LAWRENCE — Essex Street was once the place where you picked out a new dress at Cherry, Webb & Touraine, had a toasted blueberry muffin at Woolworth's dinette, or bought a new hockey stick at Mickey's Sporting Goods.
Local leaders yesterday took a major step toward the hustle and bustle of yesteryear by officially kicking off a downtown revitalization and traffic conversion project on Essex Street.
By July 1, the city hopes to restore Essex Street to two-way traffic, a change they say will boost business and attract new storefronts. Maintaining a bustling economy in a one-way downtown is impossible, leaders said.
Mayor Michael Sullivan described the revitalization project as a "30-year story" during a kickoff ceremony in Appleton Square, located between Essex and Common streets.
As 75 people gathered in the cobblestone square, Sullivan said that probably just a "handful" there remember three decades ago, before Essex Street was converted to one-way traffic.
Then, thousands came to the area on a daily basis to shop, keep business appointments and eat at local restaurants. Weekends brought in more folks looking to catch a show, dance and dine.
In 1979, the street's traffic flow went one-way just as malls started expanding in the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire. Slowly, Essex Street's economy faltered.
"Lawrence has really struggled with that," Sullivan said. "We looked to businesses and they told us there needs to be a friendlier street for traffic flow."
Sullivan also said the timing couldn't be better for the renaissance of Essex Street, which comes as crime has dropped to a 30-year low and the city's unemployment rate has dropped to 81/2 percent. A half-billion dollars in private and public funds also have been pumped into a variety of Lawrence projects in the past five years.
"This is a very exciting time for Lawrence," he said. "The most economic development happening over the next 20 months will be happening downtown."
U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas said she's also looking forward to seeing two-way traffic on Essex Street again. She referred to community development studies she's read, which noted one-way downtowns "only lead to trouble."
The city is using federal Community Development Block Grant money for the traffic project and revitalization efforts, which includes new street signs, banners, trash receptacles, bike racks, benches and crosswalks for a 1-mile radius downtown. Annually, the city receives more than $2 million in federal block grant money. Yesterday's ceremony was held during National Community Development Week.
This summer, student crews working under the mayor's summer job initiative will clean and maintain Essex Street, Sullivan said.
Tsongas said that completing such downtown projects require a partnership between local, state and federal forces.
"I'm so glad the (federal) grant money is being put to such good use," Tsongas said.
A host of local leaders also spoke during the event, including state Rep. William Lantigua, D-Lawrence, who said his office is on Essex Street. He described the area as "the heart of my district." He also said he wants to formally change the name of Lawrence to "the great city of Lawrence."
State Rep. David Torrisi, D-North Andover, recalled his youth, when he'd come with his family to stop at Woolworth's and Mickey's and if they were good, they got to have a chocolate at nearby Priscilla's candy shop.
"I'm excited to do a lot more shopping now on Essex Street," Torrisi said.
After the ceremony, many folks boarded a coach bus for a six-stop tour of the city's historic district. One stop was the Blakely Building, where more than $1.2 million in grant money was used to rehabilitate the 26-unit building. A small reception was held in the Lawrence public school headquarters at 255 Essex St.
BOX: Highlights of Essex Street project
Making it a two-way street for the first time since 1979.
Street signs in bigger lettering and different colors, possibly blue and white for the city's colors, or black with white trim.
Crosswalks painted in bright, eye-popping colors at each intersection.
New trash receptacles and benches.
Banners welcoming visitors to Lawrence and announcing ethnic festivals and other events.
Planting new trees and pruning existing ones.
Five new storefront improvements.
Replacing all lampposts with Washington-style lampposts.
