The Cordovan at Haverhill Station, featuring 126 apartments in a former shoe factory and later furniture store, is credited with kicking off downtown Haverhill’s “renaissance” more than a decade ago.
The developer, joined by former state Rep. Brian S. Dempsey, paid tribute to the vision of retiring Mayor James J. Fiorentini that began with the, at times controversial, conversion of abandoned or underused properties into housing. Dempsey said the redevelopment of the city’s moribund commercial district started then.
“I don’t think we fully appreciated that at the time. We started to get know (Beacon Communities Board Chairman) Howie Cohen and his team—and really, the respect they have throughout the Commonwealth—to come in and invest in a building—just an old building—that would become the catalyst for downtown Haverhill,” Dempsey said.
After the loss of the shoe industry, the 45 Locust St. building housed Boston—later renamed Cabot—Furniture operated by the Bendetson family, and other small businesses.
Cohen noted the conversion was met with “a good deal of skepticism” from city councilors, acknowledging many developers made promises over the years, but failed to keep them.
The former state representative—himself credited with bringing millions of dollars in state aid to transform downtown—credited Fiorentini’s leadership during a time when residents wondered where the city would be in 20 years.
“The mayor at the time, rumor has it, some didn’t think it would be a renaissance, but the mayor was strong on that and he was proven to be absolutely correct. I really want to acknowledge him, acknowledge the Council—councilors who are here, the Council in the past who really worked as a team,” Dempsey told the small gathering.
The mayor didn’t reveal a well-considered, lengthy strategic plan behind the renaissance, but rather something else. “Well, I was just taking a guess to be honest with you—more of a hope. Howie said it was a plan, it was a hope is what it was that this would lead to something,” he said.
On the other hand, he said, a change in attitudes about cars made the difference. He noted the city’s scrapping of the once-required two parking spaces per apartment was “the key to revitalizing downtown.”
“We needed to change the parking requirements in order to make this project go. That was a very, very difficult task to get through the Council. I remember having a long, long battle, but the key to revitalizing downtown Haverhill—And, I didn’t see it at the time. I thought that was a minor thing—ended up changing the parking requirements,” he said.
Beacon’s then-Development Director Jason Korb recalled a stressful moment that threatened to stall the development. He explained the project was contingent on the purchase of an adjacent gas station near Emerson Street, but the owner was late for the property closing.
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