Medford, MA

Medford Square and the Mystic River

Reconnection, revitalization, redevelopment

City of Medford, MassachusettsMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Department of Urban Studies and PlanningCommunity Growth and Land Use Planning | Fall 2006

Medford Square and the Mystic RiverReconnection, revitalization, redevelopment

City of Medford, MassachusettsMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Department of Urban Studies and PlanningCommunity Growth and Land Use Planning | Fall 2006

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements i

ExecutiveSummary 1

MysticRiverGreenway 3

TransportationandStreetscape 21

RedevelopmentProposals 39

Appendices AttachedSeparately

MIT-Medford

AcknowledgementsCreditsWethank the individuals listedbelowfortheir input and contributions. However,the MIT students and instructors directlyinvolved in the workshop assume fullresponsibilityforthecontentofthisreportandanyerrorstherein.

SimoneAusterPresident,EmeraldNecklaceConservancy

LaurenDiLorenzoPlanningDirector,CityofMedford

DanDriscollPlanner,DepartmentofConservation&Recreation

RyanHayworthMedfordHistoricalSociety

BrianKerinsDeputyDirector,CityofMedfordDepartmentofPublicWorks

MayorMichaelMcGlynnMayorofMedford

NatNortonVHBEngineers,Watertown

JulieO’BrienDirectorofPlanning,DepartmentofConservation&Recreation

DonOuletteMedfordEngineeringDepartment

CharlesPassanisiDeputyDirectorofCapitalBudget,MassachusettsBayTransportationAuthority

ScottPetersonManagerofTransportationSystemsAnalysisGroup,CentralTransportationPlanningStaff

BarbaraRubelDirectorofCommunityRelations,TuftsUniversity

KarlSeidmanSeniorLecturer,MIT

NandSharmaTransportationSystemsAnalysisGroup,CentralTransportationPlanningStaff

ClodaghStoker-LongPlanner,CityofMedford

JohnTourtelotteBerkshireDevelopment

CherylWhiteExecutiveDirector,MedfordChamberofCommerce

Instructors

Professors:

EranBen-JosephAssociateProfessorofLandscapeArchitectureandPlanning

TerryS.SzoldAdjunctAssociateProfessorofLandUsePlanning

Teaching assistant:

ThomasOles

Students

Greenway:ValerieGingrichHelenLeeMollyMarkarianDanielMcGillMathiasRosenfeldKateVanTassel

Transportation:JustinAntosZhiyuChenDavidLeeFrancescaNapolitan

Redevelopment:JoshuaDeFlorioAriGoldsteinAngelaMeehanPhillippeMorgandeRiveryNakeischeaSmith

i MIT-Medford

Executive SummaryTheMITteamlookedatstrategicareas inMedfordSquareandalongtheMysticRiver.Bothlocalandregionalinscope,thisreportrecommends ways in which Medford canrevitalizeitsgreatassets.

MysticRiverGreenwayWith the many waterfront assets foundin Medford, a regional greenway systemwould draw Medford residents andvisitors to and along the river, attractedby new connectivity and activities. TheMystic River Greenway will run fromthe Alewife Brook Greenway to StationLanding/WellingtonStation.TheproposedpathrunsthroughlandownedbytheCityof Medford and the MA Department ofConservation and Recreation (DCR); assuch,theCitywillhavetofurthercultivatea strong working relationship with DCR.Thegreenwayprovidesanopportunitytoimprovetheecologicalhealthof theriver,createopportunitiesforpassiveandactiverecreation along its banks, and to involveresidents, businesses and institutions inshaping thegreenway. To facilitate theseoutcomes, the City should initiate theformation of the Mystic River GreenwayCommittee to catalyze the formation of apublic-privatepartnership.

TransportationandStreetscapeSeveral recommended key transportationand street design interventions in

downtownMedfordstrivetoaddressthefollowing goals: connect neighborhoodsto the Square, enable access to theMystic River, improve the pedestrianenvironment, and reorient the roadnetworktolocaluse.Thefollowingareaswere selected as key intervention pointsfortheCityofMedfordastheyrepresentexistingtransportationinfrastructurewiththebiggestproblemsbutalsothehighestpotential for improvement: ClippershipDrive, the area around Main Street atRoute16orthe“SouthGateway”andthearea near the rotary and Salem Street orthe “Northeast Gateway”. For each ofthese sites specific recommendations are provided that address the road networkand streetscape to ensure a effectivepedestrianandvehicleenvironment,andofferdesignelementswhichcanimprovethe image of Medford and highlight itshistory.RedevelopmentCurrently the City of Medford ownsthree parcels on the eastern edge of theSquare that are ripe with developmentpotential. With an established zoningoverlay district, these parcels will createnew opportunities to retain the originalcharacter while enhancing the retail andeconomic climate. Development fosteredwithintheSquarewillhonorandrespectsthe City’s historic past, while forging

opportunitiesforaviableandprogressivefuture. Development scenarios and amodelRFPwillserveasaguidefortheCityin attracting developers to these parcelsandprovidinginformationontheamountof revenue and public benefit that can be

The proposed interventions for Medford Square and Clippership Drive

MIT-Medford �

expected.TheimplementationofaMedford“Main Streets” program will strengthenexisting businesses and attract newinvestmenttotheSquare,linkingtogetherphysicalandeconomicdevelopment.

Mystic River Greenway

Mystic River Waterfront: MIT-Medford �

IntroductionTheriverfrontopenspacegroupwastaskedwith developing a plan to capitalize ontheassetsoftheMysticRiverinMedford.While a number of prior reports havesuggested ways to improve the MysticRiver, this report synthesizes previousideas into a practical solution: a regionalMysticRiverGreenway.The Mystic River Greenway, completewith a continuous multi-use path, willmeettransportationandrecreationalneedsof local residents, visitors, and regionalcommutersalike. Thegreenwaywillalsocreate opportunities to restore the riverto a healthier state and encourage bothactive and passive recreational uses suchas biking, walking, picnicking, canoeing,relaxationandenjoymentofviews.

Creatingavibrantgreenwaywillbenearlyimpossible without joint collaborationof citizens, the City of Medford, andthe Commonwealth’s Department ofConservation and Recreation (DCR). TheCityshouldtakeanactiveroleinfacilitatingthiscollaborativeeffort.

WhiletheMysticRivercurrentlylacksthealluretodrawpeopletothewaterfront,therecommendations outlined in this sectionare designed to address this challenge byestablishingauniqueidentityandamenitiesfortheMysticRiver.

GoalsConnect transit nodes, residentialneighborhoods, recreational amenities,andbusinessdistrictstotheriver.Createavibrantmixofusesandactivitiesalongtheriver.Engage residents, businesses, andinstitutions in shaping and building thegreenway.Convey a unique identity that reflects the local character, the history, and theenvironment.Restoreandmaintaintheriver’secologicalintegrityasaregionalresource.

ObjectivesEstablishhighprioritylinkstotheriver.Locatepriority sites forviews,usesandriveraccessalongtheMystic.Identify models for communitypartnership and non-profit collaboration.Improve signage related to way-finding, history,andenvironmentalstewardship.Selectopportunitiesforimprovingwaterquality, creating wildlife habitat, anddiversifyingthelandscape.

•

•

•

•

•

••

•

•

•Recommendations

Collaborate with DCR on Mystic RiverMasterPlanplanningprocess.Cultivate a productive workingrelationshipwithDCR.

•

•

Form a Medford Greenway Committeeto:

Ensurelocalparticipationinthemasterplanprocess.Investigatefundingsources.Develop a public-private partnershiporganization.

•

•

••

Mystic River Waterfront: MIT-Medford�

Re-establishing physical, psychological,and social connections is an overarchinggoal of the Mystic River Greenway. TheGreenway would physically reconnectbusinesses, transportation hubs, andneighborhoods, psychologically reconnectresidentstonature,andsociallyreconnectthe City of Medford, community groups,DCR,andotherinstitutions.

Planning with DCRAsthemapatrightindicates,DCRcontrolsamajorityof landalongtheMysticRiver.Therefore, it is important that the Citycultivate and strengthen its relationshipwith DCR in order to implement thesuggestionsmadeinthisreport.Currently,DCRiscreatingaMysticRiverMaster Plan with the first phase to be completed by June 2007. This providesan immediate opportunity for the City towork with DCR and advocate for desiredchangesalongthegreenway.

Connections

TuftsAlewife Brook

Minuteman Path

Medford Square

Commercial Zone

Auburn Street to Winthrop StreetThis grassy area is an underutilizedrecreational asset that connects adjacentneighborhoods as well as an ecologicallyrichwesterngatewaytothegreenwaythatcandrawpeopletowardMedfordSquare.

Auburn Street to Cradock BridgeImproved circulation, stronger visualconnections to the river, and a steadyincrease of public uses will integrate theGreenway and Medford Square into aunified, multi-use community asset.

Cradock Bridge to I-93ClippershipParkwillextend thecivic lifeoftheSquaretotheriver.ADCReasementalongtheseniorhousingpropertiesenablesthe path to continue towards I-93, with abike lanealongRiversideAvenueservingasashorttermconnection.


Connections

The Mystic River GreenwayA continuous, ADA-accessible, 10-ft widemultipurpose recreation and commuterpath will enable residents and visitors totravel from the Alewife MBTA station,alongtheAlewifeBrookGreenway,throughMedfordSquare,totheWellingtonMBTAstation.However,anactivegreenwayneedsmorethan just a path. It requires signage,ecologicalrestoration,neighborhoodinput,opening of views, and opportunities forbothactiveandpassiverecreation.The Greenway has been divided intoseveral geographic areas described onpages 12-17. Each area will have specific recommendations for interventions withgreat potential for ensuring a successfulgreenwayproject.

I-93 to Yacht ClubA bike lane along Riverside Avenue andapathunderthehighwayandaroundtheYachtClubwillprovideadirectconnectionfrom Medford Square to Riverbend ParkandtheMedfordPublicSchoolCampus.

Riverbend ParkNew directional signage throughout thepark will help guide users through thistremendous community asset filled with bothpassiveandactiverecreationaluses.

Mystic River ReservationThis ecologically diverse public parkwill serve as a critical connector betweenMedfordSquareandtheWellingtonMBTAstation. It also provides spectacular riverviews and a natural setting for passiverecreation.


Community PartnershipsPublic-Private PartnershipsDesigning, building, and maintainingthe Mystic Greenway will be a multi-jurisdictional task. The City of Medfordwill not be able to complete the task onitsown;theformationofpartnershipsisanecessaryelementinachievingthedesiredgoals.The City should work with citizens toinvestigate the development of a public-private entity charged with oversight oftheMysticRiverGreenway.Thestructurewould be a non-profit with a private board and representation from the involvedjurisdictions. Interested parties couldinclude:

CitiesofMedford,Everett,Somerville,etc.MassachusettsDepartmentofConservationandRecreation(DCR)RepresentativesoflocalcommunitygroupsinterestedinworkingonthewaterTuftsUniversity,MedfordChamberofCommerce,otherlocalinstitutions,etc.

This organization would begin with aMedford Greenway Citizens Committee,with representation and support fromthe City. The committee would facilitatecommunityvisioningprocesses,fundraise,andcultivatetherelationshipsnecessarytomaketheGreenwayareality.

•

•

•

•

Across the Charles River in Bostonand Brookline, the Emerald NecklaceConservancy has been working withmunicipal and state owners to maintainandprogramtheparksystemknownastheEmeraldNecklacefornearlytenyears.

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, theEmerald Necklace consists of over 1,000acresofparkland, stretchingover5miles.Variouspartsof thesystemareownedbyBoston,Brookline,andtheCommonwealthofMassachusetts.

The Conservancy’s mission is “... toprotect,restore,maintainandpromotethelandscape,waterwaysandparkwaysoftheEmerald Necklace park system as specialplacesforpeopletovisitandenjoy.”

The Conservancy has a strong workingrelationship with the three governmentalbodiesthathavejurisdictionintheEmeraldNecklace. They provide volunteers andtraining programs to ensure that theplanningandmaintenanceofthesystemisconsistentthroughout.

TheConservancyhasaprivateboardwithex officio members from the respective governmentalagencies.

Lessons for Medford:

Advantage of a public-private non-profit:Abilitytoraisemoneyfrom governmentandprivatesourcesResponsibilityfordevelopmentandmaintenance of the Greenway sharedamongjurisdictionsExpansion of Medford’s capacity todevelopandmaintaintheGreenway

The move from creating a Conservancyto legal incorporation took two years.Medford should begin discussions withtherelevantpartiesnowwhilecontinuingforward with short term improvementplans.

The Emerald Necklace has an establishedidentity;theMysticRiverGreenwaywouldhavetocreateanidentityforitself.Havingan organization devoted to the creation,planningandmaintenanceoftheGreenwaywouldfacilitatethiseffort.

