Formation of Committee and Project Team Will Result in Proposal for Improvements by End of 2025
BROOKLINE — The Town of Brookline has launched a study to determine the future of the Centre Street Parking Lots in Coolidge Corner and is asking for public feedback through an online survey.
The Centre Street East and Centre Street West public parking lots are essential to North Brookline’s economic ecosystem but have not seen significant improvements in many decades.
In 2025, the Centre Street Lots Exploratory Study will investigate how the Lots can be improved to benefit the small businesses, institutions, visitors and residents of Coolidge Corner. In addition to enhanced parking, future improvements could include new public plazas and green space, additional retail and housing, or institutional and civic uses.
To guide this Exploratory Study, the Brookline Select Board has appointed a Centre Streets Lots Committee comprised of 12 representatives and chaired by Select Board Member Mike Sandman. The Committee will meet regularly and collaborate with staff to identify preferred option(s) for future changes.
Town staff are seeking input from the public on existing conditions and a future vision for the Centre Street Parking Lots via an online survey, which can be accessed here.
Late last year, through a competitive process, the Town of Brookline selected a Consultant Team led by Speck Dempsey, a nationally recognized city planning and urban design firm based in Coolidge Corner. Teaming with Speck Dempsey is Stantec Urban Places, which is assisting with parking analysis and conceptual designs, and Isenberg Projects, which will lead a temporary activation of space within the Centre Street East Lot to take place this summer.
A significant outreach component will be a Walkable City Talk by Jeff Speck, co-founder of Speck Dempsey and author of “Walkable City,” the best-selling urban planning book written this century. The talk will be held at the Coolidge Corner Theatre on Wednesday, Sept. 10, and is open to the public. To RSVP, click here.
The Town has launched a website where users can easily access information regarding the project. The project’s official webpage on the Town of Brookline site can be found at brooklinema.gov/centrestreetlots. The project webpage developed by the Consultant Team can be visited at centrestreetlots.com.
Questions about the study should be directed to Zachary Tesler, Economic Development & Long-Term Planner in the Town of Brookline’s Department of Planning & Community Development at ztesler@brooklinema.gov.
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