Earlier this month, a speaker’s program hosted by Equity Office for The Boston Harbor Association’s Emerging Professionals quickly turned into a productive mini-planning session when Boston Redevelopment Authority planner Chris Busch discussed and solicited suggestions for a downtown waterfront municipal harbor plan. Participants were very interested in the city’s vision for the waterfront area closest to the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, as well as future plans for South Boston’s Innovation District.
Those present credited Mayor Thomas Menino for making the waterfront a desirable place to work and to enjoy after-hours. Many were impressed with the evolution of the Innovation District, particularly the jobs being created and the attention to micro-unit housing for young innovators. The next mayor will need to give attention to the following issues to further support the waterfront’s renaissance:
Foster a shared sense of community: One of the challenges as waterfront development continues is the creation of a shared sense of community including not just long-time residents but also new employers, employees and residents. For decades, the Fort Point neighborhood near the South Boston Waterfront has been home to the arts community. The artists, together with newer condominium residents, have been deeply involved in community planning for the neighborhood.
Emerging professionals are not yet fully engaged to truly feel a part of the community. Their civic engagement is limited and sometimes nil, whether it is helping in the annual "Boston Shines" clean-up of the waterfront and Fort Point, participating in community meetings on open space needs, traffic concerns and "good neighbor" practices, or testifying at city hearings on quality of life issues. To better involve emerging professionals, City Hall needs to increase outreach from neighborhood coordinators through after-work social events and more effective use of social media, directly engaging employees, property owners and management companies to provide young professionals information on community issues and opportunities for greater civic engagement.
Provide a balanced mix of housing options: Equally important, if not more so, in fostering a sense of community is providing affordable housing options. Micro-units under 500 square feet may work well for recent college grads who want to rent in the Innovation District, but emerging professionals noted that young couples and young families need more options.
For the downtown waterfront, emerging professionals see the benefits of a wider range of more affordable housing options for middle-class professionals and young families, which need to include relatively affordable rentals as well as condos.
Ensure community facilities and amenities: In thinking about potential development of the downtown waterfront, emerging professionals noted the lack of facilities, from supermarkets to schools to libraries, in the Innovation District. Opportunities to fill ground floor retail spaces of new buildings with supermarkets and CVS-type stores, rather than just more restaurants and cafés, were strongly supported. Participants applauded Mayor Menino’s announcement to purchase and convert 585 Commercial St. on the waterfront to a public school, and hoped that additional schools would be built to support future families in Fort Point, the Innovation District and the downtown waterfront.
The Boston Public Library’s main branch in Back Bay is going through a planning process to look at additional ways to support its users, recognizing that it does much more than just house books. Under the Menino administration, libraries have evolved into community gathering places, with free educational programs for adults and children, free computer usage, quiet havens for students, scholars and the public, as well as polling places for voters. A similar community facility is needed for Fort Point, the Innovation District and the downtown waterfront.
Emphasize environmental sustainability: In discussing the downtown waterfront, emerging professionals are particularly interested in a more environmentally sustainable community. Mass transit, water transportation, the Hubway shared bicycle program and Zipcar are key to the waterfront. The next mayor will be expected to continue the Menino administration’s leadership on climate change mitigation and climate change preparedness.
Emerging professionals continue to be optimistic about the development of Boston’s waterfront and their role in it. That bodes well for Boston in the years ahead.
Vivien Li is president of The Boston Harbor Association, www.tbha.org. Email: vli@tbha.org