•◦

◦

◦

•

•

Case Study: Emerald Necklace Conservancy


Community GroupsFor Medford residents to take ownershipoftheGreenway,theymustbeinvolvedintheprocessofcreatingit.Locationswhereit will make sense for community groupstoproposeandmaintainuses,suchasthesuccessfulcommunitygardenfoundintheRiverbend Park, are identified along the greenwaypath.In conjunction with the creation of theMysticRiverGreenwayCommittee,theCityshould rampup itsoutreach to interestedcommunity members and organizations.TheGreenwayCommitteewillexpandtheCity’sabilitytoconductthisoutreach.Suchacommitteecancapitalizeontheworkoforganizationssuchasthoselistedbelow:

MysticRiverWatershedAllianceFriendsoftheMysticRiverChamberofCommerceCultural institutions, such as SpringstepandChevalierTheater

••••

Local ProjectsTheCityhassponsoredawaterfrontAdopt-a-Siteprogram in thepast. Thisprogramhas not been as successful as originallyenvisioned.However,thereareprecedentswhichsuggestsuchaprogramcouldworkinMedfordandelsewhere.For example, the Friends of the MysticRiver have organized volunteers to tacklethe Japanese Knotweed problem alongtheMysticRiver. This invasivespecies isextremely difficult to manage, and needs regular treatment. The group receivedpermission fromDCR tobringvolunteerstocorrectlyaddressit.Projectssuchasthisone, where local partners work with theresponsible agency, could be a model forfutureeffortsalongtheriver.While these partnerships take time tocreate, the results are worth the effort indispersionofmaintenanceandownershipoftheamenitiesalongtheRiver.

Community Partnerships

Tufts UniversityManyopportunitiesexisttostrengthentherelationshipbetweenTuftsandtheCityofMedford. The relationship between theMayorandtheUniversityPresidentshouldbefurthercultivated.TheCityshould:

Create opportunities for communityserviceprojects. In2005,Tufts studentspaintedtheCondonShellasacommunityproject.SimilarserviceprojectsalongtheGreenwaywilldrawTuftsstudentsdowntothewaterforrecreationandacademicactivities.Reach out to campus groups -environmental,outdooractivities,service-tobuildawarenessofMedford’sassetsamongTuftsstudents.Work with Tufts and the MBTA toinvestigateabetterrouteforthe#96busconnectingTuftstoMedfordSquare.

•

•

•

Meadow Glen MallWhile owned by DCR, the Mystic RiverReservation is a major community assetadjacent to the Meadow Glen Mall.Relatively simple steps can be taken toimprovethevisibilityofthisparkfromthemall, includingmoving the parkentrancesign, clearing brush, and opening up theviewstothepark.

The City should investigate partneringwiththemallmanagement,particularlyonparkingneeds.ApotentialdealforapeakdemandparkingsystemattheMallcouldmake it much easier for visitors to accesstheparks.

CreatingtheconnectionfromtheMalltotheMysticRiverReservationandMacDonaldParkwillincreasetheGreenway’svisibilityandcreateanaccesspointfornewuserstodiscoverotherpartsofMedford.


Signage

“Imagine, if you can, a city which did not communicate,

which gave no clue as to where you were or what was inside, or who else was there – you have constructed

a nightmare.”

– KevinLynch, Signs in the City

OpportunityImprovingsignagealongtheMysticRiverGreenway in Medford is essential forensuringanenjoyableoutdoorexperienceforboth localresidentsandvisitorstothearea. While it is true that the DCR ownsmuch of the land along the riverfront inMedford,DCR’sdevelopmentoftheMysticRiver Master Plan this year provides aperfect opportunity for the City to influence the location and content of signage alongthegreenwayinMedford.Inaddition,theCity’sownershipofMysticRiverbendPark,aswellasthelandalongClippershipDrive,present further opportunities to improveopenspacesignageinMedford.

PurposeSignageinMedford’sriverfrontopenspaceshould not only aid users in finding their wayalongthegreenwayandtosurroundingdestinations of interest, but should alsocreate a consciousness of surroundingecological features, spark interest inlearningmoreaboutthearea’shistory,andinstillasenseofstewardship.Signagecantake many forms, ranging from the moretraditional text, pictures, and symbols, topublicartandfurniturethatcommunicatevaluableinformation.

NavigationMaps and directional signs help visitorsand residents determine which path tofollow along the greenway or how to getto Medford Square, Tufts University, andother desired destinations. Signs andsymbols can also inform people whichsectionofthegreenwaytheyhavearrivedat,orofaparticularareaofinterest.

EducationInterpretivesignage,includingtext,images,symbols,andpublicart,caneducatethosewho pass along the greenway aboutMedford’s history of rum making andclipperships,ablueheron’shabitat,oranecologicalrestorationproject.Interpretivedisplays can be integrated with localschoolcurriculuminordertoexpandtheclassroomexperiencetotheoutdoors.

StewardshipSigns can influence the way residents and visitors interact with the environment byremindingthemnottofeedbirds,tothrowtheir trash away, or to refrain from fishing near a combined sewer overflow area.

Directional signage such as the one above helps users navigate along the greenway and to other attractions nearby.

Signage such as the sticker on this garbage receptacle encourages stewardship of the park among users.


RecommendationsThe following are suggestions fordevelopinganintegratedsignageprogramfortheMysticRiverGreenway:

Coordinate with DCRDCR has significant experience in implementing signage systems in theirparks.CoordinatingwithDCRwillensurethatusersreceiveaconsistentmessageonbothCityandDCR-ownedparcels.

Houston’s wayfinding system incorporates public art such as these mosaic benches created by local artists to depict the history of early rice farms in the area.

SignageConsider all usersCreating an effective signage systemnecessitates identifying the likely users ofthe greenway, their interests, where theymake navigational decisions, and wheretheystop toappreciateviews. Categoriesofuserstokeepinmindinclude:walkers,bikers, joggers, rollerbladers, motorists(alongroadsadjacenttoopenspace),thosewho are in wheelchairs or pushing babycarriages,peopleofallagesandethnicities,andnighttimeversusdaytimeusers.

Develop a unique imageIt is important for the greenway tohave a unique and identifiable image associated with it, be it a logo or styleapplied to all signage. Any brandingshouldbecoordinatedwithDCRtoensureconsistency.

Design with maintenance in mindSignage should be located, designed, andconstructed,keepinginmindthepotentialfor vandalism, fading, flooding, and erosion. TheCityshouldalsoadvocate for theuseof locally available and environmentallysensitivematerials.

Engage but do not overwhelmSignage should be kept simple to avoidconfusing and frustrating users of thegreenway.Provideonlyusefulinformation,and keep interpretive information clear

and concise, referring interested readersto sources of more information (such aswebsites,brochures,ornearbymuseums).

Involve residents and local institutionsInvolving residents and communitygroups in the design and construction ofan open space signage system improvesgoodwill in the community, increases thelikelihood that the greenway signage willbebothusefulandinformativeforavarietyof users, and enables the City to leverageoutside material and financial resources. Specialized groups, including the MysticRiver Watershed Association and theMedford Historical Society can create aninventoryofnaturalandhistorichighlights

The sign above ensures that Spanish-speaking users of this park understand park rules.

foruseininterpretivesignage.Othergroupsto consider include Friends of the MysticRiver, Tufts students, schoolchildren, theChamber of Commerce, teachers, and theWestMedfordOpenStudiosorotherartsgroups.

Mystic River Waterfront: MIT-Medford�0

Restoring the Mystic River’s ecologicalhealth is critical to creating a low-maintenance greenway with a diversemix of uses, landscapes, and habitats. Aclean, safe, and accessible river will be atremendous community asset that addseconomicvaluetoadjacentproperties,andrecreational, educational, and ecologicalvaluetotheentirecity.

Design for people, wildlife and natural processes Engage a multi-disciplinarian team ofdesigners, planners, engineers, naturalhistorians, hydrologists, geologists,ecologists, and botanists throughoutplanning,design,andconstruction.Projectmanagersshouldbecomefamiliarwiththeriver’s ecological condition to effectivelycollaborate with scientific professionals.

toxic chemicals, oils, bacteria, nutrients,and sediment from contaminating theriver near Combined Sewer Outflows (CSOs).Establishedwetlandsrequirelittlemaintenance, provide many educationalopportunities,andcanreconnecttheregiontoitsownnaturalhistory.Reduce mown lawnTheexistingwaterfrontcontainsexpansesof mown lawn – a landscape thatrequires intensive maintenance, reducesbiodiversity, and is generally ineffectiveat filtering storm water pollutants. Some portions of lawn may be converted towoodlands or meadows that can reducemowing and maintenance costs, filter air and storm water pollution from adjacentroadways, and add to the place-defining landscapediversityofthegreenway.

Meadows may be mowed at varyingfrequencies and planted with a range ofspeciesdependingonthedesireduse,height,and character. For example, SpringtimeWildflower Meadows promote wildflower growthwithshortgroundcoverappropriateformanyusessuchaspicnickingandplay,while Summer Meadows consist of tallergrasses better suited for wildlife habitat.Distinct grass zones should be clearlymarked for both maintenance and publiceducationpurposes.

Reduce maintenance through designEcologically functional, naturalisticlandscapes usually require less long-termmaintenance and upkeep than heavilymanicured parkland. DCR favors “self-sustaining”designsandmaybewillingtomaintain non-DCR waterfront parcels inexchangeforconservationeasements.

Act locally and regionallyActions throughout the watershed impactlocalized restoration efforts, so regionalplanningandcoordinationiscritical.DCR,the Mystic River Watershed Association,and the Metropolitan Area PlanningCouncil may be able to coordinate theseefforts.

Widen and restore riverbank Much of the river’s edge is defined by rip rap – large stones preventing riverbankerosion. Rip rap inhibits wildlife habitatandvegetativebuffergrowth.Theexistingvegetation is often overgrown, (blockingviews)andtoothintobufferpollutantsorserve as habitat. Re-vegetating the riverbank with 25-foot wide strips of non-invasive,low-maintenancespecieswill:

Prevent erosion and sedimentation bynaturallystabilizingtheriverbankFilteroil,sediments,excessnutrients,andotherpollutantsfromstormwater

•

•

Help maintain sufficient water bound oxygen to breakdown nutrients,preventbacterialandalgaegrowth,andsupportaquaticlifeModerate floodingCreatehabitatforriparianandterrestrialwildlife

Anchored fiber rolls add an extra level of erosionprotectionfrompowerboatwakes.Riverbank restorations already exist atRiverbend Park and west of the ball fields alongRoute16.

Restore wetland habitatFew wetlands remain of the Mystic’sonce vast tidal marsh system. Restoringwetlands in identified locations can prevent flooding, attract wildlife, increase landscape diversity along the river, and prevent

•

••

Many Great Blue Herons live along the banks of the Mystic River.

Riverbank restoration has already begun at points along the Mystic River waterfront. Proper planting can retain clear views to the river.

Ecology

Mystic River Waterfront: MIT-Medford ��

Control invasive speciesPhragmites, Japanese Knotweed, OrientalBittersweet,andNorwayMapleareinvasivespecies commonly found along MysticRiver.Whilesomeinvasivespeciesmaybevisuallyappealingandprovidehabitatformigratory wildlife, they typically reducebiodiversity by displacing native plantsthat provide food and cover to nativemammals, birds, and insects. They mayalsointerferewithachievingothergoals;forexample,Phragmitescangrowupto14feetand impairviews into theriver. Invasivespecies removal and maintenance is animportantpartoftheriverbankrestorationprocess.DCR’sLakesandPondsprogramoffers numerous resources for invasivespeciescontrol.

Utilize ecologically functional, educational and artistic interventionsAreas such as Medford Square andClippership Drive are conducive to amore formal, engineered design aestheticthat accommodates a range of high-traffic civicactivities.Thesehighintensityzonespresent opportunities for artistic andeducational elements which also serve asecological interventions and help define a strong sense of place. Examples includestormwater filtration runnels and cascades, rainwater cisterns and collection basins,bio-inlets, and gutter filters.

Involve and educateIncreasing river stewardship requireseducation and community involvement.Displays illustrating the river’s naturalhistoryandecologicalprocessesarevaluable,but community clean-up days, “Adopt-a-Site” programs, and the involvement oflocalschools,businesses,andorganizationsin the greenway’s design, programming,andupkeeparealsocritical.TheMedfordPublicSchools,inparticularthoseadjacenttothegreenway,shouldcapitalizeontheirproximity by integrating locally-orientedhistorical and environmentally-basedcurriculaandactivities.

Meadows of different heights reduce the need to mow, diversify the landscape, and can accomodate varying uses.

These cascades in Seattle offer artistic and educational value while filtering pollutants from stormwater.

Open views to the river Establishing visual and physicalconnections with the water is criticalto bringing the river back into the civicconsciousness. Plantings within the 25-foot vegetated buffer should be designedtoenableclearviewstotheriver.Insomelocations, vegetation may be trimmed toprovide water access. In other locations,vegetativescreensmaybedesiredtoblocktraffic induced noise and air pollution.

Bio-inlets filter surface run-off before it enters the storm sewer.

Ecology

Mystic River Waterfront: MIT-Medford�2

Restore Riverbank and Views: Clearingovergrown brush and establishing avegetated buffer zone will help controlerosion, filter stormwater pollutants, and retainviewsintotheriver.1

Select Neighborhood Uses: Communityprocessdeterminesappropriateuses,suchas community gardens, playgrounds, andpicnicareastodrawresidentsandactivatethewaterfront. 3

Incorporate Signage: It is important tosignaltheentrancetotheMedfordsectionof the Mystic River Greenway and usedirectional signage to provide guidancetowardMedfordSquare. 4

Interventions

Establish Meadow Habitat: A largeexpanseofmownlawnmaybeconvertedto a meadow that reduces maintenancecosts, attracts wildlife, and diversifies the landscapecharacteroftheGreenway. 2

1

2

3

4

3

1

1


Utilize Alleys: ExistingalleywaysareanuntappedassetthatcandrawthepresenceoftheriverintotheSquare.Interventionsmayincludeeducationalpublicartthatfilters stormwater. 8

Establish Wetlands: Wetlands at thisCombined Sewer Overflow (CSO) create wildlifehabitat,enablenaturalstormwaterfiltration, moderate flooding, and serve as aneducationaltool. 5

Redesign Parking and Construct Canoe Launch: A more compact parkingconfiguration establishes a closer relationship between the Greenway andMedfordSquare.Theparkinglotprovidesaccess to the Condon Shell, a new publiccanoe launch, and small communityboathouse.6

Strengthen Pedestrian Connection to Southern Neighborhoods: EstablishingaformalgatewayinthisunderutilizedspacewillenhancethephysicalandpsychologicalconnectionsbetweenMedfordSquareandtheneighborhoodstoitssouth. 7

Emphasize Historic Views: MedfordSquare’s historic facade along the Riveris a unique regional asset that should bepreservedandbrandedasacentralelementof Medford’s identify. The parklandopposite the façade is appropriate forpassiverecreationthatutilizestheseviews. 9

A boardwalk along this facade may notbe economically or environmentallyfeasible. Better opportunities for civicand commercial interaction betweenMedfordSquareandtheRiverexistalongClippershipDrive.

