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Placemaking Project: “Somerville by Design” Davis Square Master Plan & Pop Up Plaza

The Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance recognizes placemaking initiatives across the Commonwealth. This project is one of many that were featured at our 2013 conference. See other placemaking examples

As part of the Somerville by Design effort, Principle Group has been working with the city to create a community led 30 year master plan for Davis Square. This planning process and resulting plan has used a sophisticated public input process that is a variation on the traditional charrette process as well as the use of Tactical Urbanism to engage stakeholders, in the short term to improve the square, and inform our long term plan by testing assumptions in the real world. This effort has resulted in positive community engagement in the plan and a coordinated process by government to create an implementation plan that has both three months objectives and 30 year goals.

Contact: Russell Preston, Principle Group, russell@russellpreston.com