To the editor:
An important discussion is now taking place in Gloucester regarding whether to move city government to Fuller School or keep it, even expand it, in the center city to create a downtown civic campus.
I am wholeheartedly in favor of the latter option. Here is why:
The City Hall building is one of the most important buildings in the city from an architectural and historic point of view. It is the jewel in our crown.
To ensure its long-term upkeep and maintenance, to keep it from becoming an empty and neglected shell, it needs a use that is both viable and vibrant. The seat of city government is such a use. But, the issue is much greater than one building. It is also about how we view our downtown and ourselves as a city.
As a city, we need to commit to downtown, not retreat from it.
Indeed, a commitment to the vitality of downtown was one of the key findings of Plan 2001, informed by thousands of residents. Gloucester should actively use the location of its government offices to implement such a public policy.
From an urban planning point of view, the existing downtown location of City Hall anchors the civic center district and provides important traffic spillover to the downtown retail stores and restaurants. It is easily accessible by foot, car and public transportation. It brings life and activity to the center of the city.
With a long-term commitment by city government to its downtown location, the important restoration of the exterior of City Hall can be completed; office space and systems within City Hall can be upgraded. In fact, the city should be exploring ways to bring the remaining city offices (located at the outskirts of the city) to the downtown area as well. In this age of seamless electronic communications, offices need not be under one roof. Such an urban civic campus would provide convenient public accessibility and easily accommodate city intra government face-to-face meetings, when necessary, while creating greater synergy for our center city.
Our reaffirmation of the importance of City Hall and of the life and vitality of downtown says a lot about who we are as a community. Visitors to this wonderful building and to our downtown realize upon leaving that they are in a community that cares about its rich heritage.
A National Register building, City Hall is being considered for National Landmark status. On a symbolic level, moving City Hall government away from downtown and its current building would be tantamount to turning one's back on our rich history and character, abandoning a celebrated building which defines our skyline, adds to the fabric of downtown, and has been the seat of government for almost 140 years.
Gloucester City Hall was built by residents with the vision and values to create an enduringly beautiful building in our city center, a building which reflected the pride and optimism of a thriving community.
Let us as residents and public officials be on guard that short term economic woes do not undermine our vision or values, causing us to make decisions that we will regret for years to come.
A commitment to the historic City Hall, and to the downtown of which it is an important part, is a commitment both to our heritage and to the promise of the future.
J.J. BELL
Banner Hill Way, Gloucester
