Editing Lawrence, Massachusetts (section)

====Recent trends====

A sharp reduction in violent crime starting in 2004<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2011/10/17/41306/Lawrence-Massachusetts-mayor-faces-the-wrath-of-residents |title=Lawrence, Massachusetts mayor faces the wrath of residents - DominicanToday.com |access-date=2014-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201115752/http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2011/10/17/41306/Lawrence-Massachusetts-mayor-faces-the-wrath-of-residents |archive-date=2015-02-01 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and massive private investment in former mill buildings along the Merrimack River, including the remaining section of the historic [[Wood Worsted Mill]]—to be converted into commercial, residential and education uses – have lent encouragement to boosters of the city.{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}} One of the final remaining mills in the city is [[Malden Mills]]. Lawrence's downtown has seen a resurgence of business activity as Hispanic-owned businesses have opened along Essex Street, the historic shopping street of Lawrence that remained largely shuttered since the 1970s.{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}} In June 2007, the city approved the sale of the Intown Mall, largely abandoned since the early 1990s recession, to [[Northern Essex Community College]] for the development of a medical sciences center, the construction of which commenced in 2012 when the InTown Mall was finally removed.<ref>InTown Mall demolition begins today, making way for college health technologies building, by Keith Eddings, Eagle-Tribune, 3 January 2012</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://departments.necc.mass.edu/newsroom/2012/01/04/intown-mall-comes-tumbling-down/| title=InTown Mall Comes Tumbling Down| work=Newsroom – Northern Essex Community College| date=2012-01-04}}</ref> A large multi-structure fire in January 2008 destroyed many wooden structures just south of downtown.<ref>{{Cite news | last1 = Allen| first1 = Scott | last2 = Ryan| first2=Andrew | title = 150 left homeless from Lawrence fire| newspaper = [[The Boston Globe]] | location = Boston, Massachusetts| date = January 21, 2008| url = http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/01/fire_engulfs_do.html| access-date = 4 November 2009}}</ref> A poor financial situation that has worsened with the recent global recession and has led to multiple municipal layoffs had Lawrence contemplating [[receivership]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.eagletribune.com/local/x1412996113/Lawrence-fiscal-crisis-prompts-talk-of-bankruptcy-receivership |last= Kirk| first= Bill |title=Lawrence fiscal crisis prompts talk of bankruptcy, receivership| location=  North Andover, MA  |work= [[The Eagle-Tribune]] |date= 14 February 2010| access-date=August 10, 2010}}</ref> On February 9, 2019, in recognition of the role the town has played in the labor movement, Senator [[Elizabeth Warren]] officially announced her candidacy for President of the United States in Lawrence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/09/us/politics/elizabeth-warren-2020.html|title=Elizabeth Warren Formally Announces 2020 Presidential Bid in Lawrence, Mass.|last=Taylor|first=Kate|date=2019-02-09|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-02-10|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>