File Photo / William Hall
Colby College helped invest in Waterville's revitalization.
July 8, 2022
Waterville gets another moment in the national spotlight
Courtesy / The Lockwood Hotel
The Lockwood Hotel, shown in a rendering, won't open until next month, but already got some love from a national travel magazine.
By Jessica Hall
Travel & Leisure, the magazine best known for covering the exotic vacation retreats and luxurious hotels around the world, has put a spotlight on Waterville.
In its new issue, the magazine highlights the city’s $200 million revitalization efforts, which combined public and private investments in the aim “to transform a historic milling town in Maine to a hip college town rich in arts programming.”
"We're absolutely thrilled. We haven't always been in the news for good stuff, so it's nice to see over the past year and a half all the positive news," said Waterville Mayor Jay Coelho. "We've been everywhere, which is fun. It's nice to see it recognize everything we have. Anything you could possibly want to do, we have some version of it to offer in Waterville."
The article features the Lockwood Hotel, which opens in mid-August and is named for the former Lockwood textile-mill complex nearby. The onsite restaurant Front & Main, already open, also gets favorable reviews.
The 53-room hotel features views of the Kennebec River and Main Street and includes a terraced patio, and art curated by the Colby College Museum of Art. The hotel is also pet-friendly and LEED Silver-certified for its eco-friendly construction, the magazine said.
"It was really exciting to see some national press about our pending opening and all the investments in downtown. The city has really benefited from some awesome public and private partnerships," said Jordan Rowan, general manager of the Lockwood Hotel.
Rowan hopes the Travel & Leisure story will help bring some attention to the hotel's pending opening. The hotel is already accepting reservations through the end of the year.
"Certainly any time we get local, regional or national press, it helps. It's just exciting to see," Rowan said.
Travel & Leisure also highlighted other attractions of the city of about 16,000 residents, including the local opera house, arts collaborative Greene Block Studios and the forthcoming $18-million Paul J. Schupf Art Center for film, arts education, and the performing and visual arts.
The article also gives a big boost to Colby College for its efforts and $85 million investments in the revitalization. The “little ivy” founded in 1813 aims to further the city's makeover.
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“By creating places for locals and those affiliated with the college to enjoy and appreciate art, this initiative aims to improve quality of life downtown, while also transforming the city into an arts and culture destination,” the magazine said.
To read the full article, click here.
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