Interventions

5

6

7

8

9

Mystic River Waterfront: MIT-Medford��

Highlight History: TherevitalizationofClippershipDrivepresentsanopportunitytointegratetheMedfordHistoricalSociety intothelifeofthesquare.TheCityshouldconsiderprovidingspaceforMHSintheredevelopment of the Clippership Driveparcels. 1

Create Clippership Park: Therealignmentof Clippership Drive creates space for a1.5-acre park, complete with walking andbiking paths, areas for passive recreation,restored riverfront views, and activitiessuchasmarketsandfestivals.

The City should consider grantinga conservation easement to DCR topermanentlypreservetheopenspace.Theguarantee of a conservation easement toDCRmayenabletheCitytoleveragestatefunding. 1

Interventions

1

2

3

Include Environmental Public Art:Public art can serve the dual purpose offiltering stormwater and providing an educational opportunity at the park asshownintheimagetotheright.1


Interventions

Short Term Solution: Striping a bikelane along Riverside Avenue (left) willcreateaviableshorttermconnectionfromRiverbend Park along Freedom Way andRiversideAvenuetoMedfordSquareandthenewClippershipPark.Inbothsolutions,directional signage must be present at allkeydecisionpointsonthepath. 2

Long Term Solution: ByusingtheexistingDCReasementalongtheMHAandseniorhousingpropertiesadjacenttoClippershipDrive (top right), the path can easily beextendedtotheI-93underpass.3

Aformal, lightedpathwayunder I-93canbebuilt,similartothepathunderRoute16(middleright). 4

The DCR property to the east of I-93 iscurrently overgrown. By cleaning up thearea and clearing views, the space canfunctionasanaturalmeadowwhileleavingspacetocontinuethepath.5

AtthispointthepathwillconnecttoShipAvenue along a striped bike lane andsidewalk.ThepathwillcontinuealongtheDCR-ownedYachtClubsiteandconnecttoRiverbendPark(bottomright). 6

2

4

5

6


Improve Signage: Improved directionalsignage will help residents and visitorsnavigate the greenway and the rest ofMedford. 4

Create Meadow (far left): To reducemaintenance, attract wildlife, and filter stormwater,theareaacrossfromMeadowGlenMallshouldbeformedintoanaturalmeadow. 1

Move Signage (farleft):MovingtheMysticRiverReservationsigntothislocationwilldrawinvisitorsfromthemallanddriversalongtheMysticValleyParkway. 2

Thin Brush (left): Thinningtreesandbrushbetween the meadow and the reservationwillestablishviewsanddrawpeopleintothispark. 3

Interventions

1 3

2

4


Interventions

Establish Views: Open views to revealsightlinestotheriver,Route28bridge,andtheBostonskyline. 1

Restore Dock: Theexistingdockmayberepaired. Re-installing benches, addinga railing and signage enhances the users’experienceanddrawsvisitorstoboatandfish on the river. 2

Remove Invasive Species: PhragmitesarepervasivealongtheriverbankinMacDonaldPark. Removing them will permit betterviewstotheriverandpromotesthegrowthofnativeplants. 3

Extend Across Route 28: Amoreresponsivepedestrian signal and increased signagewill help ease the Route 28 crossing toStationLandingandtheWellingtonMBTAstation. 4

1

2

3

4


Next Steps & FundingFundingGreenway projects require assembling acombination of financial resources from local, state, and federal funds, revenue-generating programs, and monetary andin-kind contributions from the privatesector.Strongpartnershipsaidfundraisingfor greenway projects since otherstakeholderscanleveragefundingthattheCitycannotaccess. TheCityshouldforma greenway committee that investigatespotential funding sources for the design,construction, and maintenance of thegreenway.Thefollowingisasamplingofpotential fundingsources theCityand itspartnerscanpursue.

Federal and State Government Greenway-related projects can be financed in part by a number of state and federalagencieswithgrantprogramsincluding:

US Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment-CommunityDevelopmentBlockGrantProgramEnvironmental Protection Agency NewEngland - Healthy Communities GrantProgramMassachusetts Executive Office of Transportation - TransportationEnhancementsProgramMassachusetts Executive Office of EnvironmentalAffairs-LandandWaterConservationFundandUrbanSelf-Help

•

•

•

•

ProgramMassachusetts Department ofConservation and Recreation - Urbanand Community Forestry ChallengeGrants, Recreational Trails GrantsProgram,ConservationTrust,UrbanandCommunity Forestry Challenge Grants,andGreenwaysandTrailsDemonstrationGrantsProgramNational Endowment for the Arts -DesignGrantsMassachusetts Historical Commission -SurveyandPlanningGrantProgram

Local GovernmentDependingonthestrengthofresidentandthe City commitment to the greenway,funding could come from a bondreferendum,capital improvementplan,oradoption of the Community PreservationAct, which allows communities inMassachusetts to levy a real estate taxsurcharge up to 3% to fund open space.In addition, greenway projects can befundedinpartthroughexactionorlinkageagreementswithdevelopers.However,asthe redevelopment section indicates, therealestatemarket inMedfordmaynotbestrongenoughtoenablesuchnegotiationswithdevelopersatthistime.

Foundations and CorporationsManylocal,state,andnationalphilanthropicorganizations provide grant funding for

•

•

•

greenway projects related to ecologicalrestoration, historic preservation, andthe health and well-being of residents.For example, the national Bikes BelongCoalition provides up to $10,000 for bikefacility,capacity,andeducationprojects.

Corporationsalso fundgreenwayprojectsthroughgrantprograms,cashcontributions,volunteerlabor,materials,andequipment.An inventory of corporations in Medfordand their giving policies would identifywaystosecuresuchresources.

Revenue Generating Programs and In-Kind DonationsMany greenway projects receive fundsfrom naming programs or ‘buy-a-foot’programs in which interested partiesdonate the cost of construction per linearfootoranamenitysuchasabenchorpicnictable. Otherrevenuegeneratingactivitiesinclude farmer’s market or other specialeventfeesorconcessionfeesfromconcertsorballgames.

Small ecological restoration, public art,and on-going maintenance projects canbenefit from volunteer labor and/or donated materials from Tufts students,youthgroups,neighbors, localbusinesses,or the Student Conservation Association(SCA) Massachusetts Parks AmeriCorpsProgram.

Next StepsTheCityofMedfordshould:

Reach out to DCR to voice their inputintotheMysticRiverMasterPlan.Theseconversations should be the beginningofanongoingdialogueandpartnershipconcerning the Mystic River GreenwaythroughMedford.Bring together interested stakeholdersto form the Mystic River GreenwayCommittee.Stakeholdersshouldincludecitizens, municipal officials (from multiple agencies), institutions, businesses, andcommunitygroups.OncetheCommitteeexists,useittoseekfunding,facilitatecommunityinputintogreenway development, and investigatetheformalizationoftheCommitteeintoapublic-private non-profit.Seek funding and a contractor to createa signage plan for the City as a whole.ContinuedialoguewithDCRthroughoutsignage development process to ensurecompatibility in different areas of theCity.For interventions under the City’spurview, such as striping bike lanesand some of the meadow/wetlandsrestoration,allocateresourcestocompleteassoonaspossible.

•

•

•

•

•


The future of the Mystic River Greenway

Transportation and Streetscape

Transportation: MIT-Medford 2�

IntroductionFrom its early days as a shipbuildingcenter,totherailroadspurthatconnectedtoBoston, to themodernageof interstatehighways, Medford Square has beenshapedby transportation. Transportationinfrastructure surroundsMedfordSquare,and reflects not only great physical and psychological challenges to vitality, butalsoareasoftremendousopportunity.

Goals•Connecttheneighborhoodstothesouth

andeasttotheSquare.•Enable better access to the Mystic River

fromtheSquarebyopeninguplandneartheriverbanks.

•Improvethepedestrianenvironment.•Reorient the existing road network to

morelocaluses.

Objectives•Focus improvements on the only three

major“gateways”intothearea,creatingcontinuouspedestrianandbikepaths,andmore direct connections to ClippershipDrive.

•OpenuplandonbothsidesoftheMysticRiver.

•Widen sidewalks, narrow streets, andestablishcontinuouspaths.

• Calm but accommodate car traffic.• Disperse the heavy through traffic

throughouttheSquare.•Encourage Medford Square as a

destination,ratherthanabypass.

Recommendations•RealignClippershipDriveasalocalstreet

tosupportvibrantnewdevelopmentandriverfrontaccess.

•CreateuninterruptedpedestrianpathstotheSquarefromeastofI-93,MainStreet,andalongtheriver.

•RelocatetheRoute16on-andoff-rampscloser to the highway, and construct anewparkonthesouthbankoftheMysticRiver.

•Rehabilitate Main Street and CradockBridgetomakethisentrancetoMedfordSquaremoreinviting.

•Adjust the circulation pattern of thestreetstocreatedirectconnectionstotheriverfrontandfewerone-wayroads.

• Formalize and reconfigure the parking lotandroadaroundCityHall.

•AdoptstreetdesignguidelinestoestablishauniformfeelintheSquare.

Transportation: MIT-Medford22

Existing ConditionsVehicle Access to Medford SquareOn the one hand, Medford Square enjoysunprecedented access by road, whichprovides excellent visibility, a largecustomerbasetobusinesses,andeconomicopportunitiestoresidents.Theequivalentof over two lanes of interstate highwaypasses through the heart of MedfordSquare at rush hour. On the other hand,the roadway infrastructure that providesthis accessibility is a serious physicaland psychological barrier to the futurerevitalization of Medford Square. TheelevatedhighwaysofI-93andRoute16cutofftheSquaretothesouthandeast,makepedestrian access difficult, and obstruct betteruseofthesouthbankoftheMysticRiver.

Furthermore, the particular configuration of thesemajorhighwaysmeansthatmanycarsuseMedfordSquareasashortcutbetweenI-93andRoute16.Thiscreatesverylargevolumes of through traffic, which Medford Square accommodates but does not benefit from.

Medford must find ways to make its existing road network more flexible, and reorient it to local use with calmer traffic, rather than fast-moving through traffic.

Salem S

t

City

Hal

l M

all

Clippership Dr

Clip

pers

hip

Dr

Riverside Ave

Mai

n S

t

SL1

Bran

ch

AB

C D

E

2328

19

4414

2244

19

23

14

14

28

42

42

41

14

41

39

39

1545

1816

17

16

16

17

516

16 8

8

18

1822

22

44

29

29

29

3121

2632

51

51

51

37/38

38

38

37/38

37

48

48

60

66

65

6657

210201

211

8666

64

70 70A

47

71 73

72

96

77

350

79

13477

96

96

77

83

83

87

87

87

90

88

88 9089

80

80

80

89

101

101

101

72/75

95

95

325

100

100

94

94

94

710

710

99

99106

105

112

97

110

104109

105104

109

97

105

108

108

112112

112

110

411

351

111

111

111

114

117

116

116

117116

119

119

119

120

121

29

134

92

111

15

426W

411

45

4141

97

110

90

85

86 87

85

91

68

69

CT2

92

93

120

120

11

9

10

4355

CT2

CT2

86

89

7

11

SL 2 Branch

SL 3Branch

202

201202

1621

313234

34E35

363738

37/38

3940425051

30

18 27

151718

19201202

210

845051

9799

106

110112100

10890

134

War

ren

St.

Mag

nolia

St

SILVERLINE WAY

SOUTHSTATION

BOYLSTON*ST. PAUL ST

PLEASANT ST

MISSIONPARK

BRIGHAMCIRCLE

EASTBERKELEY ST

WORCESTER SQ

BOYLSTON*

CHINA-TOWNCHINA-TOWN

BROOKLINEVILLAGE

BROOKLINEVILLAGE

Franklin FieldHousing

EASTBERKELEY ST

PARK ST. *

MUSEUM OF

FINE ARTS

NORTHEASTERN

NORTH-

EASTERN

B.U. CENTRAL

MASSACHUSETTS AVE.

HERALD ST

LENOX ST

MELNEA CASS BLVD

BABCOCK ST

PACKARDS CORNER

FENWAY

FENWOOD RD

LONGWOOD

MEDICAL AREA

PRUDENTIAL

HYNES /ICA

ROXBURYCROSSING

RUGGLES

GREEN ST

STONY BROOK

HARVARD AVE

SULLIVAN SQUARE

HAYMARKET

NORTH STATION

DOWNTOWN CROSSING

NE MEDCTR

BACK BAY/SOUTH END

BROADWAY

PRUDENTIAL

SHAWMUT

GREEN ST

STONY BROOK

JACKSONSQUARE

STATE*

HAYMARKET

NORTH STATION

DOWNTOWN CROSSING

NE MEDCTR

BACK BAY/SOUTH END

BROADWAY

MASSACHUSETTSAVE.

