City Plans Additional Prescott Park Site Tests in Preparation for Prescott Park Master Plan Implementation

The City of Portsmouth Department of Public Works is planning to dig five trenches near the Shaw Warehouse in Prescott Park, starting October 17, 2022, as part of the investigation required to implement the Prescott Park Master Plan. The work will be conducted in conjunction with the project consultant Weston & Sampson and archaeology firm Independent Archaeological Consulting, LLC (IAC). The work is expected to take several days, starting at 9 am (weather-permitting) each day. Each trench will be dug and filled the same day and the excavated dirt will be temporarily removed to a truck and then replaced to limit the impact on the surrounding grass. The area will be fenced off as a safety precaution.

In October 2021, the City of Portsmouth Department of Public Works, in coordination with Weston & Sampson, IAC, and TES Environmental Consultants, LLC, performed ground site testing in the area adjacent to the Shaw buildings to determine conditions for the stormwater infrastructure that is part of the Master Plan design. The new investigatory work is required by the New Hampshire’s Department of Environmental Services for permitting purposes and to ensure that any new work is not impacting cultural resources.

Phase 1A calls for the following steps to commence implementation of the Prescott Park Master Plan:

• elevating the Shaw Warehouse and moving it closer to Marcy Street
• demolishing the garage and lean-to buildings
• renovating and raising Water Street to match the elevation at Liberty Lawn and the Sheafe Warehouse
• installing new utility and stormwater infrastructure underneath Water Street
• upgrading the pathway along the Piscataqua River
• improving accessibility, protecting existing trees and merging the landscape with the existing park

Weston & Sampson completed a topographical survey of Prescott Park in 2019. Through 2020 and 2021, they studied the underground utility infrastructure and made recommendations for upgrades, completed an assessment of the historic buildings, studied the performance stage, developed coastal modeling to establish resilient design planning for the upgraded park and created a phasing plan for the build out of the master plan at that time. The trench work, previous ground site testing and survey and study are all enabling engineering tasks necessary to continue to advance the Prescott Park Master Plan implementation project. 

The current Blue Ribbon Committee, re-appointed in January 2022 to oversee this work and recommend future phasing and design details for City Council consideration, continues to work with DPW and Weston & Sampson on the next steps for the project. Phase 1A in the implementation of the Master Plan detailed in the City’s Capital Improvement Program was approved by City Council on July 11, 2022.

Go to more on the Prescott Park Master Plan Implementation Committee.