Springfield, MA: The “Textbook” Downtown Nobody Talks About

In 2007, the Urban Land Institute’s Boston District Council convened a Technical Assistance Panel at the request of the City of Springfield to help chart a course for revitalizing its downtown. A volunteer team of planners, architects, developers, and real estate experts studied the area — “bounded by the railroad tracks north, State Street south, the Springfield Armory east, and Interstate 91 west” — assessing its strengths, challenges, and opportunities.

Their conclusion was clear: “The layout of Downtown Springfield is a ‘textbook’ example of good urban design — compact, walkable, and diverse in uses.” This video revisits that study and what it still means for Downtown’s future.