The property at the corner of North Main and North Street has remained empty for quite some time. The property is the former location of the Mamatseo building. The owners tore down the building citing too many repairs where needed. Many at the time felt the building did not need to be torn down and have the ability to be renovated.
Recently the owners put up a new for sale or lease sign. The property is fenced in and is well taken care of and maintained. When asked what the current status was on the property the owner said “Nothing, it’s up to the City.” He said everything he proposed was turned down.
The owner wants to place a non-conforming building on the site such as a pharmacy, bank, or retail strep. In recent years the City has adopted a strict policy regarding development in the downtown area.
The city wants a traditional downtown building put there. The owner said “I can’t build something that won’t make any money, Bristol is a nice community but it’s not Manhattan”.
Outgoing Chamber President Mike Nicastro after hearing about the owners comments said.
“I can understand the frustration of any developer who has had to sit on vacant property for the length of the economic downturn we’re just coming out of. That said the city has taken the proper steps to make sure that areas such as North Main Street retain an urban oriented style in tradition with the historic nature of the business zone. For too many years we have sacrificed good design elements for expediency. We’re still correcting those sins of the past. If doing it right means it takes a little longer than so be it. It doesn’t mean that we’re trying to be something that we’re not but we don’t need to settle for just anything. We can no longer sacrifice long term strategic growth for short term and unsustainable gains.”
You can put a business there that is a bank or pharmacy. I have been to many cities like Great Barrington and North Hampton where there are banks and pharmacies in buildings that are in harmony with the look and feel of the cityscape. There is no reason a big chain business could not put a structure there, the problem is that it requires vision and compromise, something developers in this town seem sorely lacking in.
In the meanwhile, why not let the owner rent the space to temporary/seasonal people who sell things like pumpkins or Xmas trees?
so what do you do? make something worthwhile. my cousin and her husband have been dealing with this zit abutting their shop(montage) for quite some time. I would think a responsible landowner would carefully scrutinize what to build…
What about the recently vacated properties on rte. 6 which were purchased with the intent of building another CVS?? (right across the corner)
Booo! don’t let the bozo build another CVS or BoA… they care nothing about Bristol and will only cheapen it!
Let the man put in something that brings revenue.
I’m always afraid I’ll get stuck with something like that.
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