SAVIN HILL

MAVERICK

AQUARIUM

SCIENCE PARK

SOUTHSTATION

WOOD ISLAND

COMMUNITYCOLLEGE

LECHMERE

PORTER

CENTRAL

KENDALL/MITCHARLES/MGH PARK ST.

ARLINGTONCOPLEYHYNES /ICA

KENMORE

SYMPHONY

FENWAY

HEATH"E" Branch

LONGWOOD

BROOKLINE HILLSROXBURY

CROSSING

RUGGLES

McCormack Housing

KaneSquare

PeabodyLoop

GroveHall

CITYPOINT

UnionSquare

PowderHouseSquare

RussellField

Clarendon Hill

on CenterWoodlawn

Squ

AssemblySquare

Mall

TuftsUniversity

QuigleyHospital

UMassBoston

JFK LIbrary

Monument

MysticMall

EverettSquare

FaulknerHospital

HARVARD

ANDREW

SULLIVAN SQUARE

AIRPORT

InmanSquare

BEACONSFIELD

YAWKEY

BLANDFORD ST

B.U. EAST

B.U. CENTRAL

B.U. WEST

ST. PAUL ST

PLEASANT ST

BABCOCK ST

PACKARDS CORNER

HARVARD AVEGRIGGS ST

ALLSTON STST. MARY'S ST

HAWES STKENT ST

ST. PAUL ST

COOLIDGE

CORNER

SUMMIT AVE

BRANDON HALL

FAIRBANKS ST

WASHINGTON

SQUARE

TAPPAN STDEAN RD

ENGLE-OD AVE

WARREN ST

HINGTON ST

D

FORESTHILLS

Roslindale

FIELDSCORNER

JFK/UMASS

WIFEDAVIS

MISSIONPARK

FENWOOD RD

LONGWOOD

MEDICAL AREA

MUSEUM OF

FINE ARTS

RIVERWAYBACK OFTHE HILL

WELLINGTON

MedfordSquare

BOWDOIN

GOV.CTR.

LoganInternationalAirportTerminals

Exit 31

Exit 32

BaysideExpo Center

MeadowGlen Mall

Stop &Shop

MarinaBay

MemorialHospital

e

GatewayCenter

MASSACHUSETTS AVE.

NEWTON ST

UNIONPARK ST

HERALD ST

LENOX ST

MELNEA CASS BLVD

DUDLEY SQUARE

*

Squantum

Franklin FieldHousing

WORCESTER SQ

UnionSquare

COURTHOUSE

WTC SILVERLINE WAY

BostonNatureCenter

CHELSEA

ROSLINDALEVILLAGE

WEST MEDFORD

CHELSEA

BELLEVUE

ROSLINDALEVILLAGE

UPHAMSCORNER

Fells

way

orfol

k St.

Rindge Ave.

Mass. Ave.

Broadway

High St.

River S

t.

rd S

t.

nthrop St.

College Ave.

Chelsea St.

Ferry

St.Broa

dway

Hancock St.

Medford St.Cross St.

t St.

Ferry St.

Middlesex Ave.

Highland Ave.

Revere St.

Broa

dway

Concord Ave.

Huron Ave.

Broadway

Main St.

Orient AveBoardman St.

Sagamore Ave.

Elm St. Park Ave.

lden St.

George St.

.

American Legion

W Blue

Hill

Ave.

Talbot Ave.

Free

port

St

Adams St.

orfol

k St. E. S

quan

tum

St.

Cambridge St.

Salem St.

Express to/fromBoston Haymarketstation

ry Pkwy.

Roxb

ury

Pkwy

.

God

dard

Ave

.

r Rd.

Chestnut Hill Ave.

Reservoir Park

Lee St.

Lee

St. Cottage St.

Clyde St.

Boylston St.

Perkins

St.

Prince St.

FrancisPark

Dr.

man

Jam

aica

way

Harvard St.

Harv

ard

St.

hington St.

Beacon St.

Centre

St.

Cent

re S

t.

Weld St.

VFW Pkwy.

Wal

ter S

t.

Arborway

Washin

gton S

t.

Washin

gton S

t.

Morton St.

Morton St

Circuit Dr. Circuit Dr.

Glen Ln.

Washington St.

Washin

Dorc

hest

er A

ve.

Neponset Ave.

Gibson St.

Geneva Ave.

Bowdo

in St.

Blue

Hill

Ave.

Humbo

ldt Av

e.

Seaver St.

Blue

Hill

Ave.

Columbia

Rd.

Paul Gore St.

Green St.

Cent

re S

t.

South St.

Dudley St.

Hancock St.

Mt. Vernon St.

Mystic Ave.

Boston Ave.

High St.High St.

Riverside Ave.Mai

n St

.

Fellsway

Fells

way

Com

mer

cial S

t.

Newland St.

Main St.

Ferry St.

Broadway

Mass. Ave.

Fres

hPo

ndPk

wy.

Spruce St.

Everett Ave.

Mor

risse

y Bl

vd.

Express toBoston

Western Ave.

N. Harv

ard S

t.

Belmon

t St.

e Dr.

Dorch

ester

St.

Huckins Ave.

Bellevue Rd.

Valley

Mystic

Pkwy.

e.

Cool

idge

Ave

.

Mt. Auburn St.

etSt

.

Mass. Turnpike

Soldiers Field Rd.

Pkwy

.

Alew

ifeBroo

k

Curti

s St.

ead Rd.

Wint

hrop

St.

Mystic Valley Pkwy.

Wyman St

Fore

st S

t.

2nd St.

Revere Beach Pkwy. Washington Ave.G

arfieldAve.

Fuller St.

Was

hingto

n Ave

Mountain Ave.

Cushman Ave.

Sargent St.

Proctor Ave.

New

Hall S

t. Rumney Rd.

Malden St.

American Legion

Hwy

Central St.Winthrop Ave.

re Rd.

Medford St.

Charles St. Cross S

t.Centre St.

Holland St.

SavinHill Ave.

Auck

land

St.

Washin

gton S

t.

Allandale St

gton. 128

Waldemar Ave

Constitution Ave.

Victory Rd

Shea

Blvd

Bayside Rd

E. Squantum St.

Harva

rd A

ve

Herbert Rd

N Unio

n St

Waldo Rd

Colle

ge A

ve.

Harvard St

Ceda

r St

Pack

ard A

ve

Central St.

Beacham St

Newton St.

Bussey St

Ashmont St

Pond St

Warren St

Crawford St

Quincy St

Quincy St

Harvard St

Amor

y St

.

Bucknam St.

Woodville St.

Pearl St.

Swan St.

Morris St.

Waverly

St.

Bryant St.

Nichols St.Union St.

3rd St.

Vine

St.

Mal

den

St.

Dartmouth St.

Madison St.Reservoir Ave. Vane St

Clinton StCarroll St

East

ern

Ave.

Taft St

Sprin

g St

.

Lawrence St.

7th St.

Marion StPrinceton St

Wellesley St.

Main St.

Medford St.

E. Albion St

Highland Ave.

SEE INSET

SEEINSET

SEEINSET

Boylston St

Hwy.

P

P

P

P

KLINE

REVERE

EVERETT

CHELSEA

2/76

93

93

1

1

3

1A

90

9

28

60

203

16

16

107

99

60

nd

ArnoldArboretum

FranklinParkZoo

JamaicaPond

Neponset River

Thomps

on Is

land

Dorchester Bay

Charles River

CodmanSquare

EglestonSquare

Mt. AuburnHospital

HarambeePark

LarzAnderson

Park

Charles R

iver

Reservatio

n

DanehyPark

Mystic River

Hav

erhi

ll C

omm

uter

Rai

l

Ora

nge

Line

Rockport/Newburyport C

ommuter Rail

Lowell Commuter Rail

Fitchburg Commuter Rail

Oran

ge L

ine

Red Line

Red Line

Red Line

Red Line

Blue

Lin

e

Blue Line

Green Line

Green Line“B” Branch

Green Line

“C” Branch

Green Line

“E” Branch

Gre

en L

ine

“D” B

ranc

h

424, 434, 441, 442, 450Express to Haymarket via R

448, 449, 459 to downtBoston via Logan Airpand Ted Williams Tunn

424, 434, 441, 442, 450Express to Haymarket via R

448, 449, 459 to downtBoston via Logan Airpand Ted Williams Tunn

UMass ShuttleJFK/UMass–UMass–

JFK Library617-287-5617

Above: Major streets and current lane directionality in Medford Square. Many of these streets carry multi-lane, one-way traffic, and prioritize fast-moving through traffic over pedestrians and users of the square.

Right: Entering Medford Square from Main Street. Clippership Drive is clearly denoted as a bypass road to access I-93.

Transit Access to Medford SquareAlthough Medford Square lacks apermanent rail connection, it enjoys goodaccessbybusroutesconnectingtheSquareto nearby neighborhoods and the greaterBostonarea.TheseincludelocalroutestoDavis Square, Sullivan Square, and Redand Orange line MBTA rail stations, aswellasafewexpressroutestodowntownBostonviaI-93.Becauseofthesefavorableconditions, this reportdoesnotmakeanymajor recommendations for improvingpublic transit access to Medford Square.However, Medford should anticipate thedemand that future development in theSquare may have on transit systems, andthe opportunities and challenges that aproposed multi-modal transportation hubmaypresent.

MBTA bus routes that cross Medford Square.


Pedestrian Access to Medford SquareMedford Square suffers from a lack ofsafe, attractive pedestrian connections toits surrounding neighborhoods. WhileneighborhoodstothenorthandwestblendeasilywiththeSquare,Route16,theMysticRiver, and I-93 present significant barriers to neighborhoods south and east of thesquare.

Because access to Medford Square fromthese sides is limited to only three pointsof entry, this report focuses on those“gateways”indetail.Indeed,theonlywaystocrossRoutes16and93intotheSquareareviaMainStreet,RiversideAvenue,orSalemStreetandtheI-93rotary.Themapatrightshows the locationsreachablebya5-and10-minutewalkfromtheheartofMedfordSquare, highlighting the importance ofthesegateways.

The majority of people entering MedfordSquarepass throughoneof thegateways,and the experience strongly influences theirperceptionoftheplace.Theseentrypoints signal a boundary between theurban, town-center feelof theSquareandthesurroundingareas.

In their current state, however, thesegateways feel unsafe, neglected, and

Walking distances from Medford Square.

5 minutes 10 minutes

Red arrows indicate points of entry to the square.

disconnected from Medford Square. Alackoflighting,sidewalkspace,pedestrianamenities, landscaping, and traffic calming makethesespacesuninvitingtopedestrians.However, each gateway also sits nearunderutilizedopenspaceandlovelyviewsoftheSquareortheMysticRiver,andhasgreatpotential togivetravelersasenseofarrivingatadestination.

Above: Route 16 underpass, when approaching Medford Square from the south.Below left: Attempts at traffic calming on Clippership Drive, near senior housing.Below right: I-93 rotary crossing, approaching Medford Square from the east.

Existing Conditions

Transportation: MIT-Medford2�

DirectionalityCrucial to making Medford Square amore desirable destination is to make itan easier place to get around. However,the surrounding regional transportationinfrastructure poses physical challengesand contributes heavy traffic to the Square.

VehicleaccesstoMedfordSquareiscurrentlyquitegood,withmajorroadwaysenteringthesquarefromalldirections.SalemStreet,Riverside Avenue, Main Street, and HighStreet bring regional traffic to the square, whileI-93andRoute16connecttheSquaretothegreaterBostonregion.TransitaccessbyMBTAbusisalsogood.

The street network in Medford Square,particularly to the east of Main Street, ismadeupofentirelyone-wayroads.Whilethismakestheactofdrivingeasier,one-waymultiple-laneroadswidenthetravellanes,increase traffic speeds, and detract from the

pedestrianenvironment.Furthermore,one-wayroadslimitpathchoice(thenumberofroutesbetweentwopoints) in theSquare,makingnavigationconfusing.

BecauseClippershipDriveisadirectpathbetweenRoute16toRoute60orI-93,itismainly used by through traffic, rather than peopleusingtheSquareorriverfront.

ObjectivesThe purpose of altering the directions oftraffic on the streets in Medford Square is to increase access to the proposed newdevelopment and waterfront to the southandeast,reorienttheroadnetworktolocaluses,andtodispersetheheavyrush-hourthrough traffic across the Square.

Three policy decisions guide the newdirectionalityofthestreetnetwork:

1. Clippership Drive should be a two-waystreet,inkeepingwithitschangedidentityandroleintheSquare;

2. The roads around the proposed newdevelopment, including ClippershipDrive, should be easy to reach viamultiplepaths;and

3. Streets should be two-way wheneverpossible.

Existing Building Footprint

Existing Road

Existing Direction


Two limiting factors are the particularcharacteristics of the five-way intersection at the heart of Medford Square, and theheavy traffic flows from south-to-north in the morning and north-to-south in theevening peaks. It would be very difficult for the traffic light to accommodate two-way flows on Riverside Avenue and Salem Streetenteringthatcentralintersection,andany reduction in capacity on those peakflows could result in spillover traffic jams elsewhere.

