FDR 129A Concord Street | Suite 25

Framingham, MA 01702

www.fdrms.org holli@fdrms.org

Framingham Downtown

Renaissance

2012 in Review

What’s Here What’s Working

& What’s Next

Executive summary

Framingham Downtown Renaissance Main Streets Program

JANUARY 2013

FDR is modeled on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Four-Point Approach,® with standing committees and a board of directors guiding Downtown Framingham’s revitalization.

Organization Committee Organization establishes consensus and cooperation by building partnerships among the various groups in Framingham that have a stake in the Downtown commercial district.

Promotion Committee Promotion takes many forms, but the goal is to create a positive image for Downtown Framingham that will rekindle community pride and improve consumer and investor confidence in the central commercial district.

Design Committee Design works on getting Downtown Framingham into top physical condition and creating a safe, inviting environment for shoppers, workers and visitors.

Economic Restructuring Committee Economic Restructuring strengthens Downtown Framingham’s existing economic assets while diversifying its economic base.

Comprehensive Downtown Framingham’s revitalization has something for everybody.

Incremental The revitalization starts with small steps and building blocks from which to grow.

Self-help FDR brings residents and stakeholders into the fold. We can’t do this alone.

Partnerships By forming partnerships with interested civic groups and community leaders, FDR gains credibility and broader outreach.

Build on Existing Assets Downtown Framingham already has many assets to build upon. It is FDR’s perspective to see what’s here, what’s working and what’s next.

Quality Our historic Downtown Framingham deserves and commands quality.

Change Change is difficult, and Downtown Framingham has had to endure quite a bit throughout the years. It is vital for our historic downtown to keep up with the present, while reflecting its roots in the past and protecting the places and character that people hold dear.

Implementation FDR is more than ideas. We are action.

Framingham Downtown Renaissance, Inc.

The Framingham Patch on October 15th:

“ That is what creating and promoting a vibrant downtown is all about. A place where we can meet folks and share great times and make memories." (www.framingham.patch.com)

The Hamster on December 25th:

...FDR's Winter Wonderland Festival [in December] transformed downtown, with dozens of storefront windows painted with holiday scenes, and strolling groups of carolers to entertain shoppers. And that was just on the heels of another successful downtown event, the Farm Pond Fall Festival.

Naysayers who mutter that downtown will never be improved may scoff at the idea of these events. But the enthusiasm for, and the attendance and participation in them points toward a desire in the town for just these types of community gatherings. ”

Brett Peruzzi, Blog Writer and Community Activist (www.framhamster.blogspot.com)

Farm Pond Fall Festival on October 13, 2012 Photograph by Dan Schullman

Approach | Four-Point Committees

Eight Guiding Principles

FDR’s mission is to promote, guide and implement the revitalization of Downtown Framingham by collaborating with residents, town department officials

and a variety of private stakeholders supporting a shared vision.

This summary provides an overview of the community outreach efforts and accomplishments achieved by Framingham Downtown Renaissance, Inc. (FDR) during 2012.

MBCR Commuter Rail Parking Lot The commuter rail parking lot (AKA “the Banana Lot”) had succumbed to late stages of blight stemming from neglect and the mismanagement of weed growth, waste disposal and crime. FDR and the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company worked together to eliminate the overgrown vegetation, demolished fencing, trash and gravel that had accumulated over several years.

H.H. Richardson Train Station FDR identified the historic Richardson Train Station at the intersection of Concord, Irving and Waverley Streets as symbolic of the heart and soul of Downtown Framingham’s past. FDR reached out to the building’s current owner to establish a working relationship and to act as a liaison with the Town Hall, as well as to guide restoring the building for commercial use.

Existing Business Stabilization FDR built strong lines of communication and relationships with the business community. In the summer of 2012, FDR Intern Germano Lima, a business administration major from FSU interned with Andrews to organize small business owners and employees at the grassroots level. Lima increased the downtown community’s web presence by registering businesses with local and national search engines, as well as developing downtown business websites and social media pages. Lima speaks fluent Spanish, Portuguese and English.

FDR Accomplishments 2012 Leadership Director FDR hired Holli Andrews on March 15th this year to guide and coordinate FDR’s efforts to restore vibrancy to Framingham’s central business district. Andrews instituted broad grassroots outreach, business community development and lessons in the classroom on vibrant communities at Framingham State University to garner civic participation and investment in Downtown Framingham’s revitalization.

