How Small City Downtowns Remain Viable Under New Development:  Biddeford, Maine

David C. Johnson

The City of Biddeford has recently developed one of the largest single commercial developments in the State of Maine's History. With this influx of national chain stores, with large budgets and unlimited buying power how do small downtown businesses stay intact? The city has invested into a downtown organization to help with this and many other problems. The research that is presented in this page hopes to:

 

To show the effects that national investment has on local retail and the overall effects of chain stores on local commerce   

•To overview of how a city can hurt its own downtown, without the help of large chains

•To examine possible ways for Biddeford’s downtown to overcome and compete with the influx of new chain stores in the region.

 

 

Below is an Overview to help you understand the city of Biddeford.

Yellow: New Housing 

 
Blue: Old Housing Stock

 
Red: Route 111 Economic Development

 
Pink: Industrial Parks

 
Green: Downtown