ECPT Square Working Group

14 October 2009

OVERVIEW:

Green Line Extension and Relocation of Lechmere Station.

5 KEY ISSUES at Lechmere Square

1. Redevelop Lechmere Square As A Major Gateway To East Cambridge And An Integrated Hub Of The Neighborhood.

2. Improve Pedestrian Connections and Road Crossings, Especially at Monsignor O’Brien Highway.

3. Preserve the Historic Station Buildings and Redevelop Around a New Public Market Square with New Restaurants, Retail and a Hotel.

4. Improve Station Entrances and Lobby.

5. Integrate the Green Line and Bus Station Design with the Future North Point Street Grid. First, Lechmere Square...

1. Redevelop Lechmere Square As A Major Gateway To East Cambridge And An Integrated Hub Of The Neighborhood.

2. Improve Pedestrian Connections and Road Crossings, Especially at Monsignor O’Brien Highway.

3. Preserve the Historic Station Buildings and Redevelop Around a New Public Market Square with New Restaurants, Retail and a Hotel.

Lechmere Square as a Gateway to East Cambridge Lechmere Square as a Hub Disjointed Pedestrian Path to and From Station

6 Lanes of Traffic and an Oversize Median to Cross

Vast Open Space Envelope at Lechmere Sq.

Pedestrian Crossing Issues One Lane of Traffic Removed and Median Reduced (16’ from 28’)

One Lane of Traffic Removed, Enlarged “Triangle” Parcel Makes Development Viable

Specially Paved Pedestrian Ribbon, 50’ Central Width w/Smaller Extensions- Upgrades Safety and Improves Clarity

Proposed Pedestrian Improvements 1 12 New Dedicated Spaces Glassworks Factory Trades for Glassworks Factory 12 Parking Spaces Here...

New Entrance Plaza on O’Brien Highway

Increased Parking for Glass Factory Structures are Salvaged- Historic Continuity and Anchors for Lechmere Sq. Redevelopment

Historic Preservation/Adaptive Reuse for Lechmere Station Bldgs. Renovated Bus Barn Becomes Enclosed, Year- Round Market

Renovated Train Shelter Becomes Canopy for Outdoor Seasonal Market

Proposed Development- Central Open Space at 3/4 Stories Max., Bottom Market Becomes Urban Floor Retail with Frontages Plaza on O’Brien Hwy and New Lechmere Sq. Proposed Lechmere Sq. Market

Taken Together, Lechmere Sq. Market and the Triangle Becomes Spatially Strong Urban Gateway and a Vibrant Urban Space for East Cambridge. Triangle Parcel Development, 12 Stories. Proposed as Hotel

Retail Location at Ground Special Pavement Apron Floor- Coffee Shop, Cafe? Unites Triangle Parcel with Lechmere Square Market. Extension on Cambridge St. for Pedestrian Continuity

Proposed Triangle Parcel Development Flatiron Hotel Precedent- Bulfinch Hotel, Bulfinch Triangle, Causeway Street Canal Street

Anthony Valenti Way

Merrimac Street

Bulfinch Hotel at Bulfinch Triangle Bulfinch Hotel- Groundfloor Footprint 3500 sf Proposed Lechmere Sq. Hotel- Groundfloor Footprint 10,500 sf 9 Stories = 31,500 sf

0 50 100 Scale 200 Comparison- Bulfinch Hotel to Proposed Lechmere Square Hotel Then, New Lechmere Station

4. Improve Station Entrances and Lobby.

5. Integrate the Green Line and Bus Station Design with the Future North Point Street Grid. Charlie Card Station and Entrance Turnstiles on Exterior- Exposed to Station Entrance Served by Elements and Bus Traffic Narrow 5’ Wide Sidewalk, Directly Adjacent to Constant Bus Traffic.

East End of Platform Exit Only

Critique of EOT Proposed Lechmere Station Proposed Lechmere Station has No Lobby- Charlie Card Services and Turnstiles Exposed to Elements. All of the Other Proposed Stations on the have Lobbies and Therefore Interior Turnstiles and Charlie Card Stations.

Why is Lechmere Station Different? Ball Square Brick Bottom College Avenue Lowell Street Mystic Valley Parkway Proposed Street Alignment and Bus Chute Creates Clumsy Alignment of Pedestrian Nightmare to North Point Blvd. Through and from Station. Station Area.

Station Entrance Located on the Farthest Point Away from all Traffic Except Northpoint Development

Critique of EOT Proposed Lechmere Station North Point Blvd. Parking Lot Reduced by Realigned 25% to Accommodate Bus Station Adjustments. Entry Plaza at Main Entrance Created by “Bump Out”

Bus Chute Outlets to North Point Blvd.

Expanded Building Envelope= Interior Lobby with Charlie Card Machine and Turnstiles Entire Bus Service Moved 20’ North Proposed Atrium Entry- Drastically Shortens Distance to Station Entrance.

Proposed Bicycle Parking Proposed Improvements to Station Under Tree Grove Entry Park Proposed West Side Entrance.

Proposed New Main Entrance. Proposed Entrance from Monsignor O’Brien Frontage Plaza

Proposed East Side Charlie Card Entrance.

Proposed Monsignor O’Brien Highway Entrance.

Proposed New Entrances to Station

Aerial View Looking North Aerial View Looking Southwest View from Triangle Parcel View Inside Enclosed Bus Shelter- Waiting for New Market View of Monsignor O’Brien Highway Entrance Plaza Wallace Floyd Perspective of Lechmere Station Relocation, 1985