April 6, 2000

The South Boston Community and Developers Work Together

In many ways Boston today is the envy of every other city in the nation. Like no other time in its history, Boston is on the fast track to becoming what is known as a "world class city." The key to reaching this status lies in a parcel of land cradled on three sides by very different but equally important neighbors. The South Boston Waterfront, recently bombarded by investments in infrastructure, is a secret no longer to those who will use it to shape the future of our city. The discovery of prime, downtown, waterfront real estate on which to expand the amenities Boston offers its residents, businesses and visitors has touched off a scramble for pieces of the action. What is it about the South Boston Waterfront today that makes it so appealing that firms are leaving their downtown addresses behind to set up shop in Southie?

The answer lies in a simple vision triggered by investment in infrastructure. It is a vision of a South Boston Waterfront that offers something to everyone; a district of diverse uses all thriving at once. More that $20 billion of public money has recently found its way toward infrastructure that will improve the South Boston Waterfront. The Central Artery, the MBTA's Silver Line, the Federal Courthouse, the Greater Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (with an expected half a million annual conventioneers), the Ted Williams Tunnel and the dredging of Boston Harbor will bring visitors, accessibility, commerce and jobs to South Boston.

Strong industrial usage will be facilitated by Boston Redevelopment Authority's Boston Marine Industrial Park, as well as Massport's Connelly Terminal, Fish Pier and International Cargo Port (which by itself will host 800 jobs). General contractors Lee Kennedy Co., Inc. along with the architecture firm of Arrowstreet are converting space that had lay fallow at the former Boston Army Base port terminal's buildings into maritime/trade related light office space, warehouse space and tenant parking spaces. Developments around the World Trade Center include office buildings, residences and hotels. These elements bring the promise of continued commercial growth and around-the-clock vitality. The proposed projects at Pier 4 and Fan Pier bring the city a new skyline while balancing the needs of the working port.

The vibrancy and diversity of use that this district will bear is indicative of everything that makes Boston great. Families will walk the streets next to the loading and unloading of fishing boats, while capital commerce takes place in offices a stone's throw from downtown. A ten-minute walk in any direction leads to the city's central business district, the clean coastline of Boston Harbor, or one of the city's strongest residential communities steeped in family pride and tradition, while a two-minute drive through the Ted Williams Tunnel can end at Massport's Logan International Airport.

The cornerstone that has enabled the emergence of The South Boston Waterfront as the jewel of the city and the envy of the nation is the ability of its stakeholders to find compromises that prioritize the interests of the neighborhood and the city as a whole. Cautiously, the South Boston Waterfront is becoming the vision that offers something for everyone. The road to success has only been through the efforts of the neighborhoods, advocacy groups, businesses, government and elected officials to work together to find this common vision. Representatives of each interest have fought hard and have invested time fairly to make sure that their interest remains protected. Through practical compromise planners are reaching common goals that will protect the neighborhood keeping South Boston among the most desirable places to work or live in the city.

Although never easy, the rest of the country can learn a lesson from Boston's cautious journey to create a new development area within an existing neighborhood of the city. By giving everyone a voice and then listening carefully, the City of Boston and the Massachusetts Port Authority are creating for the city a new area that will help propel the "hub" to world class status.

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