The Packet Post Storey Ave Reimagined July 26th

Storey Ave Reimagined July 26th

by: Press Release

June 2, 2026

Storey Ave Reimagined
Overview

Newburyport city officials are studying potential changes in the Storey Avenue and Low Street area to reimagine what this area could become over time. The first step is to engage the community in creating a vision for how this area can be transformed. This will be accomplished through a series of interactive public meetings at the Senior Community Center, an online survey, and other means of public engagement. Our first Community Forum was held on May 20, 2026. A public survey is now active through June 3, 2026 and we welcome your input!

Background

Newburyport’s 2017 Master Plan contemplates a “village center” for the commercial area at Storey Avenue and Low Street. The Master Plan notes that Newburyport, as a small community, values the character, sense of place and quality of life within the City’s various neighborhoods. Recognizing the somewhat inhospitable nature of the expansive but underutilized parking lots there, the 2017 Master Plan recommends that the City:

“Consider reviewing and revising the Zoning Ordinance to allow for the transformation of the Storey Avenue corridor into a walkable, bike-able, mixed-use neighborhood with the incorporation of the Commonwealth’s “Complete Streets” initiative.”

While a full transformation of this area will take years or even decades of phased redevelopments, a conceptual master plan would help to define coherent future street blocks and improved urban form — a West End village center for future generations, built not just for the automobile but for pedestrians as well.

What’s Next

We’re seeking input from the general public and West End neighbors to determine what does and does not work today, and what changes or additions might benefit the City and immediate neighborhood moving forward.

Residents, business owners and the broader public are invited to offer input and preferences for the vision moving forward. Additional public meetings are scheduled for community input at City Hall on July 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026. (Details on these events to be posted in the coming weeks.)

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