State Street Reconstruction
-Portsmouth, NH

State Street is the primary pedestrian route between Market Square, Prescott Park, and other notable Portsmouth destinations, and is the locale of many businesses, restaurants, and residences. Over the years, the street, which at one time was the major roadway to the Maine coast, evolved into a vehicular-focused environment that was devoid of embellishment.

In collaboration with other members of the design team, Ironwood's initial concern was to understand the needs and desires of the community for State Street, which were determined using a context sensitive solutions process. Once the public issues were understood, a project master plan was developed that embraced green urbanism principles and incorporated place-making elements, traffic calming measures, and streetscape enhancements. The City Council unanimously approved funding for the entire project, in part due to the public design process and the consensus-driven master plan that captured the essence of Portsmouth's heritage and culture.