Recommendations•Make the entire length of the new

Clippership Drive a two-way street, inkeeping with its changed identity froma high-speed, pedestrian-unfriendlybypass road toa local street serving thenewdevelopmentandClippershipParkandintegratedintothestreetgrid. Thiswill also allow for significant on-street parking to help mitigate the effects of

removingsomeexistingparkinglots,andreassures an incoming developer thatthey are developing parcels on a well-trafficked local road, not an extended quasi-highwayramp.1

• Permit two-way traffic on City Hall Mall, RiverStreet,SalemStreet,andRiversideAvenuetotheeastofRiverStreet.2

•FormalizeanewroadtothesouthofCityHall.Thisroadwillbeaone-waytravellaneinordertokeepanappropriatewidththatretainsexistingparkinganddoesnotreducetheamountofdevelopablelandontheadjacentparcel.Thisstreetwillserveasanalternativetoaleft-handturnfromClippershipDriveontoSalemStreet.3

•AllowtwolanesoftravelonHighStreeteastbound to continue through the five-way intersection and onto RiversideAvenue. This will reduce the severecongestion on High Street eastbound,whichhurtsbusinesses,especiallyintheeveningrushhour.4

Below: Excessive traffic on High Street eastbound during afternoon rush hour

Existing Building Footprint

Existing Road

Existing Direction

Proposed New Road

Proposed New Direction

Directionality

1

2

3

4

22

2


South GatewayTheSouthGatewayencompasses theareaaround Main Street from Route 16 in thesouth to the intersection of River Street,SalemStreet,HighStreetandMainStreetinthenorth,andiscomprisedofthreedistinctparts:

Route16UnderpassCradockBridgeRoute16On-andOff-Ramps

This area serves as the main vehicle andpedestrianaccesspoint fromthesouthernpart of the City of Medford to MedfordSquare. The complex road and traffic conditionshavecreatedbarriersforpeopletrying to access the Square and havediminished the imageand identityof thisimportantgateway.

As such, this area has huge potential forestablishing a more pedestrian friendlyenvironment and for creating a sense ofarrival and identity for historic MedfordSquare.

TheSouthGateway’sproximitytotheMysticRiverwaterfrontisanotherimportantassetthatcouldbeenhanced.TheareaalongthesouthbankoftheMysticRiveroffersgreatpossibilities for the development of newopenandrecreationalspaceaswellasforimprovingaccessandviewstotheMysticRiver.

•••

Above top: South Gateway location, Route 16 to the south.

Above bottom: Photo looking south down Main Street.

Right: Plan drawing of proposed interventions at South Gateway.

Mai

n S

t

Clippership Dr

Route 16 On-Ramp

Route 16 Off-Ramp


Route 16 UnderpassCurrently, the Route 16 underpass is asignificant physical and psychological barrier between the area south of thehighwayandMedfordSquare.

TheareaunderRoute16isverypedestrian-unfriendly and dangerous. Much of thespaceisdesignatedforcaruse,andvehiclestendtomovequicklyanderraticallyasthereare no pavement markings to designatelanes.

The space is dark even during daytime,giving the area an unsafe feeling, andthereisagenerallackofamenitiessuchaslandscapingandlighting.

Due to the lack of signage, it is difficult to tellwhenapproachingfromthesouththathistoricMedfordSquareisonlyabout100yardsaway.

RecommendationsA number of relatively minor designinterventionscangreatlyenhancethisarea,extendingtheurbancharacterofMedfordSquaresouthalongMainStreet.

Widensidewalksfromsixfeetto11feetandpavewithamaterialsuchasbrick.Install street lamps and lighting undertheoverpasstobrightenthearea.Narrow the existing traffic lanes from 15feetto11feettonarrowvehicleviewsand calm traffic.Demarcate lanes to hinder erraticdriving.Widen the median to nine feet, andenhancelandscaping.Install signage that highlights nearbyMedford Square and the City ofMedford.

•

•

•

•

•

•Left: Photo of Route 16 at Main Street looking north towards Medford Square.Above top: Section of Route 16 underpass looking north.Above bottom: Plan for the Route 16 underpass area along Main Street.Right: Rendering of Route 16 underpass with the implementation of recommendations.

South Gateway


Cradock BridgeCradock Bridge is a primary vehicle andpedestrian entrance to Medford Square.It also provides wonderful views of theriver and the historic riverfront façadesofMedfordSquare.As such, this is akeyarea for strengthening the image of theCityofMedfordandconnectingtonearbyMedfordSquare.

Currently, however, the area is in poorcondition and pedestrian unfriendly.Similar to the area under Route 16, traffic is erraticduetoalackoflanemarkings.

Withafewdesigninterventionsthataddresspedestrian amenities, traffic flows, and streetdesign,thisareahasthepotentialtobetransformedintoabeautifulgateway.

ObjectivesImprove local and regional connections:localpedestrianaccessandregionalbiketraffic.Enhanceaccessandviews to theMysticRiver.Increase pedestrian safety by calmingvehicle traffic and improving pedestrian amenities.Continue the urban feel of MedfordSquaresouthdownMainStreet.Strengthen the identity of the SouthGatewayandnearbyMedfordSquare.

RecommendationsWiden the sidewalk along the easternportionof thebridge to12 feet inorderto accommodate both pedestrians andbicyclists.Install lighting and landscaping alongtheedgeof thesidewalk toenhance theoverallenvironmentandprovideabufferbetweenpedestriansandcars.Enhance the existing median withlandscaping, lighting and signage tocreate a sense of arrival into MedfordSquare.Narrow vehicle lanes to 11 feet anddemarcate lanes to calm traffic.Connect the bridge and open spaceby creating a transitional space thathighlights the regional bike path andpedestrianpath.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Above: Photo looking east at the intersection of Main Street and Route 16 off-ramp.

South Gateway

Above top: Section drawing of Cradock Bridge looking north.Above bottom: Plan drawing of proposed interventions at the South Gateway.

Above: Plan drawing showing the route of the proposed regional bike path.


Route 16 On- and Off-RampsThe location of the on- and off-ramps toRoute16atMainStreethasresultedinthecreationofa sizableareaofunderutilizedspace between the ramps and thehighway.

Currently, there are two narrow strips ofparkspacebetweentheon-andoff-rampstoRoute16andthewater’sedge.Assuch,thisspaceisunsuitableforanyactiveusesand is only occupied by few trees andshrubs.

Given Route 16’s proximity to the MysticRiver waterfront and Medford Square,this area presents a great opportunity forcreatingmoreopenandrecreationalspacefortheCityofMedford.

Above top: Plan showing newly created open space. Above bottom: View of the Mystic River from Cradock Bridge.

Aerial photo of the current configuration of Route 16 on and off ramps.

Rendering of the realigned Route 16 on- and off-ramps and proposed open space.

ObjectivesOpenuplandnexttotheMysticRivertoprovidespaceforbothpassiveandactiverecreation.Enhanceaccessandviews to theMysticRiverandhistoricbuildingfacades.

RecommendationsRealign the on- and off-ramps closer toRoute16.MovetheexistingMainStreetcrosswalkclosertoCradockBridge.Construct a pedestrian path along theriverbank.Accommodatetheregionalbikepath.Createanewmultipurposepark.

•

•

•

•

•

••

Open SpaceTheopenspacecreatedbyrealignmentoftheonandofframpswouldbedesignedtoservevarioususes.

The park east of Cradock Bridge wouldinclude a paved area where people couldsit,relaxandenjoytheriverfront.Theparkwestofthebridgewouldservemoreactiveuses by providing a pedestrian path andaccommodatingaregionalbikepath.

Largertreesalongsidetheon-andoff-rampswill help buffer traffic noise. The placement ofsmallertreesclosertoriverwillprovideshadewhileensuringthatviewsoftheriverandhistoricalbuildingsarenotblocked.

Photo looking east at the Route 16 off-ramp.

Mai

n St

Rte 16 Off-Ramp

Rte 16 On-Ramp

South Gateway

Transportation: MIT-Medford�0

The Northeast Gateway encompassesthe area around the intersection of SalemStreetandClippershipDrive,andincludesthe sidewalks and parking lots next toSpringstepandCityHall.

This area serves as the main access pointto and from I-93, as well as cars andpedestrians from Medford neighborhoodsto the northeast. Traffic here is heavy at peak hours,andfewpedestriansbravecrossingthebusystreetsorrotaryunderpass.

Cars entering from the rotary enjoy astriking view of Springstep and City Hallas they enter Medford Square. However,the one-way road network forces cars tolooparoundtheentiresquareiftheywishtoaccessthesouth,east,orriverfrontareas.Some drivers use the available left turnintothenorthCityHallparkinglot tocutacross to areas in the south. This createsflow in a place where it is inappropriate anddangerous.

Pedestriansmustalsocrossmultipleroads(rotary on-ramps, Clippership Drive, CityHall parking lot connector) to reach CityHall and the rest of the square. Thereis no defined path for them to follow, discouraging active street life despitethe existing open space and views to theSquare.

Northeast Gateway

Salem

Stre

et

City

Hal

l M

all

Clippership D

rive

Springstep

City Hall

New Road

Above top: Northeast Gateway location, near City Hall and I-93 rotary.

Above bottom: View from Springstep towards City Hall.

Right: Plan drawing of recommended changes to the Northeast Gateway, with continuous pedestrian path in yellow, and new one-way road in red.

Transportation: MIT-Medford ��

ObjectivesCapitalize on views of distinctivebuildings likeCityHall andSpringstep,and create easy pedestrian access tothem.Create direct access from the I-93rotary down to the riverfront and newdevelopment to the southeast. Takeadvantage of Clippership Drive, whichisnowatwo-waystreetthatleadstotheriverfront.Create a continuous pedestrian pathacrosstherotarytothefrontofCityHall.Eliminate through traffic in City Hall parkinglots.

•

•

•

•

RecommendationsRedesign the pedestrian approach toMedfordSquare:

Separate the north and south City Hallparking lots, and convert their internalconnectingroadintoopenspace.1RealignthesidewalkinfrontofCityHall,anglingitdirectlytowardsSpringstep.2Continue this path with a crosswalk onClippership Drive, leading directly topavementinfrontofSpringstep.3Widen the sidewalk by Springstep andextendittotherotarysidewalkcrossing.4Add signage and lighting to protectpedestrians crossing rotary traffic under I-93.

Redesign the intersection of ClippershipDriveandSalemStreet:

Mark Salem Street west with two lanes,one clearly defined as left-turn-only.MovethegapintheSalemStreetmedianbacktohalfwaybetweenCityHallMallandtherotary,whereClippershipmeetsSalem.5Allow a left turn off Salem StreetwestboundontoClippershipsouthbound.6ContinuetoallowashallowrightturnoffClippershipnorthboundtotherotary.7Donotallowrightturnsonredlightsforcars turning from City Hall Mall onto

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Salem Street. This will create a gap inSalem Street eastbound traffic, allowing a regular flow of left turns here without adding a traffic signal light. 8Do not allow a left turn off ClippershipDrive northbound onto Salem Streetwestbound.Driversshouldusetherotaryto access westbound Salem St. This isunchangedfromcurrentturningoptions.

•

Above: Paths to the riverfront and east parcels. Cutting across the parking lot is obsolete with a two-way Clippership Drive.

Createanewone-way,westboundroadsouth of City Hall to make up for lackof east-west connectivity. Drivers andseveralbusroutesalreadyusethisemptyspace in theparking lotasaway tocutacrosstheseroads(seeoppositepage).

•

Recommended changes to street design in Northeast Gateway area.

1

2

34

5

67

8

Northeast Gateway

Transportation: MIT-Medford�2

Clippership DriveClippership Drive reflects the best opportunity torevitalizeMedfordSquare.Currentlyanauto-orientedbypassroad,itcouldbecomeapedestrian-friendly, livelylocal street right along the Mystic River.By realigning the road, creating a newriverside park, and developing adjacentparcels,theClippershipDriveareahasthehighestpotentialtobringMedfordSquarebacktotheMysticRiver.

ClippershipDriveiscurrentlyahigh-speedone-way bypass road, which connects theMainStreetgatewaywithSalemStreetandtheI-93rotaryviatwoeastboundlanes.

AtthenorthsideofClippershipDrivesitsexisting retail with back-side entrancesfacing the road, and several parking lotssouth of City Hall and between the roadandexistingretail. This space isnotwellutilized and the walking environment isunfriendly.

FormostofthelengthofClippershipDrive,guardrailsandfencesrestrictcrossingfromnorth to south and towards the water’sedge. Indeed, there are no crosswalksacross Clippership Drive. Overgrownvegetationobscuresviewsoftheriver.Itisdifficult for vehicles and pedestrians alike onthisroadtotelltheyarewithin20feetoftheMysticRiver.

ObjectivesClippershipDriveistheonlyplacewithinMedfordSquarethathashighdevelopmentpotentialwithidealproximitytotheMysticRiver.Theareasuffersfrommanyexistingproblems,butitalsohasgreatpotentialforimprovement and can help facilitate therevitalizationofMedfordSquare.

Change the perception of ClippershipDrive from a bypass road to a localstreetthatisasmuchanintegralpartofMedfordSquare.

Createriverfrontopenspace.

Enable new development and street lifeorientedtotheriver.

•

•

•

RecommendationsRealign Clippership Drive closer to theexisting retail space. Encourage storesandactivitiestoopenoutsouthtowardsthis new street and the newly-createdriverfront.

Arrangeforaneasementorpurchaseona privately-owned parcel to allow for astraightClippershipDrivetobecomepartoftheSquare’sstreetgrid.

MakeClippershipDriveatwo-wayroad,withonelaneforeachdirection.

Constructon-streetparkingonbothsidesoftheroad.

Establish a very wide new sidewalk(between15and25feet)onthenorthsideoftheroad.Onthesouthside,asix-footsidewalkisrecommended.

BuildanewClippershipParkonthelandmadeavailablebythisrealignment.

