were valid. He pointed out that it took nearly two years to find someone to run the Choose Worcester organization, so how could the city expect to have a brand new downtown in a half the time?
But it is Park's remarks about the city's aforementioned "gloomy attitude" that strike the loudest chord.
"I think what really hampers some of our efforts is the level of pessimism and the sense that the people in Worcester are not behind this project," he said.
For sure there are market forces afoot when it comes to securing tenants for the CitySquare project. But there's also the problem of perception. Many people outside of Worcester do not have a favorable impression of the city. Even worse, there are people within the city who make it their full-time job to put it down.
Well, that kind of attitude isn't going to get us anywhere.
It may sound hokey, but the power of positive thinking really is just that - a power. And conversely, pessimistic thinking can be an equally destructive force. Rather than sitting around complaining that Worcester's heyday is long gone, it's time for a new attitude. One that says, "Yes, Worcester can be a vibrant New England city with a fabulous downtown."
Worcester has the cultural attractions, the transportation infrastructure and the bodies (thanks in part to the numerous colleges) to foster an energetic urban core. CitySquare will be a catalyst for that evolution, but it's not going to happen overnight.
So, let's cut Berkley Investments some slack, and get over the disappointments of the past. No, a miracle is not going to happen overnight in Worcester's downtown, but a little positive thinking can go a long way.
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