Major North Square Repairs Announced by Mayor Walsh

By Phil Orlandella

A short time after the city completed renovations in Rachel Revere Park in the historic North Square area of the North End, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh officially held a ground-breaking ceremony for construction of new sidewalks, street pavement and an art project in the square where Paul Revere’s House stands. A 2.5 million project will start next fall.

Residents have been meeting since 2014 with city officials to get the project underway at the busy square that is visited by thousands of tourists and residents during the course of a year.

Located on the Freedom Trail, both design and art projects were founded on the idea of developing an open space with multiple urban issues with direct input by residents, the business community and Paul Revere House.

The development of the project is to improve the ability for people to enjoy the square on a daily basis, by creating its identity as a cultural destination, while making the square assessable everyone. (All handicap access)

An important part of the historic fabric of the city, the square needed to be repaired. The city approaches the project concern for the community and the stockholders input.

Once completed (start spring 2018), North Square will be a lively, walkable, multi-model, green and a sustainable place accommodating all uses of historic open space.

During construction, the square will have a parking and access restriction. Boston Public Works will control this situation with signage and police details.

“In Boston, we are just as excited about our future as we are proud of our past,” said Mayor Walsh. “Today, we begin the next chapter of North Square, one of the North End’s most treasured, historic places. I want to thank everyone who has lent their voice to this process, and I look forward to seeing the transformation of the square.”

Project highlights include:

• New wire-cut brick around the perimeter of the project.
• A reset of granite blocks in the roadway and center plaza area.
• New assessable granite paver pedestrian paths throughout the square.
• Reset nautical chain in roughly the same location.
• Moon Street (Sacred Heart Church side) raised to the same level as the sidewalk and plaza to ease crossings and call attention to motorists the high number of pedestrians in the square.
• Enhance street lighting within the square to improve its functionality and safety.