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Economic Development Commission outlines priorities; board and residents stress communication and grant readiness
Summary
The Winchester Economic Development Commission presented its 2025 priorities — business attraction, underused properties, marketing and tenant retention — and residents and selectmen urged better communication, grant awareness and practical steps to fill storefronts.
The Winchester Economic Development Commission (EDC) presented an annual plan emphasizing business development, reuse of underutilized properties and improved communication between town bodies.
Dewey Yeager, representing the EDC, told the Board of Selectmen the commission’s top priorities include attaching liaisons to priority properties, building a town business directory and advancing several named sites including 220 New Hartford Road, Bletchworth Plaza, Tenth Ridge Street and 35 Willow Street. Yeager said the commission hopes to complete a business directory and increase marketing in 2025.
Town Manager Paul Harrington and selectmen urged the commission to coordinate with planning and zoning, the town manager’s office and regional partners to pursue grants and to present requests that the board could support. Harrington proposed an “on-call capital account” — a small yearly set-aside the town could draw from to meet grant matching requirements when time-limited opportunities arise, citing a brownfields planning grant that requires a $20,000 local match.
Residents at the meeting urged more outreach and better links between the town website and the EDC’s social media. Jess Tessman, a Winchester resident, told the board, “communication…is something that's really unique and special. And that way we're all on the same page.” The commission said it already promotes businesses with social posts, storefront facade contests and a planned restaurant week.
EDC members and staff discussed parking and financing as persistent hurdles for redevelopment along Willow and Bridge streets and suggested continued coordination with neighboring towns and state resources. Gary Giordano, who identified himself as having commercial real estate experience, said rents are “competitive for the most part” and that current listings are limited (three MLS lease listings and eight commercial properties for sale at the time of the meeting).
The board encouraged the EDC to send business lists and ribbon-cutting dates so the town can amplify them through official channels.
