by CKSOKEEFE in Development and Zoning, Magoun Square
Posted on April 9, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Last Modified on April 19, 2010 at 8:31 pm
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The morning of April 5th marked the beginning of the much anticipated renewal of Magoun Square along with (finally) validating those obnoxious green signs at the beginning and in the heart of the square announcing the renovation. One would think that I, both a resident and daughter of a former Magoun Square business owner, would be relieved to see the State and City walk the walk after talking the talk for so long, but I must admit that I am worried.
The over $3 million will be spent on traffic lights, sidewalks, landscaping and pedestrian furniture, but not on a solid business plan to attract new storefronts to a square that will become widely and easily accessible by non-residents if the Greenline Extension becomes a reality in 2014-2015. At the April 8th Board of Alderman meeting, Ward 5 Alderman Sean O’Donovan outlined an approach to such a plan by tackling specific issues including parking regulations, publicizing parking data, focusing on monthly ticket revenue trends and patterns, and ending the constant connection of Davis Square and Magoun Square with regards to parking need and potential parking revenue gain. Simply said, O’Donovan is looking to make Magoun Square welcoming and business friendly and not another place in Somerville where you get a $40 ticket added to your tab.
One could argue that this renewal, in itself, could attract businesses with its sparkling, white sidewalks and pretty yellow traffic lights and that you need to spend a little money to make a little money. However, I am concerned with the business loss that the insult of construction with the added injury of a parking ticket could have on the current business owners…current business owners who have tirelessly pushed for building business strength in Magoun Square. Dan Maher of Dan Maher Stained Glass along with Greg Coughlin owner of Olde Magoun’s Saloon (just to name a couple) have unselfishly advocated for business-friendly solutions to some of the square’s toughest issues. I worry, however, how long they will be able to hold on to their stake in my beloved square before they, or any other business owner for that matter, consider an alternate location that will benefit and not burden them financially.
To put it bluntly, I love the idea of brick paver crosswalks, but they mean nothing if visitors are not walking on them drifting from one store front to another. New traffic lights are great, but not if they give the green light for drivers to motor right through leaving Magoun Square in their rearview mirrors. Empty bike racks and benches are not what life-long and newly implanted residents deserve after working hard to afford the homes they reside in.
I implore all readers of this statement to patronize the amazing and culturally diverse businesses of Magoun Square…a square that boasts the amazing Italian eatery of Lil’ Vinny’s, Somerville’s biggest slice of pizza at Pini’s and the billiards lover’s heaven of On The Hill Tavern.
I also encourage entrepreneurs to see the amazing potential of this diamond-in-the rough square that WILL pose serious competition to the always vibrant Davis Square and Ball Square if we all work together to really revitalize this piece of Somerville!
Thank you,
Courtney O’Keefe of Ward5Online.Com
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ya, you sure can see a lot of Magoun Square from your post at Old Magoun;s heh Courtney?
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…just doing my part to support Magoun Square businesses, Ward 5 Born
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I also see the other end when I stop by The Tavern, then go to Woody’s, then grab a slice at Pini’s.
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why do you “love brick paver crosswalks”?
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I hope it’s not super-lame to repost my response to this letter that I posted on a separate site.
Great letter, Courtney. Charging for parking only makes sense where demand outstrips supply, the idea that we would punish people for coming to Magoun during the recession is insane and self destructive.
To extend that thought, I’d like to point out that being able to park without a ticket is just the first step. The other problem Magoun has (and has had for a long time), is that with two lanes of traffic and a half-dozen parking lots in its immediate vicinity, it’s unpleasant and dangerous to walk around once you get out of your car. Here are two things we can do to increase the attractiveness of Magoun to present and future businesses and their clients:
- immediate: reduce traffic lanes to 1 each way on Broadway.
- long run: replace parking lots with on-street parking.
Adjusting the traffic lights and crosswalks is fine, but if you examine what makes Ball square successful, you’ll find that a single lane of traffic each way is just a more pleasant and safe pedestrian experience. Parking lots are wasted space where a store or business could go, and there is so much space along Broadway to park on the street there’s just no need for the lots next to cvs, dunkins, salvation army, dry cleaners (forgot the name), etc etc… They are also a dangerous place where pedestrians have to worry about a car hitting them while they pull in or out.
As far as traffic is concerned, given that Broadway is one lane each way just outside of magoun *on both sides* will tell you that this change will *not* cause increased congestion.
Until we get serious about this, I’m sorry to say that Magoun businesses could continue to struggle for years to come.
