One of the greatest potential assets of York Village is its quality of place—those character-defining elements that distinguish it and make it resonate with visitors and residents alike. The village center is defined by its historic architecture and landmarks, mix of local businesses, clustered civic destinations, and “third places,” where neighbors meet neighbors for lunch or coffee. Over the years, however, the public rightof- way in the village center has become dominated by vehicle space and parking, disrupting the balance of uses. The vast space dedicated to pavement leaves little room for pedestrians and place-making elements, and creates an environment that is unattractive and outof- sync with the historic character and scale of the village center.

In 2011 the town formed the York Village Study Committee, a group of committed volunteers tasked with developing a strategy to spur economic development and to “put the village back in York Village.” Their initial effort lead to the development of the 2015 York Village Revitalization Master Plan by the project team of Lachman Architects and Planners; Landmark Corporation; Bennett Engineering; Rodney Lynch, AICP; Summit Geoengineering Services; and Milone and MacBroom. The master plan crafted a vision for revitalizing the central village into a safer, more attractive, walkable community by “reallocating” vehicle-dedicated space, introducing traffic-calming measures, and simplifying vehicle movements. A proposed “Village Square” replaces pavement at the heart of the village to create a new public space featuring the Soldiers’ Monument honoring York’s Civil War veterans.

The Town of York is working with Maine DOT and funding through the Kittery Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Milone and MacBroom (and their project team) is leading final design for the first phase of the $4 million project. Construction will begin in 2020.

Location: York Village, York
Design Team: Milone & MacBroom; Lachman Architects & Planners; Landmark Corporation; Rodney Lynch, AICP; Bennett Engineering; Summit Geoengineering Services
Construction Start: Estimated 2020
Construction End: Estimated 2021