Business View Civil & Municipal l November 2022

181 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 9 Currently, the city is working with property owners to redevelop existing spaces into combination developments. But this being said, the Tombarello project is a totally city-owned property and will be for industrial use. The city would like to bring semiconductor manufacturing to the area. By developing the Tombarello project, the council would like to get corporations to make the city their home and set up a wholesale offering that caters to the whole country. The plan is to create more opportunities for the workforce and the community at large. The city works very closely with non-profit organizations and business associations. Regarding business associations, the city has a long historical relationship with the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce, which acts as an advisory council and helps attract opportunities to Lawrence’s city. The Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce’s current chairperson and executive director have a deep interest in the city, as Mr. Mike Sullivan is the city’s former mayor. The executive director has served the community for many years, and Lawrence relies heavily on their support. “Whenever the mayor needs to connect with the business community or get their general support, the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce is there to assist us,” says Spanner. In regards to non-profits, the mayor works closely with Groundwork Lawrence, a local chapter of the national non-profit, Groundwork USA. The city uses the non-profit as technical advisors to assist with identifying issues, not only about affordable housing, but also homelessness. One of the major promises that the mayor made when taking office was to focus on human development through the upliftment of the parks and recreation department. The goal is to utilize these spaces to host organized activities that help community members from all walks of life. Organizing these events means collaborating with different associations and clubs that could organize baseball, basketball, soccer, and football activities in public areas. But for all LAWRENCE , MA