Davis Square Neighborhood Plan
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DAVIS SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT APRIL 30, 2018 Over four years of your participation has led us to this public review draft of the Davis Square Neighborhood Plan. This is a live look in at the document as it is being developed. Text and imagery is still being finalized. We need your input to make sure nothing is missed. Please review this document and provide any feedback to [email protected] by June 1, 2018. DAVIS SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PREPARED BY: TABLE OF CONTENTS: The Office of Strategic Planning & Community Development City of Somerville 93 Highland Avenue INTRODUCTION Somerville, MA 02143 Pages TBD 617-625-6600 [email protected] LIFE Pages TBD WITH ASSISTANCE FROM: Gehl Studio Hurley Franks & Associates SPACE Principle Group Pages TBD RCLCO Toole Design Group Utile BUILDINGS Pages TBD ADOPTED: Date TBD P PLAN AREA OW DE RH The Davis Square O PACKARD AVE USE neighborhood generally B LVD includes from Packard and Cameron Avenue eastward to Willow Avenue and Russell Street and Powder House Boulevard and Kidder Avenue south-west to the Cambridge city line. This neighborhood CAMERON AVE KIDDER AVE plan primarily focuses on the the properties located within the core of Davis Square This area encompasses a primarily commercial district along Holland, Elm, Highland CAMBRIDGE LINE THE CORE and College near the MBTA’s Red Line. WILLOW AVE RUSSELL ST Davis Square Neighborhood Plan l 5 PLANNING HISTORY The Davis Square Action Plan On December 8, 1984 the MBTA’s Multiple new commercial office Northwest Extension of the Red Line buildings have brought jobs to the brought subway service to Davis neighborhood. The local retailers and Square for the first time. However, restaurants have become well known planning for the arrival of rapid across the Boston metro area. All transit began six years earlier in while preserving the character and 1977. The City of Somerville and the quality of the residential housing Metropolitan Area Planning Council surrounding the commercial core. (MAPC) worked together to evaluate Overall, people enjoy Davis Square future reinvestment possibilities as and the action plan is a part of the the MBTA began construction on reason for the Square’s success. the extension. With similar timing, neighborhood residents founded the Davis Square Task Force to leverage public involvement in planning for the Red Line. By 1979, the Task Force had developed goal statements and the City was able to provide consultants to assist with research and further policy development and planning. Through the combined efforts of the Davis Square Task Force, members of the business community, and residents participating in the planning effort, the City soon produced The Davis Square Action Plan - the first plan for the neighborhood. The Davis Square Action Plan focused public/private investment in Davis Square and addressed three core issues: land use, traffic and parking, and potential development while proposing public policy and various physical improvement programs to enhance the attractiveness and convenience of the Square. This first planning effort sought to make the most of the advantages afforded Davis Square as a result of the Red Line extension. Most of plan objectives were implemented over the next decade (see facing image). As the Task Force hoped, the image of Davis Square is a story of continuous improvement over the last 30 years. 6 l Davis Square Neighborhood Plan The following pages detail some of the most noticeable improvements brought about as a result of the Davis Square Action Plan and the Red Line extension. Davis Square Neighborhood Plan l 7 STATUE PLAZA When the MBTA Davis Square station was built, the area over the station was finished as a plaza. The statues, the namesake of the plaza, are named Ten Figures and are by James Tyler. They are based on residents of Davis in the 1980’s and commissioned as part of the Arts on the Line program. Originally the skylight for the station was much taller and obstructive, the skylight was lowered to the current design in a later renovation. 8 l Davis Square Neighborhood Plan SEVEN HILLS PARK Seven Hills Park, like Statue Plaza, was once part of the railroad network. When the Red Line was extended to Alewife, the park and Community Path was built over the subway tunnel. The park is named to honor the seven hills of Somerville: Central, Clarendon, Cobble, Mount Benedict, Prospect, Spring and Winter Hill. The hills are commemorated throughout the park in sculpture Davis Square Neighborhood Plan l 9 212 ELM STREET Somerset Bank redeveloped the underutilized lot and relocated to the new building in 1989. In an article from a 1989 Somerville Journal Somerset proud of new investment, the building is touted as an anchor in Davis Square and encouraging to other developers, The Davis Square Task Force worked with the bank to get the right design for the building because of its close residential abutters. 