Gloucester, Ma. (July 26, 2024)—At each end of Stop & Shop’s lot on Thatcher Road, two ‘electric vehicle fueling station’ bays with two EV charging spots each are being constructed for public use. They’ll have kiosks running advertisements and should be up & running soon (ETA 2-4 weeks). This is the 8th Stop & Shop Massachusetts EV supermarket installation for the Volta crews.
charging stations today
photos: charging station installation for Stop & Shop, Thatcher Rd; detail from Google maps showing charging stations in Gloucester, Ma. as of July 2024.
Out with the old exterior and in with the new! The Old Nugent Farm condominiums are getting some love in the summer of 2024. There are 70+ (72?) condos and SPS was contracted to take care of each one. The exterior components to be demoed and replaced are all the biggies: Roofs (some with skylights). Siding. Windows. Deck. Chimney repointing. The completion date is expected before the summer of 2025.
A unique construction staging area was tucked away to manage the scale of this project. Besides deliveries and garages, a mini mockup condo model was constructed to test the materials in the field, and problem solve optimum execution and training (such as the flashing performance).
The original great design of the Old Nugent Farm condos, which deferred to nature, will remain. They will be green again. Do you remember before there were condos?
PHOTO SERIES: JULY 1, 2 & 8 2024
March 2024. BEFORE.
Utility work on Thatcher. View back to Old Nugent Farm condos on the right and Good Harbor Beach parking lot sign on the left.
prior years
Jan. 2017Aug. 201820212022
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photos January 13, 2024, two hours after high tide: At the back of Good Harbor Beach over to Cape Hedge (roughly Thatcher Road between Stop & Shop, Good Harbor Beach, Long Beach, and Cape Hedge). Streets were impassable for about two hours–flooded by feet of water not inches. Barriers, DPW crews, utility and emergency crews are repairing, clearing, and pushing cars. The last time the floods breached the berm at Cape Hedge was the March 2012 storms. I was away for the prior flooding this week, and have not seen other neighborhoods today.
GMG readers shared video and photos from their views
Courtesy photos shared with GMG: Good Harbor Beach; Greasy Pole
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Holiday Lights and Cocoa Drives is just getting going. This gem was spotted November 15th, the first of the season. Will Barbie pink be among the 2023 trends? Maybe. More homes and neighborhoods will be added, so be sure to check back. Photos will be posted on Good Morning Gloucester in separate batches.
photo caption (pinch and zoom to enlarge): For the 7th year in a row—and the 4th accompanied by a map with photos—enjoy snapshots of Gloucester’s decorated homes. Scroll down to see the first batch of twinkling houses that have been added to the Holiday Lights and Cocoa Drives 2023 map edition as of November 25. Also, scroll down to a list of area ‘Mark Your Calendar’, not-to-miss, seasonal events.
In addition to the area’s rewarding drives past cheery homes, beautiful seasonal tree lightings and festive sparkling downtowns are bustling with activities.
2023. Annual events (days and times differ year to year)
Nov. 25-January CAPE ANN: Cape Ann business store fronts are decked out. check out Winter Lights on Cape Ann
Nov. 26 GLOUCESTER: Gloucester tree lighting in Kent Circle and Santa parade
Dec. 1 ESSEX: A Very Essex Christmas Celebration. Santa arrives by boat.
Dec. 1, 2 MANCHESTER: Holiday Stroll; Christmas by the Sea and Santa by boat
Dec 2 ESSEX: Holiday market
Dec. 2 ROCKPORT: Christmas in Rockport. Santa’s arrival by lobster boat and Tree in Dock Square lighting
Dec. 2 & 3 GLOUCESTER: 2nd Annual Parade of Trees (fundraiser for Horribles Parade)
Dec. 9 GLOUCESTER: extravaganza all day: Historic Middle Street Walk incredible program https://middlestreetwalk.org; Deck the Dock at Maritime Gloucester; Stacy Boulevard Chris Williams bronze planters dedication; Lobster Trap Tree lighting (4:30PM); and all in Gloucester’s 400+ anniversary year
Dec. 10 GLOUCESTER: Santa at sea Beauport cruiselines
Feb. 10, 2023- a dreamy magic realism morning with several white rainbows at sunrise, maybe still. This one spanned the marsh, Old Nugent, Thacher Road more than an hour after sunrise. Hope to see your photos!
