Bob Smith: Bring the jobs to NH first and housing will take care of itself

To The Daily Sun,

The State School site should be a multi-tenant development to include enough space for each tenant, and the buildings that are built should allow for easy reconfiguration for other businesses if one moves out.

The tenants can be defense industry like BAE, which is in New Hampshire and should be solicited. Lonza and other biologics companies should be contacted. There is a major push to get semiconductors made back in the U.S. Contact Intel, GlobalFoundries, and other U.S.-based semiconductor companies and offer them a space.

Light to medium manufacturing of car parts is another sector that provides long-term jobs. Contact Fidelity investments to get a portion of their operations moved here. We need to consult with NH businesses that are here and get them to reach out to their contacts in their industries and let them know we are open for business, and the quality of the site and life in NH is better than any other place.

We do not need to put housing at the State School site as that is a waste of space. Bring the jobs in first, those companies will then bring in their teams to set up the site and then that will lure local and outside workers. You can fund  expansion of housing up Parade Road and build housing in the state hayfields. Those fields serve the state no purpose and the state should turn those over to Laconia to aid in housing development. Bring public water and sewer to those sites on Parade Road to allow for greater development and hook up private residences in that area. Subsidize the cost with bonds or the development of the State School property. Housing never brings jobs. Let business development lead the way and the housing will follow.

Bob Smith

Center Harbor