FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Prepared for the Town of Winthrop November 2014 THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 5 What is a Strategic Plan? ...................................................................................................................... 5 Planning Process .................................................................................................................................. 5 History of Business in Winthrop .................................................................................................................... 7 Colonial Era ........................................................................................................................................... 7 Post-Revolution ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Introduction of the Railroad ................................................................................................................... 8 Twentieth Century ................................................................................................................................. 9 Recent History ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats ........................................................................................ 13 Five Year Strategic Plan for Economic Development ................................................................................. 17 Vision for Winthrop ...................................................................................................................................... 19 Strategies .................................................................................................................................................... 20 Goals ........................................................................................................................................................... 21 Unique Environment (Strategies 1, 3, and 6) .......................................................................................... 23 Transportation (Strategies 2 and 4) ........................................................................................................ 29 Town Center (Strategies 2 and 3) ........................................................................................................... 33 Neighborhood Commercial Centers (Strategies 3 and 4) ....................................................................... 39 Quality Jobs (Strategy #4) ....................................................................................................................... 43 Customer Base (Strategies 3, 4, and 6) .................................................................................................. 47 Housing (Strategy #5) ............................................................................................................................. 51 Arts, History, Culture, and Special Events (Strategies 1, 5, and 6) ........................................................ 55 Climate Changeand Sustainability (Strategy 1) ...................................................................................... 59 Financial Self-Determination (All Strategies) .......................................................................................... 63 Implementation Schedule............................................................................................................................ 67 Appendix A .................................................................................................................................................. 83 Residential Population and Labor Force ............................................................................................. 85 Local Business Economy .................................................................................................................... 85 Land Use Trends ................................................................................................................................. 85 Business Survey ................................................................................................................................. 86 Appendix B .................................................................................................................................................. 87 THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK INTRODUCTION What is a Strategic Plan? A strategic plan can be defined as, “A systematic process of envisioning a desired future, and translating this vision into broadly defined goals or objectives and a sequence of steps to achieve them.”1 Part of strategic planning at the municipal level is identifying those strengths upon which a community can build and those weaknesses or challenges that must be overcome. A strategic plan that is grounded in facts can successfully help target efforts to get the best outcomes possible. In effect, being strategic is not only deciding what avenues to pursue, but also determining those avenues that should not be pursued, because they are not match for the unique circumstances at hand. Planning Process In the spring of 2014, the Town of Winthrop hired the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts Boston to help develop a Strategic Plan for Economic Development. The Center’s project team began its work by carefully analyzing data in order to understand Winthrop’s current business environment, and to learn how it has changed over time. Multiple sources of information were used, including the Census Bureau’s Decennial Census, American Community Survey, and County Business Patterns, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Claritas retail leakage data. In addition, the project team distributed and analyzed a survey of local businesses, and interviewed a series of residents and business persons. The data analysis produced 26 significant findings, which can be found in the Winthrop Economic Trends Report, together with tables and graphics explaining each finding (see Appendix A for a list of the findings). In the Trends Report, Winthrop is frequently compared to six other waterfront communities in Massachusetts and to the Commonwealth itself. The comparison communities include: Beverly, Chelsea, Hull, Revere, Salem, and Swampscott. While some of the same data is incorporated into this Strategic Plan, the Trends Report contains significantly more information than can be repeated here. Over the course of several meetings, the trends data was presented to a Steering Committee convened for the project, consisting of residents and business persons appointed by the Town. Steering Committee Members then used this information, along their personal knowledge of the community, to develop a proposed vision, strategies, goals, and actions to help grow the Winthrop economy. (See Appendix B for 1 Business Dictionary retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/strategic-planning.html, August 7, 2014. Winthrop Five Year Strategic Plan for Economic Development (2015-2019) Page 5 a list of Steering Committee participants.) On June 19, a community forum was held to gather input into the proposed plan elements. The meeting began with a presentation of the key findings of the Trends Report. Attendees then reviewed and discussed multiple goal areas, meeting with Steering Committee Members and conversing with other residents and business persons during the course of the evening. All had an opportunity to put down their thoughts and insights onto poster paper during the meeting. Following the community meeting, the project team posted an online survey seeking feedback on each proposed strategy, goal, and action. The ideas and feedback gathered from participants at the community forum and the online survey have been incorporated into the final version of this Strategic Plan. Winthrop Five Year Strategic Plan for Economic Development (2015-2019) Page 6 HISTORY OF BUSINESS IN WINTHROP Colonial Era The land that would eventually become Winthrop was first claimed by Englishman Samuel Maverick in 1624. Maverick built a fortified trading post at the confluence of the Mystic and Charles Rivers and called his holdings “Winnisimmet,” the native word for “good spring nearby.” The peninsula soon became known as Pullen Poynt (Pulling Point), because the waters between Shirley Hill and Deer Island - then an actual island - were so Boston Area Map, American Colonial Era rough as to make it difficult to navigate under sail. As a result, sailing vessels had to be pulled through using ropes thrown to people onshore. In 1632, the peninsula was annexed by the new town of Boston and used for pasture land and the production of fodder. Shortly thereafter, in 1637, the land was divided into 17 parcels and given by Governor John Winthrop (1587-1649) to 15 prominent members of the Colony, which included himself and William Pierce, provided that they build homes on the land within two years. Only four of them - William Pierce, Joseph Bill, Edward Gibbons, and John Oliver – fulfilled their requirements of ownership. The Pierce parcel was eventually acquired by Deane Winthrop, one of John Winthrop’s five sons; the