Category Archives: Hamilton Canal District

Hamilton Canal District Update

By now I am sure that most of you have noticed that there is a lot of activity happening in the JAM Neighborhood and the Hamilton Canal District. I wanted to provide a brief update as to what is going on.

Temporary Bridge: The City is moving aggressively forward with the installation of the temporary bridge, which is being installed roughly 30 feet to the east of the existing permanent bridge across from Revere Street. Please note that due to the tight time schedule that we are keeping on this project, there is the need to complete work this weekend on both Saturday and Sunday (June 27th and 28th). A portion of the weekend work will take place on Jackson Street, but should not impact travel along Jackson Street.

Courthouse Site Demolition: The demolition contractor for the Courthouse site has started to mobilize equipment at the end of Jackson Street. The actual demolition work will be starting in the coming weeks. Work is scheduled to take place during the summer.

On-Site Preparation: The two story, southern portion of the Freudenburg building is being demolished. This project will be completed by the end of the month.
Thank you!

James Errickson Urban Renewal Project Manager

MYSTERY…

Rob Mills at the SUN is trying to unravel the mysterious appearance of a giant face on the top of the Fruedenberg building…

Since it is just outside my door I wandered over to take a look…I do not recognize this face, maybe someone in the neighborhood does…and what is he doing up there?
UPDATE: Part one of the mystery solved (see comments). “The photo is that of a real estate agent, Todd Alperin… “
Should be interesting to find out if this was a great advertising idea or just a prank.
UPDATE: Turns out it was a “theft”, not a prank…more at Rob’s blog:

NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING
Lowell National Historical Park is undertaking a General Management Plan Amendment to evaluate the impacts of the City’s Hamilton Canal District development on Park visitor entry and orientation experience and to conceptualize a visitor orientation experience that will serve as a gateway to the Park and the City.
The Park will host a public information meeting to present alternatives for its Park visitor information and orientation center. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16 from 5:30-6:30 pm at the Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center, 246 Market Street, Lowell, MA.Please RSVP to Cheryl Clark at: 978-275-1700 or Cheryl_Clark@nps.gov ifyou plan to attend.

City Building Workshops

From Mr. Lynch’s blog…
Goody Clancy and Associates will be holding its second round of public vision sessions, or “City Building Workshops,”
Following is the schedule and location for each session.
• Back Central Neighborhood: Tuesday, May 26. 6:00PM – 8:00PM Massachusetts Alliance for Portuguese Speakers, 11 Mill Street
• Lower Highlands Neighborhood: Wednesday, May 27. 6:00PM – 8:00PM Lowell Boy’s & Girl’s Club; 657 Middlesex Street
Downtown/ JAM Neighborhood: Thursday, May 28. 6:30PM – 8:30PM Pollard Library; Community Meeting Room, 401 Merrimack Street
• The Acre Neighborhood: Tuesday, June 2. 6:00PM – 8:00PM Lowell Senior Center; 276 Broadway

…For more information on regarding the workshops please contact Aaron Clausen at 978-446-7200. CONTACT: Aaron Clausen Lowell, Division of Planning and Development p. 978-446-7200 aclausen@lowellma.gov

Hamtilton Canal

The City of Lowell and VHB will be the guests at the JAMBRA neighborhood group meeting on Wednesday, May 13th at 7PM to review the current concept design plans for the Hamilton Canal District infastructure work. The City secured VHB of Watertown to complete the design and engineering for the infrastructure work associated with the Hamilton Canal District. The following items will be presented at the meeting:
-Hamilton Canal District Phase I Infastructure design (on work site)
-Jackson Street design
-Permanenet Revere Street Bridge
-Revere Street Extension

PUBLIC MEETING – Wednesday, May 13th, 2009, 7PM at Cappy’s Copper Kettle, 245 Central St., Lowell, MA. Everyone is welcome.

www.jambra.org
www.hamiltoncanal.com

Downtown Neighborhood Vision Session 1

The City of Lowell hired consultants from the Goody Clancy and associates to hold discussion sessions to try to improve the links between downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods.
The first session will be held:

April 23rd, 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Lowell High School Cafeteria

Refreshments will be provided by Brew’d Awakenings

Topics:
Affordable Housing
New development and how it can improve the ciy
Share your ideas about downtown opportunities and challenges
Economic Development
Arts & culture
Improving Access

Fifth and Final Vision Sessions for the Hamilton Canal District

Update:
Lowell renewal receives $3M lift
Article in today’s SUN:
http://www.lowellsun.com/todaysheadlines/ci_11478740

Old Walls. New Possibilities. Join the Fifth and Final Vision Sessions for the Hamilton Canal District – “The end of the beginning”
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! The City of Lowell and Trinity Financial, the master developer, invite you to the fifth and final Vision Session.
Come see where your ideas have taken us. Come hear what the critical next steps will be. There is much to celebrate! But we are only at the end of the beginning of this project. There is much more to do.
VISION SESSION V – Thursday, January 22, 2009 from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Lowell Senior Center, 276 Broadway Street, Lowell, MA
Refreshments will be served. Everyone is welcome.
Please RSVP: 617-720-8400 or reception@trinityfinancial.com
For more information, please go to http://www.hamiltoncanal.com/

Hamilton Canal District Master Plan

The Hamilton Canal District Master Plan is now available electronically on the Hamilton Canal District website! Go to http://www.hamiltoncanal.com/document-library/public-docs.aspx to view the Hamilton Canal District Master Plan!

"The Greening of Southie"

I saw this movie back in early 2008…mostly because the building is in my daughters’ neighborhood, and I had watched it grow every week. But my favorite part of the movie is the “Southie” construction workers (note: expect expletives). These guys give their perspective on “green building” which also grows throughout the project. If you can’t make this screening; I believe the movie is still available free on Comcast “on-demand”.

The Lowell Green Building Commission and the Lowell Film Collaborative, with the support of Enterprise Bank and Trust, present a screening of “The Greening of Southie” on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at the Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center theater. The event is free and open to the public.Set on the storied streets of South Boston, “The Greening of Southie” is an award-winning feature documentary about Boston’s first residential green building, the Macallen Building, and the skeptical workers who are asked to build it. Featured guest panelists at the Lowell premier will be Lisa Huang, project manager for the Macallen Building Project; Hank Keating, associate on design and construction with Trinity Financial working on the Lowell JAM Project; and Ken Koornneef, principal for Nobis Engineering, currently renovating office space in Lowell to green standards. All interested citizens, builders, and developers are especially invited to attend. For more information on the Green Building Commission, contact Aaron Clausen at 978-446-7200. For information on the Lowell Film Collaborative and its upcoming film events visit www.lowellfilmcollaborative.org or email lowellfilmcollaborative@live.com.

Hamilton Canal Dirstrict

Hamilton Canal Dirstrict, Traffic Working Group Session. Thursday, August 7, 2008. 6:30 – 8:30 PM – Mayor’s Reception Room, 2nd Floor, Lowell City Hall, 375 Merrimack Street.

SUN has an article about the outcome of this meeting. http://www.lowellsun.com/todaysheadlines/ci_10149223