Much debate goes on about the future of the old Birdseye plant. Once the birthplace of frozen foods the property has sat vacant for a number of years. Zoned as Marine/Industrial the owners of Cruiseport Gloucester wish to turn this eyesore into a year round hotel/conference center. But to do that a zoning "overlay" to allow hotel use must be granted by the city. Opponents point out changing the zoning for this parcel the waterfront looses a Marine/Industrial component. They have referenced The New Maritime Port Economy Summit report in their battle. But this property is without any deep water dockage as I pointed out in an earlier post, and no viable Marine/Industrial venture has taken residence in all this time. Yet the report clearly notes a good reason for this hotel to go forward:
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"The city’s intrinsic charm, the many beaches, coves, and parks on the Atlantic, and a
mature and lively artistic and cultural heritage support a healthy tourism industry. The
authentic and palpable connection to 400 years of history is a valuable asset to a location
within the United States, itself a federation for only 236 years. Tourism is understood well
in Gloucester; there is a strong community value that development must be managed to
sustain the sense of place – the authenticity of the City. There is acknowledgement that the
fishing industry is an essential component of what defines Gloucester. The amenities and
community services that can be developed to support travel and tourism also offer support
to emerging industry sectors. If hotels can support both business travelers and tourists, the
entire community benefits from high quality retail areas with restaurants, shops, and
amenities that might not exist without dollars brought in by tourists and business traveler"
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"Designed to protect and preserve marine industrial land, the regulations fail to recognize
that many marine industrial uses cannot be accommodated in an urban waterfront like
Gloucester’s, as they require larger areas of land and do not necessarily need the
continuous water access of a harbor front property. Fish processing in Gloucester has
demonstrated this fact as these facilities have moved inland."
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And if history is any indication of what this beach can support, looking back at The Tavern which is right next door can be a look into the future!
1907
1927
1930
1938
1949
1950
1958
2010
Schooner passes by
Kayak & schooner.
Birdseye
"Harvey Gamage" off Pavilion Beach.
Greasy Pole walkers.
Crowds build on the beach.
Sunday Greasy Pole champ makes it to the beach!
Flood Tide 1/12/12.
Pavilion Beach as the sun sets last week.
The Tavern last week.
Skipping stones!
Splash at sunset!
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