With a recently opened subway stop on the Green Line extension and a wave of private development, Union Square is on the cusp of a major transformation. Together with a team of transportation planners and engineers, KMDG set the vision for an expanded and improved public realm in the main plaza and surrounding streets that prioritizes people walking, taking transit, and biking. A community co-design process focused on populations that are often overlooked in community outreach gave the public a voice in establishing priorities for the project and providing input on design elements.

By reclaiming vehicular space and reallocating it to pedestrian use, the redesign allows for expanded sidewalks and more plaza space that is accessible and engaging. At the heart of Union Square, the Plaza is beloved and highly used, both on a day-to-day basis and for larger special events—from the weekly Saturday farmer’s market to many festivals. The redesign for the plaza balances flexible, open space for events with smaller, scaled spaces integrated within the tree canopy geared toward everyday use. Expanded street tree plantings throughout the project area add shade and support heat island reduction, and green infrastructure plantings both increase the “greening” of the public realm and filter stormwater.