Many city officials place great store in the role the civic center is expected to have in the city's future economic rejuvenation. Plans to build a two-mile Riverwalk along the east side of the Merrimack River running both alongside and inside the mills go before aldermen for final approval in late summer. The project is expected to open access to the river for recreation, stimulate private investment and increase retail and housing uses in this historic district. It's very exciting some of the things that are happening. I haven't seen this much enthusiasm in the community for years now.
People are generally upbeat about the future.
They like what they're seeing. There has been a lot of improvement downtown. Intown Manchester executive director Richard Davis agrees. Under the proposal, the city would lease the property to Dass Development, which would sublease it to tenants. If all goes as planned, the first tenants could be in there by the end of the year, Taylor said.