Up-and-Coming Massachusetts Towns and Cities (Boston, Worcester: 2010, apartment complexes, rentals)

[LMMEGNA]

Plymouth has been up and coming for years now. They are progressively moving forward and with the new Plymouth Rock Studios (Hollywood East) just being approved , it will bring in 2000 plus jobs to this area. My family and I moved here in 1997, moved away out of state in 2006 and are back now(unfortunetly moving again , out of state in in 2009)...boo hoo) and it has grown so wonderfully during these years but still kept the small town feel (people knowing people as you drive down mainstreet). We love the school system here, we are in South Pymouth.The teachers have made education their lives work and it shows. They have wonder sports programs for children with plenty of playgrounds in all areas.
With the newer retail development at exit 5 off of Rt 3 it has brought restaraunts, hotels and retail to an area that was not being used. Close enough to drive to by far enough away that you are not bogged down in traffic. I must admit that traffic off of exit 3 has increased (rush hours)due to the development of the beautiful Pine Hills community, but with any growth comes a few growing pains. Plymouth is on the cusp of Cape Cod and only 1 hour from both Boston and Providence, RI. Downtown Plymouth is just beautiful and continually being updated with parks and walking areas and let's not forget Plymouth Rock. The downtown shopping area is a wonderful place full of cobblestone streets, quaint family owned shops and great food. Public bus and trolley transportation is available as well at the Transit system that can take you directly into Boston.
I think this would be a great town if you are beginning a new business venture, have a family you would like to raise in a great enviroment or like to be close to everything that New England has to offer.

[mart00]

I jujst spent the summer in Plymouth as a travelling medical professional. LOVED IT!!!! My expenses were paid, but as I was looking around at real estate, yes, it was much more than what I have here in Ga, but the area was great. The small town feel, yet close enough to everything. Great seafood, shopping, weather. I told everyone that if people are thinking of moving there, they better do so before Plymouth Rock Studios comes in...that will drive prices up even further. It' s a great place.

[KarynO]

I lived in Lynn for 30 years & watched the bad neighborhoods slowly take over the safe working class areas...the city is dangerous the schools are a zoo.. it's over run with violent crime, prostitution, gangs, welfare & section 8 housing and RATS. Downtown smells like pee and the beach smells like rotten eggs... almost everything that was ever good about the city is gone...other than that, it's great.

I hear Haverhill may have possibilities.

[Valerie C]

Karyn, I agree that Haverhill has some possibility of making a comeback. Of course, I'm biased (because that's where I lived for 20+ years) but I was there just today, and it struck me just how nice the city *can* be. Haverhill's location is great, with 5 access points onto Rte 495 and a T-stop for access to North Station. T

he people involved with the historic downtown area are really trying to make a difference. I recently spent an afternoon/evening in downtown Haverhill, and I was surprised to see so much activity, and specialty shops throughout the areas closest to the train station. Much different from when I lived there, for sure. With the right leadership, Haverhill's huge presence on the Merrimac River can and should be emphasized. Wouldn't it be great to see boat slips and docks where people can park, eat and shop, similar to Newburyport? Presently boaters on the river get to see the back sides of old brick buildings...

Yes, there are some *really* bad areas of the city (doesn't every place have them??) and the schools are also struggling. The biggest thing that Haverhill needs is people to get involved, not just complain about things and move out. There are also some really NICE neighborhoods throughout the city, especially the areas that are closest to surrounding cities and towns (Metheun, Merrimac, Plaistow NH and of course all along the Merrimac River (just across the river are towns like Groveland, West Newbury, etc...)

[lrfox]

This is a very debatable topic, but two cities I see expanding in the relatively near future are Taunton and New Bedford.

New Bedford has a bad reputation but has seen steady improvement over the last few years, even in the economic slowdown. The city also has the raw ingredients to succeed.

It's a port city and is the highest grossing fishing port in the nation. Not only is the industry doing well in this economy, but jobs are being added. It's a cultural hub with various ethnic and immigrant populations (Portuguese, Mayan, Brazilian, Cambodian, etc) contributing to a diverse population.

The city itself is beautiful. The 16 block core of downtown New Bedford is a national historic park known as the Whaling district. It's an area complete with cobble stoned streets, preserved buildings containing restaurants, shops and galleries, and enough history to rival any city in New England (home of Fredrick Douglas and the setting for Herman Melville's "Moby Dick").

There are also attractions like the Buttonwood Park/Zoo (designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead--designer of NYC's central Park), The New Bedford Whaling Museum (centerpiece of the Whaling District), many preserved victiorian mansions, captains homes, and historically important buildings. This year, the New Bedford Ocean Explorium opened and will soon be known as one of the gems of the region.

This year alone, a few new restaurants opened (including the fantastic Waterfront Grille), as well as a bunch of galleries and many new shops. This is part of an expansion that will continue steadily and boom once the Commuter Rail connection to Boston opens in 2016. The city already offers ferry service to Marthas Vinyard and Cuttyhunk as well as air service to the Cape and the Islands. Before the end of this year, ground will be broken downtown on a large, waterfront hotel.

