Downtown Fitchburg is a work in progress. Everywhere you look, you see lots of development. What’s not evident is the progress going on

beneath the surface, beyond the built environment.

​

Consider the investments being made by the neighborhood’s two anchor institutions. The Fitchburg Art Museum is collaborating with a developer of affordable housing to build artists’ work/live space. And Fitchburg State University is continuing to make investments in and around the neighborhood. A local church provides the supplies and the people power to clean up the neighborhood. The longtime downtown business owners choose to stay the course, despite the empty storefronts. Accomplished musicians and artists donate their talents at a sell-out event at the local Senior Center. A passionate individual hosts free salsa lessons at the riverfront. These are examples of the way the neighborhood rolls.

A work in progress means things aren’t perfect. There are basic needs that must be addressed. There’s work to be done to make information and services accessible to everyone. There will always be more needs than resources. Neighborhood activists and service organizations will remain undaunted in their efforts to bring people out of the shadows and to balance the scales.

Downtown Fitchburg is on its way to becoming a destination that celebrates the gamut of artistic expression and cultures. There are people who are committed to making it so. These are the people who believe where we live is what we love. Naturally, there will always be room for more.

​

Our Partners