Downtown Waterville’s Concerns: Businesses

After investigating the Hyde Park development project, we were concerned a similar situation would arise in Waterville. So we decided to take our research downtown to hear from the locals themselves. Yet despite Colby’s efforts to be transparent, we were met with some confusion from the community.

Downtown Waterville Farmers Market

• Is concerned about the new dormitory’s location and consequent relocation of their market. They need adequate notification to plan ahead, for also transportation and security of the new location is a pressing issue.

Save-A-Lot

• Seems to be confident in increase in business, but the concern again is parking for customers and workers.

Chapter 11 & The Yarngoods Center

• The Chapter 11 store clerk believes that there will be an increase in sales but not guaranteed business security. The store does not cater to Colby students despite accessibility
• The Yarngoods Center manager is not thrilled to have a building potentially blocking the store’s view from Main Street. She also mentioned how she has to park close due to safety and physical limitations, but she fears with less parking she will struggle to retain her business, let alone that target customers are not Colby students.

Collaborative Consulting

• Is an IT company excited to partner with the College to better serve its Northeastern clients. The company plans to introduce 200 new jobs over the next five years, while offering internships and job opportunities to students in the area.

Boutique Hotel

• Colby also plans to renovate either the Levine’s or Hains buildings into a boutique hotel to provide a new lodging experience in Waterville.
• Although the hotel will bring a consistent flow of visitors – therefore business – to Main Street, it would also add to the already limited public parking. There is no plan on how Colby will address the limited parking.

Security is especially important with the new dorm being surrounded by at least four bars. Colby tends to produce high dorm damage and, as all colleges do, have underage drinking; not addressing such issues can be detrimental to the objectives of the downtown project.

Colby must be mindful of the needs of Waterville community members. Each group will demand different types of businesses because of the contrasting economic backgrounds between Waterville and Colby community members. Theoretically business addressing the needs of the majority thrive in the long run. As the Colby community is smaller, future business plans should cater to the needs of Waterville residents. This partnership has great potential to be a very productive project, but it is crucial for the larger partners involved to keep in mind that the ultimate beneficiaries are Waterville residents, not Colby College.