Central Square BID outlines place-keeping priorities, Starlight legacy and new cultural hub
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Summary
The Central Square Business Improvement District described strategic goals to preserve the district's cultural character, new public-art and lighting projects, a forthcoming community radio studio, and plans for a 6,000-square-foot cultural hub at 541 Mass. Ave.
Michael Monestein, president of the Central Square Business Improvement District (BID), told the Neighborhood and Long Term Planning committee the BID is focusing on “place keeping” — an approach he described as retaining and enhancing existing cultural character rather than creating it anew.
Monestein said the BID was designated as a Massachusetts cultural district in 2012 and has since supported public-art installations, street-level ambassadors, and temporary performance venues such as the Starlight Square demonstration. “Starlight legacy is now informed the RFI and RFP for Lots 4 and 5, calling for something similar to be part of that plan development,” he said.
The BID previewed several initiatives. Central on Air, a storefront community-based online radio station to showcase local music and performances, is expected to launch in roughly 60 days and will operate from a storefront at 425 Massachusetts Ave with live streaming and archival capability. The BID is also rolling out a district-wide lighting artwork called “Your Light Essential,” which places illuminated artworks and mural lighting across rooftops and public spaces in the cultural district.
Monestein described a larger capital project at 541 Massachusetts Ave the BID calls the Street Theory Collective: a 6,000-square-foot art and cultural hub that will include a contemporary gallery, creative studios, an artist-in-residence program (three visual artists per quarter), a community event space and a small Filipino coffee shop. The BID said construction documents are under way and the project is supported in part with ARPA funding and private partner dollars.
The BID reported it has distributed microgrants and program supports at scale: the BID said Starlight gave out more than $350,000 in microgrants to performers over four years on Parking Lot 5 and that the BID organization’s budget is approximately $3 million, with more than half directed back into cultural district programs.
Monestein and staff also discussed zoning and redevelopment work that could protect performance and production spaces. City staff earlier told the committee they aim to use zoning to preserve and incentivize cultural uses and to require design standards (for example, sound mitigation in mixed-use buildings) so cultural spaces can coexist with housing and other uses.
BID leaders and city staff said they expect to present further planning materials as rezoning and Lot 4/5 development work progress.