Design Alternatives for the Reuse of USHER MILLS Prepared for Town of Erving 12 East Main Street Index Erving, MA 01344 INTRODUCTION AND GOALS 1 CONTEXT 2 CONTEXT-HISTORY 3 BROWNFIELD DESIGNATION 4 EXISTING CONDITIONS 5 EXISTING CONDITIONS CROSS SECTION 6 ACCESS, CIRCULATION, AND RARE SPECIES 7 LEGAL ANALYSIS 8 SUMMARY ANALYSIS 9 COMMON ELEMENTS OF DESIGN ALTERNATIVES 10 DESIGN ALTERNATIVE #1 11 DESIGN ALTERNATIVE #2 12 DESIGN ALTERNATIVE #3 13 DESIGN ALTERNATIVE #4 14 DESIGN PRECEDENTS ALTERNATIVES #1 & #2 15 DESIGN PRECEDENTS ALTERNATIVES #3 & #4 16 PROPOSED PLANT PALETTE 17 RECOMMENDATIONS 18 Design Alternatives for the Reuse of Karen H. Dunn FALL 2010 Karen H. Dunn, FALL 2010 USHER MILLS Conway School of Landscape Design1 Conway School of Landscape Design Town of Erving 332 South Deerfield Road, Conway, MA 01341 12 E Main Street, Erving, MA 01344 332 South Deerfield Road, Conway, MA 1801341 NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION. THIS DRAWING IS PART OF A STUDENT PROJECT AND IS NOT BASED ON A LEGAL SURVEY. All of the Usher Mills project goals are in harmony with the goals and objectives of the Town of Erving 2002 Master Plan and the 2010 Open Space and Recreation Plan. These guides provide a framework for decisions dealing with land uses that may impact valuable natural resources and the lands that contain unique historical, recreational, and scenic values. Goals and objectives of the two plans that relate to the Usher Mills site include • Prioritize Town-sponsored land protection projects that conserve forestland, drinking water, streams and ponds, open fields, scenic views, wildlife habitat, river access and wetlands. • Develop multi-user (walking, hiking, bicycling, cross-country skiing) trail systems that tie into existing ones (e.g. the trail connecting Erving Center and Farley along the Millers River in Wendell), which can be safely accessed from publicly owned land or private lands with trail easements. • Support the Recreation Commission to be more effective in providing needed recreational facilities and programming for all of Erving’s residents, especially teens, adults, and seniors. • Improve access to parks and open space by the physically disabled and the elderly. • Identify, promote and help protect historically significant areas and landscapes, such as cemeteries and historic structures. • Seek to permanently protect from development all lands that contain unusual plant communities and rare and endangered species habitat. Originally developed as a grist mill in 1837, the Usher Mills property has been the site for various manufacturing activities. The oldest buildings on the site were constructed in 1916 by the Heywood Wakefield Furniture Company. The Fred Meers Shoe Company ran the mill complex until the mid-1950s when Erving Paper Mills purchased and operated the Usher plant until 1990. After fire destroyed two of the three original mill structures in 2007, the complex was designated a brownfield due to asbestos contamination. Neglected and abandoned, Usher Mills offers an exceptional opportunity for revitalizing the riverfront, community, and region. The