go to article Clothing chain makes five-year commitment to downtown Lawrence By Bill Kirk , Business Editor Eagle-Tribune LAWRENCE - A new, 12,000-square-foot building is going up on Essex Street in Lawrence that will bring the latest in hip-hop and rap fashions to the city. EbLens, a 33-store chain that started in New Britain, Conn., in 1949, sells so-called "urban" style clothing, with brands like Phat Farm, G Unit, Rocawear, New Era and Akademiks, among others. Building developer Michael Tarshi Jr., who is investing more than $1 million of private capital into the project, is just happy to get a major tenant that has agreed to sign a five-year contract. He said EbLens, based in Torrington, Conn., will take over 6,000 square feet of the building on the corner closest to his father's law firm and insurance company at 510 Essex St. The store is scheduled to move in to 514 Essex St. by mid-February. It will be a glass and brick structure, about a story-and-a-half high. The remaining 6,000 square feet hasn't been rented yet, although Tarshi hopes to have a medical office in the middle of the building and a coffee shop on the other end. "This is a big risk to take in this market," he said, noting that "the real estate market is tough right now. To invest over $1 million in downtown right now is unheard of. Nobody is doing that." He hopes that his new store will be part of a revival of the heavily traveled street. According to Lawrence Economic Development Director Tom Schiavone, Essex Street will be spruced up soon. Sometime in the next three to four weeks, he said, the city, using federal grant money, will be hanging new banners, installing new trash receptacles and putting up new signs along portions of the street. Also sometime in the next few weeks, the city will advertise for bidders on converting the five-lane, one-way thoroughfare into a two-way street. Meanwhile, a storefront improvement program has brought thousands of dollars in grant money into the city to help property owners improve the exterior of their buildings. Tarshi said he is optimistic about the revitalization of the neighborhood. For example, the Blakely Building across the street from Tarshi's new building is being renovated as part of a $14 million project that will bring 46 rental apartments to the area. And the nearby In-Town Mall property is being turned over to Northern Essex Community College, which is building a health and technology center there. Meanwhile, the street continues to offer a wide variety of goods and services, including florists, thrift stores, law offices, bars and restaurants, a grocery story, a floor and carpeting shop, nail and hair salons, a bakery, a Rite Aid pharmacy and the Vivid Night Club, to name some of the street's offerings. One of the law offices is owned by Tarshi's father and has been there, he said, for more than 50 years. "My family has been here forever," he said. "We haven't lost faith in the area." He said while Lawrence went through an economic downturn in recent years, it's making a comeback, and he wants to be part of it. "Lawrence is an exciting place to build," Tarshi said. "Essex Street in the next couple of years is going to be even better." He noted that getting EbLens to downtown Lawrence was a big win for the city. "Instead of losing a high-end tenant to the local malls, I brought the first major chain tenant to Essex Street in decades," he said. "I believe this will spark downtown interest as well as attract more tenants. With all of the commercial vacancy on Essex street, EbLens decided my building was the best fit. "Attracting a major retailer exemplifies that the image of Essex Street and Lawrence is changing and ultimately re-charging Essex Street as a downtown shopping destination." An EbLens executive did not return phone calls.