How to make Lexington “buzz and sizzle”

It was a drizzly November morning, but a dedicated group of Lexington residents, bundled in winter coats and sheltered by umbrellas, turned out for a walking tour of the town center, led by landscape architect Ian Law and urban planner John Mullin. The tour was part of a 2-day workshop, facilitated by Mullin, Law and other members of their team, that brought together Town Meeting members, local business owners, landlords, and other interested residents to imagine ways to revitalize the town. 

The group split in two, and I joined the half led by Law. We began at Emery Park, the patch of green in front of The Lexington Depot, which Law envisions as the center of town. “So many downtowns would kill to have that,” Law said, pointing at the empty square. 

Today, the park is lined mostly by banks and empty storefronts (the new Lexington Liquors is a notable exception), but Law and Mullin envision a bustling scene with food trucks, picnic tables, free wifi, and a stage for events featuring live music.

The park should be clearly named and marked, perhaps with a prominent feature like a fountain or sculpture in the center, they suggest, so that people think of it as a natural meeting place. They also suggest that the farmers’ market be located in the square — a farmers’ market in the center of town brings money to other businesses, Law said. “You want every person who goes to the farmers market to stop and get a coffee.”

The group then moved on to the parking lot between the bike path and the shops lining Mass Ave. “You guys treat your back of house like a strip mall,” Law said. Many people park their cars in the lot and enter Lexington’s shops through the back door, rather than walking down the main street past the other shops, where they might be tempted to stop for an ice cream or boba tea, or see a new book by a favorite author featured in the window of the bookstore. Law pointed out that the backs are where the bathrooms and janitor’s closets are. “We want to get them to walk to the front and enter through the front door,” he said.

The bike path is “an amazing asset, so many passersby — how do we capture that?” Law pondered. He suggests that, in order to catch people coming off the bike path and out of the parking lot, the alley that currently runs between the Bank of America and a building full of realtors’ offices could be made into an “inviting paseo” with “archways, murals, lighting, sculpture” to make the passage more inviting. 

One of the residents on the tour pointed out that that the town did try to make this pathway more welcoming — at one point there were festive lights, picnic tables and even a giant Connect Four set for the kids — but the owners of the building next door complained. “They didn’t like the sound of laughing children,” someone quipped. Mullin suggested that the best way to deal with stubborn building owners is for neighbors to encourage them to see the benefits of a more vibrant and welcoming community. Short of that, the Town could work with the space that they can more easily control, closer to the bike path, to make sure there are clear signs enticing people from the path to the street — perhaps a “Welcome to Lexington” sign with arrows pointing the way to ice cream, sandwiches, coffee, the cycling shop, and historical sights. Lighting is also essential, Law said, both to draw people to the passageway and make them feel safe when the sun goes down — which is just after 4:00 pm these days, still prime business hours.

Law also suggested, somewhat controversially for Lexington but not in the world of urban planning, that Lexington’s buildings are too short and wide. “Vibrant main streets have a 3:1 width to height ratio. Lexington is more like 5:1,” he said. At that 3:1 ratio, the space feels more contained and defined, without being so tall that it feels cavernous. Taller buildings also mean space for apartments and offices above the storefronts. The people living and working there would eat in local restaurants, spend money in local shops, and make the town feel more alive. 

Back inside, residents had an opportunity to share what they’d like to see in the town.

“Many people are looking for a space where they can have a drink, maybe listen to some music, get together with friends,” one resident said. Another put it more bluntly: “We need a bar!”

Others focused on highlighting Lexington’s history, suggesting more prominent maps and markers or even a scavenger hunt for historical sites. Revitalizing the movie theater was also a popular idea, perhaps transforming it into a venue that also hosts concerts and other live events. Someone suggested doing more with the roof deck over the bookstore, maybe turning it into a spot for music and drinks in the summer. Many people mentioned needing more places for teens to hang out. Parking and traffic were big concerns.   

These days, “towns are competing with the convenience of your couch,” Law said. In order to have a chance, town centers need to provide a real experience. “You need to make it buzz and sizzle.”