Haverhill TDI District Planning Study

Utile—together with Byrne McKinney and Nelson\Nygaard—worked with MassDevelopment and the City of Haverhill to study redevelopment strategies for the Transformative Development Initiative (TDI) District east of downtown Haverhill. The overall aim of the study is to increase both downtown residents and businesses while rebuilding a successful main street fabric on Merrimack Street. The plan was developed in such a way that it remains flexible to accommodate future shifts in the market. Supported by a coordinated development and placemaking agenda, the plan leverages the city’s existing physical assets, addresses its connectivity and urban design challenges, and seeks to build on the momentum gained through recent developments in and around the study area.

There is significant potential for transformation in the district. The City owns multiple large parcels of land, and a large proportion of the land is current underutilized as poorly-aligned surface parking lots. Additionally, several privately owned properties have potential for creative, adaptive reuse. The recent Harbor Place development is well positioned to serve as an anchor for future growth, drawing people across town and—with activation of the public realm—catalyzing infill development that over time will return Merrimack Street to the vibrant retail corridor it once was.