Claremont: An emerging city

City Hall: 58 Tremont Square 03743

603-542-7030

Population (2005 projection): 13,290

Tax Rate (2004): $36.71

Housing Costs (2004 median): $119,900

Largest Employers: Crown Point Cabinetry, Customized Structures, Valley Regional Hospital

Historic Fact: Home to NH's first Roman Catholic church. (St, Mary's was built in 1823.)

Transportation Infrastructure: Access to Interstate 91 in Vermont, Claremont Municipal Airport and an Amtrak station. The city is a stop for The Vermonter, which runs from St. Albans, Vt. to Washington D.C.

Amenities: The Arrowhead Ski Area offers downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross country trails. and tubing. The Claremont Opera House, a venerable institution in the city, offers a variety of cultural programs and entertainment throughout the year. The city also has several parks and both outdoor and indoor public swimming pools. The city received a $650,000 anonymous donation and will use the funds to build a new track and sports complex.

For 40 years, Claremont's once-thriving mill district lay dormant - the empty buildings a reminder of the city's bygone heyday. As the years went by, the city saw other major employers shut their doors, including Joy Manufacturing and Tambrands.

Claremont became better known as the center of the education funding battle than for its economy. However, with millions of development dollars now flowing into the city, that image is changing for the better.

"Claremont is an emerging city," says Nancy Merrill, business development coordinator for Claremont's Planning and Development Department, explaining that not only are new businesses opening, but existing ones are expanding as well. The bulk of those redevelopment dollars are pouring into the city's mill district. Three mill buildings will soon undergo radical changes as private developers plan to breathe new life into them.

The Return of the Mills

Last summer, the city sent out requests for developers' proposals for the mill buildings and by October, the city council approved three projects from among several submitted proposals.

The city inked a deal with John Illick, a developer from South Burlington, Vt., to develop the Peterson Building into 47 market-rate condominiums, which Merrill says will sell between $185,000 and $285,000 apiece. Illick plans to invest upwards of $8 million in rehabilitation of the building, which will be called Sugar River Mills.

The city also finalized a deal that will convert the Woven Label Building into the site of a new Common Man Restaurant. That redevelopment is being spearheaded by two of the state's hospitality giants - Alex Ray and Rusty McLear. The Wainshal Building will be converted into office and mixed-used space. That deal was still under negotiation as of late-April.

"This will put these buildings back on the tax rolls. They will generate significant revenues and create new jobs," Merrill says. Construction on all three projects is expected to begin in October. In total, 140,000 square feet of former commercial space will be redeveloped.

Expansions and Redevelopment

The signs of Claremont's economic rebirth seem to be everywhere. The city's industrial section along River Road has experienced a flurry of activity. Crown Point Cabinetry, which creates custom cabinets, moved to a 100,000-square-foot facility on River Road in February - tripling in size from its former location, Merrill says. Customized Structures expanded from a 77,000-square-foot facility to 250,000 square feet, creating an additional 100 jobs.

The former Monadnock Forest Products facility that closed nearly two years ago was recently bought by Bradford Forest Products, which was expected to be in full production in May with 37 employees. Mikros Manufacturing moved to River Road from Lebanon two years ago and is expecting to expand this year, Merrill says.

The downtown area is also seeing businesses expand. Mans Subaru is building a $2 million, 14,000-square-foot building and Claremont Savings Bank is building a 40,000-square-foot facility on Broad Street. The Monadnock Economic Development Corporation is investing $2.5 million to develop the Brown Block, which sits in the heart of the city's downtown. The project will create retail space on the lower level and apartments in the upper level.

"Businesses are ready to expand," says Ruth Preston, executive director of the Greater Claremont Chamber of Commerce.

Attracting New Business

Less than five miles from downtown, the city has a thriving retail section with a mix of local, regional and national big box stores. A new, 185,000-square-foot Home Depot opened in April and Lowe's received approval to build a 200,000-squarefoot store. The city's growing retail sector is attracting shoppers from outside the region. "About 40 percent of our retail business comes from Vermont," Merrill says.

Claremont also has two industrial parks, including Syd Clarke a 120-acre industrial park with 13 lots. The city began construction in April to bring roads, power and sewer to the lots so they will be available for construction by September, Merrill says.

Chamber Initiatives

The Claremont Chamber is actively working to help its members overcome business obstacles, including organizing a meeting with local manufacturers to discuss the problem they are experiencing with trying to fill vacant positions. "We want to help pair them with schools and training programs," Preston says.