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@eila: I love brick paver crosswalks because they remind me of cobblestone and they are welcoming to pedestrians (foot traffic).
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@Solh Zendeh: That is certainly a great idea! Another interesting approach to Magoun Square that I discussed recently was converting the empty (or soon to be empty) retail spaces into residential opportunities. Your thoughts?
Where did you post a response to my letter?
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@Courtney: I hate brick paver pedestrian surfaces because they cannot maintain a 2% cross slope, due to warping, heaving and other maintenance issues. Therefore, they deleteriously impact the use-ability of any pedestrian route for wheelchair users and others who have mobility and ambulatory impairments, and are never level and smooth.
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I have always found the ones in Davis Square to be level and have seen both wheelchair users and people on crutches cross with ease.
Did you bring this concern up during the meetings?
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I don’t know how you make “findings” but I use a digital level, the 521 CMR code, and the stated experiences of users. Seeing people using necessary routes doesn’t mean seeing comfort, confidence and control- which is how the public should be able to use all public facilities, including public ways.
And yes, this was brought up at meetings, an OpEd was posted in the Journal, and elected officials continue to work with us to try to prevent such decisions from being made in the future. Here’s some photodocumentation:
Davis Square Pedestrian Environment Not Up To Code
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Thank you for the data, eila. My positive acceptance of this feature was based on my experiences as a runner/walker/cyclist using unpaved crosswalks. By paving them, there is a more clear distinction as to where cars should be and where pedestrians have the right to be.
Unfortunately, in Davis Square, when utilizing these there is traffic on either side of them (across from The Burren, for example). In Magoun Square, you would have a clearing on one side for people to walk on if they do not want to take a chance on the pavers. This is not an option in Davis as there would be cars on both sides. Not the best option, but at least Magoun would have one.
I was not involved in the planning process for the Magoun Square renewal and was not aware of these issues in Davis. My assumption is that it is now too late to have them reconsider.
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So now that all the planning has been done, let the critics jump right in with their less than helpful suggestions.
Talk about carpetbloggers.
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I wonder if the vibrations from the trains coming in and out of Davis have something to do with the shifting of the pavers(?).
@Ward 5 born: Ha! Trouble maker!
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@Courtney: I also posted on someville news.com.
I guess I’m not that picky about *what* goes in these buildings, I’m more concerned that:
1. There are buildings, not empty lots, not parking lots.
2. the buildings are *not* purpose-built “boxes” such as the dunkins and possibly cvs, but actual real buildings that 5, 10 years from now, when the current tenant vacates, we don’t need to immediately knock it down to build some new, cheap, purpose-built structure.
3. The buildings are not fronted by parking lots. There is plenty (more than enough!) street parking for the square. For now, during the recession, the street parking should surely be free, and as things turn around you could reduce the free parking or re-introduce meters to the square.
Anyway, I realize as Ward 5 Born points out, it really is late in the game. I did bring up the lane reduction years ago, and repeatedly since, but obviously not to the “right” people, and/or not convincingly enough.
But, to W5B and others, please just think about how much more pleasant Magoun would be if Broadway were reduced in lanes. It doesn’t even need to cost very much. Sure, wider sidewalks and a wide median would be awesome, but for now you could easily put marked parking on both sides, mark up the middle third of the road (yellow stripes?), put some cheap signs up, and boom, it’s 1 lane each way, maybe with a turn lane at the lights. How much would this cost – paint? Some signs? This is cheap, fast, and would *work* to make Magoun a safer, more pleasant place to walk (and roll!).
I really regret I haven’t taken the time to participate in the discussion as much as I wanted to, but is it really too late?
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I don’t think reducing lanes on Broadway is the answer as it keeps the flow of traffic moving. Towards Teele Square, it goes down to just two lanes and there’s constantly traffic backed up. On Medford Street, in the morning, it’s a nightmare.
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Courtney, I certainly understand your concern. It’s natural to assume that reducing the number of lanes would negatively affect traffic.
But please consider, Broadway is this wide for only about a half mile. It reduces to 1 lane near Ball and again up on top of winter hill. It’s almost certain that having the extra lanes for such a short stretch does virtually nothing to improve traffic while making it quite dangerous and unpleasant for pedestrians.
And really, even if it is making traffic better, 90% of the traffic you see during rush hour are people who are simply using Magoun as a cut through to get somewhere else. They don’t live here, and they are not stopping to shop or eat, they are commuting. They should be using 93, 16 or McGrath. Improved traffic flow will just mean more people commuting through, adding noise and pollution, *not* helping our local businesses, and definitely making the square less attractive and more dangerous for us, the residents.
