Downtown Revitalization Workshop
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
o Demographic with purchasing power already lives in Bridgewater and surrounding community's median income is $110, 924.00
o Demographic changes in housing types
▪ Empty-nesters seeking to shed large houses (which cycle to younger families)
▪ Early-stage professionals favor lowcar or no-car lifestyle
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• Bridgewater Comprehensive Master Plan, 2022
• Bridgewater Downtown Community Development
Master Plan, 2014
• Bridgewater Complete Streets Prioritization Plan and Pedestrian Safety Assessment
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• Bridgewater Housing Production Plan, 2017
• Bridgewater State University (BSU)
Institutional Strategic Plan, 2018
• MBTA Communities Program, adopted in 2021 – Bridgewater has approved Action Plan
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• Perception of disconnection between destinations
− Lack of Walking, Bike/Pedestrian Infrastructure
• Existing MBTA location is underutilized
• Downtown properties are underutilized
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Existing Platform
Total households within 0.5-mile
MBTA Communities radius: 377
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• CDBG Funding (Façade Improvements, Downtown Revitalization Plan, Revolving Loan Fund)
• MassDevelopment - Community Planning Grant Program
• MassDevelopment – Massachusetts Downtown Initiative
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• Outreach, engagement and education
• Business owners
• Stakeholders
• Residents
• Downtown storefront rehab program
• Downtown Bridgewater advocacy organization
• Improve pedestrian corridors/connections
• Streetscape improvements
• Placemaking projects
• Recruitment of new businesses
• Marketing of Downtown
• Transportation infrastructure improvements
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• Partners/Resources
• Massachusetts Downtown Initiative
• Main Street America
• Supporting actions
• Relocate MBTA platform
• Adopt new zoning bylaw including:
• Form based code
• MBTA densities
• Cooperative agreement between BSU and Town
• Collaborative programming
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• Massachusetts Housing Partnership - $20,000 Initiate zoning amendment scope
• Housing Choice Grant Program - $100,000 - $300,000 Complete Zone Amendment and Form Based Code
• Congressional Directed Spending Request - $2,000,000
Renovations to Old Town Hall
• Complete Streets Program - $400,000
Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements
• Population: 17,768
• Key elements: − Visit Greenfield org.
− City economic development department
− Complete streets projects with State transportation $
− Anchor building redevelopment
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Precedent: Hudson, MA
• Population: 20,092
• Key elements:
− Hudson BID
− Transportation improvements
− Events
−
Marketing/Advocacy
− Business recruitment/retention
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• Population: 22,569
• Key elements:
− Heart of Biddeford org.
− Maine Main Street program
− Events
−
Marketing/Advocacy
−
Business recruitment/retention
− Housing redevelopment
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• Form Based Code (FBC) is an alternative zoning district that allows for the regulation of development that helps a community realize its vision for a specific area.
• While existing zoning focuses on separating land uses (i.e., residential, commercial, industrial) it does little to encourage an integrated approach to development.
• FBC helps regulate land development and redevelopment by setting careful and clear controls on building form, rather than focusing strictly on types of land use.
• FBC typically allows for more density than existing zoning districts.
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• FBC clearly defines requirements for building heights, building and parking placement, architectural features, as well as standards for sidewalks street trees, parking and public spaces.
• A mix of affordability is required for housing units.
• It also can provide a less intensive/ expensive option than current Planning & Zoning Review.
• FBC can also provide financial incentive by offering a faster and more streamlined approval process.
• Benefits to FBC include a more predictable outcome due to form-driven zoning requirements.
• The Town and the community each benefit from managed growth and public improvements that are aligned with a collective vision for the future.
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• April
• Town Council Workshop
• Form based code scoping
• Begin Public Engagement
• May – Expand Public Engagement
• June-August – Development of Zoning Amendment and Form-Based Code
• September – Council Workshop
• October – Initiate approval and adoption process
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• In planning, transit-oriented development (TOD) is a type of development that maximizes the amount of residential, business and leisure space within walking distance of public transportation. It promotes a symbiotic relationship between dense, compact urban form and public transportation use. In doing so, TOD aims to increase public transportation ridership by reducing the use of private cars and by promoting sustainable growth.
• TOD typically includes a central transit stop (such as a train station, or light rail or bus stop) surrounded by a high-density mixed-use area, with lower-density areas spreading out from this center. TOD is also typically designed to be more walkable than other built-up areas, by using smaller block sizes and reducing the land area dedicated to automobiles.
• The densest areas of TOD are normally located within a radius of 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 mile (400 to 800 m) around the central transit stop, as this is considered an appropriate scale for pedestrians, thus solving the last mile problem.
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• Massachusetts MBTA Communities who are developing residential/mixeduse zones near MBTA stations:
− Canton
− Mansfield
− Attleboro
− Beverly −
Many more Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• Population: 24,370
• Key elements:
− New zoning bylaw, Canton Center Economic Opportunity
District − Streetscape Improvement
Project
−
Public Works Economic Development (PWED) Grant
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• Existing factors impacting redevelopment and TOD
o Under-utilized properties appropriate for redevelopment
o 233 Broad Street - Campus Plaza and adjacent sites
▪ 60-86 Broad Street - Former Friendly’s and adjacent sites
▪ 180 Broad Street - Foundry site
▪ 0 Hale Street – Technical Recycling
▪ 106 Hale Street – (concrete foundation site)
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
60-86 Broad Street
Former Friendly’s and adjacent sites
Former Friendly’s
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
0 Hale Street
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
180 Broad Street
Foundry site
Foundry Site
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Campus Plaza
Campus Plaza and adjacent sites
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
233 Broad StreetBridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• Cooperative Agreement
• Community Partnerships
• Multi-discipline service-learning collaboration
• Bike/pedestrian infrastructure collaboration
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• What examples do you like and see as applicable to Bridgewater?
• Which examples do you have concerns about?
• What actions/implementation do think can be priorities for action?
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
• NJ TOD economic research
• Norwalk, CT TOD –
− 367 units in 5 market rate multi-unit properties
− 7 Norwalk Public School
Students in residence
− Ratio: 1 student per 52 units
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
60-86 Broad Street Former Friendly’s and adjacent sites
▪ Map-Parcel: 21-98; 21-97; 2196; 21-95 ▪ 91,816 Sq. Ft.
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
0 Hale Street Technical Recycling
▪ Map-Parcel: 21-188
▪ 52, 055 Sq. Ft.
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023
106 Hale Street
Concrete foundation site
▪ Map-Parcel: 34-233
▪ 63, 360 Sq. Ft.
Bridgewater, MA Town Council Workshop - April 11, 2023