A windfall of $28 million will be spent to repair and renovate Boston Common—public input into the priorities of that spending would be appreciated.
"Boston Common is overdue for a serious makeover, and the city wants to hear from people about what improvements and changes they would like to see at America’s oldest public park, founded in 1634," reports Allison Hagan.
"The nonprofit group Friends of the Public Garden — which also advocates for the Common — has been working with the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and the design firm Weston & Sampson to develop a master plan for the space, which is expected to take about 18 months," adds Hagan.
The recent sale of the city’s Winthrop Square Garage has created $28 million to spend on the park's makeover. The goal is to upgrade playfields and improve infrastructure throughout the park. Of the total funding available, $5 million will be spent on park maintenance.
FULL STORY: How would you spend $28m to spruce up Boston Common?
Ambitious New Boston Common Master Plan Revealed
The oldest city park in the United States, used as a cow pasture until the 19th century, is slated for a major upgrade.
The State of New York City's Parks
A new report by the Center for an Urban Future signals the need for attention to the Big Apple's parks before they are beyond repair.
Boston Cap Park Closer to Reality
The proposed Dorchester Greenway would create a new linear park above part of the Red Line subway.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
