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© 2021 The Somerville Times. All rights reserved.
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
By Jack Connolly
Business/Property Owner on College Ave.
Lifetime and Longtime Davis Sq. Resident
Former Somerville Ward Six Alderman & Alderman at Large
It’s no secret businesses in Davis Square, and throughout the area, are suffering and CLOSING brought on by the chaos caused by the Covid 19 virus.
Look at who are closed now in Davis sq.; Somerville Theatre, the Rosebud Diner, the Painted Burro, Dunkin’ Donuts, Sligo Pub, Spoke, Au Bon Pain, and the Rite-Aid pharmacy is closed, complete with graffiti tags. Who’s next?
Despite the severe economic disaster caused by Covid, Somerville City Hall transportation folks are touting a program to remove dozens of PARKING Spaces on College Ave and Holland St Where? On College Ave from the T stop to Morrison Avenue, and on Holland Street from the T stop all the way past Orleans to Irving Street.
Why, you ask? City planners want to make way for a dedicated bike lane that would take people around Davis Square and eliminate short-term parking year-round.
What a slap in the face to the hundreds of residents (myself included), businesses, City and state planners, all united as the Davis Sq. Task Force. These intrepid individuals all spent years trying to bring people and progress to Davis Square; And who also planned and monitored the construction of the Red Line T stop that opened in 1984, and then re-developed the square block-by-block after the opening of the Red Line T stop.
It defies the bounds of comprehension, what with already overburdened shops and businesses struggling to stay open, and trying to claw their way back to solvency post Covid, would anyone want to make it more difficult for clients, customers, diners, and shoppers to come back to Davis Square?
Let’s hit the pause button on this parking removal madness idea and let’s take care of fixing the neglected problems of the patched and crumbling crosswalks, loose bricks, curbing and tree wells, so that all of us will be safer, especially for elderly and anyone with disabilities’, navigating in and around Davis Square.
Time now for SOMERVILLE to declare a moratorium on this PARKING REMOVAL PROGRAM disguised as what the City calls a Transportation Mobility Improvement Project.
Time also to bring back the Davis Square Task Force, where businesses, residents, AND city officials can meet together and plan how we can we can both come out of Covid, return Davis Sq. to a day and night destination for people coming to the Square, and NOT around it.
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The improved bicycling facilities will bring more people to Davis Square businesses, on bicycles.
I travel to Davis several times a week to frequent small businesses there – by bus, and then on foot. The plan is to add both bus and bike lanes. There is actually evidence from other cities that improving the pedestrian experience and adding bike lanes has a positive effect on sales tax receipts. Why? Because if you can walk or bike easily in a pleasant environment, you’re more likely to go more often.
People speed crazily down Holland Avenue as it is – it is wide and has tons of parking. There are limited pedestrian crossings, and it is already tough to get around Davis on foot without the amount of car traffic. Making it a more pleasant place to walk around and travel to without having to find parking will help businesses, not hurt them.
By no means will improved bicycling facilities bring more business to Davis Sq.
It will surly destroy the business , If you check statics i am sure that most people entering Davis sq. for dinner ,shopping or doctors appointments, the movies theater come by car. when was the last time anyone took there bike to the movie theater?
Most people biking are just passing thru the square! In these tough time small business are going thru shouldn’t we be encouraging business to the square and not hindering it
Enough !
Seriously? Rather than increase safety, and the ability for folks to walk, bike, scooter, bus ride into Davis, you want to preserve parking?
Cars do not buy things. Cars use valuable public space for private use. Cars are dangerous & polluting.
We need to prioritize safety and sustainability, and plenty of data shows us that removing parking is the best thing to do not only for those goals, but for businesses, too!
Thanks for the piece, and I’m all for fixing patched and crumbling sidewalks, curbs, and treewells.
I’d just like to note the addition of bike lanes actually make it *easier* for one very big class of “clients, customers, diners, and shoppers” to come back to Davis Square. Those people are bicycle riders like me. The addition of mass transit and bike lanes in Somerville and Cambridge has made it hugely easier and safer for us to get around, summer and winter, to shop and dine.
I understand that it’s harder for drivers with the loss of these parking places. But bikes and mass transit are very popular now (and becoming moreso). As a bonus, a Davis Square with fewer cars may well be more attractive to everyone, drawing even more people to visit. I believe the tradeoff is not just worth it, but will be a bonus in the years to come. Thanks!
