When I look around the town of Brunswick, I see a lot of terrific things going on that make it such a desirable place to live, work and play. And I see a lot of dedicated people working hard to make this place thrive: people in government, people in business and people with a great deal of pride and optimism.

While too many people dwell on the controversial issues in the community these days, I want to focus on some of positive things that are happening in this town.

Brunswick has one of the most robust and vibrant downtowns in Maine. The recent investments made at Maine Street Station, the Inn at Brunswick Station and several other new business establishments have added to an already thriving downtown district.

Cook’s Corner is starting to rebound from the base closure and recession with a number of new retail investments.

Brunswick Landing, the site of the former Brunswick Naval Air Station, now sports a new world class airport (Brunswick Executive Airport), a new college campus (Southern Maine Community College) and 16 businesses with more than 140 current employees and the promise of more than 475 new high paying jobs — and more to come.

In addition, there are over 100 construction and maintenance employees currently working on projects at Brunswick Landing.

The common themes in each one of these examples are bold visions and a long-term commitment to achieving these visions.

Successful vibrant downtowns do not just happen by circumstance. It takes years of planning and a long-term commitment of resources to achieve the type of downtown we all enjoy.

Brunswick’s civic and business leaders should be applauded for their steadfast focus on their vision, which has made this downtown area the envy of many throughout the state, and the Cook’s Corner Master Plan has set the stage for the economic resurgence of that key commercial area.

The redevelopment of Brunswick Naval Air Station also started with a common vision for the former base property: a vision of technology and innovation, with a business-focused education center at its heart.

In keeping with that vision, the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA) is focusing on attracting the types of innovative businesses that will be part of the new economic fabric of Brunswick, the Mid-coast region and the state of Maine.

The specific business targets for Brunswick Landing: Maine’s Center for Innovation, include aerospace and aviation, composites, information technologies and alternative energy. And we also want to create the environment for other innovative businesses to thrive here as well.

While the base has been closed less than a year, we have been very fortunate in attracting several technology-focused companies to Brunswick Landing, including: Molnlycke Health Care, Kestrel Aircraft Co., Maine Tool & Machine, American Bureau of Shipping, Integrated Marine Systems, Oxford Networks, Resilient Communications, the Maine Technology Institute, and several other businesses occupying nearly 270,000 square feet of leased space.

This collection represents a blend of well-established and start-up companies.

The construction of a $14.2 million “state of the art” 79,000- square-foot manufacturing facility for Molnlycke represents the newest production facility in Maine.

We at MRRA want to create an environment where both new and established businesses can grow to their full potential. I’m certain that there will be disappointments along the way, as some projects may not pan out as originally hoped. But in the long run we will succeed much more often than we will fail.

Of the 3,200 acres of the former base property, approximately 1,400 have been conveyed to MRRA and SMCC to date. The vast majority (908 acres) is associated with the Brunswick Executive Airport, and we’re expecting another 200-plus acres next month.

Now that we actually own some of the property, people will notice some changes, as we will start removing the gate houses and some fences to make it feel less like an island. We also will start demolishing non-reusable buildings.

It’s very important for people to understand that base redevelopment is a difficult process and it will take time for the Brunswick Naval Air Station reuse project to reach its full potential.

Property conveyances are costly, time-consuming and complex real estate transactions.

Many buildings that are conveyed suffer from lack of proper maintenance. Most buildings do not meet current state and local codes (Americans with Disabilities Act, Life Safety, etc.).

Aging utility systems require significant upgrades. And some key properties are still awaiting environmental clearance before they can be transferred.

Even with these constraints, we have made remarkable progress that far exceeds other like base reuse projects around the country and that is due to the collaborative efforts on the part of the town of Brunswick, state of Maine, U.S. Navy and MRRA.

History has taught us that long-term success in economic development results from the establishment of common visions, long-term commitments and strong collaboration by all parties to realize those visions.

Brunswick is clearly a testament to that theory, as it is a wonderfully vibrant and robust community. Its downtown district, numerous great neighborhoods, Mid Coast and Parkview hospitals, Bowdoin College, SMCC, Cook’s Corner and Brunswick Landing are all part of this community fabric.

None of these important assets are islands unto themselves, but are woven together in a wonderful mosaic called Brunswick.

STEVE LEVESQUE is executive director of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority.