Shared Spaces
Planning and implementation efforts are ongoing. More on that below!
Revere’s Shirley Ave neighborhood is brimming with diverse talent, creative, engaged community members and collaborative business and property owners. However, one common limitation faced by many of the individuals and groups is space. The competitive commercial property market puts pressure on small businesses in a way that can make remaining in place, never mind getting a foothold in the neighborhood, very difficult. Shared commercial space, accomplished for example by pairing businesses or community groups with similar customer bases, complementary space requirements, or alternating hours of operating may relieve the operating expenses held by any one organization.
Revere’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI) Partners are announcing up to $122,000 available for lease subsidies, construction or renovation, operations seed costs, and supportive design or consultant activities necessary to launch or significantly enhance the performance of approximately two to four pilot shared spaces in the Shirley Ave neighborhood. The program’s intent is to stabilize, retain, and grow local small businesses while cultivating new entrepreneurs.
Interested parties may review the Shirley Ave Shared Space Pilot Program guidelines here and submit their application here. Applications are due by May 31, 2023.
The Shirley Ave Shared Space Pilot Program is being offered as a complement to ongoing planning and analysis. The study, Shirley Ave’s Shared Space Strategy, will explore the neighborhood-wide inventory of spaces, recommend complementary uses, and identify regulatory and/or standard operating considerations that may allow for increased use of shared spaces as a tool to help prevent commercial displacement. The study is being prepared by Studio Luz Architects.
Sharing more than spaces
Participating businesses and community groups will share more than spaces, they’ll share community, skills, reputations, operating costs, networks, and know-how.