Why are car drivers (who have killed pedestrians and cyclists) more important than pedestrians and cyclists, some of whom are elderly and have disabilities?
Davis Square is a Central Business District, and has been created for businesses to serve the community whether by foot, bicycle, or car. Right now, if anyone has walked through recently, the amount of closed storefronts far exceeds the number I have ever seen in my 58 years of nearly daily visits.
This is as serious as it gets as to whether or not Davis Square remains a vibrant area with LOCAL businesses offering the varied amenities it does, or whether or not it goes into urban decay or taken over by CHAINS. Parking is an integral part of the customer base for these shops and services.
The models I believe most cyclists would use to further an argument that the displaced driving customers will be replaced by cycling, bussed, or walking customers are not applicable or sensible. Global cities have a density with at least 4 stories on every block and above the storefronts. Their transit travel has jammed busses. Europe and other countries do it better. We have a long way to go and Davis Square should not be on the chopping block in some long game vision that is a far far cry from today. Hell our MBTA barely tells you a thing on those Bus signs. It is not user friendly for recreational or random travel. There is a lot more to get those busses filled before anyone thinks these small changes for a couple stops on Holland and College will actually increase ridership. Not to mention all those folks living closer to a very extensive Green line will not even come to Davis now. Assembly Row, a planned community with the Orange line T and busses, has all storefronts with 3 stories above them, a huge parking garage, and a heck of a lot more people working in the immediate area. And they even have closed storefronts.
This pandemic has wreaked havoc and to do this change in parking accessibility at this time is criminal and dumb. I do not think you will find one business owner that will say they do not depend on a percentage of drivers, or on the businesses that do and then buy from them too. All businesses are intertwined. Somerville Theatre needs parking and plenty of it for evenings as does the Rockwell Theater, Burren Music Room and all the dining establishments. You cannot bring world class entertainment or dining and expect only those who walk, bike, or bus will fill all those places. And please do not say the ‘replacement’ parking the City has itn its plan is actually a real remedy. It is not.
Davis Square has existed for a long time as is. I do not understand the cry from cyclists right now that it must be changed, must be changed now, and anyone who doesn’t buy into that, thinks safety is not important. Or that those who drive or want parking are selfish. There could be an argument to turn that on those who dismiss such as being the short sighted and selfish ones.
Pedestrian and cyclist safety is important. The crosswalks, walkways, and dangerous turning signals that exist now should have been fixed ages ago. Why is the removal of parking the immediate call for safety and not these long overdue repairs? Between the community paths, MM Bike path, and side streets, the goal of getting cyclists through Davis safely is possible. I am a cyclist and have traveled to Davis for work for decades, from homes throughout Somerville, Cambridge, Coolidge Corner, Winchester/Arlington. There are already many parallel roads that do not have the traffic of Holland or College. This plan, to steer cyclists through the middle of what is still a vibrant square, for a few short blocks, by removing parking, will create a Davis Square not interesting enough for anyone to go to by any modes.
Local businesses are lucky to make it through the pandemic. 5 out of 9 storefronts on Holland Street are empty. The business owners on Holland and College have joined and put out on their social media and email list a Customer survey. 530+ have responded. 50% of them drive and they will not change their mode of travel. That is a fact.
There is more than one way to peel a potato, and the goal of safety is important, as is the health of all the local businesses and the local economy. They do not have to be mutually exclusive but with this plan, as is. And with fewer local services, all the residents in Davis and all those who work in Davis, will have to drive to other locations a heck of a lot more. And for any person who thinks that businesses will be fine, well, not trying to be aggressive, but it is not your livelihood, your financial security, your lifelong dream, your kids education, etc etc on the line. So give businesses their due. They have been here and have depended on Davis as it is and has been for decades and decades. Safety vs Parking are false choices.
Maybe those intrepid individuals who planned and monitored the construction of the Red Line T stop and the walkable blocks around it were on to something: transit riders, pedestrians, and cyclists are the lifeblood of the city. “People and progress” did not come to Davis because it’s a great place to park a car. The city’s plan builds on what makes Davis successful, and if anything could go further to make sure space is used economically productive way (mobility improvements to bring more people to the square) instead of a wasteful way (parking).
