The first way to preserve the General Store building and the unique character of the center of town is to vote no, no, no on the upcoming warrant article. A zoning overlay, if approved, would allow for changes including possibly tearing the building down to make way for a condo building. If passed, the warrant article would most likely have a serious effect on the town, its character, and its local businesses.
The Harvard General Store is an important and unique social center of the town. In addition to serving good food, it hosts musical and other performances, and serves as an informal meeting place for townspeople, both downstairs and upstairs. Where would we all go without “The General?”
The award-winning weekly The Harvard Press occupies the top floor of the building. The paper continues to report news that is important to the town, news that is rarely found in other news media. The paper has been recognized nationally as one of the very best small-town newspapers. Its third-floor office is an ideal central location for its diligent owners, editors, and writers to work together.
A condo in the town center? Gimme a break! When my family first moved here, we were well served by a real estate agent who had good working knowledge of surrounding towns, the school systems, and our budget. We looked at houses ranging from Sudbury to Chelmsford and maybe beyond. Before we decided to buy a house here, but after we had seen it, we were shown a house in Chelmsford. Our real estate agent made a very telling comment: “Chelmsford looked like Harvard 20 years ago.”
So let’s say “no” resoundingly to the warrant article and continue to investigate how to keep the historic building at 1 Still River Road vibrant and alive, and our classic town center the gift that it is to us all.
Ben Myers
Westcott Road
