The starting point of this Master Plan is the area of Main Street starting at Colony Street and ending at Pratt Street. This is in the southern end of the Hub/Mills Environs.

It acts as the intersection of seven major roadways that connect Meriden to the surrounding region. This area is within walking distance of Meriden City Hall and other government buildings. It also sits at the corner of West Main Street and Colony Street, both of which are already ideal downtown streetscape environments. Finally, it is in close proximity to the train station and the “Hub”, a commercial property with great redevelopment potential. This area will be transformed into the new Meriden Green. 

The proposed Meriden Green will create a central place for the city, one that will encourage community gathering and pedestrian activity. The green, which is common in towns and cities throughout New England, acts as a central focal point for the community. Opening this area as a green will provide this effect not only by acting as a physical center point for Meriden’s emerging development, but also by creating a new image of Meriden for the surrounding region. The Meriden Green should be developed as an urban park, with facilities designed to accommodate large community gatherings. It should provide pedestrian connections to nearby amenities and be surrounded with buildings that respond to the vistas created.

The newly formed Meriden Green also has great potential for contributing to the Harbor Brook flood control effort. This large area of land has the potential to be formed with reductions in grade that will form an amphitheater for community activities. The configuration might be designed to provide additional flood storage in rare flood events. Opening up Harbor Brook as part of this park-like setting will also make full use of this unique natural resource already located in the City Center.

The material on this page is reproduced from "Meriden City Center Initiative - A Comprehensive Plan for Revitalization" prepared by BL Companies, released 07/24/2002. All rights reserved.