Monday, February 13, 2011 4:00pm Front Street is the central commercial street in Scituate. It really is the only commercial street in the town. So much so that I often refer to it as "Main Street". It runs in a north south direction and lies just east of the harbor. In fact, it directly abuts the harbor and at certain intervals you get a lovely view out onto the water. Beginning at the southern most end, my walk down Front Street begins with my back to St. Mary of the Nativity, a lovely white church and parish center with a rolling lawn and small town feel. There is a Bank of America on my right and as I continue onto an overpass the harbor spills out and around to the north. There are no buildings to my immediate left, just a tidal marsh. The grasses are brown but stand tall, moving rhythmically in the wind. It feels open and spacious. Just ahead Front Street lies before me and the periphery closes in and is clearly defined by a stretch of two storied buildings that contain local businesses. To my right, there is a road entrance to Cole Parkway. It is actually not a thoroughfare as the name would indicate, but an enormous parking area that serves the downtown district. To the left is Brook Street which is a residential block. There is a small cluster of stores that houses a marine supply store, the always busy pizza and sub shop and a curious boutique called "Native" that sells jewelery, clothing and artifacts from exotic locales. The local supermarket lies just ahead of this store cluster and is fronted by a large parking lot that is rather full at the moment. Cars are moving in and out of the lot at a good clip.
Walking along the street, I am noticing the mixed architecture that makes up the building mass. There are a variety of styles showing, from coastal, cedar shingled structures with columned porches to brick square boxes to unadorned clapboard storefronts. Almost all of them have window boxes or planters in front filled with winter greens that are beginning to yellow as the winter wears on. It is an eclectic mix. Front Street in its entirety stretches for about 3 1/2 blocks and the buildings make up most of the density. The first block being so heavily occupied, there is hardly a hint that just beyond Cole Parkway lies an unspoiled view of the harbor and seaside that drew most of the inhabitants to the town to live. This first block of businesses is also where of most of the "hustle and bustle" of the area takes place. As I pass this first block and look down the second entrance/exit to Cole Parkway a gazebo that lies harbor side comes into view. The sky opens up and seagulls fly past. I feel like I am in a beach town again. Three kids ride their skateboards along the sidewalk that flanks the harbor. The pace of the street slows down a bit as I move to the second and third blocks. Here the streets are lined with gift shops and galleries all with pretty window displays and stores waiting to be browsed. The physical appearance of the block seems to widen as the stores are larger and are spaced further apart. In reality however, the sidewalk and street widths are the same but somehow seem more spacious. In the distance, the road takes a curve westward and as it does a vista of the outer harbor and lighthouse comes into view. The mood of the area has changed. I feel like I have become a visitor to a seaside town. There are no errands to take care of and time as well as my own pace has slowed down.
Traffic is light all along Front Street and the cars move slowly past the shops and restaurants. There are parking spaces along both sides of the street but not all of them are occupied. Pedestrians cut across the street, paying little mind to the traffic or corner crosswalks. There many people out and about on both sides of the street but it doesn't feel crowded. Adolescent and teenage kids come and go from CVS and Dunkin Donuts, which are the only national chain stores in the area, as well as from the pizza place. There are mothers with strollers and several kids in tow to run after school errands or drop off the children at the dance or art schools. Several clusters of women dressed in workout clothes walk through the area on their daily exercise routes and 2 dog walkers keep up a steady pace along the sidewalk. A woman with a large Labrador stops in front of a restaurant to give her dog a quick drink and a treat that has been graciously supplied by the business owner. Excluding the children, most of the people out today are female and represent all age groups. There are very few men in sight with the exception of a few fathers and some older gentlemen who escort their wives in and out of the shops. By far the largest volume of people are occupying the first 1/3 of the area.
The pace as well as the occupation of front Street can be easily linked to the design. The fact that most of the activity is seen in the first third of the area is most likely due to the types of businesses that are contained within the street. It is a place where the convenience of one stop shopping can occur. In this small area of the block you can go to the bank, the market, the drugstore or the hardware store; drop the kids off at CCD, the movies or dance classes; get a haircut at one of 2 barbers or 2 women's hair salons, get your nails done at 2 different locations, grab a slice of pizza at 2 different shops, get a cup of coffee, go bowling, pick up a gift, a bottle of wine or flowers. The narrow street and close proximity of the stores seems to move the user efficiently along. As the street visually broadens things slow down and a more leisurely approach is taken. The pedestrian pace slows and there is a noticeable relaxed approach to shopping and browsing. It becomes apparent to me for the first time in the ten years I have lived in Scituate that the physical layout of the street and building/business type directs the pace and demeanor of the user. Interesting...
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