Broadway Master Plan presentation proposes central park space, underpass art

By Barbara Taormina

REVERE – Like many parts of Revere, Broadway has a Master Plan, and the City’s Dept. of Planning and Community Development recently presented the final draft of that plan to the community.  Before getting into details, Planning Chief Tom Skwierawski explained that a Master Plan is a long-term plan that incorporates the city’s vision based on community forums, surveys and interviews with stakeholders. It’s always flexible since conditions may change and opportunities may arise. But a Master Plan allows the city to shape policy in order to accommodate a shared vision for a place.

Consultant David Gamble of Gamble Associates, a Cambridge-based architectural and urban design firm, described the biggest change for the one-and-a-half-mile commercial corridor: a central park or green space that would enhance the community by giving residents a place to gather. “Every great city has a great park. Revere deserves a park,” Gamble told the audience gathered in the City Council Chambers.

Gamble presented slides from other cities and towns that have a town common or town green. And the space he and the city’s other planners and consultants are looking at in Revere are the Rite Aid building, which is up for lease, and Walgreens, both opposite each other on Broadway.

Turning that slice of Broadway into a green city square wouldn’t be easy or cheap. One consultant proposed creating underground parking for the site, which is expensive and complicated with engineering challenges. Other ideas include parking reforms and pushing public transportation.

Gamble showed slides of how Central Broadway would look with a larger setback requirement of 20 feet. Wider sidewalks would accommodate trees, benches, tables and chairs where people could gather.

According to consultants, Broadway offers many opportunities to develop housing, both large-scale apartment buildings and small projects with two or three units. Consultants spoke about art projects waiting to happen, such as the underpass on south Broadway. The proposal was to brighten the space with better lighting, and brighten it with public art.

“We’re optimistic about your downtown,” Gamble told the audience. “It has some challenges but the things that are there lend themselves well to reinvention.”