By Seth Daniel
The City and Utile Design will unveil the fruits of many months of study in and around Everett Square at the City Council meeting on March 14.
Exactly one year ago, the City contracted with Utile Design of Boston – one of the top streetscape designers in the region – to perform a visioning exercise in Everett Square, looking at the park space, sidewalks and key vacant buildings. At the same time, Utile coordinated with a transit study done by Nelson Nygaard.
It was a way to take one of the busiest areas of Everett and think about what it could be like in the future.
Now, on March 14, that yearlong study will be ready for public consumption.
“I want to thank Utile on the Everett Square Design study,” said Mayor Carlo DeMaria. “The redesign of the Square will allow for outdoor seating, better signage, more efficient use of parking, upgrade of zoning, and enhance community gathering spaces. By making all these change Everett Square will be a more welcoming space for our residents and businesses.”
Jay Monti, a City planner, said they were thrilled with what Utile had done, and he said they were excited to link the two studies together in the public forum.
“It’s looking creatively about what we want to do with the parkland in the Square between the bus stop and the Library,” he said. “They also look at the parking lots, but for access to pedestrians and bicycles, as well as for those parking. They have also looked at the streetscape on Norwood Street to see ways that could allow sidewalk dining and seating. It looks at making that a much more pedestrian friendly street.”
Other aspects looked at the potential of the Silver Line coming into Everett Square, which was called for in the Everett Transit Action Plan – analyzing how that would work within Everett Square.
Finally, he said they have analyzed the re-use of key properties in and around Everett Square – including buildings like the Masonic Building on Broadway that is now vacant and likely ripe for development.
“They have done a very good job and we are thrilled to present it on March 14,” he said.