During a 2 week period at the end of the summer, Grow L+A conducted a series of kitchen table discussions about the Karp Report with a cross section of the community. Here is a summary of the results of those discussions.
Stakeholder Charrette Summary-
Question #1: Given the outcome of the Karp Report, what are the lessons learned?
- Karp identified the issue as “supply.”
- Food hub is not the total vision for the mill, just part of it.
- Large institutions occupy a key role in the food chain (universities, hospitals, nursing homes, school systems) in driving demand, which might increase supply.
- Price of local food is an issue in increasing both supply/demand.
- How do we “ratchet up” another level of small producers that can address supply?
- Year-round availability of local food.
Question #2: How do we better position Bates Mill #5 as an asset in cultivating a vibrant urban landscape, making living in Lewiston and Auburn more sustainable?
- Grocery store with health/wellness component; the two go “hand-in-hand.”
- Counter negative image of L-A; especially Lewiston and terms like “The Dirty Lew.”
- Public Image of Bates Mill No. 5
- Self-image of L-A
- IMAGINE/ENVISION
- Think/See
Note: Key role for Grow L+A in promoting a “vision” about Bates Mill No. 5
Question #3 Positioning Bates Mill No. 5—as an asset a vibrant urban landscape/sustainability
Needs that creative redevelopment of Bates Mill No. 5 could meet.
- Childcare
- Wellness Center
- Marketplace
- Learning space/training space
- Shared kitchen
- “Aggregator” of food services
- Larger/Diverse Farmer’s market (indoors)
- Business incubator