Meet Me in Medford | Dan Nowitz, Neighborhood Ambassador

By 4Squares Residential Group with Judi 411

Hillside Neighbor, Community Connector, and Medford Neighborhood Ambassador

Dan Nowitz didn't arrive in Medford with a long-term plan.

He came here after college, first living with roommates in South Medford and later settling in the Hillside with his wife, Melissa. Then, as Dan puts it, "life just started happening."

Friends. Work. Kids. Schools. Neighborhood traditions. Sunday ice cream at Colleen's. Even a marriage proposal near the Reservoir in the Fells. Over time, those individual pieces added up to something bigger: a life rooted in Medford.

Dan also became increasingly interested in what was happening around him and how residents could better connect with the City and one another. That curiosity and his willingness to figure out who needs to talk to whom when something needs attention made becoming one of Hillside's Neighborhood Ambassadors a natural next step.

Did you grow up in Medford, or did you discover Medford?

I definitely discovered Medford. I grew up in Denmark and moved to Central Massachusetts shortly before college. I went to Northeastern University, where I studied mechanical engineering, and after graduating, I moved to South Medford with some roommates. That was the beginning of my life in Medford.

Later, I moved to the Hillside with my wife, Melissa, and eventually we settled down here. Now we're raising our two daughters here.

There was no grand plan. Somewhere along the way, Medford became home. We built routines, friendships, and connections throughout the city.

What do you love most about living in the Hillside and raising your family in Medford?

We love taking the girls to Colleen's for ice cream on Sundays to cap off the weekend. During the summer, if we can squeeze in an evening at the Tufts Pool after dinner, we'll do that. The girls see their friends, and it's a great way to blow off some steam.

They're both very theatrical, so they've been involved with Spotlight Productions and other theater programs. There are talent shows, dance, and cheer. All of these things connect you to other families and to the community.

Those routines become part of your life. You start seeing the same people and making connections. That's a big part of what has kept us here.

Hop on the bus! Photo of Dan and his daughter on the school bus, courtesy of Dan Nowitz.

What made you interested in becoming a Neighborhood Ambassador?

When zoning and planning changes were being discussed for our neighborhood, I wanted to understand what they meant. People had different views, but I thought everyone should be able to understand what was being considered and how to participate.

As I started looking for information and trying to get answers to my own questions, I realized that navigating the City can sometimes be difficult if you're not already following every meeting or every agenda. When the Neighborhood Ambassador opportunity came along, I saw how valuable the role could be.

If something important is happening, a resident needs the right City department, or someone has an idea and doesn’t know where to begin, we can help connect the dots.

My engineering and analytics background makes me naturally curious about how systems work and whether an idea can actually be implemented, but I also know you can’t understand a community from a spreadsheet alone. 

I have my own views, of course, but I want everyone to feel comfortable reaching out to me, whether we agree or not. In this role, the first job is to listen and help people find the right path. Being able to connect somebody with the right person at City Hall can be incredibly valuable.

I also try to point residents toward resources already available through the City website, including City Alerts, SeeClickFix, and the broader ‘For Residents’ section, because sometimes the help already exists and the challenge is knowing where to find it.

You’ve been helping residents explore whether a dog park could be part of future improvements to Barry Park. Tell us about that.

We live near Barry Park, and as a dog owner, I know a lot of the other neighborhood dog people. Some neighbors organized a petition, gathered more than 200 signatures, and began a conversation with the City about a dedicated area where dogs could run off-leash. 

The residents had already done the hard work of organizing. I offered to help connect them with City officials, other Neighborhood Ambassadors, and people who have experience navigating similar projects. 

At the same time, Barry Park is much more than any one proposed use. The playground, open fields, and green space are regularly used by children, families, and neighbors for recreation and gathering. Those voices need to be part of the conversation, and we should look at the park as a whole. 

I’d like to see a comprehensive, long-term process that considers the playground, open space, recreational uses, landscaping, maintenance, and whether a dog park can fit in as part of improvements that make Barry Park better for everyone. That may take more time, but it gives us a better chance to make thoughtful improvements rather than addressing one piece at a time. 

That’s really what the Ambassador role is about to me: connecting people to the process, helping different voices be heard, and connecting the dots. 

You mentioned something else that feels important: the value of having places where neighbors can simply gather. 

Absolutely. I think gathering places are incredibly important, especially places where you don't have to pull out your credit card to be there.

Parks, pools, playgrounds, these are places where people naturally come together. You talk to people. You find out what they're thinking about and what they might need.

If you get people talking, you learn about those needs and opportunities. That's part of how a city improves. People need to feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas, and then good ideas have an opportunity to bubble up and potentially become something.

