Springfield Northeast Downtown Master Plan - Springfield, MA

Urban Design

City of Springfield

Form + Place has been working with Springfield’s Office of Planning & Economic Development since 2019 on a variety of urban design initiatives, including crafting an implementable Master Plan for the Northeast Downtown District, the neighborhood that was decimated by a 2012 gas explosion. With many city blocks vacant and blighted, the Master Plan focuses on identifying public infrastructure improvements – streetscapes and open space - that can become the catalyst for private investment in an area that is ripe for more density due to its proximity to the newly renovated Union Station. The proposed conversion of the Chestnut Street corridor into a two-way Complete Street, in conjunction with the revitalization of Apremont Triangle - the heart of the district – should provide the critical mixed-use “spine” that incentivizes mixed-use multi-family development in an area that is walkable to both the multi-modal transit hub and downtown attractions, including the Springfield Museums, the riverfront and MGM Springfield. More recently, Form + Place has been working on urban planning and “visioning” studies for the Stearn’s Square area, helping the city to explore its goal to make this neighborhood a thriving mixed-use district with restaurant and entertainment uses, as well as new residential opportunities. See published Master Plan here.