I was walking up State Street the other day and did a double-take. A new sign for a real estate office had appeared above the storefront next to The Paddle Inn. This seems to happen every few months, in some form or other. I remembered earlier that morning, when I sat in Market Square staring at a giant inflatable balloon advertising a real estate office (which was once the Dragon’s Nest). I reflected on the construction showroom where Middle Street Books once stood. And I thought about the row of storefronts across from the Firehouse – three of which, I believe, are real estate offices. The phenomenon actually mystifies me.
How many local people are walking down State Street, enjoying a gelato, see a sign for a real estate office, and say, “Hey, you know what? I could use a new house. Let me stop in and buy one.” How many people stroll down our otherwise quaint Inn Street and think, “three law offices in a row? Must be a sign from God. I will seek those damages after all!”
If I’m wrong about this, and people are actually lining up in droves to browse inventory catalogs and chat about property taxes, I’ll happily admit my mistake.
Rather than a functional purpose that benefits the community, the point of real estate and law offices in downtown Newburyport seems to be brand visibility. They’re billboards. And this new billboard on State Street punched me in the gut.
Not because it occupied a storefront that once belonged to retail, but because these dominos have been falling for awhile.
Wealth came to Newburyport in the first place because of its attractive geography and distinct character. Now, wealth itself risks becoming Newburyport's entire identity. Most conversations about city life already revolve around how expensive it is to live here – from restaurant prices to housing costs – and everywhere you turn, historic homes are being gutted for soulless new constructions. Beloved local stores are replaced by realtor offices, construction showrooms, law offices, wealth management.
It makes sense.
Wealthy people move to a desirable town > commercial and residential real estate prices rise > white-collar businesses proliferate to accommodate demand > mom and pop shops can no longer afford the rent > the character of a town’s business landscape slowly changes.
It all makes sense.
But just because it makes sense, that doesn’t mean we should continue down this path. We all live here for a reason. We love the city’s historic character, its green spaces, commercial resources, and quality of life. But sooner or later, we’ll reach a tipping point. We’ll turn around one day and struggle to find a single shop that actually serves our needs. We’ll mourn the features that made this town desirable in the first place.
I think the kids would call me a doomer. I’m not. This fate isn’t inevitable for Newburyport. Plenty of cities enact “Active Use Ground Floor Zoning” which prevents banks, real estate firms, and other professional offices, from occupying the first floor of major thoroughfares. Compared to actual retail shops and restaurants, these businesses draw little foot traffic and don’t provide the same benefits to our community. We need this on State Street and in Market Square.
I realize trying to regulate private commercial property is tricky, and telling landlords who they can/can’t rent to will result in a fight. But it’s a fight worth having. Our downtown space is simply too valuable, and limited, to be sold to the highest bidder.