Growth in the industrial park as well as UMass Dartmouth and Bristol Community College's current and future expansions Downtown and the growth of the Oceanographic research facilities located in the city are continuing to have pronounced effects on the city as a whole. Also, the city plans to remove the highway portion of route 18 downtown and convert it into a pedestrian friendly boulevard to reconnect the historical downtown to the waterfront. This could take place as early as December.

Look for New Bedford to be a popular destination within the next 10 years.

As for Taunton, the commuter rail and expansion of commercial suburban development in the area will bode well in making the city a commuter hub for people working in Boston, Providence, New Bedford, Fall River and Brockton. It has a beautiful downtown area centered around a large green and a largely suburban makeup which make it attractive for families. Once people can commute via rail, Taunton (which is currently improving, albeit slowly) will take off. It has a prime location on routes 24 and 495 which will make it even more attractive for people who work in Boston and vacation on Cape Cod.

[KarynO]

Valerie C...Haverhill is in a good spot and it's very affordable for Mass...the the time frame of 15 minutes to an hour and 15 you can be at the ocean, in Boston or skiing...I think while the 3 "L's" will continue to slide backwards, Haverhill will immerge.

[JMC07]

Many communities are trying to revitalize their downtown areas with smart growth. Franklin is one that tore down a historic theatre for shops, condo's and parking garage with walking distance to train. Unfortunately many of these shops are empty due to the economy and the current financial state of Mass. currently seeking 7Billion from the federal government. Grafton was just afforded the commuter rail with about a 50 min. ride to the city, very affordable new construction but the schools, services, recreation for the kids are lacking. Plainville has great access to highways, part of a good regional school district at the middle/senior high level and affordable new home construction continues - another good oppty on Rt. 1. Good luck.

[caphillsea77]

Haverhill & Amesbury have the best evidence of up and comers. Amesbury once a downtrodden mill town has a thriving downtown now with popular and classy restaurants. Haverhill although still somewhat sketchy in parts but has come a long way. Downtown Haverhill is pretty interesting, good highway access,commuter rail and Amtrak access, some new restaurants and pubs have recently showed up and even some new condo projects, some of which are loft/mill conversions like the ones in Lowell. Amesbury has already seen full gentrification, Haverhill would be a good one to bank on as its sorta flatlined now with the slow economy but has potential for more gentrification.

Lynn & New Bedford are still troubled cities and both have potential that hasn't been fully tapped into. If your an urban pioneer and can tolerate city riff raff with the optimism that someday and investment may pan out in 10 years or so, these would be the cities to bank on. Both have locations on the ocean; Lynn may one day have blue line access and New Bedford with future coimmuter rail access. New Bedford has a lot of historical charm. Both cities have the potential to thrive although with the state of the economy it's gonna be a long time beofre they do.

[lrfox]

^I'll agree with that. In terms of progress, Haverhill and Amesbury are MUCH closer to reaching their potential than places like Lynn (which I really don't know much about) and New Bedford. That being said, The latter two (Lynn and NB) probably have the bigger upside. Both are bigger, close to the ocean, and offer different things that Haverhill and Amesbury never will be able to. In New Bedford, that means beaches, access to ferry service and history; in Lynn, that means access to rapid transit (Blue Line) and immediate access to Boston.

caphillsea77 is right. While I don't know much of Lynn, New Bedford's downtown has turned a corner and is now a great place to be (still improving too), same with the West End. Other areas of the city still have a ways to go. The commuter rail and the continuing success of completed and in-progress condo and housing developments (the recently opened lofts at Wamsutta, and the currently in progress Regency and other mill conversions) will make New Bedford a prime destination, but not over night.

I'd like to note that I've been impressed with Haverhill's recent transformation. One of the hardest parts about any town's redevelopment and renewal is changing reputations about a place and that's finally starting to happen in Haverhill. It will take a while (like it did in Providence) and may never happen completely (look at Lowell and Worcester) but it seems Haverhill's reputation is finally changing for the better. It makes me proud whenever positive things like that happen in Massachusetts.

[capecodcathy]

I grew up in Lynn. It was tough then (70's) and seems even tougher now.
I agree with opinions on Plymouth. Lovely, even with the summer visitors. Many shopping and dining opportunities.
I have to disagree, though, about Falmouth and Mashpee. Falmouth is entirely too congested, even in the off season. I do love Main St, though. But I won't make a special trip to get there. I only go once a month to do some shopping at WalMart, Shaws, etc. and then get outta dodge!
Mashpee is a lovely town but has built too much, too quickly. How many supermarkets can you actually have within an 1/8th of mile? Mashpee Commons is nice. But as I drive around all I see are strip malls popping up everywhere.
If you're talking about south of Boston, I'd look at Plymouth, Bourne, Carver, Middleboro.