Town of Erving is committed to redevelopment of this resource and has identified these goals for the project. PROJECT GOALS To explore potential uses for the former Usher Mills property that will... •DEVELOP PUBLIC OPEN SPACE •RENOVATE HISTORIC MILL STRUCTURE •STIMULATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & INCREASE TOURISM •PROVIDE CONNECTIVITY TO FARLEY & ERVINGSIDE The Millers River looking west Design Alternatives for the Reuse of Karen H. Dunn, FALL 2010 USHER MILLS 1 Conway School of Landscape Design Town of Erving INTRODUCTION and GOALS 332 South Deerfield Road, Conway, MA 01341 12 E Main Street, Erving, MA 01344 18 NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION. THIS DRAWING IS PART OF A STUDENT PROJECT AND IS NOT BASED ON A LEGAL SURVEY. “The Town of Erving is unique in the region because it combines an industrial heritage with large tracts of 2 protected forestland. From the Connecticut River Valley in the west, to the steep hills of the Erving State Forest 4 in the east, Erving has much to lose if its combination of historic and scenic resources is not protected for future generations. “ 3 Town of Erving 2002 Master Plan Bounded by mountains to the north and the Millers River to the south, Erving stretches ten miles east to west but 1 Erving only two miles north to south. The town’s three villages are fragmented due to limited transportation corridors. About 1500 people live in Erving’s 14 square miles. Village of 6 Center Farley The Watershed in Brief 5 • Source: Southern New Hampshire and North Central Massachusetts • Total drainage area: 392 square miles, with 320 square miles in Massachusetts Ervingside • Covers all or parts of 17 towns in north-central Massachusetts Village • Includes parts of 6 southern New Hampshire towns Millers River Watershed Massachusetts' 28 Watersheds AREA RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE AMESBURY SALISBURY MERRIMAC Power House N EW BU RY PO RT WEST NEWBURY HAVERHILL VT NEWBURY Northfield Mountain Recreation Area GROVELAND 1 CLARKSBURG NH MONROE METHUEN LAWRENCE PARKER GEORGETOWN ROWLEY ROWE WILLIAMSTOWN LEYDEN NORTH ADAMS HEATH BERNARDSTON FLORIDA COLRAIN ROYALSTON BOXFORD IPSWICH NORTHFIELD WARWICK ASHBY DUNSTABLE MERRIMACK R N O DRACUT O WINCHENDON TOWNSEND PEPPERELL H C G R U T K ASHBURNHAM P RO H TOPSFIELD CHARLEMONT O A O SB N R G ANDOVER D T YN O GILL T LOWELL V G E L HUDSON R O HAMILTON ESSEX U NEW ASHFORD ADAMS TEWKSBURY ERVING C GREENFIELD E GROTON S Mt. Grace State Forest IPSWICH T ORANGE E 2 SAVOY DEERFIELD R MILLERS MIDDLETON WENHAM CHELMSFORD SHELBURNE HAWLEY BUCKLAND FITCHBURG ATHOL LUNENBURG WESTFORD MANCHESTER GARDNER SHAWSHEEN NORTH READING CHESHIRE DANVERS P BEVERLY SHIRLEY N H TEMPLETON I O L AYER BILLERICA MONTAGUE T L WENDELL L Y I G N P WESTMINSTER S N N I F K T NY M LANESBOROUGH READING I C O E L I L O N D C LITTLETON W PEABODY SALEM N ASHFIELD CARLISLE A PLAINFIELD H WINDSOR DEERFIELD N CONWAY O NASHUA T LEOMINSTER HARVARD G N I GH BEDFORD L DALTON OU R D R U O B N HUBBARDSTON B ACTON SNORTH COASTAL LANCASTER X WOBURN A BO T L O WAKEFIELD MARBLEHEAD LEVERETT SHUTESBURY LYNN