•

•

•

•

•

•

Existing Conditions - Road Lanes

Existing Conditions - Sidewalk

Existing Conditions - Northbound Section


Mystic River

Clippership Drive (newly aligned)

Vision for New Clippership Drive:

ClippershipDrivewillbe“A pedestrian-friendly street with retail and riverfront open space, which will revitalize downtown Medford”.

Master Plan of New Clippership Drive

Clippership Park

Clippership Drive

Parcel C

Transportation: MIT-Medford��

Clippership DriveStreetscape Improvements

PlazaThere will be new plazas between theexistingretailspacesandthesidewalkfacingthe river. Marked by different pavementtype from the sidewalk, they will containbenches, trees and shrubs in raised beds,andstreetlamps.Theseplazaswillprovideagoodplaceforoutdoorcafesandviewstotheriver.Itwillactivatetheexistingretailwhichiscurrentlynotwellutilized.

Bulbout Crosswalk Therewillbethreenewcrosswalksacrossthe new Clippership Drive combinedwith a bulbed-out curb line. Two will belocatedatstreetintersections,andoneatamid-block location. A bulbout (shown atright)eliminatestheparkinglanesnearthecrosswalk,making iteasier forcars toseepedestrians and shortening the crosswalkdistance. These crosswalks will providebetter and safer linkages from the SquaretothenewClippershipParkandtheMysticRiver.

Sidewalk and Bike PathContinuousandsafesidewalksarecriticalto creating a friendly and sustainablepedestriannetworkinthecity.ThedesignofthissidewalkconsiderstheexistingretailandthenewClippershipPark.Theregionalbike path will pass through ClippershipPark and merge with the sidewalk at themid-blockcrosswalk.

Intersection ReconfigurationThe intersection of Clippership Driveand Main Street will be reconfigured to better incorporate the regional bicyclepath and allow a new right turn fromClippership Drive westbound onto MainStreet northbound. The crosswalk will beintegratedwith thenewbulboutcurbline,and the existing pedestrian island will beeliminated.

Clippership Plaza

Bulbout Crosswalk

Sidewalk and Bicycle Path

Clippership Drive and Main Street Intersection

Regional Bike Path

Clippership Drive

Mai

n Str

eet


New DevelopmentSidewalk

New Clippership

Sidewalk

Grass Stairs

Clippership Park

Bike Path

River Bank

Mystic River

19’ 38’ 5’ 45’ 75’ 12’ 15’

Clippership Park Design

Open SpaceWiththerealignmentofClippershipDrive,anewriverfrontopenspacealongtheMysticRiverwillbecreatedasagatheringplacefortheresidentsinMedfordandsurroundingcommunities. Terracing on this slope willprovidea landscapednaturalseatingareainthepark,withslopingviewsdownfromClippership Drive to the river. This parkamenity will attract residents and visitorsalikeandincreasethevalueofexistingandnewdevelopmentinMedfordSquare.

View Corridor and ConnectionBoth visual and physical linkages areimportant to connect the Square with thenearbyriverfront.

Several key view corridors are proposedto ensure that people in the Square areaware of their proximity to Mystic Riverriverfrontandthenewopenspace.Peopleat the existing retail will be able to easilyapproach the open space via the newcrosswalksacrossClippershipDrive,usingthe pedestrian path through ClippershipPark to step down to the banks of theMysticRiver.

Regional Bike PathWithin Clippership Park, a 12-foot multi-usepathalong the riverwill continue theregional bikepathalong the MysticRiverGreenwayfromWellingtontoAlewife.Inaddition, several five-foot pedestrian paths will connect people on the ClippershipDrive sidewalk to different areas of thepark.

Various types of native plants can beconsidered at different locations of thepark to ensure a harmonious landscapedsetting.

Below: Section from the new development to Clippership Park

Clippership Park Terrace Bike and Pedestrian Paths

Regional Bike Path

Regional Bike Path

Clippership Drive

Transportation: MIT-Medford��

Street Design Guidelines

Street Pavement and Crosswalk Design

Sidewalk Paving and Curb Cuts

Street Lighting

ObjectivesStreetscape interventions in downtownMedfordSquareshouldstrivetomeetthefollowinggoals:

Reflect the historic character of Medford Square.Ensure a safe and friendly walkingenvironment.Designatahumanscale.Address the needs of the disabled/elderly.Provide convenient and enjoyableconnectionstotheMysticRiver.EnsurethatdesigniscoherentacrosstheCityofMedford.

Pedestrian EnvironmentMedford Square should be a safe, clean,accessible and interesting pedestrianenvironment.

Thedesignandscaleofpedestrianwalkwaysshould reflect adjacent land uses and traffic conditions. To facilitate easy circulationand access on foot, pedestrian crossingsshouldbelocatedatmajorintersectionsandmid-block crossing should be consideredon longer blocks. Bulbouts and texturedpavingshouldbeusedatbusycrossingsastoolstopromotepedestriansafety.

•

•

••

•

•

Sidewalk width should adequatelyaccommodate pedestrian flows, street furniture,streettreesandlandscaping,andprovideabufferbetweenpedestriansandcars.

Pavement surfaces should be visuallyattractive and interesting. High-quality,climateappropriate,andporouspavementsurfaces, such as patterned blocks, brickpaving or stone finish, should be used as accents.

Landscaping (Soft and Hard)Tree and shrub species should be chosenwith regard to their visual effect andseasonal color and should be appropriatefortheclimateofMedford.

The scaleand typeof landscaping shouldreflect the uses and activities of the area. DevelopmentneartheMysticRivershouldconsidertheuseofnativenon-invasivespecies.

Street Furniture AmenitiesHighqualitystreet furniture, lightingandsignageshouldbeprovidedtocomplementthehistoricalcharacterofthisarea.

Amenities such as public art, wayfinding signs, and banners should be encouragedto create a unique and engagingenvironment.

Design Inspirations


BudgetCost Item Approximate Amount

1. Northeast Gateway $260,000

1.1 Repave Salem Street $190,000

1.2 Sidewalks, crosswalks, and pedestrian lights $40,000

1.3 Improvements east of City Hall $30,000

2. South Gateway $2,430,000

2.1 Cradock Bridge improvements $410,000

2.2 Route 16 underpass improvements $150,000

2.3 Relocate Route 16 On/Off Ramps $1,870,000

3. Clippership Drive (Main St. to Riverside Ave.) $1,475,000

3.1 Full-depth construction of new road alignment $720,000

3.2 Sidewalks, crosswalks, and pedestrian lights $190,000

3.3 Pedestrian amenities (plazas, etc.) $150,000

3.4 Parcel or easement acquisition $415,000

4. Design and engineering $310,000

5. Project administration $210,000

6. Force account (police, detours, town staff, etc.) $625,000

7. Overall project contingency (20% of total) $1,100,000

8. Total Transportation Improvements $6,380,000

These recommended interventions willcomeataprice.Atrightisapreliminary,conservativeestimateofcosts.

First StepsSome of these improvements consistof smaller, cheaper projects the City ofMedfordcouldadvancequicklyandclaimrelativelyeasysuccesses.Forexample,theimprovementstotheMainStreetgateway,includingCraddockBridgeandtheRoute16underpass,couldcostwellunderamilliondollars and bring dramatic, symbolicchanges to the pedestrian environment intheSquare.Restripingtravellanesarealsosmall,discreteprojectswithgood“bangforthebuck.”

Long-Term GoalsThe two most ambitious and powerfulelements of these transportationinterventions are the construction of newroadsandsidewalksinClippershipDrive,and the relocated Route 16 on- and off-ramps.Theleastcostlyitemsarepedestrianimprovements, such as sidewalks,crosswalks,andlights.

Potential Funding SourcesIt is important to keep this price tag inperspective.TheCityofMedfordreceivedonly about $270,000 in Chapter 90 statefunds in fiscal year 2007, and its municipal budgetisveryconstrained.Itisclearthat

otherfundingsourcesareneeded.Whileawiderangeoffundingsourcesexist,beloware the programs which reflect the best optionsfortheCityofMedford.Massachusetts Public Works EconomicDevelopment Program, administered bythe Executive Office of Transportation, is a source of state funds for which theClippership Drive improvements wouldbeacompetitivecandidateforsustainabledevelopment, downtown revitalization,andothercriteria.The U.S. federal funding legislation,SAFETEA-LU, sets aside a fixed percentage of its expenditures for TransportationEnhancements, for which the MedfordSquaregatewayswouldbegoodcandidates.Inaddition,Section5309ofthisbillincludesa$1.7millionearmarkforapark-and-ridefacility for Medford Square under, whichcouldbeleveragedforfuturedevelopmentin conjunction with a sponsoring agencysuchastheMBTA.

AsMedfordoffersfordevelopmentitsthreecity-owned parcels, some constructionelements could be assumed by privatedevelopers.However,adevelopers’abilitytoshoulderthesecostswilllargelydependonthevalueofthedevelopment,anditisunlikely that developers can be expectedto take on significant portions of these improvementsinthenearfuture.

Severalnotesofcautionshouldbeappliedtothis preliminary cost estimate: these figures are based on average construction costsonly,anddonotconsiderprojectphasing,or utility work. The estimate assumesonly minimal levels of town support forconstructiondetours,androadshutdowns,

etc. are assumed. Construction on busycity streets is always a more complicatedendeavor.

Redevelopment

Redevelopment: MIT-Medford ��

Founded in 1630 and established in 1892,theCityofMedfordboastsarichhistoricalheritage that includes shipbuilding andbrick manufacturing. While the City hasstrived to preserve its historic character,modern day physical and economicdevelopment has negatively altered someoftheoriginallandscape.Requirementsforparkinghavecreatedlargeareasofsurfacelots thatareaestheticallydispleasing,andtheMysticRiver-oncethehubofactivity-iscurrentlyinaccessibleandoutofviewfrommostoftheSquare.

The City currently owns three parcelson the eastern edge of the Square. Thedevelopment of these parcels will createnew opportunities to retain the originalcharacter while enhancing the retail andeconomic climate. The realignment ofClippership Drive will also allow a directlink between physical development andopenspace-restoringtheriverfrontto itsoriginalvibrancyandcentralactivity.

Previous plans have addressedredevelopmentinabroadcontext,butthisreportwillprovidetheCitywithconcreteimplementation strategies that can ensureMedfordachievesthetypeofdevelopmentitdesires.

GoalFoster development within MedfordSquare that honors and respects thehistoricpast,whileforgingopportunitiesforaviableandprogressivefuture.

•

ObjectivesFormulate a regulatory framework thatestablishespreferredguidelinesforfuturedevelopment.Assess the viability of redevelopmentoncity-ownedparcelsandhighlight thetrade-offsinvolvedinachievingthetypeofdevelopmenttheMedfordcommunitywants.Deviseaprogramthatensuressustainedeconomicdevelopmentbystrengtheningexisting retail and attracting newinvestmenttothefutureretailmarket.

•

•

•

RecommendationsCreate a Zoning Overlay District thatwillserveasaregulatoryframeworkthatestablishes rules for form and function,andguidelinesforfuturedevelopment.ReferencetheModel RFP asaguideforattracting developers to the City ownedparcels.

•

•

UtilizeDevelopment Scenarios toassessthe viability of development and theamount of revenue and public benefit the Citycanexpect.Implement Medford “Main Streets”programtostrengthenexistingbusinessesand attract new investment resultingfromdevelopment.

•

•

Introduction

Redevelopment: MIT-Medford�0

Zoning OverlayIntroductionThe creation of a zoning overlay withinMedfordSquarewillunifytheeastandwestsidesofthedistrictbycreatingaconsistentsetofrequirementsforformandfunction.Simultaneously,itwillallowforappropriatediversity by varying requirements forbuildingheights,setbacks,andusesbasedontheiruniquelocationwithintheSquare.

The flexibility of the zoning overlay allows for change, while preserving the existingcharacter of the Square as it grows. Azoning overlay is a simple and efficient tool thatcanbeaddedoverexistingzoning tocreate additional requirements that betterclarify regulations, physical form, andensureappropriateuseorfunction.

These updated regulations within theOverlayDistrictwillencouragemoreactivestreetfronts, while enhancing the physicalenvironment and protecting the uniquehistoricalcharacterofMedfordSquare.

Existing ZoningThemajorityofparcelswithintheMedfordSquare district fall under the C-1 zoningcategory.Azoningoverlaywouldaddressthe issues that currently exist under thiszoningcategory:

Dimensional Standards:15footminimumsetbacks pull buildings away from thestreet,while65footmaximumheightallowsfor building heights that are excessivelytallorinappropriateforcertainareasoftheSquare

Allowed Uses: Although the C-1 zoningdistrictallowsanadmirablevarietyofuses,these uses are general rather than specific enough to promote the most active usesalong the first floor of buildings or along theSquare’smajorstreets.

Unit size: Large minimum unit sizes,particularly for units on the first and second floors of multi-family buildings, prevent the type of residential real estate productdemandedbythemarketthatwouldseektolocatetoMedfordSquare.

Parking:Thecurrentminimumresidentialparking requirement creates an excessof surface/garage parking that makesredevelopment less financially-feasible andencouragesadowntownpuncturedbyparkinglots.

A zoning overlay is added over existing zoning to create a set of requirements that seek to protect the character of Medford Square, while unifying the east and west sides into a cohesive, vibrant, mixed-use center.

Dimensional standards pull buildings away from the street and detract from the public realm.

Encouraging more active retail uses in first-floor locations will contribute to more active streetscapes.

Excessive parking standards that put supply above demand can detract from the physical form and visual appeal of a downtown area.


SiteType FrontSetback

SideSetback

RearSetback Height Stepdown Lot/unit

width Parking Uses* PrecedentPicture

Major Corner

NosetbackallowedORfaçade built to noless than 75% ofstreetline; 5ft maxsetback for 25% offrontage

Nonerequired

Wherenostreetoralleyaccess,25ftminimumsetback

35ftminimum;65ftmaximum(3-6stories)

Whenwithin100ftofMainStsite,NeighborhoodStsiteorotherzoningdistrict,maximumheightis45ft

Nomorethan150ftcontiguous

1.4spaces/unit;retailparking1space/350SF

1st floor: Primary Retailrequired;SecondaryRetailbyspecialpermit;Upper floors: Residential&SecondaryRetail

Main Street

NosetbackallowedORfaçade built to noless than 75% ofstreetline; 5ft maxsetback for 25% offrontage

NonerequiredunlesssharedwithNeighborhoodStreetsiteorotherzoningdistrict

Wherenostreetoralleyacess,12ftminimumsetback

35ftminimum;45ftmaximum(3-4stories)

Whenwithin40ftofNeighborhoodStreetorotherzoningdistrict,maximumheightis35ft

15ftminimum,30ftmaximum;maxof7unitsor150ftcontiguous

1.4spaces/unit;retailparking1space/350SF

1st floor: Primary orSecondaryRetailrequired;SecondaryRetailbyspecialpermit; Upper floors: ResidentialorSecondaryRetail

Neighborhood Street 5ftmimimum;15ft

maximum10ftmimimum;15ftmaximum 15ftmaximum 35ft

maximum N/A N/A2.0spaces/unit;retailparking1space/350SF

1st floor: Residential orSecondaryRetailbyspecialpermit;1stfloor live-work units allowed

*Primary Retail encourages the highest amount of walk- through traffic. Examples include coffee shop, eatery, flower shop, book store or stationary store.*Secondary Retail encourages less walk-through traffic. Examples include health club, beauty salon, or laundry service.

Zoning OverlayModel Zoning Overlay DistrictBelowisageneralframeworkforamodelZoning Overlay District for MedfordSquare. The framework couples theconventionalzoningoverlaywitha“form-based”approach.Theframeworkisuniquein its ability to connect key developmentprinciples with different dimensional and

userequirementsfordifferentareasoftheSquare, thus respecting existing buildingpatterns while providing opportunitiesfor change where appropriate. Thenew zoning is presented in a simplified, graphical format, allowing it to functionas a flexible tool for both communicating

and implementing thevision forMedfordSquare.Itisintendedtoserveasasourceofinspiration,organization,andamethodof facilitation as Medford moves aheadwith its revitalization and redevelopmentefforts.


Key

Major

Corner

Main

Street

Neighborhood

Street

RetailA diverse mix of retail uses creates adestination for residents and visitors,enlivens the street, and strengthens theoveralleconomicbase.PrimaryRetailthatattractsahighamountof walk-through traffic is encouraged on the first-floor in key areas. Secondary Retail that attracts less walk-through traffic is encouraged on second floors and/or along minor streets.

•

•

•

All retail uses remain as flexible as possible, encouraging rather thanrestrictingordictatingusessothatretailspace in Medford Square can adapt tomarketchanges.

Historic StructuresHistoric structure and facades are acriticalelementtotheidentityofMedfordSquare.Structures and facades identified by the HistoricalCommissionshallbesubjecttothe provisions set forth in the MedfordZoningOrdinance,Chapter48,HistoricalPreservation.Historic structures and facades may beredeveloped under the Zoning Overlayandshallnotbesubjecttothedimensionalstandardsfortheirparticularsite.

ParkingThe residential parking requirementis reduced from 2.0 spaces/unit to 1.4spaces/unit.Thisreductionwillprovideresidents and visitors with sufficient access to business and services withoutoverwhelming or detracting from thecoherence and character of MedfordSquare.

•

•

•

•

•

BuildingsBuildings are built to the street edge,continuing the existing developmentpattern and forming a consistent wallthat defines the streetscape.Regular interruptions along buildingwall provide continued visual interestandimprovedpedestriancirculation.

•

•

Major Features of Zoning Overlay

Recommended Guidelines for Building AppearanceThe following provide a basic level ofguidancetoensurenewdevelopmentaddsappropriatelytothepublicrealm.

MaterialsFaçadedesignshouldbecomplementaryto a building’s original materials andadjacentbuildings.Brickandstoneconveypermanenceandare encouraged above other types ofmaterials.

FenestrationFor commercial facades, a minimum of60%ofastorefrontbetween3ftand8ftabovegradeshouldbetransparentglass.Windows should be used to displayproducts and services, and maximizevisibilityintostorefronts.Windowtransparencyshouldberetainedwheneverpossible.

Articulation to Building WallsLimitnumberofexteriorcolorstoprovideacleardesignintent.Inadditiontovisualbreaksinthefaçaderequired by zoning, any blank wall, ifvisible from a public way, should besoftenedbyincorporatingelementssuchassignage,murals,orpublicart.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Each color corresponds to a building type along the streets. The dimensional standards for color create a particular building type appropriate for that area of the Square.

Zoning Overlay


Recommended Guidelines for Parking Appearance In addition to lowering the residentialparking requirement, attention toqualitativeaspectsofparkingisnecessarytoensurethatsurfacelotsandgaragesdonotdetract from the coherence and characterofthearea.LiketheBuildingAppearanceGuidelines, these guidelines should beincorporatedintoanydevelopmentprocessinMedfordSquare.

Surface LotsA minimum of 20% tree coverage isrequired to be equally distributed overthesurfaceofthelot.Nomorethan50%oftreeslocatedalongtheperimeteroftheparkingareamaycounttowardsshadingrequirements.Encourage pervious surfaces/pavers toreduce stormwater runoff and improvedrainage.Placement of surface lots at the rear orwithin the courtyard of buildings ispreferred.A minimum standard of a 5 ft visualbuffersuchasawall,fence,orvegetativescreenisrequiredforallsurfacelotsthatfrontthestreetorapublicopenspace.

•

•

•

•

Parking StructuresRetail is encouraged on the first floor of parkinggaragestofosteranactivestreetpresence and a visually attractive streetedge.Parking garages should complementtheirsurroundingsthroughuseofsimilarbuildingmaterialsandlandscapingalongthebuildingedgeandatentrances.

•

•

Preferred: parking wrapped with retail Less Appropriate: stand-alone parking

This garage in Staunton, VA is attractively designed and uses materials similar to surrounding structures to blend in with the character of nearby façade.

The garage is safe and well-lit during night time hours of operation.

Well-designed buffers are an attractive technique for hiding suface lots from view.

Zoning Overlay

Redevelopment: MIT-Medford��

Introduction The Medford Square Zoning Overlaydistrict will ensure that developmentthroughoutMedfordSquare is inkeepingwith the unique character that currentlyexists. Development scenarios followwhichutilizetheprinciplesoutlinedinthezoningoverlayandapplythemtothethreecity-ownedparcelsthathavethepotentialfordevelopment.

City-Owned SitesThethreecity-ownedparcelslocatedontheeastern edge of Medford Square togethercompriseasizeableareaofland.

SiteAisadjacenttoI-93andliestotheeastof City Hall. It is composed of one city-ownedparceltotalling26,550sf.SiteB liestothesouthofCityHallandiscomprised of one city-owned parcel andoneprivateparcel,withatotalof65,000sf.Finally, Site C is adjacent to ClippershipDrive and encompasses one city-ownedparcel and one private parcel totalling65,000 sf. This lot area reflects the square footage that would be availableassuming previous recommendations areimplemented -namely the realignmentofClippershipDriveandtheconstructionofClippershipPark.

Scenario ObjectivesThedevelopmentscenariosaimtoprovidea measurement of the physical and financial feasibility of development, highlightingthe constraints, opportunities, and trade-offs.Additionally,thesescenariosprovideguidance on what the City may expect interms of building massing and program(i.e.thequantityofresidentialunits,retail,andparkingspaceswithinadevelopment).ThescenariosalsoprovidetheCitywithaclearer idea of the public benefits (such as ClippershipPark)thatitmayexpectfromaprivatedeveloper.Finally,thedevelopmentscenarios will project the amount of landrevenue that could be gained from eachsite.

AssumptionsAs with the assumption that availablesquare footage reflects the realigned ClippershipDriveandtheconstructionofClippership Park, additional physical andfiscal assumptions were made in order to build the financial model.

For simplicity, all residential units wereanalyzed as condominiums, so as toavoid a complicated discounted cash flow rental analysis. While the condo marketin the Greater Boston area is currentlyexperiencing increasing vacancy rates,newdevelopmentinthesurroundingareasuggest condos may likely be feasible forMedford Square by the time these unitsbecameavailableonthemarket;however,inordertobeconservativemarketratesalespricesonthecondoswereonlyestimatedat$360persf,foranaverageof$424,000percondo.

Thefullsetofassumptionscanbeseenonthe set of financial proformas for each site onpages46-48.

Development Scenarios

Contextualized Massing

Programmatic Massing

Potential development sites


Relevant Site Label Current # % Being Dev't AM Use PM Use Max Usage Replacement Site A Total A 134 100% 26.1% 24.6% 26.1% 35Site B Total B 123 70% 78.9% 60.2% 78.9% 68Site C Total 121

Site C C1 73 50% 61.6% 75.3% 75.3% 27 Site C C2 210 100% 44.3% 41.0% 44.3% 93

TOTAL 283 223

Even utilizing the parking reductionstandard outlined in the zoning overlaydistrict and replacing only the percentageof utilized parking spaces one-to-one,

Site A Site B Site C TotalNeeded

Replacement 35 68 120 223Retail 76 82 92 250Residential 0 171 150 321Total 111 321 362 794

ProvidedClippership 0 0 100 100Surface 29 45 20 94Garage 324 132 144 600Total 353 177 264 794

New on-street parking inventory

New on-street parking inventory

parking burdens remain the driver ofdevelopmentfeasibilityandplayedalargeroleintheassumptionsofeachsite.Thisisduelargelytothehighdevelopmentcosts

of parking construction, which averages$7,500forasinglespaceinasurfacelotand$20,000perspaceforagaragestructure.

The site map at left shows the amountof parking currently available in thedevelopment area. The amount ofreplacement parking was calculated bytaking the current number of parkingspacesandmultiplyingby thepercentageofthelottoberedeveloped.Thisamountwas then multiplied by the maximumusage percentage of the greater of AM orPM use. This figure then determined the amount of replacement parking needed,rather than replacing all spaces one-to-oneregardlessoftheirutilization.Evenso,parking requirements make the feasibilityofdevelopmentchallenging.

While the realignment and developmentoftheClippershipDriveareawillremovesome currently existing parking spaceswithinsurfacelots,itwillalsoaddroughly100 new on-street parking spaces toaccommodate new retail and residentialdevelopmentonParcelC.

The chart at right shows that the amountofparkingspacesremovedcanbeequallyreplaced; however, phased developmentwill be difficult because most replacement parking from Site B and Site C will bedevelopedonSiteA.

Parking replacement

Parking


SITE A: Potential Development Scenario

Development ProgramStructure Type Units BRs NSF/unit GSF/unit GSF EfficiencyResidential

Multi-family condo - - 1,176 1,384 - 85%Retail

Total SF 26,550 29,500 90%Parking Total Provided

Surface 29 Garage 324 Full under - Total 353

Cost Assumptions Revenue AssumptionsUnit Type $ / SF Residential Sale Price Size $ / SF

Four-story Multi-family 150$ Unit typeRetail 120$ Multifamily 423,360$ 1,176 360$

Parking $ / Space Affordable 200,000$ 1,176 170$ Surface 7,500$ Structured 20,000$ Retail $/SF/Yr. NNN 25$ Full Under 35,000$ Parking $/space/day 148 8$

Proforma - Part 1 Proforma - Part 2INCOME DEVELOPMENT COSTS

Residential Hard CostsMarket Rate -$ Building 3,540,000$ Affordable -$ 15% Parking 6,697,500$ Cost of Sales (@ 5%) -$ Landscaping -$ Total -$ Environmental Remed 200,000$

Retail Contingency (@ 5%) 521,875$ Stabilized Gross Income 663,750$ Total 10,959,375$ less Vacancy (@ 5%) (33,188)$ Soft Costs (@ 15% HC) 1,643,906$ Total 630,563$ Developer Op Ex. Carry -$ $7500/u/yr for 1/2 yearCap rate 9.00% Developer HOA Dues Carry -$ $300/u/m for 1/2 yearCapitalized value 7,006,250$ Total Dev't Cost 12,603,281$

Parking NOI (2,650,486)$ Stabilized Gross Income 432,160$ Developer Return (@ 15%) 1,890,492$ less Vacancy (@ 25%) (108,040)$ RESIDUAL LAND PRICE (4,540,978)$ Total 324,120$ Cap rate 11%Capitalized value 2,946,545$

Total 9,952,795$

Site A

Ground Floor Upper Floors

Given its adjacency toI-93, AmeriSuites, andthe Medford HousingAuthority buildings,SiteAiswellsuitedforalargerstructure.

RetailThe site is oddly configured but can fit a singleretailspaceof26,550netsf.Potentialretailers who require this amount of floor space, parking, and demographic contextinclude Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Gap,

OldNavy,andothersimilaranchorstores.These types of tenants would attractshoppers from the broader region withpositive spillover effects on the existingandnewretailintherestoftheSquare.

ParkingSurface parking could accommodate 20spaceswitha fullgarageabove the retail.The garage would have four levels ofparking with 324 total spaces. Note thatthesitecaneasilyaccommodateadditionalparking floors if needed. Indeed, this garagecouldutilizethefederal“intermodaltransit facility” earmark of approximately$1,700,000 by adding additional parkingabove.

