The New Hampshire Department of Transportation is closing the north connector from East Side Road to Route 16 in order to slow down traffic. Town officials say no one notified them from the state. (Photo by Daymond Steer, Conway Daily Sun)
DOT makes changes to East Side Road in Conway
Work began a few days ago on a New Hampshire Department of Transportation project to close off the northern intersection of East Side Road with Route 16 in Conway, and town officials say they wish they had been given a heads-up by the state.
East Side Road is a state-owned road that runs from Route 16 to the Saco Covered Bridge and Washington Street/West Side Road.
East Side Road has two egress points onto Route 16. The northern egreess is at an acute angle, and about 10 yards south is a “T” intersection at a 90-degree angle.
The Conway Daily Sun asked the DOT what they are doing and why.
DOT spokesperson Jennifer Lane said it is the state “T-ing” up the intersection for safety improvements to reduce drivers’ speeds traveling southbound on Route 16 onto East Side Road. Lane said the angled intersection would be closed and eventually have an earthen berm.
In recent days, straw and metal stakes have been added to temporarily block off that access.
“The hay area will eventually turn to grass and match with the existing grass area just to the south,” said Lane. “The existing pavement along the old northern leg will be reduced down to about 18 feet wide to provide driveway access to the two abutting private properties.”
In another follow up email, she said, “Weather permitting, paving is expected to be completed the first week of November and striping after.”
Deputy Town Manager Paul DegliAngeli told the Sun that because the angled intersection is being closed, drivers seeking to head north on Route 16 now must use the 90-degree turn.
“So when I come out of Bergeron Technical Services onto the old East Side Road, I can no longer go left to go north on Route 16,” said DegliAngeli. “I have to turn right and immediately turn left to tee up at Route 16, and then turn left to go north.”
DegliAnglei said resident Mark Hounsell has complained that the state doesn’t communicate with the town.
Town Manager John Eastman said work started two days ago. He feels the berm is a good idea. “The issue is the state promised to communicate with us more.”
Eastman said he hasn’t heard from DOT about East Side Road since May and that conversation was about reducing the speed limit on the road from 40-35 mph. — Daymond Steer, Conway Daily Sun
Colliers welcomes new hires
Colliers, a global leader in commercial real estate services, announced that Cassandra Farley has joined the team as a Senior Commercial Real Estate Advisor. With over $35 million in successful transactions, Cassandra brings extensive experience in investment sales, commercial financing, and due diligence.
Previously with SVN Masiello Group, she is known for her exceptional client service and expertise across various asset classes. Cassandra is committed to achieving optimal outcomes for clients, strengthening Colliers’ market presence.
“We are thrilled to welcome Cassandra to our team,” said Bob Rohrer, managing director for NH at Colliers. “Her proven track record and client-focused approach will be invaluable as we continue to grow. Cassandra embodies the spirit of collaboration that defines our company, and we look forward to her contributions.”
In addition, Colliers welcomed Abby Woodman to its Portland, Maine, office as a brokerage associate. Abby brings extensive experience in commercial real estate, having worked as a licensed sales agent, brokerage assistant, and research specialist. Her diverse background, including office administration and client service, makes her a valuable addition to the growing team.
Prior to joining Colliers, Abby worked on a wide array of real estate transactions, from large hospitality sales to smaller office tenant representation. Her strong connection to Portland’s real estate landscape comes from growing up in a family actively involved in the working waterfront and local investment community.
“We are excited to have Abby join our Portland team,” said Mike Cobb, managing director for Maine at Colliers. “Her depth of experience and local knowledge make her a perfect fit for Colliers. We look forward to leveraging her skills to continue providing top-tier service to our clients here in Maine.”
Elliott Berkowitz and Nancy Phillips are donating the property at 23 Water Street to the town of Exeter for a new public park. (Photo by Deb Cram)
Exeter seeks input to transform vacant lot into public park
Plans are underway to transform a vacant lot on Water Street, locally dubbed as the “missing tooth” in downtown Exeter, into a public park.
The PairPoint Park Stakeholders Advisory Committee voted unanimously on Thursday, Oct. 17, to replace the high, deteriorated fence at 23 Water Street with a 4-foot fence, to allow the public to view and envision the future of the space.
Last year, Elliott Berkowitz and Nancy Phillips donated the 3,300-square-foot space, located between Il Cornicello and The Chocolatier, to the town. The couple originally purchased the land in 2018 to develop it into a three-story multi-use building. However, for business and personal reasons, they opted to donate the land to the town to preserve their legacy.
Currently, the property remains closed to the public due to safety hazards, including uneven ground and a large hole resulting from a building fire in 1990. The area is fenced off along Water Street and the river.
