Gateway Cities need fun and exciting places where people want to linger. As a major new study on "placemaking" by MIT researchers demonstrates, vibrant urban spaces not only get residents more engaged in their communities, but they also attract people and investment.

From Fargo to Shreveport, the MIT report includes many creative examples from communities with character and scale that is similar to our Gateway Cities. These cases help us understand how to demonstrate and measure the impact of our investments in placemaking.

The upcoming Massachusetts Smart Growth Conference on November 20th at the Boston Convention Center offers Gateway City leaders opportunities to connect with experts and learn more, with workshops on local examples of placemaking, revitalizing "Main Streets," creating mixed-income neighborhoods, and how to launch a "Great Neighborhoods" initiative in your community.

We hope to see you there!

-- Andre Leroux
Executive Director
Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance

GOVERNANCE

 

The Gateway Cities Legislative Caucus came away impressed after a visit to Pittsfield on Monday. The tour, which has highlighted the caucus' legislative achievements and increased understanding of the policy issues facing the Gateway Cities, has made previous stops in Fall River, Holyoke, and Lowell.

 

Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong offers to take a $20,000-a-year pay cut to help fund the position of economic development director, the Telegram & Gazette reports.

 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT  

 

Chelsea City Manager Jay Ash makes the case for transformative redevelopment in a Boston Globe column. The Standard Times runs a Sunday feature story on the effort to advance the transformative redevelopment legislation.

 

John Aubin calls for more support for market rate housing in Holyoke with a column in the Springfield Republican.  

 

Springfield city officials announced they will start enforcing an ordinance that requires $10,000 bonds be placed with the city for vacant and foreclosed properties.

 

Manufacturer Savage Arms of Westfield has been awarded a $179,600 grant from the state's Workforce Training Fund to expand its workforce and train people in efficient lean manufacturing. The training sessions will train 400 employees, and 48 new jobs are expected to be created.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Governor Patrick announced transportation capital plans at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, pledging to invest evenly across the state. CommonWealth's Gabrielle Gurley has doubts about the prospects for South Coast rail.

 

PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Worcester city officials are deciding whether or not to install a gunfire-detection system in the Shrewsbury neighborhood and parts of Grafton Street and the Canal District, as well as a surveillance camera in the Grafton Street area.

 

POLITICS

 

Challenger William Carpenter and Brockton Mayor Linda Balzotti participated in a heated debate over a issues ranging from violent crime to a gas-fired power plant.

 

At a debate on diversity with Lynn Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy, challenger Tim Phelan says 98.8 percent of the teachers in the city's schools are white, the Item reports.

 

Eight out of the nine Haverhill City Council members are running for reelection this fall, and locals predict a close race.