I am in and around Davis Sq. everyday and have been for the past 1.5 years for work and I also grew up in Somerville so i have seen a lot over the years. Many people including myself feel biking for a mode of daily transportation is dangerous and also ridiculous on streets designed for cars only no matter what color you paint a strip on either side of the street. When bike riders start acting responsible and start following the rules of the road instead of running lights, riding on the wrong side, cutting off people and cars, riding too fast in clearly marked areas, not wearing proper equipment to just name a few issues then we can have a real conversation about bikes on city streets. A personally feel the bigger problem in the square is the group of homeless who gather everyday outside the convenience store getting high, getting drunk and acting like fools. Can someone please address this issue!!!
Another horrendous, embarrassing take from the maestro, Jack Connolly. I have no doubt that this plan “defies the bounds of your comprehension,” Jack. It’s a relief that the city’s urban planners and lawmakers are not limited by what you’re able to comprehend. Carla and he are NIMBY scum who fight change no matter what it is. Mensa genius Carla somehow believes that removing parking will bring “urban decay” which then brings “chains” as if chains only exist in economically depressed areas.
I say Jack doesn’t go far enough. We should build more parking! Pave over our useless parks and common space. Widen the community path into a two way road! Shrink these sidewalks for the poor losers who don’t drive. Our local businesses, like the beloved Au Bon Pain, would thrive if Davis were turned into a concrete hellscape better suited to a Ford F150 than a human being!
“Cars do not buy things. Cars use valuable public space for private use. Cars are dangerous & polluting.”
-No, they don’t but their occupants surely do.
-Drivers in Somerville pay dearly for the privilege of owning, operating, and parking a vehicle.
-Bicycles are much more dangerous because there is no accountability for the reckless, illegal ways too many of them drive.
Where is the ADA on this? The Somerville Disability Commission? The Council on Aging? Personally, I can’t remember the last time I was in Davis Square, due to disability and lack of parking. I remember when an experiment which eliminated parking and driving in Downtown Crossing led to it becoming mostly a ghost town, and dangerous after dark. Be careful what you wish for.
Many of the roads and sidewalks in Davis Square (and citywide) are in deplorable condition. Before we paint more roads red why don’t we instead focus on putting tax dollars towards repairing some of the potholes, fixing raised sidewalks and replacing missing bricks in crosswalks? Seems to me this “walkable/bikable” city would be a lot less hazardous if those issues were addressed.
14 parking spots on one side of Holland fill 10 different businesses alive according to Jack.
Take them all. Make one side half handicap parking and the other 5 minute for the delivery drivers. Get them out of double parking situations, let traffic get through and offer good public options by bus with no fare. Check out Congresswoman Pressley’s Freedom to Move Act.
You owning a car shouldn’t give you more rights to a public space. Don’t forget this biker’s taxes go to paving your on street parking while I keep my bike in my apartment.
Bikers Matter – Businesses Matter
Davis Square’s identity is built around the businesses.
I don’t want any more businesses closing.
They are suffering enough due to COVID and Amazon.
I’m a biker.
But It is not the time to further pain businesses with loss of parking.
I just use the side streets to get around the square.
Perhaps a bike lane instead of parking can be a future consideration…..but not now IMHO.
This city has been fast swirling down the hopper. Removing parking spaces near and around Davis will accelerate that, so I’m all for it. This will expedite bringing back the good old good days where you could smoke dust in McDonald’s and then break Tufts student’s heads at the Jumbo. Ahhhhh …good times.
Residents whose primary mode of transport are bicycles is <1%. Why does the city bend over and grab their cheeks for these imbeciles!? One reason: the bike mafia are entitled little misfits whose mommy & daddy have cash. We al know our mayor is a scoundrel and stooge. Hence, kiss those parking spots goodbye.
Bicyclists good luck riding your bike in the foot of snow coming! And how's the cold wind been lately.
I bike commute through the Davis Area most days. But I usually go around Davis, on Mass Ave or Broadway, just so I can avoid the mess that Davis is for bikes. These changes will mean I can bike through Davis. That means stopping, to go to the grocery store, Downtown Liquor, Goodwill, and the restaurants.
Hey Alex
‘Carla and he are NIMBY scum’ and ‘Mensa genius Carla’ are inflammatory remarks and quite honestly, one of the reasons many people do not want to comment on platforms. Not sure why the Somerville Times didn’t flag that.