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Four wild turkeys paraded through the neighborhood.
Photo description: wild turkeys spring courtship time. Striking big male displaying with three disinterested females. They were busy foraging and moving out while he was strutting. One female was momentarily distracted by its own reflection in the front bumper of a parked car. (photos: c. ryan)
2021 Wild Turkeys cross Thatcher Road
Last March I saw 18 cross Thatcher Road, between Good Harbor Beach and Long Beach Dairy Maid, just past Witham.
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March 2021 construction status. Two projects near Good Harbor Beach at the four corners of Thatcher and Witham, and two projects in Riverdale off Washington Street.
pinch and zoom or double click to enlarge photos
Thatcher Road and Witham – 6 townhouses “Brier Cliff by the Beach”
Between Thatcher and Cliff Road
Thatcher Road and Witham – 12 condos “Ocean View at Good Harbor Beach”
*formerly Brier Neck shores
Between Washington Street by Piraino Street and Thornhill Way
(before Willow Rest)
Google street view Nov. 2019Google street view Nov. 2019view from Washington back to Thornhillview from Thornhill down to Washington
Washington Street past Willow Rest – Sea Glass Lane
Google Nov. 2019
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Clearing lots 41 and 43 Cliff Road between Long Beach and Good Harbor Beach, across from the development (formerly Amelia’s and Olivia’s at the corner of Witham and Thatcher Roads).
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41 7 43 Cliff Road (Lots 176_1 and 2) near Witham and Thatcher Road Gloucester, MA (map across the street shows former Amelia’s or Olivia’s before the condos)
Just past the corner of Witham and Thatcher before Long Beach Dairy Maid, clearing and surveying underway on two lots across from the former Amelia’s/Olivia’s space.
photos June 2020 – Clearing and surveying 41 and 43 Cliff Road – view from Thatcher Road
photos below – BEFORE (2019 and earlier) Water run off used to ice over before DPW work along this stretch
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From Salt Island side walked the beach and circled round Thacher Road at the back of Good Harbor Beach, about 6:30-6:45am. Photos possible from the safe and great new walkway (thanks Gloucester DPW)
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Beautiful build by Gloucester DPW to Good Harbor Beach is seeing steady use. The new pedestrian bridge spanning the marsh little river makes it easy to linger over a sweeping November vista to Good Harbor Beach and back.
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Prior posts on Good Morning Gloucester about the marsh walkway under construction.
back of Good Harbor Beach, framed and open views across marsh from Thatcher Road, June 2018
Walk this way! Part 1- Pilings In, Guardrails Gone!
A new mini marsh promenade is underway along Thatcher Road from Gloucester’s Good Harbor Beach entrance all the way around to the foot bridge. Walkers will have safe access via sidewalks and a natural path.
Gloucester has been planning for an opportunity to extend safer pedestrian access along Thatcher Road for years. When National Grid scheduled replacing antiquated gas lines along the busiest and scenic stretch, Gloucester Public Works was ready to seize the opportunity with collaborative solutions sensitive to conservation. Sidewalk upgrades were built out at both ends and paused until National Grid completed its underground infrastructure work. Prior to paving, Thatcher Road will be widened slightly to accommodate a safe and scenic path. The city hoped to complete repairs and paving by autumn and is on track to meet that goal. This week crews were clearing brush. The rusty guardrail was removed and will be replaced with a new design. “It will all happen quickly now,” says Mike Hale, director of Public Works.
There’s an ideal and creative scenic overlook solution over the river that’s under construction off site. I can’t wait for the reveal! I have been documenting progress and will post various updates, fast stats and history as another impressive project moves along.
Gloucester’s great marsh walk will afford safer access for sweeping seasonal observation
winter, spring, summer, fall
One of my favorite Gloucester motifs, Gloucester oxbow, view from Thatcher Road
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Good Morning Gloucester 