This Very Special Market

I don't have a crystal ball or anything, but if I had to guess at what Watertown will look like in like 2010, we're talkin' boomtown! Practically tomorrow!

Every night on the news, there's something new and exciting about Fort Drum, or the projects going on in Watertown, or how the schools can't handle the population explosion here yet, housing, etc. Then I tell people (investors, developers) from out of the area what's going on, what I've heard, and all the buzz, and I'm not sure they believe me. It's o.k., though. They'll believe me someday.

Like one of the most interesting things going on is that the Salvation Army, of all buildings, is building brand new! I'm not sure why they're moving closer to the Price Chopper, but I guess there's a reason for that. Maybe they couldn't build new where they were, just half a block from McDonald's - who is also building new, but decided to stay at that location. I mean, McDonald's is away from all the crazy congestion, but I think they're doing real well to build this new, much more modern McDonald's. And it's almost done already! The Mustard Seed is also pretty new in that area - they moved to that part of Arsenal St. from Washington St. And the old Pizza Hut is now a newly-painted (albeit the colors are neon fuscia and bright lime green-yuck!) car stereo installation business.

The schools are expanding, the roads are expanding, I sure hope that salaries begin to expand. When I first came to the North Country, it was the first time I had ever heard of "common wage labor." In New York??!! That's disgraceful! But, oh, so true. You see, at the time I was trying to get a real job.

So the population's exploding, new businesses are arriving here, old businesses are building new! How exciting, right?! Want to keep it all nice? Raise some salaries, so that your employees can afford to go to all those new restaurants and enjoy themselves in this new part of the North Country. Raise some salaries, so that people don't need to depend on the government for food stamps and welfare. Raise some salaries to keep the crime rate down, and make this a very desirable place to be, for the people who've always been here, and for our military families to stay.

I know, some of you would rather not hear it, or just don't believe me. It's o.k., though. You'll believe me someday.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!