O
ver the past thirty years, Downtown Lowell has undergoneThe Need for a Plan
Many indicators point to the fact that Downtown Lowell is succeeding. Storefront vacancies are significantly lower than in the past. Crime rates throughout Lowell have dropped dramatically over the past ten years. Many abandoned and "obsolete" Downtown buildings have been rehabilitated and converted into highly productive office and residential spaces. The retail economy is active. The streets and sidewalks are busy with shoppers, workers and students. Downtown is becoming a magnet for artists, young professionals and empty nesters, all of whom are attracted to Downtown Lowell’s rich urban fabric. Downtown Lowell appears to be on the verge of becoming a dynamic, exciting place.
Despite these signs, a number of problems persist and long-standing issues remain unresolved. The physical condition of some buildings has been allowed to deteriorate to such a point that they will require very substantial renovation budgets. At the same time, these owners have put exorbitant price tags on the sale of these buildings, effectively deterring their sale to someone who would be able to undertake such a large amount of work.
A strategic plan is needed that will ensure that revitalization takes Downtown Lowell "to the next level." Downtown Lowell stakeholders must build upon past successes without an air of complacency to bring about a true renaissance to the Downtown. The model that drove earlier successes–public-private partnerships based on concepts of economic development and historic preservation–is still relevant today. Downtown Lowell must build on this model to achieve the pinnacle of success.
Downtown Master Plan Study Area
For the purposes of analyzing Downtown Lowell, two geographic definitions of Downtown were used throughout the Master Plan process--the Downtown Planning Area and the Downtown Core. The Downtown Planning Area spans an area bounded by the Western Canal to the west, the Merrimack River to the north, the Concord River to the east, and the Pawtucket Canal to Market Street to the south. Within this area, a Downtown Core area was identified and studied in greater detail. This area includes properties located along Merrimack Street from Kearney Square to Arcand Drive, along Middle and Market Street, from Central Street to Dutton Street, along Central Street from Towers Corner to Merrimack Street, and along John, Shattuck and Palmer Streets.
The Master Plan Process
In the spring of 2000, the Lowell City Council and the Downtown Lowell community identified a need to take a new look at Downtown Lowell and devise a strategic plan to continue improving Downtown Lowell. From the initiative of the City Council’s Downtown Subcommittee, a Master Plan Team was selected from the staff of the Division of Planning and Development (DPD) to develop a strategic plan and vision for the continued redevelopment of Downtown Lowell.
Throughout the process of developing the Downtown Lowell Master Plan, the Master Plan Team has sought to involve the public to develop consensus regarding the important issues and possible solutions to problems facing Downtown Lowell. Four primary means of soliciting public participation were carried out during this planning process, including:
• City Council Ad-hoc Downtown Improvements Subcommittee - The public’s first point of involvement in the planning process was a series of public meetings hosted by the City Council in the spring of 2000. Various topics and citizen concerns were discussed as they relate to Downtown Lowell. Comments from these public meetings were incorporated into this Master Plan.
• Downtown Lowell Master Plan Community Advisory Committee (CAC) - A Community Advisory Committee (CAC) was created to oversee the planning process and give direction to the Master Plan Team. The thirty-member CAC was appointed by the City Manager and represented a broad cross section of Downtown Lowell stakeholders, including Downtown businesses, building owners, institutions and residents. Meeting on a monthly basis, the CAC provided insight to Master Plan Team on the history of the Downtown and assisted in the development of the Master Plan through its completion.
• Focus Groups - Specific issues were discussed during separate focus group meetings on a variety of topics that affect Downtown Lowell. These meetings were conducted with relevant stakeholders according to topic. Focus groups met to investigate the issues of traffic, urban design, tourism, commercial development, residential development, and public safety.
• Surveys - During the Summer and Fall of 2000, the Division of Planning and Development conducted two surveys—one soliciting input from the existing business community and one focused on the current residential population of Downtown Lowell. These surveys were carried out in order to collect valuable market data and to more accurately determine the needs and desires of these important constituencies.
This broad-based public participation process was used to identify a wide variety of Downtown Lowell issues and needs. In addition, past studies and proposals for the redevelopment of Downtown Lowell were often used throughout the planning process as primary and secondary sources of data for the Master Plan.
A Vision for Downtown Lowell
Based on issues identified through the public participation process, a direction for the future of the Downtown slowly began to form. Further insight was developed through an analysis of existing conditions and an identification of the future trends affecting Downtown Lowell. Utilizing all of these resources, the Downtown Lowell Master Plan CAC established and endorsed the following mission statement and principles to guide the future development of Downtown Lowell:
"Downtown Lowell is envisioned as a unique, vibrant 24 hour community that provides an attractive, safe and user-friendly environment for people to work, shop, visit and live."
