Burlington to Host Community Design Workshop for Commercial Hub

Burlington is hosting an interactive community design process to help develop a new land use framework for the area’s largest commercial district. The design process, also referred to as a “charrette,” invites the public to participate in a multi-day workshop that will lay out the strengths and weaknesses for the area, and through a collaborative process, the goal is to create a roadmap for sustainable growth.

All workshop and charrette events will be held in the lobby of the Piedmont Realty office building in the commercial district at 25 Burlington Mall Road:

• May, 23rd Tuesday | 6:30-8:30pm | 25 Burlington Mall Road
• May, 24th Wednesday | 5:00-8:30pm | 25 Burlington Mall Road
• May, 25th Thursday | 6:30-8:30pm | 25 Burlington Mall Road

The Town’s Planning and Economic Development departments are working together to lead the long-term economic development and land use plan in concert with consultants Brovitz Community Planning & Design and Dodson & Flinker Land Architecture and Planning. “Burlington is proud of its commercial hub which has long-served as an economic engine for the region providing jobs and opportunities to many people in greater Boston area,” reported Elizabeth Bonventre, Burlington’s Planning Director. “We are also a proactive community and recognize that for us to remain relevant we need to set the stage for the next generation of growth. Burlington identified nearly 100 acres of development potential, mostly underutilized parking lots, ripe for smart growth and infill development; however, we need good zoning in place for this to happen. Our challenge is to find the sweet spot that balances community goals and financially viable development. I am confident that through this process Burlington will dial in continued success,” stated Melisa Tintocalis, Burlington’s Economic Development Director.

The Town has been studying the area for the past three years, beginning in 2020 with support of the Urban Land Institute and their Technical Assistance Program. This effort led to a state grant and a partnership with MassDevelopment to create the Concept Plan, completed in August 2022. The plan identified nearly 100 acres of development opportunity within the commercial districts most of which exists as under-utilized surface parking lots. To unlock this potential and guide development, the Town is launching a planning process with Brovitz Community Planning & Design and Dodson & Flinker Land Architecture and Planning to engage community stakeholders and craft new zoning for Town Meeting to consider.

For more information and way to get involved, contact the Town’s Economic Development Office at ed@burlington.org or 781-505-1186.