Hudson town officials and residents have received a proposal for a new shopping center.
But not just any shopping center.
A few weeks ago, W/S Development Associates provided its plans to develop a 375-acre golf course and create the largest shopping center in New England.
And that's just phase one.
NHPR Correspondent Sheryl Rich Kern has the details.
John Cashell sits in his 10 by 10 office in Hudson’s town hall.
He’s been the town planner for five years, in the field for over twenty.
He’s seen a lot of development proposals.
But none equal the magnitude of Riverplace, a so-called open-air lifestyle center that will sit just off Route 3A along the Merrimack River.
Cashell points to the piles of materials on his desk.
"These are large volume documents; they’re three separate documents here (thump), this is another separate package of traffic documents"
(Paper shuffling)
Cashell sorts through 1500 to 2000 pages of traffic projections, drainage reports…
"This particular document THUMP about 500 pages"
That last notebook projects how many local, state, and federal permits the project will require.
"It is on the scale of a new municipality being developed within the town of Hudson. It’s like Disneyworld wants to locate within the border."
But for some residents eying the proposed development, Goofy and Minnie Mouse are not what come to mind.
"Do you turn an 8,000 pound gorilla loose in your neighborhood?"
That’s Connie Owen of Hudson, who lives less than a quarter of a mile from the proposed Riverplace.
"This Riverplace will significantly impact the quality of life in this part of town, from primarily a traffic issue, issues concerning over-development. This will be about six times the size of Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua."
Kathy Leary also lives near the project.
Leary worries about traffic.
But she's also concerned that Riverplace will drain the town’s services.
"The water pressure for the south end of town is marginal even as it exists today, so they’re building an increased water tank and a new pumping station. W/S was allowed to get involved and offer to help pay for an even bigger tank than what was initially approved."
Leary, like other residents, questions why W/S Development is contributing 45 thousand dollars for a new water tank before submitting its proposal to the planning board.
"They’re also paying for a six-month assistant town planner in Hudson, and they’re also paying part of, or all of, the fee for the engineering consultant that’s representing the town."
That's an additional fifty thousand, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of site plan fees the town will receive.
Hudson resident Connie Owen says she has a feeling she knows how the story is going to end:
"When an 8,000 pound gorilla tells you what to do, you do it."
But according to town officials, and the Nashua Regional Planning Commission, W/S Development’s investments are common practice.
The developer knows the towns have limited resources so it pays for the consultants to help the process move along.
Officials insist, however, the developer's funds don’t affect the outcome.
Bob Frazier is the company’s vice president of development.
He says yes, the company, is banking on going forward with the project.
And he assures the town it will profit.
"I think the benefits obviously for having a commercial use of the property in terms of taxes generating an annual real estate tax of about seven million dollars would be very positive to the community."
Frazier drives his SUV into the Green Meadows golf course.
He stops to admire the fairway, patched with snow. (Outdoor ambience)
On the other side of the Merrimack River, a cargo train passes by. (sound of train)
Bare trees, a gusty wind, and virtually no one in sight.
But that’s not what Frazier sees.
"So in the summer evenings there could be music played at a performing arts amphitheater, we’d have a cinema on the property so people could enjoy a movie and dinner."
But before Frazier can recreate the town green, he knows he’ll have to win over the neighbors.
"It’s a situation where it’s a very difficult transition for a community to go from a golf course to a lifestyle center."
Dr. Chuck Hotchkiss teaches economic development at Southern New Hampshire University.
Hotchkiss says these large-scale, mixed use developments represent a growing trend.
"There’s a recognition that it’s good to have the convention center, and the stores, and the green space, and the office space, and some residences, all in there together, but there’s sort of better and worse ways of doing that."
And that’s what Hudson will have to decide: what’s the best way to develop a commercially-zoned property on wetlands.
Hudson officials say the proposal has to pass the local conservation commission and zoning board before the town can review it.
The planning board expects to meet later in the spring to determine whether the town should declare Riverplace a project of regional impact.
That would allow surrounding communities – Windham, Pelham, Nashua – and towns in Massachusetts – to evaluate the project’s effect.
For NHPR News in Nashua, this is Sheryl Rich-Kern.