This Plan seeks to provide a blueprint for transforming Downtown Lowell into a place where all groups of people: workers, shoppers, tourists, students, and residents can create a continuous hub of activity. Downtown Lowell must provide every user with three basic qualities:
1. Downtown Lowell must be physically attractive and void of unkempt buildings, trash, graffiti and other unappealing features;
2. Downtown Lowell must be a safe place at all times, especially during evenings and weekends;
3. Downtown Lowell must strive to be interesting and "user friendly," easy and convenient for these user groups to access on a regular basis
Goals for Downtown Lowell
Specific goals for the future of Downtown Lowell were endorsed by the Citizens Advisory Committee, and include the following:
• Utilize the unique cultural heritage, historic tradition and natural resources of Downtown Lowell to generate new economic opportunities and growth in the Downtown.
• Make Downtown Lowell safe and convenient for pedestrians.
• Create new housing opportunities in Downtown Lowell, especially for artists.
• Create an active, clean and safe urban riverfront that creates opportunities for recreation and becomes the spine of the Downtown community.
• Enhance the positive image of and investment in the Downtown.
• Develop cooperation and coordination amongst Downtown groups – particularly in the areas of marketing and maintenance.
The final result of this Master Plan process is a true community-driven plan to guide the future of Downtown Lowell. Any future public and private investments in Downtown Lowell will be based on the shared vision outlined in this Master Plan.
Downtown Improvement Strategy
As the elements of this plan are laid out, it is important to note certain guiding principles that will direct the approach of this plan:
• Long-Term Strategies - The revitalization that Downtown Lowell has experienced has not happened overnight, and it would be unreasonable to perceive that new changes to the Downtown will happen instantaneously. Revitalization will occur by keeping long-term strategies in mind. Continued revitalization of the Downtown will occur over a ten-year period, fulfilling a community-based vision for the Downtown.
• Multi-Project Approach - While the Tsongas Arena and the National Historic Park have had a significant impact on Downtown Lowell, neither of these projects alone has been able to completely transform the Downtown. It takes a multifaceted approach, incorporating many key revitalization elements, to allow Downtown Lowell to prosper.
• Setting Priorities - This Master Plan does not recommend a reliance on the strong hand of the public sector. If successful, the Downtown’s revitalization must continue through partnerships between the public and private sector. In this manner, the public sector will have to prioritize the proposals that it wishes to implement, and those that are better suited for cooperative arrangements or private sector investments. Public investment in the Downtown should be conducted in a manner that will attract private investment and maximize its impact and visibility.
• Attention to Detail - Often times, a number of small improvements can yield greater results than one large change. For instance, regular clean up of the alleyways and the addition of hanging flower baskets can incrementally change the experience of Downtown Lowell patrons, at a relatively low cost. Similar, low-cost, improvements to details should continually be explored and emphasized.
A multi-pronged strategy of consistent improvement of each pillar of the Downtown Lowell economic base is encouraged in this Master Plan. Strategies to increase housing opportunities, stabilize and expand the retail economy, enhance the public realm and expand the office market have been explored in this Master Plan.
Downtown Housing Strategy
Increasing the number of Downtown Lowell residents, by creating more housing opportunities, is one major means of increasing the level of activity in Downtown Lowell, 24 hours a day. This Master Plan strives to increase the number of housing units overall, while rebalancing the housing mix to include more market rate units. As Downtown Lowell is experiencing strong demand for housing, the time to facilitate the development of market-rate housing opportunities is now. This can be accomplished by:
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Analyzing and ranking all existing housing complexes and vacant buildings according to their potential to support market-rate housing;•
Aggressively market and incentivize the sites most likely to support market rate housing. Less marketable sites, such as Canal Place III and Mass Mills III could be packaged with traditional housing subsidies to create new or replacement units for the elderly and low income residents;•
Create targeted efforts to support the development of artist housing, such as establishing incentives for artist housing, forming a new arts and culture organization, and establishing new venues to showcase art, such as museums and galleries.
Office Development Strategy
The future demand for office space will be driven by larger regional market forces. However, much can be done to improve the attractiveness of Downtown Lowell for office tenants and developers, alike, as demand improves. Efforts should focus on three efforts, including:
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Advocate strongly to create new building codes for renovation of older structures, such as what exists in New Jersey and Maryland. This will lower the cost of renovation.•
Increase the supply of parking, particularly near the Boott Cotton Mills and the Central Street area. Using existing funding tools creatively, such as tax increment financing and zoning incentives with traditional funding sources should be aggressively pursued.•
Develop a program to insure modern telecommunications infrastructure is available to all Downtown Lowell buildings.Other efforts to improve the attractiveness of public realm within Downtown Lowell generally, will reinforce and support efforts to develop a solid core of office properties.
Retail Enhancement Strategy
Expanding and enhancing the retail base is necessary to build a critical mass of shops and restaurants. Improving the shopping experience is important so that Downtown Lowell shops compete effectively with other shopping destinations. The emphasis should be placed upon overall attractiveness, convenience and uniqueness. A comprehensive strategy must include:
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Hiring a full-time Downtown Manager in order to coordinate technical assistance, centralize market information and assist with promotions for existing retailers;•
Developing a sustained retail recruitment program to continually breath new life into the retail market. Sustained funding of successful incentive programs such as the Downtown Venture Fund is essential.•
Creating new additional spaces for retailers. This can be accomplished by establishing new zoning regulations that preserve first-floor spaces for retail uses, instituting a City policy of preferring upper story locations for administrative offices and by fostering opportunities for medium and large retailers as part of new development projects.
