Agenda

UR EAN DESIGN assocrates Nashua Downtown Master Plan

Il

Riverfront West

THE TERM “RIVERFRONT WEST” DOES NOT currently exist in the
everyday language of Nashua residents. Historically, the
Nashua River was both the engine and the sewer for industry.
Only in recent years has the City begun to look at its rivers and
riverfronts as opportunities for non-industrial, private invest-
ment and more importantly, for “quality of life” public invest-
ments in parks.

UR EAN DESIGN assocrates Nashua Downtown Master Plan

Master Plan

The Master Plan is
comprised of many
initiatives throughout
Downtown.
Implementation will
belp transform
Downtown from a good
Main Street to a great

Downtown.

URBAN DESIGN ASSOCIATES

1 Introduction

Nashua Downtown Master Plan

THE MASTER PLAN RELIES ON A BUNDLE of strategies that work 34
together to knit Nashua’s Downtown into a single, cohesive
whole. These strategies, in the form of five initiatives (see map
below), build upon the strengths and alleviate the weaknesses
of the Downtown. Together, these five initiatives will help
Downtown transform itself from a good Main Street to a great
Downtown. These strategies are illustrated and described in
the following five chapters.

UREAN DESIGN ASSOCIATES Nashua Downtown Master Plan

Initiative Areas
and Opportunities

33

Nashua Downtown Master Plan

DESIGN ASSOCIATES

URBAN DESIGN ASSOCIATES

Nashua Downtown Master Plan

III Retail and Entertainment RETAIL DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL IN DOWNTOWN NASHUA is 30

Strategies

specialized and limited. Growth will depend largely upon
growth in other sectors, such as housing and entertainment.
Adding entertainment uses, recreational uses, regional attrac-
tions, educational uses, and other “off-hour” uses, will help sus-
tain the existing retail demand and create critical mass for
more retail opportunities.

Nashua Downtown Master Plan

First, there is an immediate demand
for affordable housing. Downtown
Nashua is the historic center of a fast-
growing and affluent sub-region (con-
sisting of Amherst, Brookline, Hollis,
Hudson, Litchfield, etc.) With its plenti-
ful supply of smaller and older homes,
Downtown Nashua has experienced sig-
nificant growth in the low and moderate
income populations.

UR EAN DESIGN assocrates Nashua Downtown Master Plan

1 Residential Strategies

Bronstein
Apartments

The revitalization of
this public housing area
located near the heart
of Downtown into a
mixed-income
community is a great
great opportunity for
urban residential

development.

UR EAN DESIGN assocrates Nashua Downtown Master Plan

I Econo mic Development GREAT DOWNTOWNS ARE Diverse. They center a region by 27
Strategies serving a substantial list of needs for a variety of residents.
With a stable and established Main Street North, Downtown
Nashua must now diversify and expand its economic base by
increasing investor confidence and by serving the needs of a
broader cross-section of City residents.