Honestly, there are five lanes(!) on the west side of Broadway in the square – doesn’t that seem ridiculous? I wouldn’t want my kids or my grandmother walking across that intersection. Until we solve that problem, no amount of brick pavers, benches and street lamps are going to help.
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Hey, by the way, I actually am not clear on exactly what the current plan is? Does anybody know if there is a pdf file or powerpoint posted somewhere that spells out exactly what the plan is? I swear I saw one a couple years ago, but surely things have changed since then.
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Solh – the approved final plans are on the city’s website. Two weeks ago, I asked Monica Lamboy to move them to the front page of the city site(and she graciously saw to it). You can find them under “big plans for the city”.
The best place to get accurate, up to date information is on the city site or by calling the planning department at city hall.
As you and I have discussed in the past during the planning stage of the Magoun Square project, the engineers from both Mass Highway and the city took a look at your (and others) suggestion to reduce the width of sections of Broadway near the square. You and I both agree that to make the intersections more pedestrian, bike and vehicle friendly and safe, this is the ideal concept.
The engineers and T&P consultants the city hired for this project, however, squelched this idea a long time ago.
Let’s hope that the six year old plan, finalized over a year ago, will live up to the promise of a safer and more asthetically pleasing square for all.
And as for the threat of some merchants to leave the square due to construction and overall bad economy, don’t do it. Your businesses will be worth ten times its current value in a not too distant future.
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Call me crazy, but when I go to the city’s website and see that Somerville is misspelled, I don’t deem it accurate.
http://www.somervillema.gov/calendar/?typeID=&calType=City&month=3&view=daily&day=2010-03-31
When they are obligated to post meeting information only 48 hours in advance and post BOA agenda items around 3pm for a 7pm meeting, I don’t deem it up-to-date.
When the calendar had a Licensing Commission Hearing posted on the wrong date (and a Sunday for that matter) after I got the correct date and time emailed to me by a participant of the meeting, I don’t deem it accurate or up-to-date.
For all things Ward 5, click on my name.
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Woops, did I just get called out by Joe for beating a dead horse
But thank you for the pointers Joe, I did call 311 last week, but no one there come up with anything besides “it’s starting soon”, ha-ha.
I guess I can only hope that future generations of T&P guns-for-hire learn how to make “places people want to be in” in addition to “places people can drive through as efficiently as possible”. Hint to smarty-pants engineers: it’s possible these are *mutually exclusive goals* (though in the case of magoun I *seriously* doubt the extra lanes are doing anything to mitigate the fact that it’s 5 roads coming together and there is simply no way to make that work barring a rotary).
Courtney: that is an incredibly useful site, thanks for putting the effort in. Bookmarked!
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Solh – no way, neighbor, did I call you out.
Your helpful participation and suggestions throughout the 5 years of planning were very much appreciated, but unfortunately, your request was not acted upon by the elected officials, planners or consultants.
But there now seems to be the annoying gnats of second guessing buzzing about the square who, in my opinion, would be better served by communicating their concerns about the project directly with Mass Highway(the project managers).
And as previously stated, the city’s website has the plans and schedule. 311 may not be the place to call. If all else fails, the planning staff at city hall under Monica Lamboy have always been willing to work with me and the Magoun Square Neighborhood Association.
As always, if you have additional questions, flip open your window and yell up the street to me!
As for relaxing the parking regulations in the square during construction, the Medford Street meters were removed by Traffic and Parking during the first week of spring constuction.
For those of you new to the Magoun Square scene, the vast majority of utility work began in the summer of 2009. The work was temporarily halted during the winter months and has now resumed for at least the next six months.
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Solh,
Are the above concerns the only ones you have regarding traffic issues in Magoun Square? I ask because I’m meeting with a rep from The Somerville Community Corp soon about Magoun Square and the Greenline extension and would like to include your suggestion.
Could you email me through my site? Thanks!
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Thanks Joe, you rock.
Courtney, I’ll email you. You also rock.
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So, my girlfriend pointed out to me that probably a lot of people worked really hard to get the money and actually execute a plan for Magoun, and none of those people were me. I must admit that it’s a little lame to second guess a process that I had the ability to participate in but did not. Which was Ward 5 Born’s point I guess – doh!
Clearly the square is about to get a whole lot nicer, and that is a great thing. Now excuse me, I need to write a screed against some political issues I even though I didn’t bother to vote
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