Main Street Reimagined | Worcester, MA
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Project Summary
The City of Worcester and the Worcester Cultural Coalition recognize creative placemaking, cultural economic development and the arts as powerful tools to improve quality of life and as an opportunity to reimagine Main Street. The Urban Culture Institute is working with project partners to develop and implement the placemaking strategy. Main Street Reimagined complements Worcester's current downtown artery reconstruction as a Complete Street. From north to south, the 1.2-mile long Main Street project stretches from the intersections of Lincoln Square (Highland Street/Belmont Street) in the north to Chandler Street/Madison Street in the south. The reconfigured Main Street will feature bicycle lanes and wider sidewalks with landscaping and street furnishings. Three new plazas will bring more attractive, welcoming frontages to the three downtown theaters along Main Street: the Hanover Theatre, Mechanics Hall and The Palladium. The overall goal is to increase walkability and vibrancy along the Main Street corridor through wayfinding and public art while taking into consideration activation and connectivity between primary nodes. Main Street Reimagined is expected to create an understanding of the city's place in time and sense of place. The overarching theme is to celebrate Worcester’s major achievements, its tradition of innovation, the past, present and future. Worcester was established as a town in 1722, became county seat of Worcester County in 1731, and incorporated as a city in 1848. Highlights of its industrial past include the development of the Smiley Face (Harvey Ball, 1963) and the first spacesuit (David Clark Company, 1965). In July 1776, Worcester residents witnessed the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in New England. The Free Soil (anti-slavery) Party was founded here in 1848 and the first national convention of women advocating women's suffrage took place in 1850. Like many American cities Worcester is comprised of a diverse array of neighborhoods that have evolved and experienced continuous change and waves of immigration over time. The Worcester Historical Museum's ongoing exhibition program, extensive collections and research library holdings document the city's rich past. Currently, Worcester is experiencing a renaissance, sparked by the tireless joint efforts of its administration and neighborhoods in partnership with civic, economic, academic and cultural institutions as well as the non-profit community. Themes The Main Street Reimagined project is conceived to reflect elements of Worcester’s history, culture and community through the predominant themes of creativity, innovation and revolution. District Identifiers Selbert Perkins Design Collaborative previously developed a citywide wayfinding plan for the City of Worcester. Already designed wayfinding elements for 14 locations throughout the city incorporating public art into District Identifiers will be implemented as part of the Main Street reconstruction project. Stay tuned for details. Visit the City of Worcester Main Street Reimagined Webpage. |
Deadline: July 13, 2018, 10 a.m.
Main Street Reimagined Public Art & Streetscape Design RFP RFP requesting professional artistic design & fabrication services for various furnishings & streetscape art issued by the City of Worcester Executive Office of Economic Development. Eligibility: Open to all artists, artist teams, and design professionals with experience in public art and monumental features. Professionals residing in or with studio space in the city of Worcester and the New England region are encouraged to apply. Download the RFP Bid Details. Artists/designers who want to bid are responsible to check HERE for addenda. With questions, please contact the City's Purchasing Director Chris Gagliastro. Overview of Main Street Reimagined Components Creative placemaking streetscape elements and budgets The City seeks proposals for 5 different public art categories (see RFP for details):
Public art nodes Three newly configured plazas will feature landscaping, public art and lighting design:
Press & Releases Call for Artists: Main Street Reimagined. City of Worcester Press Release, June 12, 2018. Luttrell, Aviva. "Here's how Worcester Plans to Use $11M and Three Performing Arts Venues to Transform Main Street." masslive.com, April 3, 2018. Call to Worcester Artists and Poets: Main Street Reimagined. Urban Culture Institute, July 2017. Foskett, Steven. "Fine-tuning Suggested for Worcester’s Planned Main Street Revamp." Telegram & Gazette, December 7, 2016. Contact For additional information please email Christina Lanzl. |