Planning Methuen’s Next Chapter: Growth, Resilience, and Heritage

How does a historic mill city balance new growth with the preservation of its cultural and civic heart? That was the question guiding Methuen as it shaped Methuen 2035, its first new master plan since 2007. Adopted in 2024, the plan charts a clear path for the next decade, rooted in community values and aligned with the city’s recent planning work.

Methuen is a city of resilience and change. Once built on the power of its mills, today it thrives as a diverse and dynamic community at the crossroads of the Merrimack Valley. The plan acknowledges this evolution while setting a course toward inclusive growth, fiscal responsibility, and cultural vitality.

Methuen 2035 builds on recent initiatives such as the Riverfront Master Plan, Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan, and Open Space and Recreation Plan. By weaving these efforts together, the plan creates a unified vision where housing, economic development, public services, and historic resources work in concert.

The plan is organized around four themes: balanced housing and economic growth, resilient public services and infrastructure, health and well-being with a focus on vulnerable residents, and cultural vitality with historic preservation.

Recommendations include updating zoning to expand housing choices, revitalizing Methuen Square and The Loop, modernizing city and school facilities, advancing renewable energy, and strengthening public health and education partnerships. It also emphasizes celebrating historic landmarks like the Searles Estate and Spicket Falls while creating new opportunities for cultural programming and placemaking.

Methuen 2035 tells the story of a city that honors its heritage while embracing innovation. It offers a practical, forward-looking vision for growth, investment, and community life in the decades ahead.