Harvard Square - Retail with parking above


Site B

Underground Parking Ground Floor Retail Upper Floors

SouthofCityHallandfronting three mainstreets, Site B couldaccomodate groundfloor retail, parking underground, andhousingabove.

RetailThe net retail/office space on the ground floor totals 28,800 sf which could serve approximately 4-8 retail tenants and 4-7office/services tenants. The former would be restaurants, cafes, specialty shops, andother unique enlivening retail while thelatter, facing City Hall, would servicetenants such as lawyers, accountants,brokers,andotherprofessionalbusinessesin need of prime street frontage. Facingthesetenants,intherearofthesite,wouldbe45surfaceparkingspaces.

ParkingA fully ventilated underground parkinggarage for 132 cars will be located underthe ground floor retail.

HousingWith a double loaded corridor configuration aboveretail,SiteBallowsfor122residentialunits. Units are assumed to be 2-bed/2-bath,totalingapproximately1,100sfeach.In reality, there would likely be largervariety in unit size dependent upon amarketanalysis.

Chicago - Mixed-use infill development


Site C

Ground Floor Upper Floors

After the realignmentof Clippership Driveand the acquisition ofthe adjacent privateparcel, Site C totals65,000 sf, ideal for amix of retail, parking,andresidential.

RetailWith32,000sfofleasableretailspace,SiteCcanaccomodate9-15retailtenants.LikeSite B, these could be restaurants, cafes,specialtystores,andthelike.

ParkingTo provide enough parking on-site forresidentialunitsaswellasforretail,therecouldbea smallgarageon thenorthwestcornerof the site for144 carsandsurface

parking for 20 cars, accessed through thealley.

ResidentialThe building could support thirty-oneresidential units per floor for three floors, andfourteenunitsonthenortheastcorneras the building steps up to six stories.As such, the model assumes 107 totalresidentialunits.

Example: mixed-use infill development


Scenario ResultsFeasibilityThedevelopmentscenariosshowthathighquality,contextsensitivedevelopmentthatincorporates zoning overlay guidelinesispossible inMedfordSquare. However,the ability toattractdevelopers tosuchasizeableprojectwilllargelydependontheloweringofparkingrequirements.

The interdependent nature of the financial viability of the three sites does not easilylend itself to phased development. If,however, the City decides to pursue aphased development approach, a singledevelopercouldbedesignatedforallsites,allowing parking to be moved betweensites during construction. In any case, ifviewed as a whole, the three sites createmore options for the City, allowing forhigh quality design and programmaticefficiencies.

ExpectationsThe City should not expect high landrevenues from the development and saleof these parcels, unless market conditionsimprove, other funds are found, or tallerbuildingsarepermitted.Additionalfundsfor development could potentially comefrom the state’s 40R program for transitoriented development. The parkingfacility on Site A may be able to utilize apre-existingfederalallocationforMedford.The assumption of a 15 percent before-tax developer return on total assets couldprobablyalsobenegotiateddown.Indeed,such a return would produce a higherafter-taxinternalrateofreturn.Lastly,theCitycoulddecidetoallowtallerbuildingsand use the extra income to increase theresiduallandpriceorachieveotherpublicbenefits.

Site A Site B Site C TotalBuilding Height 4 stories 4-6 stories 4-6 stories - Residential units - 122 107 229 Rentable retail 26,550 28,800 32,198 87,548 Parking spaces 353 177 164 694 TDC 12,603,281$ 43,380,583$ 37,613,494$ 93,597,358$NOI (2,650,486)$ 9,403,727$ 10,511,931$ 17,265,172$Land Residual (4,540,978)$ 2,696,103$ 2,371,474$ 526,599$

Site A: Axonometric Site B: Axonometric Site C: Axonometric

Despitethehighcostofparking,eachnewmarginal residential unit would producearound$200,000inadditionalrevenue.Althoughlandrevenuesarelimited,theCitycan expect other benefits such as increased property values, real estate tax revenue,new affordable housing, new residents topromote retail, additional square footagefor retail development, and roughly 1.5acresofriverfrontopenspace.Asshowninthepropertytaxprojectionstableatleft,theCitycouldexpectasmuchas$1.3millioninnewtaxrevenuefromthethreesitesalone,notcountingotherpositiveexternalities.

Site A Site B Site C TotalResidential

Tax Rate 9.11 9.11 9.11 9.11Value -$ 51,649,920$ 45,299,520$ 96,949,440$ Revenue (Levy) -$ 470,531$ 412,679$ 883,209$

CommercialTax Rate 19.31 19.31 19.31 19.31Value 7,006,250$ 7,600,000$ 8,496,563$ 23,102,813$ Revenue (Levy) 135,291$ 146,756$ 164,069$ 446,115$

Total Prop. Tax Revenue 135,291$ 617,287$ 576,747$ 1,329,325$

New property tax projections

Summary table

A model Request For Proposal (RFP) hasbeen produced as a separate documentattached to this report and can serve as areference guide to help the City attractdeveloperstothethreecity-ownedparcels.ThroughtheRFPtheCityisalsopositionedtorequirecontributionstoitsMedfordMainStreets Program, which will be discussedfurtherintheupcomingsection.

Model RFP


Medford Square “Main Streets”IntroductionAs shown in the previous developmentscenarios, new development withinMedford Square will provide benefits to the City of Medford such as increasedproperty values, real estate tax revenue,new affordable housing, open space,and additional square footage for retaildevelopment.Itisimportanttoremember,however, that while new developmentis crucial to the successful revitalizationof Medford Square, sole reliance on newdevelopment and new retail tenants ispotentially treacherous considering thecurrentinvestmentclimate.

Fromthedeveloper’spointofview,Medfordmaybeperceivedasaweakergeographicmarket with higher risks entailed indevelopment. Thisperceptionmayact tofurtherdepressthelimitedrevenueorlandresidualtheCitycanexpecttoreceivefromthe sale of the three city-owned parcels.A preemptive effort that seeks to create amorepositiveretailclimateandinvestmentimageofMedfordSquareislikelytolowerthe level of risk perceived by developers,resultingindevelopmentproposalsthataddgreatervaluetotheMedfordcommunity.

Existingbusinessesareacriticalpartoftherevitalizationprocess.The“MainStreets”program is recommended for Medford

SquareasatoolthatcanbeusedtoretainandimprovelocalbusinessesintheSquarewhileattractingoutsideinvestment.Inthisway,theMainStreetsprogramadequatelyaddresses both sides of the revitalizationequation.

What is a Main Streets District?TheMainStreetsmodelwasdevelopedbytheNationalTrustforHistoricPreservationinthe1970s,andhassincebeenappliedinover1600urban,smallcity,andsmalltowndistrictsacrossthecountry.

MainStreetsisamodelforimprovingtheeconomic,social,andphysicalenvironmentsoftraditionaldowntownbusinessdistrictslike Medford Square by leveraging localassets. Main Streets takes a collaborativeapproach to economic development andpresses for incremental improvementscoupled with a long-term investmentvision to yield big gains in the future. AMedfordSquareMainStreetscouldhelptolink physical development and economicdevelopmentintheSquare.

Therearecurrentlyalmost25MainStreetsdistricts in Northeastern Massachusetts,including Somerville, Beverly, Salem,Boston(19separatedistricts)andLawrence.While the size, goals, and experiences ofeachdistrictdifferswidely,onaverageMainStreetsorganizationsreport$9.5millioninnewinvestment,49buildingimprovementprojects,32netnewbusinesses,and129netnewjobs.Asurveyofsuccessfulprogramsalso reports a significant decrease in average vacancyratesfrom21%to5%.

Organizational StructureMainStreetsdistrictstypicallyoperatewithone or two professional staff members,therebyrequiringonlymodestbudgetsofbetween$50,000and$100,000ayear.

An executive director staffs committeemeetings, provides professional supportandadvice,andcarriesouttheday-to-dayoperationsoftheorganization.

Volunteers serve as the lifeblood of theorganization, while a non-remuneratedboard of directors has responsibility forstrategic guidance. The board is oftencomprised of business leaders and thecommunity at large. Liaisons fromgovernment or other institutions serve asallies. In Medford Square, the Chamberof Commerce and Salem Street BusinessAssociation can serve as potentialallies, offering valuable capacity andcomplementary functions. These existinggroupsshouldbeinvitedtoplayanintegralpartinstructuringaMedfordSquareMainStreetsorganization.

Above: Medford’s historic character makes it ideal for a Main Streets DistrictBelow: Guiford, CT Downtown


ImplementationFour core committees are charged withimplementation,andtheirrespectivedutiesareasfollows:

Design: This committee designsstandardstocreateacohesive,attractivedistrict and retain architectural featuresof historical significance.

Economic Restructuring: Thiscommitteefocusesonimprovementoftheretailmixtoyieldamoreviablecommercialdistrictwhile retaining and building existingbusinesses.

Marketing and Promotion: The focusof this committee is on enhancingthe district’s image as an attractiveenvironmentinwhichtodobusiness.

Organization: This committee ensureseffective functioning, funding, andcapacitybuildingoftheorganization.

Additional committees can be formed toaddressparticularissuesoflocalconcernortailored to the specific needs of the district.

•

•

•

•

Steps to Starting a Medford Square Main Streets ProgramStep 1Establish a “working group” to explorewhether the Main Streets model is trulyappropriatefortheSquareandwhetherthecapacity and commitment needed to runsuchanorganizationispresent.

Step 2Better understand and gain confidence in thepotentialoftheMainStreetsapproachby interacting with existing Main StreetsgroupsinnortheasternMassachusetts.Step 3A comprehensive stakeholder mappingmust be performed to determine theprojected level of participation, amountof support and commitment, human/organizational capacity, and potentialfundingsources.

Step 4Incorporate Medford Square Main Streetsas a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt corporationandestablishby-laws.

Step 5Recruit board members and committeemembersandhireanexecutivedirector.

Medford Square “Main Streets”Why Main Streets in MedfordIn addition to its clear status as atraditional,downtowndistrict, theSquarehassuccessfulsmallbusinesses,committedcitizens, and a responsive government.MedfordSquareisaviablebusinessdistrictand community, but it is currently notfunctioning at its full potential. A MainStreets program could serve as the civicmachinery that is needed to help balanceandshape thechanges thatwilloccurviathe new development envisioned for themunicipally-ownedparcels.

Church Street in Burlington, VTAbove top: South Boston, VAAbove bottom: Virginia Main Streets District


Linkage:Asoneofthefewmunicipalitiesin Massachusetts with a linkageordinance,Medfordmightbeabletouselinkagemoniesasa fundingsource forMainStreets.

Foundation Grants: SeveralfoundationssuchasTheBostonFoundation,HyamsFoundation, Boston Globe Foundation,andBankofAmericaFoundationhavefundedlocalMainStreetsgroupsinthepast.

Corporate Buddy: A“corporatebuddy”canprovidemanagerialexpertiseandastable financial contribution on the order of$10,000peryear.Typically,thebuddyisalargercorporationorinstitutionwithdeeprootsinthecommunity.Anumberof local banks (Century in particular),TuftsUniversity,andHarvardVanguardmightbecandidatesforthisrole.

Business Improvement District (BID): Ina BID, property owners within a defined district agree to accept a small yearlyassessmenttoprovideessentialservicesto the district. BIDs can function as amajorrevenuesourceforanestablishedMainStreetsdistrict.

•

•

•

•

Memberships: Memberships forbusinesses can be offered and pricedon a sliding scale. Memberships areoftenlinkedtoa“rewards”or“frequentbuyer”club.

Events: Special events like raffles and festivalscanhelpgeneraterevenueandbroadenthusiasmfortheorganization.

•

•

Medford Square “Main Streets”Funding a Main Streets ProgramWhile all of the start-up agenda requiresmultiple complex steps, budgeting andfundraising are often the most difficult.

Each Main Streets district has a differentscopeofservicesandisfundeddifferently,reflecting local and regional differences. Most have multiple funding sources,including one or two primary revenuestreams or donors and several minor orirregularsources.PossiblefundingsourcesforaMedfordSquareMainStreetsDistrictinclude:

City of Medford: Many Main Streetsdistricts receive modest funding fromtheir host municipality during theinitial years of operation ($40,000 -$100,000 per year). This contributionisoftenleveragedwithotherfundsandvolunteerismtocreateagreater impactthan similar sums channeled directlythroughthecity.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG):Amodestappropriationfromthe City’s Community DevelopmentBlock Grants might be feasible. Thesefunds are typically used by MainStreetsorganizationstocoveroperatingexpenses.

•

•

Sources and Appendices

MIT-Medford ��

Sources

Columbia Pike Special RevitalizationDistrict Form Based Code, ArlingtonCounty,VA,2002

Hellmund, Paul Cawood and DanielSomers Smith. Designing greenways :sustainable landscapes for nature andpeople.Washington:IslandPress,2006.

Medford Square Master Plan, SasakiAssociates,June2005.

Medford Square Master Plan: TechnicalAppendix.SasakiAssociates,June2005.

Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 94, RevisedOrdinances), City of Medford, MA.Adopted2001.

Zoning and Land Use Bylaws for NASSouth Weymouth (as Approved by theCorporation,May5,2005),SouthShoreTri-Town Development Corporation, SouthWeymouth,MA,2005.

Appendices

Underseparatecover.

Appendicesinclude:

A. Regional Traffic Model ResultsB.MedfordSquareTransportationImprovementsBudgetC.ModelRFPfordevelopmentparcels

Documents

Medford, MA