244 - 284 A Street Channelside Development Comment Deadline Tuesday

What do you think about the 244-284 A Street (former Gillette parking lot site) 6.5 acre development? The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) and Related Beal want to hear from you. A quick reminder that the comment deadline is Tuesday, November 10, 2020. Here are a few elements of the proposed development. View Project Notification Form and meeting presentations and videos for greater detail. 

Building Height
Two of the three buildings are taller than approved zoning. The property is zoned under PDA 69 aka 100 Acres Master Plan, for one 180 foot building and one 100 foot building at the Channel, and one 100 foot building closer to A Street. The proposed development calls for two 180 feet tall buildings along the Fort Point Channel; thereby, creating a wall of 180 feet buildings along the Harborwalk and a Life Sciences building along A Street of 123 feet plus 50 feet mechanicals (mechanicals are not included in zoning calculations). 

Transportation Improvements
The new development will bring more than 3,500 new residents and workers to our sidewalks and streets. This is in addition to the 1,000 or more workers and visitors to 5 and 15 Necco. Are the transportation improvements being proposed enough?

Appropriate Ground Floor Uses
State law requires the ground floor be for the public good and use. The types of uses currently proposed does not provide sufficient detail to ensure this is accomplished. What civic/community, cultural and retail spaces would you like to see?  How could they complement activation of the parks and watersheet? 

Affordable On-site Housing and Artist Live/Work
The City requires a mix of affordable residential units and zoning references the expansion of artist live/work spaces, all of which should be on-site.

Fort Point Park & Climate Resiliency
As identified in the 100 Acres Master Plan, the Fort Point Park and open green spaces are currently under design via the 100 Acres Open Space Planning Initiative. The final park design including ground floor uses (draft to be provided to the public mid-to-late November) must be incorporated in the next filing, the Draft Project Impact report, for subsequent community review. Do the proposed climate resiliency solutions protect the site, the inner neighborhood and Harborwalk? Is there adequate storm water containment for projected sea level rise and storm events? 

We would ask that you consider providing email feedback to the City to ensure neighborhood voices are heard. As in the past these types of communications are best done to both the BPDA and our City of Boston District Councilor:

Aisling Kerr, BPDA Project Manager - aisling.kerr@boston.gov

Ed Flynn, Boston City Councilor District 2 - ed.flynn@boston.gov