Great Neighborhoods is supporting the work of a group of strategic partners including a coalition of community developers, business people, and city leaders to transform the historic North Canal Mill District by redeveloping the vacant, under-used mills with a mix of commercial and residential uses. The goal is to create a healthy and appealing urban neighborhood that will provide homes for a range of income levels, jobs for local residents, open space and environmental improvements and expanded transit choices like walking and biking.
10-year Goals (2021)
- Create 200 units of housing in the North Canal District.
- Establish five miles of community paths in Lawrence that connect low-income neighborhoods to parks and commercial areas.
- Establish three regional destinations for retail and services.
- Establish a municipal Master Plan that includes land use, infrastructure, transportation, and economic development strategies.
Highlights (2012)
- Completed construction on 60 affordable rental units at Union Crossing and hosted a ribbon-cutting with more than 200 residents, public officials, and supporters.
- Created a viable financial model for the 28,000 square foot commercial development at Union Crossing Phase One.
- Completed construction of The five-mile Spicket River Greenway
- Worked with WalkBoston to conduct walking audits to identify strengths and weaknesses of neighborhood connections to the Greenway.
- Worked with the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission (MVPC) to conduct a feasibility study for a new shared use path along a rail corridor that links Lawrence to Manchester, New Hampshire.
- Conducted “placemaking” workshops with Project for Public Spaces that created an action agenda for the North Canal and mobilized residents and community leaders.
- Helped found We Are Lawrence, a local movement to improve the perception of the city.
Working Documents
- Getting to the Greenway: A Walking Assessment for WalkBoston and Groundwork Lawrence, prepared by Mariko Davidson and Jocelyn Drummond MCP, DUSP, MIT (January 31, 2012)