About AOCED

Alan S. Manoian, Dir. AOCED - 978.772.8220 X141 and/or amanoian@ayer.ma.us                 

Alicia Hersey, Community Development Program Manager - 978.772.8220 X142 and/or ahersey@ayer.ma.us

Town of Ayer Sesquicentennial Flag  

Departmental Responsibilities - The (AOCED) is focused on visioning, cultivating, and sustaining a healthy, connective, and vibrant local/regional economic climate equally benefiting business-owners and employees; on designing and investing-in strong neighborhoods; and on assuring broad local housing opportunity and choice for all residents of the Town of Ayer. The AOCED strives to maintain and grow a diversified tax base and housing stock that well-positions the Town of Ayer to socio-economically compete and sustainably grow within the 21st century economy.

 AOCED 2020 Annual Report Highlights Top 5

AOCED 2020 Annual Report Future Top 5

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 


Partners in Ayer's Quality Development

Core Values - Ayer Office of Economic & Community Development: Ethical public service, traditional localism, strength in community, fundamental fairness, regional collaboration, mutual respect, broad-based opportunity, energetic enterprise and bold innovation inform all of our policies and practices, both within our office environment and when engaging with the Ayer’s residential, commercial and industrial community. We strive to incorporate these ideals into the work we do with one another, our partners, and the people we respectfully serve.


Ayer Birdseye


Ayer is Ready to Partner in the “Economics of Place”: Fred Kent, Founder & President of the Project for Public Spaces, provides the most down-to-earth and understandable definition of (Place-Making Economics) as follows; “Turning a place from one that you can’t wait to get through, into one that you never want to leave.” The next chapter in the economic & community development story of Ayer will be investment/reinvestment and development/redevelopment designed and built to deliver authenticity and quality of “Place” for people, customers, employees, clients, visitors, and most importantly the residents of Ayer to enjoy, embrace, preserve and protect. The Town of Ayer Office of Economic & Community Development consistently and actively seeks investors and partners to bring the Economics of Place to the Historic Downtown Ayer District; to the Downtown Ayer Commuter Rail Station & Depot Square District; to the Park Street Corridor; to the West Main Street Corridor; to the East Main Street Corridor; to the Rotary (Carlton Circle) District; to the Ayer Industrial Park District on Westford Rd.; to the Fitchburg Rd. Corridor; to the Hill District Historic Neighborhood; to the Grove Pond Historic Neighborhood; to the Central Avenue Corridor; to the Sandy Pond District Neighborhood; and beyond.


Place Economics    

11 Principles of Place Making:


About Economic Development in Ayer: Municipal Economic Development is all about clear, predictable, stable and fair local development regulations & permitting; it's all about highly knowledgeable, skilled and responsive municipal partners; it's all about well-designed, well-constructed and well-maintained local & regional transportation infrastructure and connectivity; it's all about high-performing local public & private educational districts & institutions, it's all about access to financial capital & outstanding residential & commercial lending institutions and programs; it's all about the local & regional cost of doing business; it's all about creating a local environment that fosters constant spontaneous encounter, knowledge exchange, innovative opportunities, shared curiosity, and creative networks; the bottom line is it's all about the attraction, retention and growth of high concentrations of talented people in a local community that is devoted to quality of design, place, enterprise and life.


About Community Development in Ayer: Community Development is all about the strength, cohesion, health and quality of life in the Neighborhoods of Ayer; it's all about the place you call your home & the street you live on; it's all about your neighbors, your children's school, your local social network, your neighborhood park & play fields, and your sense of community character & identity. Ayer's Community Development Program works directly with the residents, neighbors, builders, local organizations, local businesses, places of worship, and many more as we administer the US Dept. of HUD CDBG Program (Community Development Block Grant). The Community Development Program also administers the Ayer Housing Rehabilitation Program which has funded countless private residential property improvements through many years. In addition, the Community Development Program administers in partnership with The Advocates, the Ayer Court Diversion Program, which directly and actively supports the health, resiliency and life-building skills for many of Ayer's young population.    

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