Gallery owner images a bit of Brimfield in Westfield

By Alex Peshkov

05/05/2008- The Republican

WESTFIELD - Gerald E. Tracy, owner of the Tea Pot Gallery, wants to bring a little bit of Brimfield to downtown Westfield.

"We keep losing downtown business," he said last week. "Since last fall, when I moved into Tea Pot Gallery, we lost over 10 businesses here."

Tracy called about three dozen community members to his gallery last week to discuss his proposal: a partial closing of Elm Street during the summer for an antiques, arts and crafts market.
 
The town of Brimfield is home to the Brimfield Outdoor Antiques and Collectibles Shows, three multi-day events each year that bring people from all over the world to browse, buy, trade and collect.

"It's about bringing foot traffic into downtown, and it's about revitalizing a commercially viable area," he said.

Impressed after visiting Brimfield's fair, the largest outdoor antiques show in New England, drawing more than 5,000 dealers from all over the country. Tracy believes that this city could enjoy a similar success.

He proposes closing the downtown area between Franklin and School streets, "starting maybe on weekends," with a possible all-summer street closing or even a permanent closing.

"I have a support group of some 130 individuals and businesses that are very excited about this," he said. "I have found interest from antique, art, and crafts people, and I also think we can do a citywide tag sale here. The decay of our downtown is inexcusable, and has had a deep impact on our perception of this once-vibrant soul of the city."

Lisa McMahon, executive director of the Westfield Business Improvement District, who attended the discussion, said that she went there from a meeting with some out-of-town businessmen interested in vacant downtown lots.

"We've lost some businesses, but a number of people also have called (about possible renting), and since January we've got three new businesses here," she said.

Her approach to revitalizing the downtown would be "taking a small step first," such as cleaning existing parking lots.

"There are close to 300 parking spaces downtown, and we are working on a special parking map," said McMahon.

She said that not every property or business owner is excited about closing Elm Street in the summer.

"It's not for or against; it's more about everybody's being on the same page," she said. "Certainly, you always welcome ideas and energy, but I think we have to take steps in the right order."

Tracy said he wants to discuss his proposal with the mayor.