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E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T 32 E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N W hen the pandemic struck the United States with full force in March of 2020 it caught Augusta near the apex of its resurgence as a center of both civic and business life in Central Maine. e conversion of Water Street from one-way to two-way traffic had proven a game-changer for the downtown business district and the commercial vacancy rate was at its lowest point in a generation. Over 100 new housing units in the downtown, complete with all the amenities that professionals have come to expect, had the effect of establishing an entirely new neighborhood in the city. e new development, located close to the banks of the Kennebec River, provided residents of Water Street a short com- mute to major employers including CMP, MaineGeneral Hospital and the state and federal offices as well as a short walk to a bevy of new bars and restaurants right outside residents' doors. ings were moving so well that Downeast magazine proclaimed Augusta to be one of Maine's "Best Places to Live" in its March issue. And then, in the middle of that March, everything stopped. e restaurants and the brew-pub closed. Office workers stayed at home. In the midst of the fear and uncertainty, the city regrouped. e Augusta Downtown Alliance scrambled and put together an emergency finance program for downtown businesses. e Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce offered personal care products and technical assistance to businesses city-wide. Soon restaurants and businesses restarted with new menus and outdoor pickup and delivery. As spring gave way to summer, the city introduced outside dining on "dining docks." It may not have been success as anyone had previ- ously known, but in that moment, it felt like winning. Post-pandemic progress e pandemic helped galvanize the downtown residents and busi- nesses into a thriving new neighborhood. As the public health emergency began to fade, new business ventures continued their return to fill long-vacant downtown spaces. A florist. A yoga stu- dio. A best-in-class tattoo studio. New owners breathed new life into the coffee shop and rebranded the again-popular Whiskey Kitchen. And the city would once again grace the cover of Downeast magazine, featuring the award-winning cuisine of State Lunch. e evolution of Augusta's downtown continues with new shops, more apartment conversions and even more vitality. e Boys & Girls Club is moving to Water Street and, if the down- town's retail bellwether Merkaba Sol adding chocolates to their offerings wasn't enough, a new cheesecake shop will soon be opening on Water Street. Stretching traditional borders Growth and development in Augusta's downtown have also had the effect of expanding the traditional boundaries of the city's downtown. Recent news of a $1.7 million Congressional Direct Funding award to the Colonial eater revitalization has bolstered that effort, and the arrival of the Hydeout at the Wharf from Hallowell has effectively pushed the downtown district two full blocks north on Water Street. Moving the goalpost even further, in the spring of 2022 the city transferred ownership of the old powerhouse building at Mill Park to Powerhouse Redevelopment LLC – the same hospitality group responsible for launching the highly successful Cushnoc Brewery and State Lunch restaurant. A new landmark restaurant overlooking the park and Kennebec River is expected to open in 2023. e City of Augusta has moved out of the pandemic poised to recapture its place as Central Maine's destination of choice for entertainment, business and residential development. With a skilled and educated workforce, access to policy makers and superior quality of life, the city has moved into the post-pandemic era with its spirit renewed; a welcoming place for new ideas, new investment and new opportunities. l Over the past decade, Augusta's downtown has made the transition from a struggling business district to an exciting new neighborhood. Right: Augusta's downtown has added over a hundred apartment units, making it one of Central Maine's fastest growing neighborhoods P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F C I T Y O F A U G U S T A P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F C I T Y O F A U G U S T A Augusta Emerges From the Pandemic with Renewed Spirit and Optimism City of Augusta City of Augusta 16 Cony St.,Augusta, ME 04330 Keith P. Luke, Economic Development Director (207) 626-2336 Keith.luke@augustamaine.gov www.augustamaine.gov

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