Public Realm Improvement Strategy
The condition of the streets, sidewalks, and other public areas sends a strong signal to the private sector. A continuous program of improvements is essential to stimulate private sector investment. A comprehensive strategy of addressing the condition of the public realm must include:
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A continuous commitment by the City of Lowell to periodically renew the streets and sidewalks throughout the Downtown Planning Area;•
A year-round, coordinated signage and banner program;•
Landscaped improvements to major gateways to Downtown Lowell, including arteries such as the Lowell Connector;•
Requirements that ensure public access to the waterfront for all new development projects.•
A new effort to coordinate alley and canal cleanup
Circulation Improvement Strategy
Improving the flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic must occur in a way that creates a safer and more predictable environment for both cars and people. This can occur through the implementation of a number of recommendations, including:
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Maintaining the existing one-way flow of traffic throughout Downtown Lowell;•
Installation of new traffic control technology that will optimize existing signalization equipment;•
Improved pedestrian facilities, including countdown pedestrian signals, clearly defined crosswalks and where possible, wider sidewalks and curb bump-outs;•
Repaint pavement markings and improve directional signage;In the long term, a regional traffic analysis should be initiated to consider long-range effects of development and other regional traffic generators
Parking Improvement Strategy
The provision of adequate parking facilities is a critical element to any downtown revitalization strategy. The public parking supply should be maximized so that on-street parking is preserved for short-term user, such as retail customers, and adequate off-street spaces are available for workers, students and residents. Strategies should also focus on improving the perceived safety, cleanliness and convenience of the parking garages. The on-street parking supply, a necessary ingredient for retail shops, must be maximized. Specific strategies include:
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Adjust pricing, meter time limits and enforcement so that on-street spaces are more expensive than garage parking;•
Encourage parking validation of public garage spaces by Downtown Lowell merchants;•
Improve lighting, cleanliness and perception of safety within garages by negotiating incentive-based garage management and security contracts;•
Increase the supply of parking in the long term by planning the construction of new parking garages.
Downtown Management
Perhaps most importantly, the need exists for better coordination among Downtown Lowell stakeholders to increase joint marketing efforts, coordinate events and promotions as well as to address maintenance issues not currently addressed. Downtown Lowell stakeholders should consider creating a stronger, more centralized organizational structure.
A Downtown Lowell Executive Board is proposed that would be made up of representatives of all of the relevant Downtown Lowell stakeholders and staffed by a City-funded full-time Downtown Manager. This proposed organization would be action-oriented and seek to address the small problems that remain unsolved. The group would also provide assistance to Downtown merchants and landlords, and provide a mechanism for improved advocacy for these groups. This organization would also ensure that this Master Plan remains relevant by working to benchmark results of the activities outlined in this document.
Downtown Development Opportunities
An exciting vision for the continued build-out of Downtown Lowell is presented in this Master Plan. A number of underutilized parcels are investigated for redevelopment potential. A central goal of these scenarios includes an emphasis on increased waterfront activity. The specific development programs, as outlined, also seek to weave new physical and social connections between the waterfront and the core of Downtown Lowell.
Dressing Mills Place
On the parcel between Boott Cotton Mills and River Place Towers, a new parking garage is envisioned, which will include retail and office space staged dramatically on the river’s edge. The project would supply parking to support full build out of the Boott Cotton Mills and provide amenities and a new access point to the Merrimack River for pedestrians.
Riverplace Center
Two scenarios are proposed for the key parcel abutting the Riverwalk next to the Tsongas Arena. In one scenario the complex is envisioned as a convention hotel with meeting rooms and a practice ice rink to complement the Tsongas Arena. Another scenario suggests a signature, mixed-use office and residential complex. Both scenarios advocate enhancements to improve pedestrian connections between Downtown Lowell and the Riverwalk.
Arcand Marketplace
A medium-sized supermarket with additional structured parking is proposed next to Lowell High School on Arcand Drive. This market would support the strengthened and expanding Downtown Lowell residential neighborhood advocated in this Master Plan.
Moody Street
A new, expanded public safety complex is envisioned along Moody Street next to the current City of Lowell administrative center. New maintenance facilities and office space would be created for the police and fire department headquarters. New parking would be created to better serve City employees at City Hall and the JFK Civic Center. Space vacated in the JFK Civic Center would accommodate other City departments currently scattered throughout Downtown Lowell and the rest of the city.
Market Mills Place
A new parking garage with new retail space is envisioned on the National Historical Park Visitor’s Center lot. This development would accommodate the current parking needs of the Visitor’s Center as well as the future development of Canal Place III. Retail space created on the ground floor of the facility would provide new shopping opportunities for tourists visiting Lowell’s museums.
Massachusetts Mills
The third phase of Massachusetts Mills is envisioned to include 90 apartment units and a demolished Building #10 so that additional parking and new links to an expanded Riverwalk could be accommodated.
John Street and Merrimack Street Infill
Smaller, infill development programs are presented for both Merrimack Street and John Street. These proposals would reinforce the street edges of these areas and encourage additional activity within Downtown Lowell’s traditional retail core.