DOWNTOWN

Hillsborough Pride is preparing for its 2008 New Business Recruitment Event for Downtown Hillsborough. The Pride's Business Revitalization Initiative is actively seek viable, strong retail and service enterprises to energize the downtown commercial space that will fill many unmet consumer needs. On May 7th , 2008 from 4:30 -6 pm, Nonni's Italian Eatery on Main Street in Hillsborough will be hosting the event. Pride has developed a recruitment presentation and package for parties interested in learning about the potential for expanding or opening a new business in Hillsborough.

view our recruitment presentation

OTHER TOWN NEWS

HILLSBOROUGH'S COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT

HIllsborough's community and its local government have a well-deserved reputation for being "business-friendly." While some towns in the area shun even the most minor commercial enterprises, Hillsborough welcomes them and has created a fair set of rules that applies to everyone. Most residents would like to have more local shopping opportunities and in the past have been very supportive of plans for new businesses.

Even though Wal-Mart recently withdrew its proposal to build a superstore, due to corporate financial reasons, Hillsborough is still seen as a very attractive place to do business and is apparent by the most recent meeting of the town's Planning board with a developer who presented a conceptual plan showing 320,000 square feet of retail just for the initial phase, dwarfing Wal-Mart's proposal.

A PERFECT LOCATION

Location is always the first consideration for anyone looking to move and Hillsborough has gained a reputation in the region for having prime real estate. The town is located about 25 miles from Concord and Keene and approximately 20 miles from Peterborough. It sits at the junction of two important highways-NH Route 9, which is a major east-west corridor in southern New Hampshire, and US Route 202, which is a federally designated highway. The town has emerged as a regional hub, in part due to its location, and has attracted an influx of commercial and residential development in recent years.

PUBLIC SECTOR IMPROVEMENTS

Public sector improvements have also had an important role in spurring private investment. First and foremost, the Hillsborough Bypass, a 40 million dollar highway project, literally paved the way for economic development in town. The commercial district gained three points of access off the new highway and the town has capitalized on this by expanding the district near the interchanges.

The Town is currently undertaking a project to upgrade its wastewater treatment facility with a goal of increasing its sewer capacity by 25%; a project upgrading water transmission lines was recently completed.

Recently, the historic downtown has undergone a positive revitalization with new landscaping and the construction of attractive brick sidewalks; new ornamental lights are to be installed soon.

Also planned is a park in the middle of the town's growing commercial district with a historic stone arch bridge as its focal point.

The Town recently received a grant from the USEPA and has enrolled in the Brownfields Program; the purpose of the grant is to clean up an abandoned mill site and to provide public access to the Contoocook River and a regional rail trail.

The Town is continuing to make significant investments in order to improve its infrastructure and is also aggressively pursuing grants for public improvements.

If you would like more information regarding ongoing economic development projects, please contact the Office of Community Planning at (603) 464-5378 x227 or send an email to planner@hillsboroughnh.net