In partnership with the City of Boston, please join the WTS-Boston Professional Development Committee on Tuesday, March 29th from 12-1pm to learn about A Better City's Tactical Public Realm Case Studies.

The discussion will be led by Michelle Moon (Civic Space Collaborative), Jacob Wessel (Boston Transportation Department), and Tom Nally (A Better City).  The presentation will highlight the planning, design, and implementation processes for some local Tactical Public Realm projects. The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A.

Tuesday, March 29, 2022
12:00am - 1:00pm
Virtual via Zoom

Register Here

The global pandemic created a tremendous need for flexible public space to help support local businesses, such as installing parklets to help support physically distanced outdoor dining. Fortunately, the City of Boston had already developed guidelines in 2018 for “tactical” interventions - such as plazas, parklets, outdoor cafes, and street murals - that can transform the public realm through lower-cost, rapid implementation.

The “Tactical Public Realm Case Studies” were published in 2021 by A Better City, an agency which seeks to develop solutions and influence policy in three critical areas central to the Boston region’s economic competitiveness and growth: transportation and infrastructure, land use and development, and energy and environment.  

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Meet our presenters:

Michelle Moon, Civic Space Collaborative

Michelle Moon is an urban planner and designer who has worked with more than 65 non-profits and local and state government agencies. Her work centers around using the physical landscape to address environmental and health issues, primarily through creating and improving open space, placemaking, and green infrastructure. From facilitating community visioning and writing plans to developing programs, implementing projects, and maintaining vibrant spaces, Michelle focuses on
working with community leaders and engaging all stakeholders to ensure the long-term sustainability of projects.

Michelle has worked as a consultant for the Fairmount Greenway, East Boston Greenway, City of Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, A Better City, the MA Smart Growth Alliance, and more. Michelle holds a MA in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University and a BA in Environmental Studies from Mount Holyoke College.

Jacob Wessel, Boston Transportation Department

Jacob Wessel currently serves as the Boston Transportation Department’s Public Realm Director, working with the City’s Streets Cabinet on implementation of people-oriented interventions on streets and sidewalks.

Jacob previously served as Director of City Hall to Go, a mobile City Hall program that visits Boston’s neighborhoods throughout the year. He also founded Open Newbury Street, a mile-long pedestrianization event series which attracts more than 50,000 attendees each summer.

Jacob began his stint in Boston government as a neighborhood liaison in the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services, where he facilitated neighborhood outreach regarding City service delivery, zoning variances, licensing, permitting, and community benefits. A native of Los Angeles, Jacob previously worked as a Research Director for the Massachusetts Democratic Party and as a field organizer for Senator Ed Markey. He graduated with a degree in political science from Tufts University.

Tom Nally, Senior Advisor, A Better City

Since 1989, Tom has served as Senior Advisor of A Better City and its predecessor organization, the Artery Business Committee. He coordinates all infrastructure planning efforts for the organization, including work on the Urban Ring, the Central/Artery Tunnel, and Metropolitan Highway System projects. Prior to his tenure at A Better City, Tom managed design excellence initiatives and served as Deputy Director of the Corrections Special Unit for the Massachusetts Division of Capital Planning and Operations. He has also consulted on projects across the region, including the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Southwest Corridor Project.

Tom has served on the Brookline Economic Development Advisory Board since 1995 and is currently President of the Greater Point Neighborhood Association. He is a Registered Architect, and he received his Master of Architecture in Advanced Studies and Master in City Planning degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Tom also holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University.