LETTER: 'Main Street Corridor Project Will Benefit Peabody and Its Residents'

I’m writing to express my support of Peabody’s Main Street Corridor project, which I believe will benefit the city of Peabody and its residents.

Having substantially benefited from being a life-long resident of Peabody, I am committed to our city -- giving back to our community and investing in it.

As part of that commitment, I give back to our city through my volunteer work with the high school’s vocational technical cosmetology program – a program from which I was the first male to graduate, and to which I owe my gratitude for providing my career training and livelihood. I’ve also honored my commitment to our community by choosing Peabody as the place to school my children and raise my family, and as a homeowner, to invest my real estate tax dollars.

As a small business owner, I recently made a well-considered decision to continue to locate my business on Main Street, when seeking a larger space for its expansion. As part of that decision-making process, I’ve also decided that the city of Peabody is the place I want to continue investing my business tax dollars.

I’ve made that decision not only because of my commitment to the community my business serves, but also because I believe that upcoming improvements to Main Street will positively affect my ability to attract new customers and provide easier and safer access to my salon.

Slowing and calming traffic as well as bolstering the attractiveness of the corridor as a shopping and services destination will increase the visibility and prosperity of my business, the safety of my customers, and ultimately the bottom-line of all businesses located within the Main Street Corridor.

Yes, it’s true that during the construction process our lives will be disrupted with traffic delays and detours, but I believe these are small, short-term inconveniences when weighed against the economic benefits of transforming Main Street from a cut-through, four-lane highway, into a vibrant and prosperous city asset.

The trickle-down effect of Main Street’s transformation will increase revenue for our city, allowing us to have better schools for our children, a safer environment in which to raise our families, and more opportunities for community development and growth.

Peabody is my home, and my livelihood and the future of my family depend upon its growth and success.

The Main Street Corridor transformation is good for Peabody small business viability, and I look forward to its completion, when Peabody will reap the rewards of its project commitment and patience during the construction process.

Tony Vargas,

Exclusive Hair Design,

Peabody