Those types of things were running locally for years, and then the proprietor passed away, or the business model didn’t work anymore, and we saw a lot of vacancy downtown.” This eventually led to the demolition of many buildings in the downtown area. “That’s been disappointing,” he admits.“But it’s also opened up a lot of space for new development, and we’re trying to figure out the right way to make that happen.” At the same time, Bicknell’s state highway corridor has emerged as a bustling hub of activity. “A lot of folks recognized that new business development was going towards the highway. That’s where there was better access, there was more visibility. That’s where we’ve seen the most growth in the time that I’ve been mayor,” Estabrook shares. Businesses like 22 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 01
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