The decision to replace the fence along Water Street follows the committee’s plan to gather public feedback on the final park design. Although the area remains restricted, the committee believes that a new fence and an open view will boost public input.
The committee plans to install suggestion boxes near the property, send out Google surveys, and host “charette sessions” with the public. Another possibility is offering chaperoned access to the space, with a committee member providing guided tours to small groups of community members on weekends.
The committee previously considered temporarily opening the space to the public by installing a ramp for river views. Committee members believed that opening the area to the public would help them envision the potential of the space and positively influence the feedback.
However, the proposal faced pushback from department heads, including Town Planner Dave Sharples.
“I didn’t feel that opening this park on a temporary basis was a priority,” Sharples said Monday. “What I thought was a priority in this case, was designing the park and constructing it and opening it to the public permanently.”
Sharples added that any plans to open the park to the public, whether temporarily or permanently, will have to go before the Select Board.
According to a project timeline, the committee aims to gather public input for the park’s final design through next summer, with construction targeted to start in October 2025. — Aqeel Hisham, Seacoastonline
DeNisco of The Boulos Company facilitates lease for Eustis Cable to consolidate operations to a single location
The Boulos Company, a commercial real estate brokerage firm, announced that Nick DeNisco of the Manchester, NH, office facilitated an industrial lease for Eustis Cable Enterprises to successfully consolidate its operations into a single location at 340 Commerce Way, Pembroke, New Hampshire. Roger Dieker of The Boulos Company represented the landlord in the transaction.
Eustis Cable has been in business for over 30 years with a primary focus on constructing communications systems throughout the Continental USA, Caribbean Islands, and beyond. “The new location offers an ideal geographical advantage, enabling them to maintain and strengthen client relationships across the region. Additionally, the facility features outdoor yard space, which will support the company’s growing needs” said Nick DeNisco of The Boulos Company, representing Eustis Cable.
“Kelley Family Properties is proud to welcome Eustis Cable Enterprises to 340 Commerce Way in Pembroke,” said Ben Kelley, founder and principal of Kelley Family Properties. “Our location makes perfect sense for Eustis Cable’s operations. Following the acquisition of the property just over a year ago, Kelley Family Properties has undertaken significant improvements to enhance the building’s functionality and appeal. We’re excited about this site and the accessibility we can offer to small, medium, and larger tenants that are currently under-supplied,” continued Kelley.
Pastor proposes coffee shop for downtown Enfield
An Enfield resident is seeking Planning Board approval for a downtown coffee shop.
The board is set to consider a minor change of use request for Thomas Morrill’s Carpenter’s Cup Coffee — to be located at 64 Main St. — during a meeting on Wednesday evening, according to a hearing application filed with the town.
The shop’s “goal is to please the coffee palate by providing simple coffees made to order,” Morrill wrote in a letter attached to the application. “Carpenter’s Cup mission is to promote family values and stable communities.”
Morrill, who serves as pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Lebanon on Riverside Drive, off Route 4 near the Enfield town line, did not respond to phone messages seeking comment before deadline Monday.
In addition to serving coffee, Morrill also plans to feature work from area craftsmen.
In his application, he said the shop’s goal is to “craft a family focused community using coffee as the catalyst,” and “to unite various niche trades/crafts/arts centered in a cohesive space.”
A consignment shop previously occupied the 1,800-square-foot space, which is located in Enfield’s Community Business Zoning District, said Rob Taylor, the town’s land use & community development administrator.
Morrill needs the board’s approval for the shop because the space was previously primarily used for retail, Taylor said. The property is on the town’s water and sewer system.
“It’s been sort of a dream of a lot of people in Enfield to have a coffee shop on Main Street,” Taylor said in a phone interview.
Julie Eckert, chairwoman of the Enfield Village Association’s Economic Development Committee, said she thought the coffee shop would be a good fit for the location.
“We are very excited to have a business in that business frontage and I personally would love a coffee shop,” Eckert said in a phone interview.
The “anticipated hours” of the shop are 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with an estimated 10 to 50 customers per hour.
The coffee shop application comes nearly three months after the Planning Board approved an application to convert a former laundromat to a brewery on Main Street.
Together, the brewery, scheduled to open in the spring; the renovations on Whitney Hall, which houses the town offices and library and are scheduled to be complete before the end of the year; and ongoing improvements to Lakeside Park on Mascoma Lake off the Northern Rail Trail are “sort of a revitalization of Main Street,” Taylor said.
The Planning Board is scheduled to hear Morrill’s proposal during its Wednesday meeting which begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Enfield DPW Facility, located at 74 Lockehaven Road. It can also be streamed on Microsoft Teams via enfield.nh.us. — Liz Sauchelli, Valley News
