FPNA Spring Neighborhood Gathering Tuesday, March 28th

 You are invited to a spring

 

Fort Point Seaport Neighborhood Gathering

on

Tuesday, March 28, 2023 (correct date)

6 pm to 8 pm

District Hall or online

Sign Up

featuring

Our C-6 Community Officers

Findings From

The Fort Point Waterfront Community Design Program

Kelly Sherman

Waterfront Design Manager, Boston Harbor Now

&

Spring & Summer in the Seaport 

Molly Griffin

 Community & Partnerships Coordinator, WS Development

 

with

Neighborhood Updates & Discussions

Massport-Cypher St. Polluted Soil Plans, Atlantic Wharf Public Spaces Proposed Reconfigurations  & More

********************************************************************************

Your Feedback Needed

March 31: Life Sciences Building Design Guidelines public comments are due. More information and submission details. 

April 7: Atlantic Wharf Chapter 91 Public Spaces public comments are due. 

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Upcoming Happenings

Wednesday, March 22:  Boston Harbor Now’s Harbor Use Forum at 8:30 am featuring 310 Northern Ave.  When the BPDA completed the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park Master Plan Update, they planned a new mix of uses where lab buildings would co-exist with and help support the working port. Come find out about their climate mitigation fund and more. 

Thursday, March 23: There is a movie filming in town. Parking restrictions start Wednesday on Medallion and Thursday on A, Binford and D Streets. The scoop.

Wednesday, March 29: 330 C St Public Meeting at 6pm. The proposal consists of a new six-story 74-room hotel, with a ground-floor restaurant, situated on the corner of C Street and Cypher Street (behind the Convention Center).

Tuesday, April 4: City Council Hearing on Docket #0145 to discuss the safety of light poles, bridges, and other public infrastructure in the City of Boston (including the bridges over Fort Point Channel). 

Wednesday, April 12: 232 A St Public Meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the proposed life sciences project and the potential impacts before the Proponent files their Project Notification Form ("PNF").

Thursday, April 13: Fort Point Channel Landmark District Commission meeting, agenda not posted yet.

Unique Cafe & Art Related Space Opportunities at The Artist Building at 300 Summer

Dreamed of opening your own café or art gallery? The Artist Building at 300 Summer is offering two unique rental opportunities. 

A 1,700 square foot café in their Atrium including a kitchen. 

A 1,094 square foot arts-related space with large glass windows and doors that abuts the atrium and formerly housed the FPAC Gallery.  The space is also available for other arts related non-profits or arts related business uses.

Reasonable rent for the right fit to join this artist building composed of 47 live-work spaces and 7 businesses.

The building at 300 Summer Street is a historic structure originally built for Boston’s wool trade in 1898 by the Boston Wharf Company. With large windows, abundant light, and views of downtown Boston and the harbor, the building was perfectly suited for conversion to artist lofts. In 1992, the Fort Point Arts Community acquired the building and Keen Development redeveloped it into a artist live/work limited equity cooperative joining fellow artists at the 249 A Street Artists Cooperative in the neighborhood.

Filming in Fort Point This Thursday. Parking Restrictions Start Wednesday On Medallion & Thursday for A St, Binford & D St.

A new film, titled "Quincy", will be filming in Boston this March and April starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck.  

On THURSDAY, MARCH 23RD, there will be filming exterior scenes in the Channelside lot at the end of Binford Street, closest to the Harborwalk. Filming times will be from approximately 4PM-8PM.  To facilitate filming, we will need to permit street parking for our production vehicles. See below for dates.  Please be aware of posted parking restrictions. The streets affected include: 

NO PARKING: 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22ND (6pm) – THURSDAY, MARCH 23rd (11:59pm)    

• Medallion Ave.; 2 hours spaces in front of the Channel Center garage between Richards St and W. First St. 

THURSDAY, MARCH 23rd  (10am – 11:59pm)  

• A St.; both sides between Binford St. and Iron St.
• Binford St. (both sides) Approx. 100’ at the end of Binford St. closest to the Harborwalk 
• D St.: both sides between Danby St. (Element Hotel) and Cypher St.

 There will be limited parking at the Channel Center Garage for residents who have resident permit stickers and are affected by the parking restrictions listed above.  Please contact the locations department in advance to coordinate access.  

The film's location department is working with the City of Boston and the Boston Police to help ensure filming go smoothly. We will do everything possible to minimize any impact of our activities on your neighborhood. If you have questions or concerns (scheduled deliveries, construction, accessibility needs, etc.), please call me at the number below. 

Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation. We look forward to filming in your neighborhood. 

Sincerely,  

Locations Department
781-269-1573
QuincyLocationsDept@gmail.com

Atlantic Wharf Wants Changes To Our Public Spaces. Meeting Monday, March 13th.

updated 03/20/23: Added presentation link to MassDEP and the presentation will be posted shortly on BPDA website.

