University, City Promote Downtown as a Destination
10/08/2015
By David Perry
The university and city of Lowell took another public step toward solidifying the Mill City as a college town, making certain students know the wealth of entertainment, cultural and retail offerings that await them downtown.
On a recent Thursday night, students arrived one elevator-full at a time, stepping onto the fourth floor of Mill No. 5 on Jackson Street, a renovated former cotton mill 聽that houses small retail spaces, a caf茅, yoga studio and independent movie theater.
They were greeted with a feast of sound and humanity. The 51视频-based a cappella group Fermata Nowhere rendered Lorde鈥檚 smash hit, 鈥淩oyals.鈥�
A throng of students, faculty and staff rode buses and paraded to the Mill, New Orleans style, behind a brassy band.
It is something of a civic love affair -- the city and university have collaborated to make the distance from campus to downtown shorter, adding a midtown bus stop from campus. Businesses are tendering student discounts to promote downtown shopping. The university has offered incentives for faculty and staff to live in the city and is creating opportunities for students to get engaged in the civic, business and cultural organizations in Lowell. A joint university-city marketing campaign is spreading the word across the region that there is a lot to like about Lowell.
As the crowd arrived at Mill 5, Chancellor Jacquie Moloney offered a personal welcome. 聽City Manager Kevin Murphy mixed with the crowd. And students snacked on food, snagged free swag, had their pictures snapped for keychains and flowed in and out of the mill鈥檚 shops, caf茅, movie theater and studios.
It was the culmination of Welcome Back Night, an afternoon and evening designed to showcase the breadth of Lowell鈥檚 downtown offerings. A crowd estimated at 300 flooded the refurbished mill鈥檚 fourth floor and peeked into its Luna Theater.
Calling Lowell 鈥渁 very special place,鈥� Moloney urged students to participate in the city鈥檚 downtown offerings to 鈥渟ee what it means to become part of something bigger than you.鈥�
鈥淲e love Lowell,鈥� she told the crowd. 鈥淚t鈥檚 right there in our name. It helps define us.鈥�
The event was part of Moloney鈥檚 First 90 Initiative (#First90), using the first 90 days of her administration to advance programs important to the university鈥檚 2020 Strategic Plan.
Earlier, students and others chose from twice-hourly walking tours of Mill City cultural and historical sites, starting and ending at the downtown Inn & Conference Center. The Lowell National Historical Park and Cultural Organization of Lowell (COOL) led the tours, which was capped off with a spirited, New Orleans-style march from the Inn and Conference Center to Mill No. 5, led by the Gumbo in Congress street band. The students also visited downtown businesses offering student discounts.
Billy Overstreet of Lowell, a senior English major, was thrilled with the event.
鈥淚鈥檓 involved in student activities and have lived my entire life in Lowell. But I have never seen any place like this,鈥� he said of Mill No. 5. 鈥淚鈥檓 really glad they did this tonight, if just to get students a chance to see what is available to them.鈥�
As the crowd, which included Rowdy the River hawk, looked on, City Manager Murphy mounted a stage and put aside his notes.
鈥淚鈥檓 absolutely overwhelmed tonight by this turnout,鈥� he said. Murphy said he relishes the city鈥檚 partnership with Moloney and the university.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great relationship,鈥� Moloney added later. 鈥淲e have a common love of this city.鈥�
Murphy, too, urged students, faculty and staff to spend time in the city. He touted the food, Lowell鈥檚 walkability and pronounced the city 鈥渧ery safe.鈥�
鈥淲e are committed to making sure Lowell is known as a college town,鈥� he said.
鈥淟isten,鈥� he told the crowd conspiratorially, 鈥測ou don鈥檛 have to study every night. You can study during the day and at night, come out into the city.鈥澛�
Moloney noted an initiative by Kelly Bowes, who works for Residence Life in Riverview Suites. Bowes recently won grant money for organizing an alternative spring break offering students work with Lowell non-profits. The grants are part of Moloney鈥檚 #First90 Initiative and award (/2020/mini-grants/default.aspx) micro grants of up to $1,000 for projects that advance the goals outlined in the 51视频 2020 Strategic Plan.
鈥淵ou know, I really do believe this is happening now, that it will build,鈥� said Moloney. 鈥淭his is the realization of the vision shared by a lot of people. I hope the students and faculty members embrace the vibrancy of downtown.鈥