Marlborough Fire Hurts Downtown
It wasn’t much to look at. The three-story building on Main Street in the heart of downtown Marlborough was so nondescript that, according to Building Commissioner Stephen Reid, “Now that it’s leveled, many people can’t remember what was there.”
But there’s good reason to miss the century-old wooden building, which was burned to the ground in June, Reid said. Along with a restaurant and hair salon, it contained nine apartments. That’s nine more than in any building constructed downtown in the past 30 years, he said.
For many urban planners and local boosters, a key goal is getting people to live downtown. Mixed-use buildings where apartments sit atop restaurants and shops are ideal because they bring all sorts of people into downtown at all times of day. And that’s what was happening at 171 Main St.
“It is really a devastating loss for the center of Marlborough,” said Marilyn Whalley, executive director of the Marlborough Economic Development Corp.
Whalley and Reid said it’s too early to know what the future may hold for the site. Reid said that for now the owner, Paul Varghese, has promised to clean up the lot and put in grass. After that, he said, Varghese may offer the location up to developers. Varghese did not return calls for this story.
Reid said he expects city officials and others with a stake in the downtown area to discuss the possible future uses of the site. So far, he said, one party has expressed an interest, but is not yet speaking publicly about it.
Given recent development in the city, some sort of commercial development may be more likely than mixed-use or residential. Whalley said there’s often simply not enough demand for residential or small retail space downtown. But Whalley said there’s good reason to promote downtown living since it contributes to the economy. That makes the loss of 171 Main St. significant. “It was so central to the community, so it really is very, very unfortunate,” she said.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments