Consultant: new Magoun Square plan is best

By George P. Hassett

     The mayor’s consultant on the Magoun Square revitalization project said this week a better plan to beautify and improve the square will be ready by November.
    David Giangrande, President of Design Consultants, said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone was traveling down the right path in choosing to hold off on the initial beautification project.
    “When the mayor first came into office he was reviewing the old projects. He asked us the appropriate questions and came to the conclusion that he wanted additional funding,” said Giangrande.

    Curtatone said the original plan was akin to adding new tiles to a bathroom whose walls needed to be completely restructured. There would be no solutions for the traffic and pedestrian dilemmas in the square, only minor beautifications, he said.
    “The original plan was inadequate for the needs of Magoun Square. We have not lost any money. The $540,000 that was going to come in is still going to go to the rehabilitation of that neighborhood,” he said.
      Jon Carlisle, spokesman for the Massachusetts Highway Department, said the city would only have to meet basic safety requirements before receiving the money a second time.
      Giangrande said there was no question about which plan was superior and the new and improved Magoun Square project would be funded by 2006.
      “This plan will make Magoun Square a jewel in our city,” said Curtatone.