Residents Invited To Workshop on Revitalizing Nobscot Village

The Town of Framingham’s Economic Development and Industrial Corporation (EDIC) is undertaking a planning and market analysis study on the Nobscot village commercial center.

Residents are invited to a workshop meeting on Monday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Community Center.

Framingham’s EDIC was established in 1995 to “stimulate economic development and expand employment opportunities in the Town of Framingham in accordance with the town’s approved economic development plans.”

the EDIC is holding a workshop on Nobscot village on Monday night with plans to hold one on Saxonville on Thursday night next week.

The purpose of the workshop is to discuss what should the village’s commercial center be, how should it look and how can the Town help the village get there.

The Town of Framingham solicited requests for proposals for professional assistance by a land use planning, economic development and urban design consultant to lead this effort.

The Cecil Group, a planning and design firm located in Boston, was selected with their economic development subconsultant FXM Associates.

The consultant team will seek input from the community to better understand the issues and opportunities of the study areas and to identify a shared community vision for the village centers to help shape economic development strategies. This public outreach will include stakeholder interviews, presentations at EDIC regular meetings, and three public meetings in each village center.

The planning study is expected to be complete by the end of June 2015.

Initial public meetings are scheduled for February, with alternative approach meetings in April and the final public meetings to be scheduled in June.

One of the biggest issues facing the plan will be the revitalization of Nobscot Plaza, which is practically empty.

In February of 2012, the realty firm hired to revitalize the Nobscot Shopping Center told more than 100 residents it had big plans for the plaza. Nothing has happened since that meeting, except more businesses closing.

Selectmen, on several instances, have complained about the blighted shopping plaza.

One positive for the Nobscot village is the construction of a new Christa McAuliffe Library branch on Water Street, across from Heritage, and next to the almost empty plaza.