Saugus squares off Monday

SAUGUS ? Cliftondale Square may be in for a face-lift, and plans for it may begin taking shape Monday.That’s when the Urban Land Institute and MassDevelopment will meet with town officials to try and advance a plan to revitalize an area that extends from Central Street past the rotary ? a meeting Robert Luongo, the town’s economic development coordinator, hopes will jolt the idea, which has been germinating since 1988, forward.”Cliftondale Square, at present, is struggling against the lack of parking, the contraction of retail activity, and the progressive deterioration of its physical environment,” according to a report issued by the land institute. “If Saugus does nothing, the current condition will further deteriorate. Neither the merchants, nor the surrounding residents, nor the town as a whole will benefit.”The land institute is a group of experts that helps a community identify its needs when it comes to improving neighborhoods. Once those needs are identified, they will be addressed, Luongo said.He says the land institute is known for coming up with realistic ideas for solutions to their findings, and discusses those ideas with the community.Luongo says there is a need for dialogue on Cliftondale Square because the last time the subject was addressed was more than 25 years ago, and little has been accomplished since. He said if efforts to revitalize the square aren’t stepped up, the area might begin to deteriorate.”There needs to be a spirit of teamwork among players, who are the town and the business community” Luongo said. “Communication has to be made among these parties, and they both need to advocate for one another’s ideas.”Luongo said that the land institute, along with MassDevelopment, “will be looking at zoning, and making recommendations on zoning, parking, traffic and transportation, development opportunities, and other businesses the town could use to attract more people.”Luongo said that many people in town would like Cliftondale Square to be similar to the downtown area of Melrose, which has many of the attributes described as being missing from Cliftondale in the land institute’s report.The meeting will be held in the Town Hall auditorium at 6 p.m., and it is open to the community.