1. The Newburyport Waterfront Asset, Opportunity, ChallengeProposed Master PlanSeptember 12, 2012The NewburyportThe City Of Newburyport Redevelopment Authority

2. DONALD W. POWERS, AIA, LEED APFounding PrincipalEducationHarvard University, Cambridge, MAGraduate School of DesignMasters of ArchitectureUniversity of Virginia, Charlottesville, VASchool of ArchitectureB.S. Architecture - Awarded Annual Design PrizeProfessional AffiliationsBoard of Directors, Grow Smart Rhode IslandMember, Congress for New the New Urbanism (CNU)Board of Directors, CNU | New England ChapterFounding Board Member, Institute for Classical Architecture | New England ChapterForm Based Zoning SubcommitteeCommittee Chairman, City of Providence ZoningCommissionExecutive Committee & Program Co-Chair, CNU XIV Providence (held in June of 2006) 3. Union Studio was founded in 2001 with one overriding goal: to use our skills asarchitects and urban designers to make a civic contribution to communities of alltypes. 4. Why is Union Studio Here? 5. To explore the possibilities of enhancing Citys waterfront... & its connection to the City 6. Our understanding of goals and issues comes from review of 30 years of public record and from our own public workshop in June. 7. Goals:a. Enlarge park / civic space while preserving an appropriate amount of improved parkingb. Improve and enrich the experience of the park without commercializing the waterfront.c. Maintain access and views to the waterfront park for all but make more inviting all year round.d. Find a way forward which is self funding and sustainable. 8. Goals:a. Enlarge park / civic space while preserving an appropriate amount of improved parkingb. Improve and enrich the experience of the park without commercializing the waterfront.c. Maintain access and views to the waterfront park for all but make more inviting all year round.d. Find a way forward which is self funding and sustainable. 9. Goals:a. Enlarge park / civic space while preserving an appropriate amount of improved parkingb. Improve and enrich the experience of the park without commercializing the waterfront.c. Maintain access and views to the waterfront park for all but make more inviting all year round.d. Find a way forward which is self funding and sustainable. 10. Goals:a. Enlarge park / civic space while preserving an appropriate amount of improved parkingb. Improve and enrich the experience of the park without commercializing the waterfront.c. Maintain access and views to the waterfront park for all but make more inviting all year round.d. Find a way forward which is self funding and sustainable. 11. Goals:a. Enlarge park / civic space while preserving an appropriate amount of improved parkingb. Improve and enrich the experience of the park without commercializing the waterfront.c. Maintain access and views to the waterfront park for all but make more inviting all year round.d. Find a way forward which is self funding and sustainable. 12. Our understanding of the world and why it would matter:Town Center Union Studio views the built world through the lens of The TransectA spectrum of place types, each with their own rules. 13. Newburyports Downtown falls within the Town Center Transect Zone: 14. Also applies to our Open Spaces. Spectrum of appropriate types from most informal and undefined (natural) to mostformal and enclosed (man-made) based on Transect Zone 15. Newburyports park and waterfront fall within the Town Center Zonewhich gives insight into to what may be appropriate here and what might not. 16. Previous session (end of June) did not propose adesign, but offered some food for thought as the design team began.What is appropriatehere?Should developmenthappen on the waterfrontside of Merrimac? If no, why not? If yes, how much? And of what type? 17. Historic Views (ca. 1880s) 18. A vibrant, well connected waterfront, but by 1960 large parts unsightly and blockingviews.Blight waterfront cut off, buildings derelict 19. Urban Renewal &The Newburyport Redevelopment Authority 20. Pre- and Post Urban Renewal 21. Because of Urban Renewal, Newburyports use of thewaterfront is much different from prevailing pattern in otherseaport cities 22. Mix of Public & Private functions re-using working piers 23. Development and recreation at waters edge. 24. The waterfront park as retreat separate and removed from The City Works in opposition to the city.Requiresconsiderabledepth to retreatinto. Offers onlyone kind ofrecreation. 25. For Newburyport this is both unique opportunity and challenge:Chance for place of retreat, but also connection to the City. 26. Currently works in multiple interesting ways as meander and as gathering place, but could do both better.Well loved byresidents andvisitors, but thereare opportunities tomake it more so. 27. Three kinds of park space: Centralized, focal, gatheringspace Informal buffer space Linear/circulation (Boardwalk) 28. Edges of the main public space are made primarily by pathways and a loose edge of landscape.Working in spiteof the physicallayout and lack ofenclosure. 29. Centralized, focal, gathering spacebut landscape buffer is diffuse andtoo thin to really enclose the space. 30. In spite of these weak edges, thespace has such a strong focal pointthat it works.Can it work better?? 