CUMMINGTON R N S E SWAMPSCOTT E A D PETERSHAM U PITTSFIELD H M N CONCORD G Town of Erving A E L Erving State Forest U R R U E M 3 NEW SALEM T O S S S S PRINCETON HE E HINSDALE GOSHEN LEXINGTON INC PERU WHATELY STERLING W BOLTON D R M EN R A E LD STOW D MA E N LINCOLN NAHANT AR F V Y O BARRE N L E A I N R T R O G D T T M T IN B O E E L E N R WORTHINGTON C L E WILLIAMSBURG M V RICHMOND O E W HUDSON SUDBURY N CHELSEA Massachusetts CHESTERFIELD T HATFIELD E SOMERVILLE PELHAM RUTLAND S WALTHAM LENOX T BERLIN CA M WASHINGTON B B WINTHROP O R WATERTO ID Y W N GE L D S MIDDLEFIELD N T A WESTON HARDWICK O N Bay BOYLSTON L HOLDEN O OAKHAM N Y R SuAsCo A T W CONNECTICUT H MARLBOROUGH B NEWTON BROOKLINE WEST STOCKBRIDGESTOCKBRIDGE LEE NORTHAMPTON AMHERST O R N O O U T HADLEY G GH Warwick State Forest P 4 WESTFIELD H PAXTON OU M R FRAMINGHAM A CHICOPEE BO H H CHESTER N T T NEW BRAINTREE U E O S SO A R E S BOSTON T CHARLES T W W NATICK HOUSATONIC Y H WARE H HULL E E WELLESLEY A SHREWSBURY NEEDHAM BECKET L S B M BELCHERTOWN R D T P O WORCESTER A B WESTBOROUGH D T O O H GRANBY R R HUNTINGTON O K TYRINGHAM N H O F O ASHLAND D C T F E K IE O L D U F H H A L SPENCER O I QUINCY E D A M A S L M D LEICESTER MILTON S SOUTHAMPTON S O DOVER SHERBORN E N D T The Usher Mills project area includes roughly 7.5 acres of W T L HOPKINTON ESTW GREAT BARRINGTON G OOD E HINGHAM I BOSTON HARBORBRAINTREE WEYMOUTH O OTIS M HOLYOKE F K E O GRAFTON R MONTEREY Y WARREN O SCITUATE OCEAN R AUBURN HOLLISTON BLANDFORD LUDLOW B MEDFIELD BROOKFIELD MILLBURY T PALMER S EGREMONT CHICOPEE A E UPTON BOSTON HARBOR 5 Wendell State Forest RUSSELL R MILLIS NORWOOD A W CANTON N NORWELL D E MILFORD K Erving Tax Parcels 6-04-84 and 6-10-01. O S MEDWAY L O T P O S H R R WALPOLE O WESTFIELD P B N L R A C O O IN V K T H G O L G BRIMFIELD A BLACKSTONE N A F STOUGHTON B N I WILBRAHAM N I STURBRIDGE E SPRINGFIELD SUTTON HOPEDALE IN HANOVER FRENCH D FARMINGTON NORTHBRIDGE H L G SHEFFIELD D S NORFOLK T MARSHFIELD NEW MARLBOROUGH SANDISFIELD OXFORD O A CHARLTON SHARON N W T TOLLAND N MONSON U MENDON GRANVILLE M PEMBROKE O A FRANKLIN M E H BROCKTON WHITMAN N A G S OW T QUINEBAUG N T AGAWAM LO I CE N L N G HAMPDEN WALES L VI SOUTHWICK ME HOLLAND E FOXBOROUGH RO W AD SOUTHBRIDGE UXBRIDGE B E P ADO O DUDLEY E A ME W WEBSTER DOUGLAS E N WRENTHAM S G L Millers River Wildlife Management Area T LON O L B I T W R S E I SOUTH COASTAL V S D L K EASTON T G L C B E HANSON DUXBURY I W A RI 6 M L D A B G TE EW R TRURO MANSFIELD AT PLAINVILLE ER H G U O R O HALIFAX B KINGSTON E TL (MRWMA) T A BRIDGEWATER TH R O NORTON PLYMPTON CT RI N ATTLEBORO TAUNTON WELLFLEET TEN MILE RAYNHAM TAUNTON Cape Cod S E MIDDLEBOROUGH E PLYMOUTH K CARVER O N K M Bay A H T Arch Street bridge crosses the Millers River, connecting Erving Center to Wendell State Forest, Millers River WMA, and REHOBOTH S DIGHTON BERKLEY A E LAKEVILLE S N NARRAGANSETT BAY A T E WAREHAM L E S R O the proposed Franklin County Bikeway, and providing a vital alternative connection to the villages of Farley and Erving- R E M O FREETOWN SWANSEA S ROCHESTER BREWSTER BOURNE SANDWICH DENNIS FALL RIVER side west of the site.