East Boston Master Plan
Feasibility and analysis of preferred alternative - Workshop 3
Feasibility and Analysis Key: (+) Positive factor (-) Negative factor (*) Issue requiring further study

Enhancing East Boston’s Economy

This Action Area focuses on market opportunities and functional improvements for East Boston’s neighborhood commercial centers, as well as opportunities for additional development along the McClellan Highway corridor. It includes recommendations related to the continuing importance of marine industrial activities, such as the important port service area, along East Boston’s waterfront.

1. Neighborhood Commercial Centers

Expansion of Main Streets Program

Recommendations include:

Extending the Main Streets program from the Central Square-Meridian Street-Maverick Square corridor to Day Square and Orient Heights Square as well.

Feasibility:

(-) Requires additional public resources.

 

Maverick Square

Recommendations include:

Develop infill commercial with residential above to add a residential presence in this activity node and shore up blighted space in the street wall.

Feasibility

(+) Small scale In-fill Retail/Residential Rehab – Market Rate Rental;

(+) Strong market for both neighborhood retail and upper floor rental apartments.

(+) Positive financial feasibility for rehab.

(+) Retail use on the ground floor is able to help cross-subsidize the rehabilitation of moderately priced rental units on the upper floors.

(+) One such project – the NOAH development -- is already in the pipeline.

 

Central Square

Recommendations include:

Improve traffic and pedestrian circulation by establishing a counter clockwise traffic pattern, making Saratoga Street one-way westbound around "north" Central Square while "south" Central Square would be made one-way eastbound.

Improve pedestrian environment by widening sidewalks, reducing crosswalk lengths and enlarging current traffic islands.

Develop infill commercial with upper floor residential on vacant land abutting Meridian Street.

 

Analysis

(+) Small scale In-fill Retail/Residential Rehab – Market Rate Rental.

(+) Strong market for both neighborhood retail and upper floor rental apartments.

(+) Positive financial feasibility for rehab.

(+) Retail use on the ground floor is able to help cross-subsidize the rehabilitation of moderately priced rental units on the upper floors.

Day Square Parking Expansion Opportunities

Reorient Kennedy School parking lot to have frontage on Prescott Street, promoting user-shared parking which is school use during the day and Day Square customer use in the evening and weekends.

Enhance the appearance and double the capacity of existing parking lot at Bremen Street and Prescott Street which is used currently for customers and employees of the Square, but in the future will have increased demand from Bremen Street Park users.

Reserve the parking lot under the McClellan Highway along Bennington Street as parking for Day Square employees, freeing up spaces within the Square.

 

Feasibility

(*) Kennedy School could be developed under or in conjunction with the Boston Schoolyards Initiative through the Department of Neighborhood Development and the Schools Department.

(*) Parking lot at Bremen/Prescott Streets should be promoted as additional parking for customers and employees, and be enlarged to handle both Day Square and Bremen Street Park users.

(*) Parking under highway exists today as a parking lot, but could be upgraded with attractive landscaping providing a better physical connection to Day Square.

 

Orient Square

Recommendations include:

Relocate eastbound approach of Saratoga and Bennington Street to Trident and Bennington Street, making Saratoga Street one-way westbound from Bennington Street to Trident Street. Trident Street is also made one-way from Saratoga to Bennington.

Maintain all existing parking within Orient Heights Square.

Reduce the length of crosswalk of Saratoga Street at Bennington Street, enhancing the pedestrian environment.

 

Analysis

(+) This configuration being considered by the Boston Transportation Department would eliminate troublesome vehicle conflicts at the intersection of Bennington and Saratoga Street.

(+) The crosswalk at Saratoga and Bennington would be minimized allowing for better pedestrian circulation.

(+) The number of parking spaces would not be reduced.

(+) As part of the streetscape improvements allocated to Orient Square, efforts should be made to improve pavement features, landscaping, distinctive lighting and street furniture.

2. Waterfront Development

Recommendations include:

Focus marine industrial activities on Boston Harbor side as Port Service such as layover berthing, pilots, tugs, etc. Chelsea Creek should continue as heavier marine industrial facilities.

Modify DPA to eliminate areas which do not meet criteria of predominant industrial character.

Layover berthing and servicing facilities at a variety of East Boston pier sites, particularly including ship repair and maintenance services. These add incrementally to the East Boston economy by providing maritime employment.

 

Feasibility - Marine Industrial

(+) Static market, but not one that can easily afford to pay high rent or high purchase price

(*) Not much market support for development of more maritime facilities (except for large scale cargo facilities which are not viable in East Boston, i.e. Conley Terminal)

(-) Needs subsidy to make financially feasible (City, State, or Private)

(-) Has expensive waterside infrastructure needs (piers, etc.)

(*) Suggests focus on preservation of facilities for users be forced out of other parts of the Harbor or other industrial sites.

(+) Valuable limited resources.

(+) Important to city and region, especially for fuel transfer.

(-) Environmental impacts.

(-) Potential conflicts with abutting residents.

 

Feasibility - Port Services

(+) Many such activities already located in East Boston.

(+) Proximity to Harbor.

(+) Deep water.

(+) Moderate land-side needs.

(+) Limited impacts on residential/commercial abutters.

(-) Needs to be consolidated where appropriate to create coherent planning unit.

 

3. McClellan Highway

Option 1 -

Promote big-box retail users within the corridor.

Feasibility

(+) Traffic impacts from the corridor would be minimized with the proposed plan to widen the highway to three lanes each way and provide a grade separated interchange at Boardman Street. This plan would reduce the traffic back up on East Boston streets and reduce standstill traffic on the highway during rush hour within East Boston.

(-) There is a limited market for new development in East Boston.

(-) Positive financial feasibility for new construction, if a viable market opportunity were identified.

(-) Needs large site area – 10.0 acres± , which currently does not exist within current development opportunities along the East Boston segment of the McClellan Highway.

(*) Typical building area – 100,000SF to 200,000SF

(+) Needs excellent accessibility and visibility, which McClellan Highway would have with the planned roadway improvements.

 

Option 2 -

Promote commercial/industrial uses within the corridor.

 

Feasibility

(+) Strong market for new development

(+) Positive financial feasibility for new construction

(-) Needs large site area – 5.0 acres±

(-) Typical building size – 100,000SF to 200,000SF

 

Conclusion:

Commercial/industrial is most feasible economically.

posted 3/19/99

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