For those more open to reason, hopefully I presented logical arguments. The majority of the business community believes this removal of parking will crush them. 26 businesses filled out surveys on their pandemic losses and their expectations on subsequent years with loss of parking. We know our businesses, we adapt every day, and yet, no one can adapt to 50% on average of your customer base that states they will not come if parking is more difficult. Yes, we have real numbers. No way, no how will cyclist purchases ever make up for the loss.
As for those who live in Davis Square, 100 residents surveyed, 81% have cars, 53.6% didn’t even know about it until December 2020 or LATER. My longtime neighbors on Winter Street, homeowners that can get notices easily from a City who wants to contact them, living on a street where meters are to replace the residential permit spaces, didn’t even know.
Does insulting my intelligence, name calling me and my friend Jack, and your extreme and ludicrous conjecturing about paving parks make those numbers change? Or make your statements real about what Davis residents think about cars? Or your speculation on the impacts on the economy more valid? If residents didn’t want cars, then side streets would be empty, and we would be using them for the driving customers.
Also Alex, I can share more of my ‘Mensa genius’
Urban decay happens with storefronts emptying and building owners are not willing to fix decaying properties operating at a loss. Chains come in when landlords choose to rent to them believing (sensibly) local small businesses do not have the financial wherewithal to handle rough times. The property owners need to pay their mortgages etc. too. But certainly if anyone wants to put skin in the game and back any and every local business who can’t survive, I am all for it. Right now the City’s Economic Development Office hasn’t helped many or enough during the pandemic. Do you see the dark streets and papered windows? Do you even live in Davis?
BTW, Au Bon Pain was a nice coffee shop for a large number of elderly folks who feel less comfortable in the more trendy places. It was run by very nice people. I would go there often and see folks playing cards etc. So it was beloved for some, so please don’t think only your opinion of a coffee shop matters.
The extreme expression on Ford Trucks etc is something businesses have never said nor think. If any change to the primary purpose of the MM bike path was being presented by the City or the businesses, no one should support that either.
We all pay taxes. Residents, Businesses, Commercial Property owners, and don’t forget about Customers on every single meal, drink, or purchase.
I feel someone like you who likes to bully their way to a point, should be called out. And that is why I spent my time doing so.
In the end, there should be ways to work on a win win. But this plan, in its single vision, is not that plan.
It’s speculation on my part but I can’t help wondering if the intent is to make the one to two story buildings financially unfeasible so that they’re sold to developers and razed to make way for larger buildings.
The parking spaces on Highland, and the lot around the former Walgreens are empty most of the time these days. There’s plenty of parking, and the square is already deeply unpleasant to drive through. Add more mixed permit/2hr parking surrounding Davis instead.
Of course those parking spaces are empty nowadays, businesses have either been operating at reduced hours/capacity, or closed altogether, and we’re in the middle of a pandemic. Get real.
The square is a dump. Businesses are shuttered, the roads and sidewalks are in a state of severe disrepair and junkies are hanging out there at all hours of day. Why would anyone want to go there anymore? Funny enough, I see the mayor on twitter beating the drum on national affairs but I don’t see him addressing these issues going on in his own city. Or the city council. But the solution is to take away what parking remains so that these trust fund babies can continue living this bohemian fantasy of theirs.
Now back to bed.
Citizen Jack,
No one takes you seriously after you were voted out.
Your opinion is not based on data.
Most people frequenting the bars, restaurants, and other entertainment venues around Davis are not coming in by car.
People frequenting stuffy offices like your insurance company are probably coming by car. Interesting that your business gets a voice in a local paper. But sorry, the data shows that a huge amount of Davis is frequented by people not by car.
Oh, and Carla– I own a car. But no thanks, I’ll leave it at home if I’m going to Davis. You assume that because 81% of respondents in the survey indicated they owned a car, they want to drive it to Davis. Guess what? Most bike owners also own cars. Therefore that survey was pointless.
I agree with most comment on this thread, separated bike lane will only bring good things to Davis Square. It is 2021 and time to rethink our street for improved safety, health and protect our children and the climate. Davis square is a lovely area that is accessible by bus foot and T stations. there is no reason to drive there – apart of course for providing accessible parking to those with disabilities who rely on it. Making it more difficult to park in there will only make it a better place.