After nearly three years of construction, Central Square’s Carl Barron Plaza is set to reopen Oct. 2, with regular programming and events planned for the space.
The plaza was redeveloped as part of a $25 million project to rebuild the River Street area from Memorial Drive to Central Square.
The opening event, taking place 2 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 2, will include refreshments, live music, tote bag imprinting, and art activities such as caricature artists and face painting. “We want this event to kind of be a taste of what’s to come,” said Kristen Kelleher, communications director for the Department of Public Works.
The city, working with the Central Square Business Improvement District, plans to host free activities and programming in the plaza. In the first few months after opening, visitors can expect buskers, DJs from Central on Air, markets and food vendors, said Michael Monestime, president of the business district.
“The physical improvements are definitely the foundation, but the plaza is going to need consistent care and activity to really make it successful,” Monestime said.
The city and business district will create a calendar of events to be posted on the city’s website and on a poster at the plaza after the reopening, Monestime said.
Programming will vary by season, and residents could see themed days, such as “Wellness Wednesdays” and live music on Thursdays and Fridays, Monestime said.
“We’re going to test this out and pilot this and really work for success to be the outcome,” Monestime said. “And then continue to keep that cadence and help keep the plaza alive.”
The physical changes to the plaza include new trees, LED lighting and more seating, project supervising engineer Jerry Friedman said.
Randolph artist Sophy Tuttle is painting a mural, inspired by plants and animals native to the Charles River, on the plaza’s well-known “Ribbon,” which snakes through the space.
“It’s been a very long process,” Tuttle said. “But it’s been really rewarding — people walking by and saying nice things.”
Friedman said the redesign intends to incorporate the artistic elements of the community.
“Central Square is the arts and cultural district of Cambridge,” he said. “And that wasn’t really reflected in the old plaza design.”
The plaza had not undergone a major reconstruction since it was established in the late 1980s. Over time, its sewers, water mains and drains deteriorated, while trees declined and the brick plaza lacked adequate lighting, Friedman said.
The city began community outreach in 2018 with business owners, residents along the corridor, bicyclists and transit advocates to determine the plaza’s design, Friedman said.
Construction began at the end of 2023. Over time, the project drew frustration from residents who questioned whether construction had stalled, though city officials maintained plans remained on schedule.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience because it’s a complicated construction process, which takes a long time,” Friedman said. “But we’re very happy with the way it turned out.”
For some residents, the reopening is as much about seeing an end to construction as it is about the plaza’s reopening.
“I hope they stick with that plan,” Ethan Frank, 25, said of the future programming, “and it doesn’t fall by the wayside. I think that’ll be a good use of the space.”
Frank, who lives in an apartment a few feet from the plaza, said he envisions himself reading a book under one of the trees. He said noise from future events would not be a major concern despite living so close.
Joe McElroy, 81, of Cambridge, said he frequently walks through the plaza and looks forward to seeing less construction.
“I’m excited to get everybody to enjoy life,” he said. “That’s a hard thing to do in this time.”
But Annie Ryan, 86, of Somerville, who frequently visits the nearby post office, was skeptical about the plaza’s potential as a community space. She called the area a “haven for distressed people.”
“We, as a society, have a crisis,” Ryan said. “I hope that the people who need this, which are homeless people, get to use it.”
This story is part of a partnership between Cambridge Day and the Boston University Department of Journalism’s Newsroom program.
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