WHEN DEVELOPER ED KERRIGAN decided to build a retail building to add to his cluster of businesses at 227 Mechanic Street in Lebanon, New Hampshire, he wanted one that would not only complement the others, but would also be in keeping with the historic downtown. This meant designing a building that was traditional in appearance, blends in with the environment and “looks as if it had been there a long time,” he said. The result was a 12,000-square-foot steel-framed structure with a brick veneer and aluminum storefront that Kerrigan now leases to three design-oriented businesses. Cabinetry Concepts and Surface Solutions are owned by Ro Wyman, and Creative Lighting Design and Décor is owned by Brian Horan. The building manages to exude a modern presence and harmonize with the Lebanon landscape.
Birth of a Design Center
Owner of Jake’s Market & Deli down the street, as well as several other convenience stores throughout the region, Kerrigan first purchased the 227 Mechanic Street property, now dubbed by Kerrigan “227 Mechanic Street Plaza,” five years ago. Initially, he had no specific vision for it beyond an interest in neighboring real estate. Today, the property is home to a mix of unique businesses including a two-bay, touch-less, high-pressure car wash, a coffee shop, Jake’s Coffee Company, Lebanon Self-storage, and, of course, the striking new design center.
“On each of his buildings Ed has always been concerned about the appearance and having them fit in with the vernacular around them. I think one of the mainstays of his business is to have attractive, professional-looking buildings, whether they be convenience stores or a coffee shop or whatever he is doing,” said Todd Thompson, Trumbull-Nelson project manager on the design center.
“Each of the projects represents an evolution in the sophistication of his vision and our collaboration together”
Trumbull-Nelson has a long-standing relationship with Kerrigan, having worked on both the car wash and the coffee shop, Jake’s Market in the late nineties, and the building that now houses Vivo Salon & Day Spa in Lebanon. Trumbull-Nelson also was the contractor on several of Kerrigan’s convenience stores throughout the region including those in Newbury, Andover, and New London.
Thompson admits expectations on each project are high, but he feels nothing but “pride and happiness” at having the opportunity to work on them and to support Kerrigan in his commitment to the community. “Each of the projects represents an evolution in the sophistication of his vision and our collaboration together,” he said.
Jay Barrett worked with Trumbull-Nelson as project architect on the retail building that has become the design center. He noted that all those involved were concerned with creating a quality structure that could last well into the future. Barrett also wanted to design a building with “some height and presence,” given the facility’s presence at the entrance to the historic downtown.
“We wanted something that made reference to the historic architecture and was not your typical strip mall,” he said. “Some commercial developers would not care, but Ed was willing to spend a bit more to achieve this vision. He was not afraid to pick a more expensive brick because he knew the importance of quality,” Barrett said.
Another goal with the project was to design a flexible space that could accommodate as many as six individual tenants. Although Kerrigan ended up with only three, early on he had a wide variety of tenants interested in the building, including several doctors. He concluded that, because of the roadside frontage, the site was more suitable to retail than office space. Influencing him were Wyman and Horan, who saw the potential of the facility to serve as a design center.
“The location is ideal. We get the benefit of the hospital traffic and it’s a route that many of the local contractors take,” said Wyman.
The proximity of the three home décor shops to one another has helped each attract customers. “It works beautifully in terms of each of us providing the other with leads,” she said.
Wyman also acknowledged that certain design features have enhanced her businesses. Trumbull-Nelson’s Ed Friedman served as the project manager for the fit-up of Surface Solutions and Cabinetry Concepts. “We painted the ceilings black, so all the ductwork and the framing would get lost in the space,” he said. “It was all done to create a sense of openness.”
Wyman called the size of the showroom rare for the area. “It gives us the ability to display a large number of options. Particularly with cabinetry, we have the opportunity to show more than kitchen displays,” she said.
Wyman contacted a Tennessee sub-contractor, Perfect Polish, to install a polished concrete floor. This unique feature not only provides a neutral, non-competing background to display her own products against, but also showcases the natural aggregate in the concrete, providing a distinctive and durable solution.
“Ed has a very unique capability of seeing a need and answering it. The mix of buildings is very interesting; separately, they are very aesthetically pleasing, but together even more so,” said Larry Ufford, president of Trumbull-Nelson.
A Successful Mix
Kerrigan has demonstrated his success establishing a stable group of businesses along a highly visible stretch of Lebanon. But when he first purchased the 227 Mechanic Street property his primary plan for development called for “trying to find things I thought were really needed in Lebanon and for which this would be an appropriate location,” he said.
On site at the time were two mechanics, Lumber Liquidators, Dave’s Starter and Alternator, Lebanon Self-Storage, and an apartment building. He sold a portion of the property to Service Credit Union, which built its own facility. He chose to keep the self-storage business and add a car wash, noting that several had closed in the area at the time. He briefly considered opening another convenience store, but because of the proximity of Jake’s decided against this. He did recognize that there were few locations along the route to sit down and have a cup of coffee. By making the coffee shop a two-story structure he was able to have his offices on site.
Kerrigan made the decision early on to have a combination of businesses he owned and operated along with some rentals. His wife, Mary Lynn, and daughter, Katie, encouraged him to run his own coffee shop rather than bring in a franchise and he chose to establish the adjacent building as a rental property.
“I knew I didn’t want to make this all a strip center. I wanted different things going on. It makes a property more interesting and more viable,” said Kerrigan.
“We wanted something that made reference to the historic architecture…not your typical strip mall”
Kerrigan seems to have settled on an equation that works. Wyman notes that customers shop for home solutions, then go next door for a cup of coffee or to wash their cars. Amanda Walker, who works at Jake’s Coffee Company sees customers “walking back and forth between the businesses” and knows that the coffee shop draws people “because of the car wash,” she said.
Ufford said of the entire property, “He took what was really an eyesore at the gateway to the city, and turned it into a pretty spectacular presentation for people coming down Route 4 into Lebanon.”
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