Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Steps toward downtown revitalization - Conway School report for Hopkinton


Hopkinton now has a documented plan for downtown revitalization, incorporating ideas for economic development, walkability and street scape improvements, traffic calming measures, stormwater management, strategies for creating shared community spaces.

The plan was developed by students from the Conway Graduate School of Landscape Design, who led public input sessions and completed the plan as part of a professional planning curriculum at the school, under the direction of faculty advisors and Hopkinton's Downtown Revitalization Committee.

The professional quality document was created for less than $7,000, with funds contributed by Hopkinton Parks and Recreation Department, the Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce and local businesses. It will serve as an important reference point as the town moves to the next phase in downtown revitalization: 2010 town meeting approved $400,000 for development of a detailed design plan, which will advance Hopkinton toward state and federal grants to fund infrastructure improvements for the downtown.