Naylor Court Revitalization

"Naylor Court is the heart of Maynard's active downtown. The Court, a triangle bounded by Summer, Nason, and Main Streets, contains a significant collection of businesses, including restaurants; a large municipal parking area; and Veterans' Memorial Park.

The area is a complex combination of build­ings, parking, and driveways. However, the convenient location of the parking lot con­nects Naylor Court to the larger downtown and its fabric of businesses. Naylor Court represents an opportunity to support eco­nomic development and community activ­ities in the downtown. Because the parking lot is adjacent to Veterans' Memorial Park, an extension of public activities into designated spaces within the parking lot could increase opportunities for additional foot traffic to all businesses.

Businesses require additional support as a re­sult of the COVID-19 pandemic. One opportu­nity has been expanding outdoor dining and display of retail goods. However, the crowded layout of Naylor Court leaves little room for these outdoor activities. The public sidewalk along Main Street, Nason Street, and Summer Street is not quite wide enough to accommo­date all the possible combinations of outdoor uses and would be further narrowed by snow in the winter.

The internal parking lot, with direct access from many businesses, provides space for outdoor dining and several restaurants have already taken advantage of that space. How­ever, use of the parking lot is restricted by the scattered placement of individual commercial dumpsters. The haphazard placement of the dumpsters greatly diminishes the aesthetics of the area and discourages outdoor activi­ties such as dining, gathering, or community events.

Creating a centralized area for refuse collec­tion in Naylor Court would free up land closer to the entrances to the businesses for outdoor dining and retail displays while enhancing the aesthetics of Naylor Court, improving pedes­trian safety and vehicular circulation, and allowing safe and effective refuse collection. The central area can also tie into community values around recycling and energy efficiency."

- Harriman, 2021

The Urban Land Institute study was a one day workshop where professionals re-imagined the Naylor Court area, and provided feedback that prompted further placemaking initiatives, such as the Naylor Court Place-Making Study by Harriman. The ULI Panel Report from December 2019 and the Harriman Naylor Court Place-Making Study from January 2021 can be accessed from the listed resources below.