Calm Before The Storm!

Monday night the Joint Meeting of the Planning & Development Committee & the Gloucester Planning Board will hold a public meeting at City Hall @ 7:00pm that will help decide if a zoning overlay will be awarded to Beauport LLC. This would allow a hotel complex built on the site of the former Birdseye plant. Never in my memory have I heard so much debate, pro and con. There's no question that residents are passionate for their hometown on both sides of this issue and hopefully the Beauport group will get a fair evaluation. It's not everyday that no public funds could be used to revitalize a community as this one could do. With an under funded fire department and the same for the school system there's much on the line. Downtown businesses would also get a boost along with much needed infrastructure for local companies to lodge their guests locally. Perhaps this will be the catalysis that would entice other business ventures into Gloucester!
So the last few days I wandered around the waterfront capturing Gloucester that we call home.

Gull on the rail with the Birdseye plant in the background.

"Old Glory"

Breakwater from Stage Fort Park.

Low tide in Cripple Cove.

"David & Jenna II" with slack lines.

Tea Party Museum ship "Eleanor"

Rocky Neck Marine Railways.

"Phyllis A."

Gloucester waterfront

Tablet Rock at Stage Fort Park.

"Trapper John"

Reflective bow.

Pulling away.

Red boats at rest.

Harbor Cove

Ducks in Harbor Cove.

Birdseye plant just after the sun set.

Gull flies above.

Roof

Looking towards the Tavern.

Watch out when you step outside this door!

A Present and Past Mix!

Here's a collection of images past and present.


Yes we had snow!

It was coming down fast and furious but was gone in less than 24 hours!

Nothing to look at beyond the rails!

An explosion of natures fury at Brace Cove!

Look close,there's someone on the rock!

Too close for comfort!

"Kristin & Michael" as fog approaches.

Last May the 305' yacht "Eos" visited Gloucester.

She's one of the worlds largest sailing yachts!

Figurehead

A recent shot of Main Street.

Cripple Cove

Lobster gear at Beacon Marine Basin.

"Miss Meredith" awaits for low tide work.

Good Harbor Beach at dusk

Sunset silhouette.

Low tide sunset.

From The Fort to the Weather!

On my last post I highlighted a very unique neighborhood in Gloucester made up of homes and businesses. Times change like the weather, what worked yesteryear may not work today.The entire harbor's potential is vastly under utilized, mired in zoning regulation and a fishing industry struggling against government restrictions. The DPA or Designated Port Areas restricts waterfront property for marine related industry only. And here's the problem. The old Birdseye plant is situated on a beach, no deep water provisions for dockage. Because of this the property sits outside DPA regulations as opponents cite DPA uses as a means to stall the hotel proposal. One aspect of the DPA uses is the federal Coastal Zone Management Act which stipulates a waterway and associated waterfront that have been developed for commercial navigation. The Birdseye plant clearly does not front a navigable waterway! The Coastal Zone Managements goal is to“preserve, protect,
develop, and where possible, to restore or enhance, the resources of the Nation's coastal zone.” This is a case where a neglected building has out lived it's intended usefulness and now presents a burden to the community. As I see it a hotel would be an asset to the downtown area(a short walk away)with tourists and business men and women providing an economic "shot in the arm" that would lead the way to a more vibrant downtown and community as a whole. With that being said a hotel development here needs to assure that the neighborhood continues to thrive. The Fort is the living heart and soul of Gloucester's fishing heritage. And that's why tourists come to Gloucester....A real working waterfront made of real hard working people!


Morning sunburst over Salt Island.

A lobster boat passes The Fort.

Taken from the Paint Factory.

Storm surge 2/26/10!

High water laps the foundation.

Bass Rocks 2/26/10.

The power of nature!

Awesome cloud formation!

Color burst appears to the left!

Color burst approaches Thacher Island.

Faint rainbow over Good Harbor Beach.

Herring fleet.

Overcast harbor.

Fitz Henry Lane

Late afternoon profile.

Harbor Sunset

Birdseye plant at night.