The fall and winter schedule for the “Somerville by Design” neighborhood planning effort kicks off in Winter Hill on Monday, Sept. 29. Over the next four months, residents, business owners, community organizations and commercial property owners will have the opportunity to roll up their sleeves along with city officials to prepare a plan that guides public and private investment in the Winter Hill neighborhood, from Mystic Avenue to Medford Street, and from Foss Park to Magoun Square.
A kickoff visioning meeting will be held Monday, Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m.at the Healey School (cafeteria). Interactive mapping and photo preference exercises will get everyone involved, and will set the table for an intensive, three-day design charrette in late October.
From October 27 to October 29, the city will hold an “open studio” event in the vacant storefront at 328 Broadway. For three consecutive days, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., community members can drop in at the studio and work with city staff and designers to draw and discuss ideas about the future of the neighborhood. During the early winter we’ll take what we’ve heard and refine it, and come back for an open-house presentation in mid-January.

Somerville by Design is a cutting-edge approach to community planning that uses resident know-how to solve challenging physical planning and urban design issues. For more information and updates, visit www.somervillebydesign.com.