Downtown vacancy rate falls to lowest level in six years
Eight storefronts on Front Street changed hands over the summer
The share of empty storefronts in downtown Port Ellery fell to 7 percent this summer, the lowest reading since 2020, according to a survey by the Chamber of Commerce.
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Officials at Tidewater Seafood Co. said the change will be phased in over the next eighteen months, starting with the neighborhoods closest to the waterfront. A second phase, covering the rest of Marrow County, is expected to begin next spring.
Not everyone is convinced. A group of business owners along Front Street argued that the schedule leaves too little time to adapt, and asked for a longer transition period. The request will be discussed at the next public session.
The numbers behind the plan are modest by regional standards, but significant for a city the size of Port Ellery. According to figures released this week, the program will cost about $27 million over three years, with roughly a third covered by state grants.
Who is moving in
For Victor Lindqvist, a resident of the East Harbor district for more than two decades, the announcement was overdue. "We have been asking for this since my kids were in school," she said. "I am glad it is finally moving, even if it is later than it should be."
The measure passed with broad support after an amendment removed the most contested clause. Supporters called the compromise a practical way forward; critics said it postponed the hardest questions to a later date.
Staff at Tidewater Seafood Co. will hold three open sessions next month so residents can ask questions and review the maps. Dates and locations will be posted on the county website and at the public library.