1. Have You Seen Rochester
Lately!?
Business Development in the City
For Strafford Co. Board of Realtors April 2012
Karen Pollard, CEcD, EDP
Deputy City Manager – Dir. Of Community Dev.

2. Another Transition
• “Jobless Recovery”
– Employment levels returning
– Shift in employment sectors
• Investment is
happening!
– Stalled projects move
– New projects proposed
– Demonstrated local stability
• Ready to leap forward
– How will outside factors impact
us?
– Can we leverage our success? The price of gasoline directly affects
disposable income and consumer
spending.

3. A Look at Employment
Labor Force & Employment
88,000
86,000
84,000
82,000
80,000
78,000
76,000
74,000
72,000
70,000
68,000
66,000
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Labor Force
Employment
NH Employment Security – Rochester-Dover MetroNECTA

4. What is in Our Control?
• Land Use (Zoning)
• Site Plan Review
Process
• Local Fees &
Development Costs
• Regulation
• Infrastructure
• Incentives
• Customer Service

5. Not Government as Usual
• Technology
Changes
– Software
– Mobility
– Social Media
 Mission & Results Directed
 Team & Network Driven
 Accountable for Results
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New Staff
Changing Roles
Customer Service!
Adapt to changing
budgets and
expectations

6. 2011 Taxable Property
CommInd, 29.64%
Residential, 70.
36%
2004 Res 77.03%
Comm-Ind 22.97%

7. Development Stats
Non-Residential Permits
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011

8. Development Stats
Non-Residential Building Permits
$50,000,000
$45,000,000
$40,000,000
$35,000,000
$30,000,000
$25,000,000
$20,000,000
$15,000,000
$10,000,000
$5,000,000
$0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Signs
Alterations
Buildings

9. Granite State Business Park
• Expanding to 235
acres
– Phase 1 – 125 acres
– Phase 2 – 110 acres
• Development Plans
adopted by Council
• Business List
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Albany International Inc.
Albany Engineered Composites
Snecma (Safran USA)
Phase 2 Medical
SpecTex
Frisbie Medical Records
Service Master by Disaster
Under Construction May 2012

10. Rochester Crossing
• The Wilder Companies
100% Occupancy Fall 2012
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Grand Opening Fall 2007
Lowe’s
Kohl’s
Famous Footwear
Maurice’s
GameStop
Joanne’s Fabrics
Aspen Dental
Matress Giant
Tropical Smoothie Café
Avalar Real Estate
Clemento’s Pizzeria & Brew
Sally Beauty Supply
Great Clips
Amcomm Verizon Wireless

11. Ten Rod Road Business Park
• City-Developed in 1988
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– Former Cabletron Campus
Ashland Electric
Eastern Propane
Laars Heating Systems
Granite State College
Radianse
Smart ATI
YMCA of Strafford County
Measured Progress
Student Transportation of America
William Verweii
Strafford County Board of Realtors
eCoast Sales Solutions
APW – Accident Benefit Association
Lease or Condo Ownership
Available. Abundant Parking.

12. Granite Ridge Development District
• Zoning Unified & Adopted
2009
– Frontage Road
– Auto-Oriented
Commercial District
• Capacity for 2 Million
Square Feet
• Demand for
Amenities, Services &
Entertainment
• Now Leasing 300,000
square feet (Piper’s
Landing)

13. North Main Street
• Transitional Corridor
between Downtown &
Granite Ridge
– Spaulding Turnpike
Expansion
– Strafford Square
Roundabout in 2014
• For now redevelopment
concentrated by Turnpike
– Smith & Wesson Site
– Globe Plaza
• Zoning Changes
New Exit 14 & 15 are now OPEN!
Public investment is a catalyst for
Private investment & redevlopment.

14. Downtown Business District
• Reinvestment Stats
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The Rochester Main Street Program
volunteers work constantly to make
Downtown a destination for
entertainment, shopping & dining.
•
Increased Occupancy rates on North
Main St. & Hanson Street
Overall 5% increase since 2006
Total of 222 businesses currently in the
Downtown Business District
Total of 391 Projects since 2006
Total Private Investment of $5,240,049
Investment Ratio: $1/$29.94
Annual Tax Revenue Increase:
$125,183.60
Brown Bag Concert Series
Returning on Fridays
Raised more than $43,000 in
donations & grants for Parson Main
& Central Square

15. Village of Clark Brook
Proposed
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6 Live/Work
6 Duplex Lots
35 Cluster
23 Little
Quarry Lots
– Five 36 Unit
Buildings
• Total = 250
with 571 Beds

16. Highfield Commons
Proposal
• Phase I –
– 88 single
fam
– 47 town
homes
– Available
now!
– Keller
Williams

17. What’s Next?
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Leverage success
Coordinate process
Handbooks & Guides
Technical Review
Board Training
Roundtable Listening
Sessions
• Working Together
• Continuous
Improvement

18. www.ThinkRochester.biz
@RochesterEDC