DESIGN ASSOCIATES
park system and regional trail system
should be developed at this location.
The rail right-of-way along the north
side of the Nashua River can be utilized
for a trail connection between the bridge
and Riverfront West park, but can also
be used as a connection between Rail-
road Square and a future commuter rail
station, proposed to be located in the
vicinity of East Hollis Street near the
Merrimack River. This rail line is cur-
rently active (with extremely light use)
providing rail access to towns west of
Nashua. redevelopment of the rail line
and areas around the rail line would have
to be consistent with continued use of
the rail line.
Nashua Public Library and The Per-
forming Arts Center
The Nashua Public Library is a valuable
resource for the City. It is the most active
library in northern New England. As an
important cultural resource, however, it
suffers from inaccessibility and a lack of
defined parking. The Master Plan pro-
poses an extension of Park Street
between 14 Court Street and the Library
along the riverfront to Temple Street.
This new road will provide a common
front door and entry sequence for both
the Library and 14 Court Street, at the
terminus of the Spring Street Institu-
tional and Cultural Spine.
14 Court Street should be redevel-
oped as the proposed Performing Arts
Center. Whereas there are no high qual-
ity facilities for Performing Arts in
Nashua, the nearby cities of Portsmouth,
Nashua Downtown Master Plan
Keene, and Manchester have quality ven-
ues for audiences of approximately 850.
There is a market in Nashua for a
400 seat facility. However this size could
increase anywhere from 400 to 1000
seats if justified by the market, commu-
nity interest, funding, and the needs of
performance groups within the City.
The construction of a facility of this
size was analyzed in depth in a previous
Performing Arts Feasibility Study. The
issues surrounding this cultural develop-
ment are discussed in the Market Study
Appendix of this report. The 14 Court
Street location for the Performing Arts
Center is recommended by both the pre-
vious study and this Master Plan, how-
ever, is agreed upon between the
Feasibility Study and this Master Plan,
as an appropriately prominent site within
walking distance of Main Street.
Parking resources will need to be cre-
ated for a new Performing Arts Center.
47
Illustrative Plan of the
proposed street and
plaza between the
Performing Arts Center
and Nashua Public
Library