31. The way it currently works suggestshow it might be improved. Architecture in this case helps to create the sense of the place and make it function as an outdoor room. 32. Edge space, circulation, boardwalk 33. Is pleasant in part because of the enclosure offered by the berm. Creates a kind of a linear room with the focal point to the water. 34. But enclosure is incomplete. Gravel parking lots are very much part of the experience of the waterfront. 35. Multiple opportunities for visual and pedestrianconnections, but most are weak or incomplete.How can they be improved? 36. Very little mix of uses within park exceptthe Firehouse Caf. Is there opportunity formore? 37. Only instance of development fronting the park is successfuland adds to use of park. 38. Connection to DowntownFirehouseMarket Square 39. Physical and Regulatory Frameworkis very complex and limiting Physical Environmental RegulatoryChapter 91, The Massachusetts Public Waterfront Act 40. Chapter 91 Water Dependent Use Zone No Nonwater-Dependent Use Structures Allowed Setbacks Range from 75 to 100 from MHW Includes 0.8 Acres of Parcel Area Mean High WaterHistoric Low Water94 Mark (1804)100 7582 DEP Presumptive Line 41. Goals:a. Enlarge park / civic space while preserving an appropriate amount of improved parkingb. Improve and enrich the experience of the park without commercializing the waterfront.c. Maintain access and views to the waterfront park for all but make more inviting all year round.d. Find a way forward which is self funding and sustainable. 42. Opportunity to increase enjoyment ofwaters edge in more ways AND screenparking 43. Goals:a. Enlarge park / civic space while preserving an appropriate amount of improved parkingb. Improve and enrich the experience of the park without commercializing the waterfront.c. Maintain access and views to the waterfront park for all but make more inviting all year round.d. Find a way forward which is self funding and sustainable. 44. Imagine if some of Main Street turned its face to thepark...Rather than turning its back on the park? 45. Goals:a. Enlarge park / civic space while preserving an appropriate amount of improved parkingb. Improve and enrich the experience of the park without commercializing the waterfront.c. Maintain access and views to the waterfront park for all but make more inviting all year round.d. Find a way forward which is self funding and sustainable. 46. Goals:a. Enlarge park / civic space while preserving an appropriate amount of improved parkingb. Improve and enrich the experience of the park without commercializing the waterfront.c. Maintain access and views to the waterfront park for all but make more inviting all year round.d. Find a way forward which is self funding and sustainable. 47. SUSTAINABILITY FISCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICSOCIAL 48. Waterfront Views Preserved and framed to minimize impact ofparking Enhanced Connections of the downtown to the waterfront Main Street doesnt turn its back on this exceptional asset Better park, better downtown 49. What may be appropriate here and what might not. 50. Proposed Master Plan - Design Process 51. Existing Condition 52. 1. Newburyport Redevelopment Authority Parcels 53. 2. Shared Access 54. 2. Shared Access 55. 3. Regulatory Setbacks 56. 3. Regulatory Setbacks 57. 4. Voluntary Setback 58. 4. Voluntary Setback 59. 5. Ferry Wharf Way Existing Right of Way 60. 5. Ferry Wharf Way Most Direct 61. 5. Ferry Wharf Way Most Direct 62. 6. Riverside Park 63. 6. Riverside Park 64. 7. Views 65. 7. Views 66. 8. Building Frontage Relationship between Buildings 67. 8. Building Frontage Merrimac Street 68. 8. Building Frontage Framing the Park 69. 9. Building Massing Respect for Context 70. 9. Building Massing Respect for Context 71. 9. Building Massing Respect for Context 72. Retail 73. Retail 74. 9. Building Massing Respect for Context 75. 10. Distribution of Parking / Open Space 76. Final Master Plan 77. Final Master Plan 78. Opportunities Diagram From June Presentation 79. Proposed Master Plan -Open Space & Connections 80. `Open Space 81. Existing +/- 3.7acres Overall 30% increaseProposed +/- 4.8acresOpen Space 82. Boardwalk Berm RailBoardwalk Park Park TrailOpen Space 83. Connections / Circulation Rail Trail 84. Connections / Circulation Ways to the Waterfront 85. Connections / Circulation Ways Across the Site 86. Connections / Circulation Overall Network 87. Proposed Master Plan - Scale and Character 88. Architectural Context Building Scale 89. 3 Stories2 StoriesRetail RetailStoriesStories3.53.5 RetailRetailArchitectural Context Building Disposition 90. UnitUnit UnitUnitUnitUnit UnitUnit Retail RetailParkingParking Waterfront ParkSite Section 91. Architectural Character 92. Landscape Character 93. Proposed Master Plan - Rendered Views 94. Perspective Views Aerial looking from Merrimack River towards Merrimac Street 95. Perspective Aerial looking from Merrimac Street Looking Towards MerrimackRiver 96. Perspective Eye Level looking From Merrimac Street Towards Merrimack River,Firehouse Caf on Right. 97. Waterfront Views Preserved and framed to minimize impact of parking Enhanced connections of the downtown to the waterfront Main Street doesnt turn its back on this exceptional asset Make the waterfront a year round amenity Better park, better downtown Find a way to fulfill all these objectives in a way that is fiscallyattainable and sustainable 98. QuestionsPerspective Views Aerial looking from Merrimack River towards MerrimacStreet