Board Of Aldermen

Nashua Downtown Master Plan

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

ina public design charrette.

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

es Nashua Downtown Master Plan

The Planning Process

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 -

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.

UR EAN DESIGN assocrates Nashua Downtown Master Plan

u1 Historic Analysis

UR EAN DESIGN assocrates Nashua Downtown Master Plan

URBAN DESIGN ASSOCIATES

Institutions and
Open Space

(top left)

The core of Downtown
Nashua has many
institutional buildings
(purple) but no central
park or public gathering
space. The beginnings of
a network of trails (red
dots) follow the natural
areas along the Nashua
River and the

abandoned rail line.

Parking

(bottom left}

URBAN DESIGN

Topography

(top left)

The Downtown gently
slopes to the Nashua
River from the south,
with the land dropping
more steeply to the river
on its north side. The
lowland stretching from
the Nashua River to
Salmon Brook
represents unstable soils
for development and
bas therefore historically

been an industrial area.

Commercial
(middle left)

URBAN DESIGN ASSOCIATES

Regional Locator
Map

(top left)

Located just north of
the Massachusetts state
border, Nashua is the
outermost major city in
the Boston “tommuter-
shed.”

Regional Natural
Features

(bottom left}

Located at the
confluence of the
Merrimack and
Nashua rivers, the City
is connected to
watersheds and natural
systems that reach out to
the region in every

direction.

Nashua Downtown Master Plan