Turn those tax deeded properties into jobs

The recent announcement that the city of Berlin had taken possession of 18 buildings in Berlin for back taxes presents a perfect opportunity. Berlin desperately needs bed and breakfasts and Inns for both tourists and visiting business owners. It could also use a bookstore, a few more restaurants, a coffee shop and an antique store or two. Why not target specific businesses that will help build the economy and fill the gaps that residents have identified and offer those buildings for $1 to people who will commit to building new businesses in them and putting them back on the tax rolls. Your thoughts?

Comments

[Robert Brown]

Something positive has to hapen on the Rite Aid site, some parking, some green, some new buildings. Maybe that site could use to be broken up again, while we are all waiting for one big developer the door is shut to the smaller guys. I too what a larger, well done project but....

[robert brown]

Since I purchased a downtown property 3+ years ago, we have lost 14 businesses in the downtown. Movie theaters, office supply stores, pet shops, florists, colorworks, furniture store, a coffea house came and went (that is what I was considering and yes I noticed how quick they failed in Berlin), thrift stores, both pizza shops are leaving the downtown, the trinkit shop that used to be where Tex Mex is (a new cafe-good) the Chinese place may be moving to old Fortune Cookie location...... The zoning is good, Berlin had its best citizens on that job! But, We have to invest beyond that, if we can raise taxes on residential property to give apartment buildings tax breaks, we can raise revenues to reinvest in our downtown. The tax break for reinvesters downtown, too late for me and my neighbours, was a really good step. The grants to home owners for $12,000, not so good, why, it is only for poor people. Most people, myself included, poor or not, are not going to apply for these grants if we have to let Mayor Bob look through or checkbook to prove we are poor. You have to apply for the grant. If you think Berlin is worth investing in you make grants available to any home owner willing to invest in Berlin. Those grants should be larger, you get the money back at tax time. Baltimore will reimburse you 50% of what you invested if it is done properly, in target neighbourhoods, they get it back at tax time. The timing is desperate, encourage these folks that may work at this federal prison to live in Berlin and call the downtown their own. Are these Federal workers really going to live in Berlin the way things are? They are going to need great insentives. Stop giving tax breaks to Apartment buildings, tax them as the commercial properties they are. Raise revenues. Make grants available to every income bracket. Diversify who you are inviting to Berlin, diversify Berlin and this will help our downtown.

[Pam Laflamme]

I agree that in theory this is a great idea, however most of the tax deeded properties that the City acquires - it is acquiring for a reason and usually people have let the properties go. That said, there is occasionally a real gem that can be picked up for nominal costs during tax deeding which allows the entrepreneur to put its focus on the startup of their business rather than the rehabilitation of their building.

Downtown Berlin needs more businesses on the second and third floors of its buildings. Housing is important, especially in downtowns, but Berlin is not your typical City, the concentration for downtown needs to be on businesses, especially small businesses. There is a lot of activity downtown right now and I think that all this activity will lead to positive reinvestment in our downtown without the need to wait for tax deeded properties. My question is what could the City do by way of zoning to make it easier for people to set up their businesses in the downtown?

[oz]

Purchasing deeded properties at such a low cost is a wonderful idea--and I'm all for revitalizing the downtown and increasing business towards it, but where does a microentrepreneur turn to, to renovate such large buildings! As evidenced just a couple of weeks ago, the buildings are so old that they can go up in flames in record time...leaving the owners with nothing to show for their efforts of trying to renovate the downtown. Show me tax breaks, show me grants available for those businesses who really want to get going on a new business in town and feel secure that they won't be out of business before they open the doors just because of business insurance costs etc...
Sorry to sound so pessimistic, but show me why it's a good investment right now. I really want to know!

[Queen of Measurement]

I love Stacia's idea, the last thing we need is more apartments and living space. What we need is incubator space for growing businesses. Would love to see the top floors of that housing a bunch of thriving little small businesses like ours.

[Stacia]

Wouldn't it be nice to see the Cote Block (the one next to the Cornerstone Project in Berlin, NH) get restored! The Cote Block is one of the deeded properties and is one of the first buildings built in the downtown and has significant history associated with it. My vision is a nice Country Store and men's clothing store on the bottom, maybe even a little coffee shop. The upstairs instead of building apartments could be a great bed and breakfast. The B&B would have valet parking (we would have to find a parking area close by), 7-12 rooms, the food would be a coupon to go to one of the downtown restaurants to eat. We have a serious demand in the Berlin Area for lodging, this would create jobs, clean up the Cote Block, provide new opportunities for development and most importantly would bring some business to the community core, downtown Berlin!

[ce2]

I Love this!
I moved to Berlin about a year ago from CO. My wife and I grew up in the mount washington valley so we are not totaly new to the area. It is so nice to see some positive ideas instead of just negative energy.
My feeling is that one of the first things that has to be conquered in this area is customer service. In the Berlin, Gorham area there are a lot of businesses that lack people skills.
One recent event for me was trying to get my oil burner serviced. This is very common and everyone should get it done once a year. I called three different companies to try to get it done and I couldn't even get a call back. One campany I called was a neighbor and I called them twice and still no call back. I hired a company from North Conway to come up here and I probably paid twice as much.
I could write a whole page of similar events that I have experienced since my move to the area. I think that the people here need to come to terms with the idea that the mill is gone and if you want to make money, it means embracing outsiders and change. Visitors will not come back to this area if they do not feel welcome or acknowledged.
I have met some wonderful people in this area, and my wife and I like it here. We like it so much that we are in the process of selling one home to purchase a larger one. This part of the state has a lot to offer the outdoor enthusiast and it would be great to some how get more of those people here to spend some money.
B&B's, book stores, and coffe shops are all great things to attract people.
People that have money to spend usually do not want to drive up to or by a place with junk in the yard, only to go into a business to be greeted by someone that could careless about them or their own job!
When my wife and I moved here we were extreamly up beat about the future of this area, and we still are most of the time. Although it seems like when we do business here we end up kicking and screaming.
I hope I haven't gone too crazy here. This is a great website I hope that more people check it out and speak there mind.

[Eri]

Sounds like a great idea. Maybe get interested people involved with BEDCO or other new business resources in the area. It would be great to see some local people starting businesses when and where they wouldn't normally be able to, especially with the low-cost property acquisition. There really is an abundance of potential in the area.