1923 Planning Board Report-Plan for the Vicinity of Center of the Town

The plan on pages 20 and 21 for the center of Norwood is an integral part of the general plan proposed for the Town as a whole. The development of the center cannot be considered separately from the development of the outlying districts as both regions are structurally a part of one another. In the center, by the extension of Market Street across the tracks and Central Street to Washington Street on the south, one of the new north- south through streets described on page 13 is created. East to west through circulation is provided by the extensions of Railroad Avenue, Nahatan Street, and the development of a parkway crossing the westerly half of the Town from Broadway to the heights at the Water Tower and thence to Dover and other towns toward the northwest and southwest. These proposed streets when combined with the existing thoroughfares of Washington and Walpole Streets form a structure of main highways which should meet the needs of the center of the Town for a long time. The proposed main thoroughfares also serve locally to distribute the heavy motor traffic of the Town and to obviate the future costly widenings of downtown streets. Locally, these new and old connections provide better approach to the Railway Station, the Town Hall, the Library, Schools, Churches, Community Center, Hospital, and to all the stores, banks, offices, and industrial plants of the center of the Town. The operation of fire apparatus over a larger area of the Town will be facilitated also by the directness secured by the proposed street connections.

The relocation and extension of Central Street forms an open square of good size and shape between Nahatan and Cottage streets. About the margins of the square many of the important buildings of the Town are now grouped including churches, offices, stores, the Town Building and the Fire Station. To this local point, the extensions of Central Street to Guild Street gives direct connection with both railway stations. The proposed Town Square will provide greater frontage where space for important buildings, including a new Town Hall, is already needed, and it will give an adequate setting for existing public and semi-public buildings which require ample space for approach, for excellent appearance, for perpetual light and air, and for fire protection. Norwood already possesses a main street which is frequently mentioned on account of its ample width, good paving and lighting, and the attractive structures which border it, but the Town lacks a square which would distinguish the street from other “Main Streets” of the district.

An incipient “square” already exists opposite the churches and the Town House where the diagonal line of Market Street meets Washington Street. The small triangular open space created at this junction point bears no agreeable relation to the public buildings in the neighborhood, and the cramped proportions of this small triangle are wholly out of scale with the size and importance of the churches, office buildings, and the future Town House. If this junction point of Market Street were improved, as shown on the plan, many important results would follow. First, an important cross-town street would be created by the junction of Market and Central Streets, as described above; second, the oblique traffic junction of Market and Washington Streets would be transformed to a right angular junction at which traffic control can be carried on automatically without the special attention of a traffic officer; third, an ample and shapely Square would be created at the civic center of the Town; fourth, satisfactory frontage would be secured for future public buildings, new office and store buildings, and for the proposed Town Hall; fifth, opportunities for the extension of the retail district of the Town would be created without interference with the present store district. In reviewing these opportunities the citizens of Norwood should consider improvements of a similar kind which have been carried out in other parts of the district about Boston. The Town of Weston has recently created a new Town Square or Common in connection with a new Town Hall and the improvement of cross-towns thoroughfares. Needham already possesses an exceedingly attractive Town Square upon the margin of which its new Town Hall was built. Framingham has a large Town Square surrounded by its public buildings, churches, and residences. There is hardly a community in the neighborhood which is not considering the development of an adequate “square” as a part of a logical plan of growth.

Nothing should stand in the way of a public improvement which would yield such valuable returns at such small cost.

The bird’s-eye view above shows the general appearance of the proposed Town Square. The sketch of the Town Hall is merely suggestive and deserves much further study. Most of the buildings shown in the sketch already exist.

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS AT TOWN SQUARE

Bird’s-eye view of proposed Town Square developments, showing existing churches, fire station, stores and other buildings, together with proposed Town Hall and new stores.