The state legislature and Gov. Romney have approved $500,000 for the Framingham Downtown Renaissance economic revitalization group and the development of a capital plan for Framingham, the MetroWest Daily News reports. I’m not sure yet what specifically the money will be spent on (although I hope some streetscape improvements!)
Archive for June, 2006
Framingham Planner to Speak on Pedestrian, Bicycle Issues
June 30, 2006The Planning Department has gained additional staff and will be able to dedicate more resources to bicycle, pedestrian, and trail projects, William Hanson, chair of the Framingham Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, reports. Planner Lily Pollans will attend the committee’s next meeting, July 11, 7:30 pm at Town Hall, to discuss current projects and goals for [...]
Study: Middle-income urban neighborhoods disappearing even faster than the middle class
June 28, 2006It’s not just Manhattan that’s turning into an urban enclave for either the rich or poor. As the American middle class shrinks, urban middle-class neighborhoods are disappearing even faster, according to a Brookings Institution analysis of 1970-2000 U.S. census data.
“Middle-income neighborhoods as a proportion of all metropolitan neighborhoods declined from 58 percent in 1970 to [...]
Pedestrian Friendly: Absolutely Opaque on the Concept
June 25, 2006Talk about unclear on the concept of what pedestrian friendly development should be! In yesterday’s Boston Globe article about an outdoor “lifestyle center” shopping center coming to Burlington was this gem of a quote from Steve Rice at Patriot Partners , Wayside Commons’ developer:
“It’s pedestrian friendly. You can pull your car up right to the [...]
‘Is this a pedestrian-friendly city or a vehicle-friendly city?’
June 18, 2006There’s an interesting debate going on in downtown Dallas over a stretch of Browder Street, which is supposed to be pedestrian-only. But now cars are already using it, and there’s some talk of allowing vehicles back.
“We give up so much to our cars and give so little to our pedestrians,” Dallas City Council member Angela [...]
Congress for New Urbanism Gives Design Award to … the Army?
June 14, 2006Yup. “Since the Department of Defense began privatizing its housing in 1996 (more than 128,000 units to date), replacing and upgrading an antiquated stock through partnerships with the private sector, the armed services have started running in some surprising architectural circles,” the New York Times reports in New Urbanism: It’s in the Army Now. “On [...]
City Hall Plaza Update
June 11, 2006The fountain that never worked, at the public space that never worked, has been paved over at Boston’s City Hall Plaza, but I don’t share city officials’ enthusiasm that the concrete has improved the plaza’s appeal at all. You can see some before and after photos at Boston.com. I took an “after” photo this afternoon, [...]
‘MetroFuture’ Greater Boston Planning Workshop June 27
June 7, 2006The MetroFuture project is holding a workshop at the Sheraton Tara in Framingham Tuesday, June 27, from 5 to 9 pm (as well as Wednesday, June 28 at Northeastern University in Boston) to discuss alternative growth strategies for the region.
From their Web site:
