Updated: September 2, 2024
A Look Back
A Look Back: In construction season, making lemonade from lemons
File Photo / Tim Greenway
Road construction was underway on Water Street in Hallowell on May 31, 2018.
They say there are two seasons in Maine, winter and construction season.
A feature story in the Mainebiz print edition of June 11, 2018, delved into the topic by talking to merchants in downtowns undergoing extensive construction projects.
Former Mainebiz Staff Writer Maureen Milliken, who did extensive coverage of central Maine, talked to retailers about how they were faring during infrastructure upgrades and downtown makeovers.
In downtown Belgrade Lakes, which is bordered by two lakes and was seeing major construction on its only main road (also state Route 27), one retailer was resigned to the process.
“When you get lemons,” the retailer started. Maureen added: “She trails off, but doesn’t have to finish” the sentence.
Lemonade was more than a metaphor. There were tables set up offering lemonade to weary visitors as a respite from the traffic woes.
In Hallowell, Maureen reported that “heavy equipment and fencing line the historic half-mile downtown.”
The state provided a 30-page primer to help retailers, “Digging Maine: Business Savvy Tips to Survive Construction.”
The plan was to improve sidewalks and accessibility, improve drainage and repave the street.
Retailers saw the upgrade of Hallowell’s downtown Water Street as “inevitable,” so they tried to make the best of it.
“Hallowell’s going to come out looking beautiful, and so much is changing because of it for the better,” a gallery owner told Mainebiz. “Hallowell will be more marketable at the end of this.”
Fun fact
When the state was getting ready to redo the main street of downtown Hallowell it surveyed residents and business owners. From 247 responses, 165 were residents, 30 owned businesses, 38 were employed by the city and 148 frequented area businesses. In the feedback section, typical comments included, “Get the job done quickly” and “Do it. Get it over with.”
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