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Nashua Downtown Master Plan

After World War II, the integrity of
Benjamin's plan began to erode. In 1984,
the Pilgrim Church was demolished.
Indian Head Plaza, a 6-story office
building surrounded by parking, and a
small park were built on the site of the
Church. One of Nashua’s landmarks was
lost and Benjamin’s plan was weakened.

Other changes since 1960 further
affected the Downtown. Streets were
vacated, traffic patterns changed, build-
ings demolished, and parking lots built in
an effort to accommodate the automo-
bile. These measures were ineffective in
saving Downtown from its slide in the
1970's. Specifically, the Bronstein Apart-
ments, Courthouse Oval, library devel-
opment and Spring/Elm Street Parking
lots, although well conceived, had nega-
tive urban design consequences.

Nashua weathered the 1980's and
early 1990's with studies and projects
that led to important public improve-
ments and traditions, such as the distinc-
tive brick sidewalks. Nashua’s resurgence
in the late 1990's is due in no small part
to a revived appreciation for the City’s
heritage. This was confirmed in the pub-

lic outreach effort, of this study, as it

became clear there was a strong under-
standing and stewardship of the history
and heritage of Nashua. This public
awareness has manifested itself in
restored buildings, civic programming
and events, such as the Holiday Stroll,
vintage signage on private buildings, and
historically-appropriate streetscaping.
These actions have re-established a con-
temporary authenticity to the City, have
created a sense of place, and have made

Downtown Nashua a regional destina-

tion

Asher Benjamin
(bottom) created a plan
(for Nashua where axial
relationships provided
focus on prominent City
structures. Pearl Street
was bookended by the
Nashua Manufacturing
Company and the
Olive Street Church,
(later, Pilgrim Church).
The Hunt Building
terminates Main Street

in the north.

UR EAN DESIGN assocrates Nashua Downtown Master Plan

Appreciation for local culture, as well
as a focus on the City’s new technologi-
cal development will be featured in the
proposed Center for Nashua Heritage
and Future Technology, located on Fac-

tory Street and overlooking a new river-

front park. This museum will display y
Nashua’s unique history as the founda-

tion on which the City can meet the

challenges of the future.

Changes since 1960
1 Bronstein
Apartments -

Street vacated for public
housing

2 Courthouse Oval -
Streets reconfigured into
aconfusing one-way
system

3 Nashua Public
Library ~ Park Street
vacated creating a block
‘with poor access

4 Spring and Elin
Streets - Many
buildings demolished for
parking lots

es Nashua Downtown Master Plan

The Planning Process

UR EAN DESIGN assocrates Nashua Downtown Master Plan

I

Overview of the Process

Public Meetings
The Master Plan Team
met with the citizens of
Nashua to gather input
and learn of their goals

and vision for the

City’s future.

PROMPTED BY A RECOMMENDATION in the Nashua 2000 Mas- 19
ter Plan, the city of Nashua commissioned Urban Design
Associates (UDA) to prepare a Downtown Master Plan in the
summer of 2002. This Plan, is an update of Nashua 2000 and

will be based on public input, will act as a framework for future
development and decision making and will provide guidance to

the City in their efforts to:

1. Seek and evaluate development proposals, and

2 Prioritize public infrastructure investments.

The UDA team consisted of Urban Design Associates
(lead firm), Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin Lopez Rinehart
(transportation planning) and Stuart Patz and Associates (mar-
ket analysis). In addition, the UDA team relied heavily on the
technical, institutional and organizational assistance of the
City’s Community Development Division and Public Works
Division. The views and knowledge of city staff were integral
in crafting this plan. Finally, and most importantly, the team
relied on spirited and enthusiastic input from Nashua’s resi-
dents and stakeholders.

Citizen participation, central to the planning process, was

strong. In an effort to maximize public input, the planning

team cast a wide net of outreach opportunities including inter-

Nashua Downtown Master Plan

views, focus groups meetings, public
meetings and open houses, culminating

ina public design charrette.