MassDEP in conjunction with the BPDA are holding a meeting tonight regarding proposed changes to our public spaces at Atlantic Wharf as mandated under the MA Public Waterfront Act (Chapter 91) and need your feedback. The meeting will be held:

Monday, March 13, 2023

6pm

Atlantic Wharf Fort Point room or online

View presentation

Comment Deadline: April 7th 

Submit comments to DEP.Waterways@mass.gov with the subject line “Atlantic Wharf"

Boston Properties, Atlantic Wharf's owner, is proposing changes to their special public destination facility or interior public spaces part of their Chapter 91 license #11419 requirements. The major changes are to:

• relocate the Fort Point Room from its existing 2nd floor space to a ground-floor space fronting on Congress Street, combining a space previously used as a restaurant (Boloco) with space occupied by the Boston Society of Architects (BSA space)
• convert the existing Fort Point Room to commercial office uses
• discontinue the use of the existing 2nd floor exterior deck

Boston residents and abutting neighbors are encouraged to attend Monday night to discover more about the changes above and all changes under consideration:

• Will the new proposed space meet the needs of the public and abutting neighbors?
• Will the groundfloor be activated in a way that adds value and enhances the existing standards/experience?
• How will the public interact with the spaces and what will be the public experience?
  
  

• How will privatizing the Fort Point room and deck provide public benefits & support programming?
• How will the loss of 2,630 square feet of interior public space be reinstated or recaptured? This does not include the loss of 3,270 sf from the 2nd floor terrace. 
  
  
• What will happen to the 2nd floor non-profit office space? 
• Why is the civic cultural concierge being replaced by a tv screen?

click on image for better viewing

There is a lot to consider in determining whether the proposed changes benefit the public more or less than before, especially when regarding this special destination facility of public accommodation.

In addition to the 2nd floor Fort Point room and the 2nd floor non-profit office, the original ground floor approved in 2006 included:

• A "Town Square," of approximately 6,300 square feet of skylit civic gathering space within the atrium area of the Graphic Arts and Tufts Buildings, with programming and promotion to be provided by the Proponent (to remain in the current size & condition?)
• A Multi-Media Performance Area, approximately 3,800 square feet, providing a destination location for visitors and city residents to learn about Boston's history, culture, diversity and future (BSA space being replaced by a meeting room?)
• A waterfront restaurant and cafe/performance venue, part of the Fort Point Channel "RestaurantRow," providing flexible space for alternative uses and populations at different times of the day (being replaced by a meeting room?)
• A "Channel Concierge," providing information, maps, ticketing, and details on current events (to remain?)
• A Community Art Gallery (to remain in the current size & condition?)

The comment deadline is April 7,2023. Comments should be submitted to: DEP.Waterways@mass.gov with the subject line “Atlantic Wharf”.

Atlantic Wharf (formerly known as Russia Wharf) underwent redevelopment in 2005 for the properties at 530 Atlantic Ave. and 270-286 Congress St.  The site planning started with the BPDA (then BRA) and the Fort Point Downtown Municipal Plan and as stated above is subject to the MA Public Waterfront Act, commonly referred to as Chapter 91, administered by MassDEP. MassDEP required a SPDF or special public destination facility to offset the impacts of the redevelopment and to provide exceptional public spaces, programming and public benefits. 

Resources

Request for Minor Modification of Chapter 91 License 11419

Russia Wharf (Atlantic Wharf) Chapter 91 License 11419

Russia Wharf Redevelopment Plan Development Area #66

Fort Point Channel Watersheet Activation Plan  

Fort Point Downtown Municipal Harbor Plan

originally published 03/15/23

Sunday's St. Patrick's Day Breakfast, Race, Parade & Parking

The St. Patrick's Day Parade is Sunday, March 19, 2023. The 3.5 mile parade will begin at 1 PM at the Broadway T station (red line), move along West Broadway to East Broadway, before making its way around the Medal of Honor Park and ending at Andrew Square. Broadway will be closed to traffic from approximately 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

St. Patrick's Day Parade route

The St. Patrick’s Day Road Race will also take place on Sunday beginning at 11 AM.  Runners will follow the famous parade route, 2 hours before the parade steps off.  The race starts and ends at the Boys & Girls Club (230 West 6th), left on Dorchester St, down E Broadway and back to W Broadway, left on E, left on West 6th, and will end at 12 pm. The turn around point is the Farragut Statue at Pleasure Bay/Boston Harbor. 

Before these two events start is the St. Patrick's Day Breakfast hosted by Senator Collins and broadcast live starting at 10am on Caught in Southie's Instagram page, Irish Hit Parade Radio and Boston Neighborhood Network Media. 

