Davis Square Neighborhood Plan

Project Overview

The Davis Square Neighborhood planning process began in 2013 and has since produced six plan iterations over thirteen years, alternating in focus between a comprehensive neighborhood plan and a more targeted commercial area plan. The relaunch of this planning effort honors the contributions of community members throughout that history, while acknowledging that the neighborhood context has meaningfully shifted. This plan will not attempt to recreate the past, rather, it will recognize and celebrate what came before while intentionally charting a path forward.

Mapping the future of Davis Square: The defined project boundary for a 10-year planning strategy.

This planning process will produce a tangible, implementable 10-year planning strategy grounded in the realities of today's market and regional context, responsive to community values, and oriented toward a future that the Davis Square neighborhood can actively shape rather than simply absorb. The success of this plan and its implementation rely on proposing targeted, realistic actions along with necessary zoning text and map amendments.

The plan will strive to achieve the following:

• Neighborhood Identity & Activation - Define Davis Square's social and cultural identity and activate underutilized spaces (including opportunities for privately- owned public spaces) for community gathering, services, and programming.
• Commercial Density & Community Character - Explore opportunities to increase the density of the commercial core in a manner that respects the future physical and social identity of the neighborhood.
• Infrastructure Assessment & Upgrades - Understand existing infrastructure constraints and opportunities, including flooding, sewer capacity and inflow & infiltration issues to support future development and community needs.
• Housing & Density - Identify sites suitable for increased housing density, with a strong emphasis on affordability and inclusive development.
• Streetscape & Mobility Improvements - Evaluate the street network and curb management holistically to improve pedestrian experience, cyclist safety, and traffic flow, including exploring pedestrianizing Elm Street into Elmway. This evaluation will consider incorporating nature-based and heat mitigation elements (e.g., trees, planting barriers, filtering pollutants, traffic barriers, etc.) to the streetscape.
• Public Realm Enhancement – Assess measures to enhance the public realm (e.g., Statue Park, Kenney Park, Seven Hills Park, and Cutter Plaza). Leverage public space as a driver of economic vitality and establish a formal district management structure to support long-term stewardship.
• Transit Coordination - Partner with the MBTA to improve transit access and explore opportunities related to the Community Path and station area connections.
• Sustainability and Resiliency - Integrate sustainability and decarbonization goals throughout all planning decisions. Consider how and where the goals of Climate Forward, the Pollinator Action Plan, the Urban Forestry Plan, and the Open Space and Recreation Plan can be implemented in Davis Square.
• Managing Growth & Development Impacts - Proactively shape the impacts of development through thoughtful planning and design guidelines that reflect the desired future of the neighborhood.
• Construction Coordination - Sequence and coordinate major infrastructure, development, and public realm projects over the next decade to minimize disruption and maximize community benefit.

What the plan will do:

• Define a community vision for the neighborhood;
• Provide a roadmap of actionable steps (e.g., zoning updates, policy changes, physical realm and mobility improvements, capital improvements, development, etc.) that will implement the plan over a 10-year timeframe; and
• Create simple sketches to illustrate project concepts.

What the plan will not do:

• Mandate specific uses or projects on private land;
• Focus on social services;
• Guarantee a full buildout (i.e., the neighborhood developed to its maximum capacity); or
• Produce construction documents.

Community Engagement Events

There will be multiple rounds of community engagement throughout the project, with TAC and public meetings alternating to maintain consistent feedback loops. The city will host a variety of in-person and online participation opportunities, including pop-up events, surveys, and community workshops, to ensure broad access and input. The first engagement phase will span approximately two months, running from summer into fall.

Stay tuned for more information about upcoming opportunities!