The UDA team began the planning
process with a two-day data gathering
trip to Nashua in August 2002. During
this visit, the team conducted focus
group meetings and interviews. In addi-
tion, the UDA team photographed the
Downtown, and conducted site recon-
naissance in order to become familiar
with the region, Nashua, and especially
its Downtown. At the same time, data
was collected on land use, zoning, market
research, and transportation. Addition-
ally, the team documented precedents
from similar Merrimack Valley river
towns. (Lowell, Lawrence, and Haver-
hill.)

In September 2002, the UDA team
traveled to Nashua for additional meet-
ings. The purpose of this trip was to con-
duct a public meeting and additional
focus group meetings.

The data gathering phase resulted in

an extensive set of UDA X-Ray drawings
and precedent drawings that proved

instrumental throughout the process.

The second phase of the project began
with a work session in UDA’ office in
Pittsburgh. The UDA team and the City
staff met to prepare for the design
charette. One result of the work session
was a set of design principles.

The majority of Phase Two occurred
during a week-long design charrette con-
ducted on Main Street in Nashua at the
former Goodale’s Bike Shop. During the
week, the focus groups reconvened, the
Steering Committee met twice, and open
houses were held. Concurrent with these
meetings, the UDA team developed
plans, tested ideas, and continuously
revised and refined designs according to
ongoing stakeholder and citizen input.

Phase Two of the process culminated
in a public meeting on Thursday night at
which the design for Downtown Nashua
were presented and additional citizen

input was collected.

Based upon feedback from the public
meeting and the Steering Committee,
and the city staff, the UDA team pre-
pared a draft plan for review and com-
ment. This plan, upon adoption by the
City, will become the blueprint for
Downtown Nashua’s development over

the next ten years.

UR EAN DESIGN assocrates Nashua Downtown Master Plan

11 Summary of Interviews

and Focus Groups

THROUGHOUT THE FALL OF 2002, the UDA team conducted ar

interviews and focus group meetings. Focus groups included:

City Planning Staff
Nashua Historical Society
Nashua Police Department
Nashua Fire Rescue

Aldermanic Planning & Economic Development

Committee

Nashua Regional Planning Commission
Nashua Public Works Division

The Great American Downtown
Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce
Downtown Ward Aldermen

Nashua Board of Aldermen

The UDA team also conducted individual interviews with:

Mayor Bernard A. Streeter

George Crombie, Director of the Public Works Division
Pastor Paul Berube, Grace Fellowship Church

Reverend Evans, First Congregational Church

Anne Barnett, French Hill Resident and Member of
Inner City Voice

Grace Grogan-Hicks, Executive Director of Nashua Hous-
ing Authority

Klaas Nijhuis, Interim Director of Community Services
Division

Angelo Marino, Manager of City Assessing Department

Design Charette
The Master Plan team
worked closely with
residents, stakeholders,
and City staf

Nashua Downtown Master Plan

At each focus group meeting, inter-
view and public meeting, participants
were asked the same three questions:

1 What are the strengths of Down-

town Nashua?

2 What are the weaknesses of Down-

town Nashua?

3 What is your vision for the future?

The Downtown assets considered
strongest and cited most frequently
related to its character character and its
sense of place created by the pedestrian-
friendly environment on Main Street
North.

The liabilities most often identified
included the confusing, local one-way
street system, the disconnect between the
Downtown neighborhoods and Main
Street, and the development along Main
Street, south of Hollis Street.

Visions included a “complete”
Downtown in which neighborhoods
were connected to and interwoven with
Downtown retail and institutions, the
development of an expanded, connective
riverfront park system, the addition of
cultural and entertainment facilities, and
an improved public transportation sys-
tem.

The strengths, weaknesses, and
visions are listed in more detail on this

page and the following two pages.

History

Heritage of Nashua as one of the
first planned industrial cities in the
Northeast

The preserved and rehabilitated
buildings along Main Street of his-

toric and/or local character

Main Street

The walkable, vibrant, and safe envi-
ronment between the Nashua River
and City Hall

New investments and restaurants
creating an active sidewalk and street
Variety of uses along this spine
Strong sense of place rooted in tradi-
tional streetscape standards

Locally owned and operated busi-

nesses — no national franchises

Main Street North is
depicted in green,
representing the
Downtown’ historic
core and its strength.
Shown in red, the
Downtowns main
weaknesses are its
underutilized
riverfront and the
vacuous feel and
uncoordinated planning
of Main Street South.

