Loss of the Met is a blow to downtown Derry

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July 20, 2007

The loss of a children's museum will be a blow to development hopes for Derry, leaving an empty storefront in the town's premier downtown property.

The Children's Metamorphosis, better known as "the Met," will close Aug. 31 citing financial difficulties. The museum, which features educational exhibits, programs and workshops for children, has been at 6 West Broadway since 2002.

That building, a mix of offices, retail space and apartments, is owned by Derry Depot Square Holdings, the private, for-profit arm of the Derry Economic Development Corp. The group justifiably takes pride in the effect the rehabilitation of the property has had on Derry's downtown. It will be up to the DEDC to fill the basement level space vacated by the Met quickly.

The Met attracted about 30,000 visitors a year and helped make downtown Derry a destination. That number of people coming into the town surely had a positive impact on the businesses in the area.

The Met moved to Derry from Londonderry in 2002. The move helped boost membership from 300 to a peak of 800 families. The museum drew visitors and members from across southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts.

But the nonprofit has had difficulty paying the loan it took to renovate the space at 6 West Broadway to meet its needs. Fundraisers, silent auctions and sponsorships were not bringing in enough to keep the museum running. The Met has not been making full payment on its $3,000 monthly rent, according to Jack Dowd, executive director of the DEDC.

There is no bad blood between tenant and landlord. Tracy LaPlante, executive director of the Met, told reporter Julie Huss that Depot Square Holdings had been "more than fair."

"Short of some miraculous new source of funding, or some other sudden solution, we really see no choice but to close the Met for good," she said.

It is unfortunate to lose the Met. The museum has been a important part of Derry for several years now, one that drew families into the downtown. Having that kind of destination is what keeps a downtown vital.

The DEDC deserves credit for working with the Met to keep the museum open for as long as possible. Dowd would not say if anyone has expressed an interest in the Met's space at 6 West Broadway. But he said he did not anticipate having a difficult time filling it.

We hope there is soon a vibrant new tenant there. We hope, too, that the Met is able to resolve its financial difficulties and remain open in some new location.

It's always difficult to lose a good neighbor.