Revitalizing Downtown

Downtown Framingham is the beating heart of our city.  

We all desire a Downtown that brings us pride, where we eagerly take friends to dinner, shop for our daily needs, or meet to conduct the people’s business.

It is time for all of us to show our commitment to Downtown Framingham, and support our current small businesses, encourage new business growth, and build a center where residents and visitors feel safe with easy access to shopping, food, entertainment, and transportation. 

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As Councilor, John has:

  • Supported the Commonwealth’s plan to build a regional justice center at the old Danforth Building, which will bring new businesses and customers to existing retailers and restaurants;  
  • Wrote and proposed a package of ordinances to give the city tools to help Downtown: 
    • Convene Blue Ribbon Commission to revitalize our municipal campus;
    • Formalize Downtown Community Cares weekly working group;
    • Remove billboards to further advance the beautification of downtown;
    • Approve the Aggressive Solicitation Ordinance; and,
    • Expand Opportunity Zone incentives into downtown.
  • Advocated for funds for the design and construction of the Chris Walsh Trail at Farm Pond.

Accomplishing these goals require us to identify strategies that will make our commerce center more inviting, revitalize and expand our public facilities, increase public parking, encourage private wealth creation, and expand services for our most vulnerable residents.

John will continue to support efforts to: 

  • Build a community center for our youth;
  • Expand parking facilities and improve public transportation;
  • Invest in our Municipal Campus so Framingham’s government remains in the heart of our city; 
  • Beautify, cleanup, and light at night our downtown roadways;
  • Encourage the newly reconstituted Economic Development Corporation to use grants and tax incentives to provide the tools and talent necessary to support and grow our local workforce; 
  • Explore with local property owners the creation of a Business Improvement District and expand recreational and employment opportunities for our youth.

The best way to reinvigorate our diverse Downtown into the more vibrant commerce, culture and civic center we all desire is by listening to and engaging each other and working together as a team.

John's Work Downtown

As selectman and State Representative, John:

  • Helped create the Brazilian-American Business Alliance;
  • Wrote the legislation creating municipal Economic Development Industrial Corporation;
  • Reintroduced community policing;
  • Opened a police substation on Route 135 and rebuilt the police station on Concord Street,
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