A report released last week by CultureHouse, a non-profit organization dedicated to working with communities to transform underutilized spaces into vibrant social infrastructure, shows CultureHouse East Somerville, a month-long community pop-up on Broadway was welcomed by the community and increased accessibility and engagement while supporting economic revitalization and boosting commercial vibrancy with over 352 visitors, 22 community events, and more.

The CultureHouse East Somerville Impact Report highlights and celebrates the diverse community of East Somerville. The pop-up space was created in partnership with East Somerville Main Streets and ran from May 3 to June 4 in a vacant storefront at 20 Broadway. The report also highlights that the pop-up:

• Created a safe and welcoming space (352 people visited the space)
• 352 visitors, including local, regional, and international visitors – and tourists – visited the space. * 52% increase in visitors who were women, and a 3-fold increase in Asian visitors * Families and older adults were active and frequent visitors.
• Promoted accessibility – 45% of visitors chose to walk to the pop-up with programming in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
• Boosted commercial vibrancy with 22 events hosted by local partners – including workshops featuring the City of Somerville, local businesses, non-profits, community organizations, and local artists and creatives. 63% said they made new connections at the pop-up.

Business owners, community members, and visitors (and their pets!) welcomed the pop-up, and many, particularly older adults and families with their children, were frequent visitors, not only for the programming but for the space and community it created. The owner of the vacant storefront was not sure what to expect when a lease was signed for it to become CultureHouse East Somerville – and certainly did not imagine new flooring, flexible furniture, plants, increased foot traffic and vibrancy, and offers to rent the space.

“There’s no doubt many of our communities continue to face the economic and social impacts of the pandemic,” said Aaron Greiner, Executive Director at CultureHouse. “East Somerville had a 20% commercial vacancy rate, and this was the impetus to the community pop-up space to foster community and boost commercial vibrancy – and we’re excited to see that the community not only welcomed the pop-up but used it as an opportunity to connect with each other, learn about local businesses, and want more of it. We are so grateful to contribute to show how existing and underutilized spaces can be part of a solution to give businesses in the region a much-needed boost and, most importantly, foster community.”

“CultureHouse East Somerville allowed us to gain insight into how the main street can be improved through investment and fostering connection,” said Lindsay Allen, Executive Director at East Somerville Main Streets. “We look forward to referencing and sharing the findings of the impact report to help inform strategies to enliven our neighborhood and promote a culturally rich and diverse commercial center.”

The report is intended to serve as a resource for city planners, business owners, and community organizations looking to revitalize their communities by improving main streets and utilizing vacant spaces. The CultureHouse East Somerville impact report provides recommendations on creating welcoming and accessible community spaces, developing intentional partnerships, activating underutilized community resources with diverse programming to increase and promote accessibility to downtowns.

On Tuesday, August 22 at 6:30 p.m. CultureHouse, and East Somerville Main Streets will be hosting a meeting with the community of East Somerville to share the details of the impact report and additional suggestions for developing vibrant cultural spaces that foster a welcoming and accessible environment for the community. Learn more about this community meeting at www.culturehouse.cc/projects/east-somerville.

About CultureHouse

CultureHouse is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving livability in local communities by transforming unused spaces into vibrant social infrastructure. They create lasting change through community engagement, building designs, operating experimental pop-up spaces, and impact reports detailing the project’s next steps. Learn more at www.culturehouse.cc/eastsomerville.

About East Somerville Main Streets

East Somerville Main Streets is a nonprofit organization that is committed to improving the lives of the East Somerville community through strengthening the commercial center, raising awareness of the rich culture, and enhancing social connection. Learn more at https://www.eastsomervillemainstreets.org/