Exciting news for East Boston — plans for a waterfront park in East Boston are underway. The project is headed by The Trustees of Reservation, a Massachusetts based nonprofit organization who are responsible for 27,000 acres of land across the state. Their mission is to recover iconic landscapes, preserve cultural sites, and protect the biodiversity of the state and the coastline. Through creative programs, the Trustees engage visitors and community members with the land of Massachusetts and attract over 2 million visitors yearly to their sites.
The goal of the project is to convert a rotting, dilapidated pier by Logan Airport into a beautiful waterfront destination. The Trustees are working alongside the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (Massport) and the landscape architect group: Michael Van Valkenburg Associates, led by Michael Van Valkenburg himself. The park will be built upon the current Piers Park, 6.5 acres of greenspace located in East Boston. Although the Trustees are still in the design phase, this project will entirely transform the area.
State Senator Joe Boncore commented on the site: “Our parks and recreational spaces shape our communities. These innovative solutions in design also serve to protect East Boston and the entire city of Boston in the face of sea-level rise and climate change. We appreciate the Trustees’ partnership and forward-thinking in designing parks and recreational spaces that are sustainable.”
The park has been given the name Piers Park III, and although formal plans for the actual design of the park have not yet been completed, the Trustees have been holding virtual neighborhood meetings with community members, with online commenting opportunities, and virtual public workshops all to determine what they would like to see in a waterfront park. Ideas mentioned by the Trustees in their current Piers Park III publication include many greenspaces, a kayak launch, and man made tidal pools.
On July 16th of 2020, the Board of Directors of Massport voted in favor of moving forward with the project after a site assessment, and the next steps include obtaining a ground lease and executing a development agreement. Once construction is underway, a youth employment program will be initiated in order to engage and give back to the park’s host community.
Large projects like Piers Park III require years of preliminarily planning, designing, community input, and permitting. Whether your business is looking to completely reconstruct an area of your infrastructure or simply are planning an event that requires the use of Boston land, you will most likely have to apply to receive a permit, which can be a confusing, lengthy, and expensive process. Being an old city, Boston has numerous regulations that have been put in place that businesses and organizations must follow in order to complete their desired project. At Evan’s Brothers Consulting, our 25 years of experience will guide your business through the permitting process and ensure you are able to complete your objectives.
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