North Main Street Corridor Study - Winchester, MA

Urban Design

Town of Winchester

The recently completed Winchester 2030 Master Plan identified the North Main Street corridor as an Evolving Opportunity Area ripe for strategic redevelopment, including contextual mixed-use infill and more walkable streetscapes. Form + Place has been engaged with the Planning Board and town staff since early 2022 helping to provide a more in-depth analysis of redevelopment opportunities, many of which were identified in a 2021 MAPC Corridor Study.

 Our ongoing efforts have focused on producing mixed-use feasibility studies to explore development potential on key parcels - particularly at the southern end of the corridor adjacent to the Center Business District – while reinforcing the need to implement Complete Streets enhancements to the public realm. As part of the implementation process, Form + Place is working with the Town to craft amendments to the underlying zoning and integrate design guidelines to ensure contextual future development. The MBTA Communities Act requirements to accommodate as-of-right multi-family residential districts near transit nodes has added another layer to the study and is providing additional clarity to density goals for the corridor and underlining the need to incentivize appropriate development opportunities through updated dimensional criteria and development standards.