Concord Design Charrette Set for June 8-11 With Public Events and Focus Groups

CARLISLE — May 28, 2026 — Concord's MCI Concord Master Plan Committee finalized plans for a four-day design charrette running June 8-11 that will feature two structured public evening events, informal open studio drop-in sessions at the Concord Townhouse, and a series of in-person stakeholder focus groups on housing, recreation, natural resources, and economic development. Consultants Phil of Stantec and Chris Dempsey of Spec Dempsey presented the schedule at the May 28 hybrid meeting, noting that MMN will live-stream and record both evening events — Monday at the Harvey Wheeler Community Center in West Concord and Thursday at Concord-Carlisle Regional High School, both beginning at 6 p.m. Key unresolved variables shaping the roughly 54-acre site include MassDOT's pending Concord Rotary redesign, the scope of any Department of Public Works presence on the property, and DCAM's forthcoming housing unit target, which the committee had not yet received. Committee member John Boynton reported that 17 of 21 Concord-Carlisle High School sophomores who researched the site called for affordable or workforce housing, with recreation ranking second. The committee's next regular meeting is scheduled for June 25, and a MassDOT public presentation on rotary options is tentatively set for June 24 at the middle school from 6 to 8 p.m.