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[M. Brown]

Hey folks.  Its been a while hasn't it.  I have just been busy with school + working for gas money to get to school and back.  Its been tough.  Anyway there has been lots of developments in this city that hasn't been posted on this forum.  The biggest one so far is The Elliot at River's Edge.  It is a huge expansion of the Elliot Hospital which is already the largest hospital in the state.  The site will also include a three story aparment complex, retail and more.  Its where the old JacPac site was.  This project has got soooo much support behind its pretty much has a 100% chance of getting built.  The planning and approvals are moving along every week.  Here is the latest news on it.

River's Edge gets closer to reality

By BENJAMIN KEPPLE
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
23 hours, 48 minutes ago

MANCHESTER – Elliot at River's Edge project, a massive health-care campus planned for the old Jac Pac Foods site south of downtown, now has the approval of the state Health Services Planning and Review Board.

The board's approval yesterday was crucial for the project, which some have called the largest development in Manchester since the Mall of New Hampshire.

"This was the big one for us," said Doug Dean, the Elliot Health System's chief executive. "We're really thrilled to have this. It's a major step for us to take toward making this project a reality."

The project still requires some city approvals before ground can be broken at the site, just off Queen City Avenue. But things are moving along there, too.

Project developer Dick Anagnost said the city's Building and Planning & Community Development departments were reviewing the site plan for the project, and they could give their approval in a couple of weeks. Public hearings would follow.

Anagnost also said the state had approved the Jac Pac property as a brownfields site, meaning federal funds can be used to help clean the pollution there. As for the review board's decision, Anagnost said it was "wonderful."

"It's great for health care, great for the Elliot and great for the city of Manchester," Anagnost said.

Civic leaders, who have strongly supported the project, were also pleased.

"I'm thrilled for the city they were able to get unanimous approval for their Certificate of Need," said Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta.

Dean hoped construction work on the complex would start sometime this fall, and said the hospital was in the process of arranging financing for the project.

"We're certainly appreciative of all the support for this we've received from the community," Dean said.

Elliot's portion of the overall development is expected to cost about $86 million. The project in total will cost more than $100 million.

The hospital plans to offer urgent care and myriad services, ranging from physical rehabilitation to outpatient cardiac care at the location. The project's centerpiece is a four-story, 236,000-square-foot building.

In 2004, the city paid $3.5 million for the 13-acre Jac Pac site, which is next to the Merrimack River. The company bought the site from Tyson Foods Inc., which closed the plant in February of that year. A little later, Anagnost paid $3.6 million for the site.

In October 2007, Anagnost and Elliot unveiled their plans for the site. Among the other structures planned for the Elliot at River's Edge are a four-story medical office building, a three-story apartment complex with between 35 and 50 units, and a 13,000-square-foot retail store. Two additions to the main medical building, totaling 120,000 square feet, would be built as needed.

The construction effort to build the complex should create at least 250 to 300 jobs.

"Ultimately, it will prove to be an anchor for revitalizing the south end of Elm Street," said Robin Comstock, president of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.

Comstock said the review board's approval was "an exciting first step" in bringing the project to fruition.



http://www.unionlead...73-a5bc39822015

[M. Brown]

River's Edge gets go-ahead

By MARK HAYWARD
New Hampshire Union Leader

MANCHESTER – Manchester regulators approved relocation of Elliot Hospital's ambulatory care services to the banks of the Merrimack River, giving the slowing construction industry a $100 million shot in the outpatient arm.

Manchester developer Dick Anagnost said groundbreaking should take place in October for Elliot at River's Edge. The redevelopment project will transform the shuttered Jac Pac Foods meat packing property, which is located off Queen City Avenue close to the Merrimack River.

The centerpiece is a four-story, 236,000-square-foot ambulatory care center, where Elliot will move all of its outpatient care. Plans also entail a parking garage, medical office building, 24 townhouses and a 13,000-square-foot retail building.

Once completed, the city will receive title to four acres of riverfront land, which will be used for a city park.

Anagnost has told the six general contractors vying to build the project that all hires must be New Hampshire residents, he said.

That includes project managers, superintendents, subcontractors, tradesmen and laborers, he said.

"If I'm going to spend $100 million, and I'm going through all this effort and we're in a recession, I want New Hampshire to benefit from it," Anagnost said last night.

Similar requirements are attached to the $36 million Job Corps center that will be built off Dunbarton Road, he said. He begins interviewing the finalists for general contractor in the second week of July.

The Planning Board approved three waivers, two conditional use permits, a site plan and a planned development application associated with the project.

The approvals came quickly; the public hearing on the project was held a mere month ago. But Board Chairman Michael Landry noted that a preliminary review took place in February.

"They had excellent engineers and architects. We're satisfied. It's a solid project; it's well thought out; it's well needed," Landry said. He said Anagnost must return to the board before he develops the townhouses and the retail space.

http://www.unionlead...4a-227b3f1635c3