Patience and Perseverance: How Dover Finally Developed the Waterfront

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, the fourth episode in a series on the history of the Cochecho River, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with George Maglaras and Dana Lynch about the decades-long journey to redevelop Dover's waterfront. The conversation traces the project's origins back to the early 1990s when Maglaras, then mayor, formed the city's first waterfront task force. Lynch, a civil engineer who chaired the task force, discusses how the initial vision centered on mixed-use development with public access to the river.

The guests describe numerous challenges and setbacks, including community concerns that waterfront development would compete with downtown businesses, the 1990 recession, and the difficulty of securing financial commitments without proper due diligence, such as soil surveys and environmental studies. A pivotal 1996 charrette helped generate momentum, leading to requests for proposals from developers. However, the project experienced significant delays, including a nearly decade-long pause during the Great Recession.

Both guests emphasize that the lengthy timeline, while frustrating, allowed for crucial community consensus-building through thousands of public meetings. They credit the 2010 Cochecho River bridge with symbolizing the connection between downtown and the waterfront. Lynch, who said he became emotional at the 2023 groundbreaking, reflects on the countless volunteer hours invested over three decades. Both men express pride in seeing the project finally come to fruition, noting it will expand rather than eclipse downtown Dover. They acknowledge the contributions of former city planner Steve Bird and numerous other volunteers who maintained momentum throughout the challenging development process.