- Project Facts
- Client: Mashpee Commons
Mashpee Commons is sited near the geographical center of Mashpee, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. This area has been designated as the town's primary business district for over 30 years. In the 1980's, its owners developed a plan to transform an existing strip shopping center into a traditional New England town center. This goal reflects their sense of civic responsibility for appropriate development at the town's center. The strategy is simple. Create good public streets and open spaces with an emphasis on the pedestrian. Place all buildings directly on the street with open storefronts and place parking lots behind. Create a diversity of use by mixing commerce, residences, recreation and civic functions and manage the automobile to be subservient to these uses.
The plan for the core of Mashpee Commons was created and permitted in 1986, and the transformation of the original shopping center began at that time. The first phase of the North Market Street neighborhood, adjacent to and north of Mashpee Commons, was permitted in 1993. Mashpee Commons and North Market Street are permitted for a total of approximately 265,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and office space and 100 housing units.
The Master Plan has since been expanded to include a total of six interrelated neighborhoods which includes 400 housing units and 462,000 square feet of retail, restaurants and offices. Approximately 65% of the land will be protected as open space. The intent is to build mixed-use neighborhoods with housing, offices, stores, civic buildings and open space controlled by a strict design code.