Partnerships Town Hall and Departments | Team Work and Support FDR has been an active liaison between the Downtown business community and the Town of Framingham:

FRAMINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT Call Cards—FDR collaborated with Deputy Chief Ken Ferguson and officers to create cards with non-emergency contact info to encourage crime reporting and promote safety downtown. FPD Neighborhood Community Meetings — FDR attended community crime watch meetings to support police outreach and promote local involvement in FDR’s downtown revitalization efforts.

2. DEPARTMENT of PUBLIC WORKS Night Construction — FDR acted as liaison and communication between downtown businesses and DPW during evening construction work in 2012. FDR also supported DPW’s business outreach efforts during an unplanned sewer main break.

3. PARKS and RECREATION Farm Pond — FDR collaborated with Parks and Rec to manage safety and stewardship at the Fall Festival, and also informed locals about the work that staff and management from Parks and Rec does to promote and protect this natural gem.

4. TOWN HALL Community and Economic Development — Compiled CDBG demographic statistics and business profiles, and recruited Sign and Façade Improvement Program applicants. Networked. Planning Board Office — Assisted with historic designation development, MetroWest Moves, and grant support. Department of Health — Worked with a downtown building owner to remove asbestos. Local Decision Inputs:

Sign bylaw outreach and liaison;

126 Streetscape Improvement Project public hearing;

Pawn Licensing for Downtown public position.

Framingham State University FDR collaborated with seniors and Professor Stephanie Grey from FSU’s Art & Music Department to design a distinct brand for FDR’s community events and “Designing Farm Pond.” In addition, FSU students from Professor Sandra Rahman’s International Marketing Class collaborated with FDR to support the community events, as well as to help several of the downtown businesses with marketing and promotion.

McAuliffe Regional Charter Public School FDR was a great fit to partner with McAuliffe Regional’s expeditionary curriculum. Staff and students were strong contributors to the development and participation of both Fall Festival and Winter Wonderland.

Welcoming Framingham When Welcoming Framingham approached FDR to do a National Day of Service, FDR joined forces with WF to post “Everyone is Welcome Here” signs in downtown.

Projects & Support

Events Farm Pond Fall Festival FDR held its inaugural celebration of Farm Pond on October 13, 2012. The event was FDR’s “coming out party” as a Main Streets program, and provided a setting to encourage people to begin thinking about what would draw them to Downtown Framingham — focusing on what’s there, what’s working, and what could be.

Winter Wonderland FDR hosted its second annual seasonal gathering on December 8th. The event highlighted a BUY LOCAL theme, encouraging downtown holiday shopping by inviting communities to paint windows of participating downtown businesses. Framingham Community Theater Singers, First Parish Church’s Handbell Choir, and Boys A Cappella contributed their musical talents to the event, and event goers warmed up with cocoa and live acoustic in the Arcade.

Winter Wonderland Photograph by Elsa Hornfischer

Next Steps Downtown Framingham’s Gateway: Commuter Railroad and Wayfinding Downtown — FDR’s Design Committee will continue to develop the resources to connect, beautify and improve the commuter rail experience to and from Downtown Framingham.

The Boston Marathon — FDR’s Promotions Committee will work with Framingham State University’s Arts & Ideas Committee and Strategic Marketing students to expand and innovate the community atmosphere for this historic annual race that runs through Downtown Framingham.

Farm Pond Destination — FDR will collaborate with Framingham State University students and the Town of Framingham’s Parks & Recreation Department to enhance Farm Pond’s trail system with comprehensive site analysis, design, lighting and improved usage.

Business Incubator and Innovation — FDR will provide leadership and assistance in support of proposed business incubator program, Metrowest Innovation Center to be located in Downtown. FDR’s Economic Restructuring Committee will spearhead aspects of this

project, along with members from the Town of Framingham’s Community and Economic Development Office.

Historic Designation — FDR’s Organization Committee will work with the Town of Framingham’s Planning Board to pursue recognition for Downtown Framingham as an historic destination, acknowledging Harmony Grove as a convening place honored for the Abolitionism Movement and Women’s Suffrage.

Parking and Local Issues — FDR will continue to make Downtown Framingham business friendly by supporting the interests of downtown business owners, developers, residents and stakeholders in local decision-making, community events and safety management.

129A Concord Street | Suite 25 Framingham, MA 01702 508.861.3289 holli@fdrms.org

Writing and design by Holli Andrews

Timeline Walkway designed and rendered by David Anderson, Summer 2012

“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody,

only because — and only when—they are created by everybody.” Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities Visit! www.fdrms.org

QR code | FDR video of the Boston Marathon in Downtown Framingham 2012!

Runners speed past the H.H. Richardson Train Station.

Framingham Downtown Renaissance, Inc.