A new citywide map identifying 43 vacant storefronts across Newton — many in the city’s village centers — is giving officials and prospective business owners a clearer look at where new businesses could take root.
When Economic Development Director Lauren Berman and Deputy Director Cheryl Lappin joined the department earlier this year, vacant storefronts quickly emerged as a recurring concern raised by City Councilors.
Berman said the department began exploring the Massachusetts Vacant Storefront Program, which helps municipalities revitalize downtown and commercial districts by encouraging businesses to occupy long-term vacant spaces. The program allows cities and towns to offer refundable tax credits to businesses that move into eligible locations.
Under the program, municipalities must identify specific vacant storefronts and outline a plan to revitalize those spaces and the village centers where they are located. Berman said Newton is still evaluating whether the program is worth pursuing and whether the City has the capacity to apply.
“Given that Newton is a village-based community, we really wanted to do what we can to invigorate village centers,” she said.
Berman said vacancies can feel especially noticeable in Newton’s village centers. Unlike many municipalities where commercial activity is concentrated in one downtown area, Newton’s businesses are spread across 13 village centers.
The department first worked to clearly define what qualifies as a vacant storefront, then began manually collecting data and reviewing existing sources.
Mapping the vacancies
Two interns from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government – Artemis Huang and Bryanna Ruiz – assisted the City in creating the map of vacant storefronts.
Huang said that despite the constantly changing commercial property market in Newton, the project represents the most comprehensive consolidation of vacancy information currently…