Residents press council on Southgate Crossing plan; mayor and council outline public process and park design timeline

A string of residents urged city leaders on Sept. 8 to slow the Southgate Crossing redevelopment, preserve public open space and prioritize affordable and locally produced housing in the Midtown area. The council and mayor responded that the city’s purchase of parcels created an opportunity for a public park and that a formal park-design process will begin in October.

Multiple speakers — including Carrie Schreiber, Gwen Hoppe, Sarah Giuliani and others — told the council they had believed the city’s Midtown master plan guaranteed preserved open space and neighborhood parkland. Carrie Schreiber said she repeatedly saw differing depictions of a proposed bus transfer center and asked “how firm the plan for the bus transfer center is,” noting adjacent homeowners’ concerns about impacts to their…