Business & Tech

Merchants Briefed on 'Village Center' for Barrington

Consultants look for feedback from the Barrington Business Association on the creation of a 'village center' between Maple, Wood, Waseca avenues and West Street.

The creation of a “village center” in Barrington with new signs, streetscapes, sidewalks and more convenient and safer parking was greeted with enthusiasm – and some skepticism – by about a dozen merchants Tuesday evening, Sept. 10. 

Members and visitors at the monthly meeting of the Barrington Business Association in the Blue Water Bar & Grill were briefed on the concept by representatives of the two consulting firms hired by Barrington to create a village center between Maple Avenue, West Street, Waseca Avenue and Wood Avenue that also links to the Barrington Shopping Plaza in some way. 

Kris Bradner and Ashley Iannuccilli of Birchwood Design Group of Providence and John Seeley of Surface Matter Design were looking in particular for feedback from the merchants in advance of a public meeting and walkabout on Saturday, Sept. 21.

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“We started with a birds-eye perspective,” said Seeley of his work so far on “wayfinding that supports the visitor experience.”

Seeley was talking about signage, in particular. He said signs can “direct, brand and inform.” 

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His concept so far involves a “banner system” along County Road to tell people they have arrived in Barrington, “signs at different decision points with messages that get people off Route 114 and make the village center more visible,” signs along the East Bay Bike Path through Barrington, and several information kiosks.

Iannuccilli said Birchwood has been working on three objectives:

Promote business by getting people into the shopping district and reinventing parking for them, such as the area on West Street between Vienna Bakery and the Bayside YMCA.

Streetscapes that welcome walkers and bikers.

Identity for the village center through new paving materials and furnishings that make it a “destination.” 

“Reducing the road width of Waseca Avenue, for instance,” she said, “would allow for the addition of more sidewalks.”

Bradner said Birchwood has worked on similar projects in Sutton, Mass., and in Newport -- the Broadway business district. The firms expect to complete the conceptual stage for a village center in Barrington by the end of the year.

“We need to start small and quickly or this will sit on a shelf,” said Lois Coppolino of Daisy Dig’ins on Maple Avenue and a co-president of the BBA. She suggested focusing first on the bike path.

Seeley agreed that the bike path seems like a first step in phasing in the village center while “prioritizing what makes sense for businesses." 

“We will be presenting an implementable strategy to the Town Council as well,” he said.

There also was a question about who would pay for the creation of the village center. That still has to be determined, said Bradner. 

Barrington Planning Board member Jean Robertson, one of three planning board members at the meeting, said the idea for a village center started with a subcommittee of that board. That led to the distribution of an RFP last spring to find consultants that can make Barrington “better for visitors and businesses alike,” she said.


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