"People come from all around Boston; it's a well-known area," Tufts graduate Laena Orkin (LA '05) said of Davis Square. "I'm in Central Square and I miss Davis."
Orkin's comments reflect a positive view of one of the most popular off-campus destinations for Tufts students, a location which offers coffee shops, restaurants, bars, bowling and the most convenient T stop. Davis Square has evolved from its early days in the late 1800s and students, as well as Somerville officials, have visions for the area's future.
The recent victory of Rebekah Gewirtz over 22-year incumbent Jack Connolly for Ward 6 Alderman has cast attention on what a new face in government could mean for Davis Square.
"In the 1950s and 60s, Davis Square had a very strong retail character. People went there to buy clothes and shoes from a number of department stores," Stephen Mackey, President of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce, said. Retail, he said, moved to the suburbs after World War II, where companies could purchase larger lots on which to construct bigger stores and parking lots.
In recent years, retail outlets have moved out of Davis Square and restaurants, bars and coffee shops have become the norm. According to the Somerville Journal, though, "the mix may be getting too one-sided now."
Sophomore Shane Marzola said Davis Square does not provide enough of a variety. "There isn't a good retail outlet there," he said. "It's a good place for students in terms of restaurants, but we have to go into Boston to get lots of supplies." Sports equipment, clothing and bulk goods for dorm rooms cannot be found in Davis Square, he said.
The 1960s and 70s saw an economic recession in Davis Square. "The old economy, the old transportation network, the old household demographics, were changing," Mackey said. "There were signs 'For Lease' and 'For Rent' all over the square."
The late 1970s and early 1980s saw the construction of the Red Line T stop, Johnny D's and Redbones, according to Mackey, as well as a "tremendous growth in universities."
"You had a new recipe that caused a great mix in the square," he said.
According to Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone's spokesperson Lucy Warsh, Davis Square is an "integral" part of the city and the area that has undergone the most change in the past 20 years.
"It is a great example of Somerville's changing face and all of the things that are getting bigger and better in the city," she said.
Davis Square has many restaurants, cafes, bars, as well as the Somerville Theater and JP Licks, which replaced local ice cream shop Denise's.
Denise's was "deliciously local," Orkin said. Having a chain move in was "a big change," she said. Other chains in the square include McDonald's, Anna's Taqueria and Starbucks.
"It's important to everyone to focus on both the old and the new and make very careful decisions about development and what sort of businesses come into the square," Warsh said.
Mackey said the chains have not detracted from the local feel of the square. Starbucks coexists with Diesel Caf?© ?cross the street, and the market is big enough for both to do well, he said.
Gewirtz, whose ward includes Davis Square, said the square could use some more retail, but she wants businesses to be locally owned and operated. "It's important that we keep the character of the community present, and the type of businesses that come into Davis Square pertains to that. I don't want to see chains, especially in terms of retail," she said.
Davis has the unique characteristic of having primarily locally owned businesses, Mackey said. "In today's world, that's a less common characteristic. Most places are dominated by chains and franchises," he said. "Anywhere in Davis, you have the possibility of running into the owner."
The recent focus on activity-oriented and nightlife establishments has been so high that there has been no office construction since the 1980s, when the Harvard Vanguard building and the Citizen's Bank building were constructed, Mackey said.
Davis Square is operating at 85 percent of its potential, Mackey said. It makes up only two percent of Somerville's commercial zoning but accounts for 14 percent of commercial revenue.
Union Square, the other big area for business activity, achieves only 15 percent of its potential, he said.
Marzola said safety is also a concern. "The traffic situation is terrible - walking there is very dangerous. That must be fixed," he said.
"There are always traffic and parking issues," Mackey said. There have been proposals for a large parking facility, as well as proposals for a hotel.
Zoning laws may make it difficult for any larger establishments to move in, though. Both Davis and Union Squares have a 50-foot height limit for buildings, so nothing is more than four stories tall. Property in Davis Square is also divided into small areas.
The recent closing of some stores, such as Buck-A-Book, has inspired visions for what the future of Davis Square could be. City officials want to preserve the balance between old and new, small-scale and vibrancy. Plans for a Quiznos, CVS and Bally Total Fitness have been proposed.
"It is a delicate balance between [preserving] a mainstream business district while maintaining the integrity of the square," Warsh said.
Warsh and Gewirtz said community involvement will be crucial in determining the future face of Davis.
"Somerville is a very involved city. There is always a lot of community input," Warsh said.
Orkin said Davis Square has been "gentrified," but keeps a balance of "hip and alternative" venues. "Like all girls, I was obsessed with Denise's-slash-JP Licks, and Blue Shirt Caf?©¬¦quot; she said. She said she would have spent more time in Davis Square while she was at Tufts had she been 21.
Lauren Thomas (LA '05), though, was surprised by Davis Square's popularity after she left the University. "After I left Tufts and started working, people such as my co-workers and boss would get excited to go to Davis," she said. "I was used to Davis, though, and wanted to leave. Davis was like the guy next door."
Still, Davis Square is constantly evolving. Gewirtz is focusing on affordable housing in Ward 6 because she says that should be the top priority of the area. "People just can't afford to live here," she said. "It's a very transient place."
City officials are trying to maintain the balance they say makes Davis Square unique. "The first rule here at the Chamber is to not mess with success," Mackey said. Beautification projects, including landscaping, as well as plans for new businesses are currently the main focuses.
"I'm looking forward to working with the community to make sure that any project or development in Davis Square is something that the neighbors want," Gewirtz said. "The business community is a very important part of our city."
Senior Max Felker-Kantor had his own ideas about where officials could start. "There is nothing that I feel that is actually above-and-beyond in terms of eating establishments. There is nowhere to go between a low meal and a high meal," he said.
Sophomore Marc Bouffard said he wants more cultural events in Davis Square. "It doesn't afford the cultural outlet that many other locations do because we're not actually in Boston," he said. "It's a shortcoming of our location."