UREAN

Strength: The
Nashua Public
Library

Nashua’ Library is an
excellent resource;
however, it suffers from
poor visibility and

access.

DESIGN ASSOCIATES

Strengths (continued)

Amenities

* Riverfront park investments

+ Library is a well-organized resource
center for the City

* Multitude of churches and institu-
tions

+ Transit center

* Rail trail and other developing trail

connections

+ Low taxes
Weaknesses

Main Street
* Brick sidewalks showing signs of
wear and disrepair

* South of Hollis Street is not pedes-
trian-friendly

* No major entertainment, perform-

ance, or educational uses

* No hotel or meeting conference

spaces

Nashua Downtown Master Plan

* No central park or gathering space 23

+ A lack of modestly priced goods and

services

Streets and Parking

+ One-way streets are confusing and
detrimental to retail development

* Parking is not well managed; excess
parking on west side; shortage on
east side of Main Street

* Only one river crossing

General

+ Downtown neighborhoods are
detached from the retail district

* Parking along the river is a blight to
this natural amenity.

* Spring and Elm Streets act as service
roads for Downtown parking lots

* Spring and Elm Streets separate the
adjacent neighborhoods from Main

Street

Weakness: Parking
behind Main Street
The areas behind Main
Street suffer fiom blight
caused by poorly
designed parking lots,

The Master Plan
establishes strategic
locations in Downtown
Nashua where design
efforts will lead to
Surther cultural and

economic development.

Nashua Downtown Master Plan

A central park or gathering place
A major riverfront park

Diversity of uses Downtown - edu-
cational, arts, performance and cul-

tural

Further diversify Main Street with

housing above retail buildings
A coordinated parking strategy

Continued support for local busi-

nesses versus national franchises

“Downtown to extend south to

Main Street Marketplace and

Salmon Brook

Develop gateways to Downtown and

a greater sense of arrival

Retail for all incomes
Commuter rail to Boston
Extensive bike and trail system

New housing: both affordable and

market rate
Improved public transportation

Improved and revitalized Railroad

Square

Several opportunity areas emerged after
mapping Downtown’s strengths and
weaknesses. These strategic areas are the
parts of Downtown where planning and
taking action is most important and
where benefits will be greatest. Gener-
ally, opportunity areas offer the chance to
to bolster the identified strengths, eradi-
cate identified weaknesses, and to imple-
ment citizen visions.

The primary strategic opportunity
areas were identified as: (see map below
left)

1. The corner of Main Street and Hol-
lis Street

2 The Riverfront

3 Main Street South between Hollis
Street and Allds Street

4 Spring and Elm Streets
5 The Millyard

Many of the
opportunity areas are
owned by just afew
parties. The City of
Nashua is a primary
owner of parcels in the
Downtown, as depicted

in blue.

URBAN DESIGN ASSOCIATES

ui Urban Design Principles

Nashua Downtown Master Plan

THE UDA TEAM, in conjunction with city staff, developed sev- 25

eral urban design principles prior to the design charrette. These

principles acted as a compass for the direction of the Master

Plan development. Design exploration at the charrette was

pursued under the guidance of the following principles:

1
2

MO um Ff

9

Preserve and celebrate the history of Nashua.
Reconnect Downtown to the surrounding neighborhoods.

Create a gathering place, a common, or a village green as

the center of Downtown.

Connect to the regional open space system.
Calm and clarify traffic.

Develop a parking strategy for Downtown.

Develop urban design alternatives for the transitional areas
behind Main Street.

Diversify Main Street to become a mixed-use corridor -
including retail, offices, government, cultural experiences,
housing, medical resources, hospitality centers, and enter-

tainment uses.

Create an interconnected pedestrian friendly network.

10 Develop guidelines for appropriate massing and height.