10 l Davis Square Neighborhood Plan 40 HOLLAND STREET The 40 Holland Street redevelopment was part of the Buena Vista Urban Renewal Project. The City used eminent domain to get ownership of the land. Following ownership, the City put out an RFP seeking a development partner. to build what was envision in the 1984 Action Plan (see page 7). The building opened in 1989/1990 along with Buena Vista Road and Seven Hills Park. Davis Square Neighborhood Plan l 11 THE NEXT GENERATION It’s time again to plan for Davis Square Community members of Davis Square In response, OSPCD turned to have shown time and again that they an urban planning and design are committed to the improvement of philosophy promoted by the Danish the neighborhood. Almost 30 years architect Jan Gehl. After decades after the Davis Square Action Plan, of research on human scale and City interests in attracting a hotel to public spaces, Gehl became famous the area catalyzed the community for helping Denmark enact a plan to call for a new neighborhood plan to make Copenhagen ‘the world’s prior to any significant development. most livable city.’ Copenhagen now Residents and business owners routinely earns some of the highest formed the Davis Action Group, an marks in the world for resident organization similar to the Task Force happiness, walkability, and bikeability. that proceeded it, and met with the Today, Jan’s firm, Gehl Studio, works Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning globally to help make cities for people and Community Development by focusing on public life, the events (OSPCD) to chart a path forward. that occur between buildings, as the driver for urban design. The City Early conversations in the planning hired Gehl Studio to assist with the process centered around the idea development of this plan. that neighborhoods never stand still and that some amount of change “Focus on making the square is inevitable. However, the idea of a better place for people.” change often brings with it concerns over the loss of neighborhood - RESIDENTS OF DAVIS SQUARE character. Community members emphasized they did not want to Jan Gehl’s planning philosophy has stop investment in the neighborhood. historic roots. “In the old cities, we Instead they wanted to make sure have spaces; in the modernistic cities, that the ongoing development of we have left-over spaces. They put Davis Square would help to evolve the down the buildings first. Then they neighborhood into a better version asked landscape architects to tidy up, of itself - instead of something totally and then they looked out the window different. to see if there were any people enjoying these leftover spaces, only Soon after these initial meetings, to discover that there were none.” Jan Mayor Joe Curtatone announced that explains in his book Cities for People OSPCD would bring its neighborhood “in the old urban settlements, they planning efforts, better known as always did it the other way around. SomervillebyDesign, to Davis Square. First, it starts with life, and then In 2013, an intensive planning and next it’s the spaces that human life design charrette would put residents, requires, and then the buildings were business owners, city planners, and built in relation to these spaces.” design consultants at the same table to collectively generate ideas for the future of the neighborhood. It was at this event that the community would convey a strong message to the City: “focus on making the square a better place for people.” 12 l Davis Square Neighborhood Plan A FOUNDING PRINCIPLE This plan does not propose to transform Davis Square. The primary “First life, then spaces, then intent is to enhance the unique buildings - the other way qualities and character that make around never works.” Davis Square special. The focus is to make the core of Davis Square a - JAN GEHL, CITIES FOR PEOPLE better place for people by focusing first on the public life of the square, then the spaces that support that public life, then buildings that define the public realm and provide the residents, employees, and customers needed for public life. LIFE SPACE BUILDINGS Davis Square Neighborhood Plan l 13 SOMERVISION In 2012, the City of Somerville bicyclists, and transit users. adopted SomerVision, its first • Build a SUSTAINABLE future city-wide comprehensive plan. through strong environmental This plan was developed to build leadership, balanced consensus around strategies to transportation modes, engaging preserve Somerville’s identity as an recreational and community accessible, mixed-income, multi- spaces, exceptional schools cultural city; while at the same and educational opportunities, time outlining an actionable policy improved community health, agenda to invite and leverage varied and affordable housing public and private investment in options, and effective transit-oriented development. stewardship of our natural The Mayor’s Office of Strategic resources.