(Hyannis – July 30, 2018) When Cape Cod Healthcare moved 225 jobs to the West End of Hyannis, the merchants in the Main Street area knew it would help with the effort to revitalize downtown.
“One of our goals is to bring flourishing businesses to Hyannis,” said Elizabeth Wurfbain, Executive Director of the Hyannis Main Street Business Improvement District (HMSBID). “Two hundred and twenty-five more jobs in the area will serve as a catalyst for other businesses going up.”
Cape Cod Healthcare relocated its Marketing, Finance and Business Strategy divisions to 297 North Street in a rolling move-in over several weeks in June and July. The building is adjacent to the existing offices of the CCHC Physician Hospital Organization.
“We have long been committed to the economic health of Hyannis and our community,” CCHC President and CEO Michael Lauf said, when the move was announced in 2017. “We have worked closely with the Hyannis Chamber of Commerce and Hyannis Main Street Business Improvement District to support revitalization efforts throughout the town, and this project is a result, in part, of this collaboration.”
To welcome the CCHC employees to the area, members of the HMSBID put together gift bags for CCHC employees in the new North Street location. The bag featured coupons and small gift items from:
- Allium
- Red Fish Blue Fish
- Twin Brooks Golf Course
- Directions
- Kilwins
- Kids Smiles, Inc.
- Kkatie’s Burger Bar
- John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Foundation
- Colombo’s
- The Black Cat
- Seaporium
- Soho Arts Company
- Also in each bag was a map of the Hyannis Main Street and waterfront district, including an events calendar, business directory, highlighting things to visit in the Hyarts District as well as walking distances all around the downtown. The new navigational/historic kiosk walk along Main and the harbor highlights an educational and healthy walk.
Other businesses are interested in doing a follow-up gift bag in the fall, said Wurfbain.
CCHC signed a long-term lease and completed a $4 million investment in the North Street building and surrounding area. In addition to new office spaces, the building has conference rooms, a café for employees and gated parking areas.
“This initiative is a win-win for all – CCHC, the community and our employees,” said Lauf. “We will continue to look for ways to provide the latest and best healthcare in the latest and best facilities, as well as ways to improve the communities in which we do business.”
There are many “big picture pieces” to the improvement of the downtown area, said Wurfbain. Cape Cod Healthcare is the “anchor institution” in Hyannis, and there is a great “symbiotic relationship” between the healthcare system and other businesses, she said.
Other improvements that are in the works for the Main Street area include a Hyannis Children’s Museum sponsored with Cape Cod Child Development – hopefully opening next summer – and The Hyannis International Film Festival that will be part of Hyannis Open Streets celebration in October, according to Wurfbain. Anejo Mexican restaurant and Kilwins candy store are among the new businesses on Main Street. The upcoming Sea Captain’s Row development and many infill market rate developments have been directly engaged by the Business Improvement District’s board as part of the overall vision to have year-round people living and working in the downtown.
“Healthy communities are those that have livable, workable, walkable downtowns,” said Wurfbain.
Hyannis Main Street Business Improvement District is a state legislated management entity formed by the community, businesses, chamber and the town of Barnstable in 1999 to help revitalize the downtown by creating opportunities that make it a great place to shop, dine, live and work.