You're also passionate about bike and traffic safety. Where does that come from?

I used to commute to the Seaport by bike every day, and I loved it, but it also made me very passionate about bike safety.

Growing up in Denmark, there were good, safe ways to get around without a car. I think that's especially important for young people. One of my daughters bikes to school, and that gives her a certain amount of freedom and independence.

Safe ways to get around town can have a huge impact on quality of life. There are still places in Medford where I get nervous riding or driving, so I'm very supportive of the work being done around traffic safety.

I’d love to explore a bicycle-safety day where kids could practice basic riding skills on a course and then use what they learned during Bike, Roll, Walk to School days.

If you were showing someone around Medford for the first time, where would you take them?

It depends on the time of year and probably what stage of life they're in.

For families with young kids, I'd definitely point them toward the Tufts Pool, the library, Colleen's, our parks and playgrounds, and all of the activities available around town.

Medford PorchFest is a big one for me. If you can be here for PorchFest, you're in for a treat. It's another one of those opportunities for people to get together organically.

And then there's the Middlesex Fells. I think the Fells is an important cornerstone of Medford. As a dog owner, it's one of my favorite places. Give me a dog and a trail out there, rain, sleet, or shine, and I'm good.

It also has a special place in my heart because I proposed to Melissa near the Reservoir.

When you talk about putting down roots in Medford, those are some of the big moments.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Photos, clockwise from upper left: Dan and some neighbors at Barry Park, discussing space for a new dog park, Bellview Pond in the Middlesex Fells, Dan at Hormel Stadium with his pup, and a bird's eye view of Tufts Park and its pool in late summer.

We also need to talk about local food because you have some strong Medford favorites.

We have a lot of really good food here.

Pikaichi Ramen on Boston Avenue is probably my favorite restaurant in town. I love their ramen. Tenoch is another place where I could practically live. One of my daughters loves their burritos and can somehow finish a burrito about the size of her head in one sitting.

Colette, the French bakery at the very south end of Medford, is fantastic for a treat after school.

And then we have to mention the Italian subs at Bob's Food. I know the Italian sub conversation can get a little heated around here, so I’ll also say I love La Cascia's. I don't think there's a wrong answer.

For entertainment, Deep Cuts is great. There's live music, shows, and stand-up comedy. And, of course, there's the Chevalier Theatre. I've seen some really good shows there.

I also love cooking for people and having people over. We host a New Year’s Eve party every year, and my rule is simple: nobody leaves hungry. I once won a ribbon for my barbecue in Texas, and I’m still proud of that one.

Last question. Your best friend tells you they're thinking about moving to Medford. What do you tell them?

Don't judge Medford only by how quickly you can get to Boston from here.

Obviously, being close to Boston is a benefit, but there's a lot more here. Spend some time walking around the neighborhoods. Meet the people. Go to the Fells. Catch a show. Come for PorchFest if you can. Go to Colleen's. Spend some time at the parks, playgrounds, and pools.

Those places matter because they become third spaces: not your house, not my house, but somewhere we can both feel comfortable and come together.

I came here right out of college as a renter in South Medford and later moved to the Hillside. I didn’t have a 20-year plan. Life just started happening.

Friends, work, kids, family, schools, talent shows, Sunday ice cream. And somewhere in all of that, it becomes home. 

Renting can be the beginning of someone’s Medford story, not the limit of it. I want Medford to remain a place that welcomes new neighbors and gives people who fall in love with the community a real chance to stay and build a life here, whether they rent for the long term or hope to own someday.

Have a question or an idea?

The Neighborhood Ambassador Initiative is designed to strengthen connections throughout the community, and Dan sees his role as being a conduit between his Hillside neighbors and the City.

If you have a question about City resources, an idea for the Hillside, or something happening in the neighborhood that you think deserves attention, Dan would love to hear from you. You can reach him at nowitz.d@gmail.com. 

Keep Meeting Medford

Meet Me in Medford is our way of introducing you to the people who make this city what it is—the neighbors, business owners, volunteers, community leaders, and familiar faces whose stories become part of Medford's story.

Meet Me in Medford is one of the ways 4Squares Residential Group celebrates the people, places, and everyday connections that make this city feel like home.

As we continue to highlight Medford's Neighborhood Ambassadors, we'll also keep introducing you to the local business owners, volunteers, artists, educators, community builders, and neighbors who help shape life here in ways both large and small.

Want to follow along? Subscribe to the 4Squares Residential Group newsletter to learn more about the Neighborhood Ambassadors and the people who make Medford such a connected community.