Economic Development

The mission of the Economic Development Committee (EDC) is to:

• Promote economic prosperity in the town.
• Attract new businesses that increase the tax base.
• Encourage existing businesses to renovate or expand.
• Increase the tax base through projects, programs, and activities.
• Seek the support of other town departments and state agencies for specific projects.
• Encourage businesses to create jobs which residents can apply for.

See the New Business Development section below for details about new businesses in town or click on any of the following links.

• Nouria Energy Acquired MEGA-X Stores
• Allenstown Aggregate - Commercial Building
• Brady Sullivan - China Mill Apartments Approved
• Suncook River Store Repaved
• Optimus - Assisted Living Facility
• Hooksett Rent-a-Tool
• Allenstown Self Storage
• Morgan Storage Businesses
• Flame Mobile Pizza
• Family Dollar
• Hudson Quarry (Big Jim's Outlet)
• Brady Sullivan - China Mill Bought
• 603 Storage Facility
• Suncook River Store Makeover

The EDC acknowledges the following projects and accomplishments.

Article 14 was overwhelmingly approved by 70% of the voters on March 13, 2018 by a vote of 182-77. The article became effective on April 1st, 2018, meaning that new businesses, as well as existing businesses planning to expand or upgrade their facilities, can apply for the exemption. The tax exemption starts at 50% for the first two years and decreases to zero over 10 years. This makes Allenstown a very desirable place to build or expand a business.

Members of the EDC worked hard to develop the proposal, rework it into a warrant article, and convince the Selectmen to add it to the town warrant. We thank you, the voters, for affirming our efforts at the ballot box.

Applying for the Business Tax Exemption

You must apply for the exemption BEFORE you start any construction or renovations because the state law includes that stipulation. You should also request that the town provide you with an assessment of the property before construction/renovation begins and after construction/renovation ends so that you can see the increased value to be used to calculate the exemption.

➤  Business Tax Exemption Form

The EDC enlisted the help of the town assessor to identify all town-owned property and privately-owned commercial property in town. An invitation and copy of the tax exemption warrant article were mailed to all the local commercial realtors to ask their clients to consider these properties.

A mailing list was used to send the same information to the owners of commercial property in town, encouraging them to take advantage of the tax exemption.

The EDC has been developing a proposal for an ice skating park to be set up next winter. The freestanding ice rink is to be modular so that it can be set up in early winter and disassembled in the spring. This type of park was one of top desirable recreational projects cited in the "Recreational Amenities Project Scope" that was issued after the Plan NH Charette of October 2016.

Three locations (the field at Dupont School, Volunteers Park on River Rd., and Iris Pond off Route 3) have been considered. The Dupont School site is no longer available, so the current alternatives are Volunteers Park or Iris Pond. A more downtown location is still being sought. If you would care to help out, please attend our next meeting at town hall.

While downtown redevelopment sounds like a promising endeavor, it includes Pembroke's more business-oriented side of Suncook Village.

Property worth marketing to businesses is along the Route 3 & 28 corridors. Investors are needed for vacant properties like the parcel next to the Family Dollar, the former sawmill on Chester Turnpike, and acres of commercial property bordered by Chester Turnpike, Granite St., and Route 28.

This summer, the Family Dollar store went through some major renovations. A few years ago, Family Dollar merged with Dollar Tree. It was to be expected that, after a merger, some stores would be scheduled for closure. To Allenstown's credit, the store near the intersection or Routes 3 & 28 not only stayed open but experienced significant improvements.

As shown in the following photo, the building received new signage and the deteriorated parking lot was completeley repaved and restriped. Inside the store, the fully stocked aisles have aisle numbers and merchandise labels to make it easy to find what you need. The checkout stations are against the front wall making it easy to ring up your purchases and be on your way.

After plans to build a new store next to the Catamount Mobile Home Park were thwarted by the NH DOT last year, the tenant purchased the current store.

Starting in late February 2019, the new owner began extensive renovations of the store, which include a brand new, expanded kitchen and walk-in cooler for preparing take-out orders like pizza, subs, and crispy chicken for its loyal customer base. The exterior was completely refinished with new clapboards.

The store held a Grand Opening on Friday July 12, 2019.

Since then owner Jay Patel stated that business has improved and he is doing very well.  Try one of their Italian canolis.

In January 2019, a businessman from Mass. notified the town that he was closing on an office suite at 50 Pinewood Rd. (Rte. 28). He plans to open a Physical Therapy Clinic after renovations are completed.

The sign on the fence announces that the Hudson Quarry Corp. has bought the former Big Jim's Bargain Outlet. Based in Hudson, NH, they offer homeowners and landscape and masonry professionals some of the most unique selections of masonry, natural stone, and landscape products available.  

http://www.hudsonquarry.com/

The purchase occurred in mid-December 2018 and the property sold for $715,000, which was below the asking price of $870,000. In early March, a construction crew demolished the old sheds along the edge of the property.

In June 2019, they opened a temporary showroom in the rear building and hung out the "Open for Business" signs. In July, they have been renovating the front building for use as their main showroom. By September, they were fully open for business.

A positive development was the sale of the old Key-Loc property and the adjacent parcel back in March 2018. These properties sold for a total of $1.5 million and encompass about 6.6 acres.

As of July 2019, the buyer, Morgan Storage, has cleared brush and debris from the property, graded the surrounding land, installed drainage piping to channel runoff into an existing collection area, and paved the area around the entire warehouse.

In September, Mr. Morgan announced that there would be three new businesses moving to the facility in October:

Granite State Shuttle Service is to occupy about 18,700 sq. ft. They provide on-demand pickup and delivery of everything from envelope mail to palletized freight, They serve most of New England with daily service. With a fleet of over 150 vehicles, they are expanding into Allenstown.

Morgan Records Management is to take up about 22,000 sq. ft. The company bills itself as the national leader in document scanning and records management solutions. They offer secure, acessible storage of documents such as books, oversized maps, historical documents, microfilm, business cards, manufacturing coupons, and x-rays. With headquarters in Manchester, NH, they have chosen Allenstown as their newest facility.

Vault Motor Storage is to occupy another 22,000 sq. ft. This company provides a secure, heated, and modern indoor vehicle storage facility. They store all kinds of vehicles such as boats, RVs, motorcycles, exotic and classic cars, and provide 24/7 surveillance. With existing facilities in Merrimack and Belmont, NH, the Allenstown facility is centrally located between Concord and Manchester.

Due to requests for lot line adjustments and upgrades to the water and sewer lines, the move in date has been delayed.

On May 30, 2018, the Planning Board approved the plans for 603 Storage - Allenstown to build a self-storage facility at 15 Chester Turnpike. When asked why they chose Allenstown, the answer was that they wanted a location near a population center and at least several miles from any existing storage facility. Allenstown fit their criteria.

As of mid-July 2019, the sheds looked pretty much completed, the driveways were paved, and the business sign was installed. The view is facing west toward Sully's.

Name

Town Administrator (non-member)