To accommodate the race and parade and staging/dispersal and clean-up, drivers should expect the following roads to be closed to vehicular traffic. Street closures effected by the parade will start as early as 5 AM and streets closures from the road race will start around 9 AM.  Delays are expected on West 6th Street from F to Dorchester and F (odd side only) from 6th to Bowen Street.

Tow Zone, No Stopping, Boston Police Special Event Sunday
Additional parking restrictions that will be implemented temporarily to support Sunday’s events are as follows:

• A Street, Both sides, from Binford Street to West Second Street
• Binford Street, Both sides, from A Street heading northwesterly to end at 45 Binford Street
• West Second Street, Both sides, from Dorchester Avenue to A Street
• Dorchester Avenue, both sides from Gillette Park to Old Colony Avenue
• Dorchester Avenue, both sides, from Dorchester Street to Damrell Street
• Foundry Street, both sides, from Greenbaum Street to Dorchester Avenue
• West Fourth Street, Both sides, from A Street to Dorchester Avenue
• West Broadway, Both sides, from Dorchester Avenue to Dorchester Street
• East Broadway, Both sides, from Dorchester Street to P Street
• P Street, Both sides, from East Broadway to East Fourth Street
• East Fourth Street, Both sides, from P Street to K Street
• K Street, Both sides, from East Fourth Street to East Fifth Street
• East Fifth Street, Both sides, from K Street to G Street
• G Street, Both sides, from East Fifth Street to #96 G Street
• Thomas Park, Both sides of southerly arm (opposite normal traffic flow), from G Street to Telegraph Street
• Telegraph Street, Both sides, from Thomas Park to Dorchester Street
• Dorchester Street, Both sides, from Telegraph Street to Dorchester Avenue
• E Street at West Broadway Street on the West Third Street side
• L Street at East Broadway on the East Third Street side.
• Old Colony Avenue at Dorchester Street on the inbound side

The Channelside parking lot at 45 Binford St offers $5 dollar weekend day parking in 24 hour 5am - 5am intervals. 

The Channel Center Garage at 116 W First St is $12. Please check with garage for further details.

South Boston resident parking sticker holders can find alternate parking accommodations starting at 6pm  Saturday, March 18th through 8pm Sunday, March 19th at the Marine Park Garage at 12 Drydock Ave. 

Other Southie fun facts for March 19th: Liquor Stores will close at 4pm. All bars and restaurants in 02127 will close between 6-6:30pm and patrons will need to leave by 7:30pm. There will be zero tolerance and a $200 citation for public drinking or public cannabis consumption. 

Life Science Building Design Guidelines Public Meeting

updated 3/15/23 with link to March 14th meeting recording and March31st comment deadline. The presentation is the same as the first meeting. 

The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) is hosting a public meeting to review draft Life Sciences Building Design Guidelines on: 

March 14, 2023 (2nd meeting added)*

6pm - 7:30pm

View 3/14 meeting recording

View draft Life Sciences Building Design Guidelnes

Submit comments to LifeScienceDesign@Boston.gov by March 31st 

*Note: This meeting will be a repeat of the 2.28 meeting

View 2/28 meeting presentation and meeting recording

With over 25 Life Sciences lab building existing, proposed or under construction in Fort Point and the Seaport (including the Raymond L. Flynn Industrial Park) and not counting the Dot Ave Corridor, this is a meeting you won't want to miss. 

The BPDA is creating design guidelines for life science buildings that can help shape the impact of life sciences and ensure new development advances citywide goals and contributes to and fits within Boston’s urban fabric. As Boston continues its leadership as a global center for life sciences, these design guidelines form one part of a larger BPDA effort to support thoughtful, context-sensitive, and flexible growth of the life science industry.

originally published 2.16.23

Fort Point Landmarks March 2023 Meeting

updated 03/07/23 with design review poject presentations.

 THE FORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT COMMISSION

will hold a public hearing on:

Thursday, March 9, 2023

6:00 PM

This hearing will be held virtually and NOT in person. 

You can participate in this hearing by going to the Zoom meeting link or by

calling  929-436-2866 and entering meeting id  914 8329 9515#.You can also submit written comments or questions to FortPointLDC@boston.

I.  DESIGN REVIEW HEARING

APP # 23.0654 FPC 25 THOMSON PLACE

Applicant: Nate Turner

Proposed Work: Replace existing transom glazing with louvers for mechanical equipment. 

APP # 23.0655 FPC 25 THOMSON PLACE

Applicant: Nate Turner

Proposed Work: Proposed Work: Install signage including lit lettering, blade sign and menu placard. 

APP # 23.0651 FPC THOMSON PLACE

Applicant: Paul Connolly

Proposed Work: Install signage and wayfinding graphics.

APP # 23.0652 FPC 12 FARNSWORTH STREET

Applicant: Philip Marcotty 

Proposed Work: Install two gas heaters at south end of the outdoor dining area which will be attached to the underside of the existing canopy structure. 

APP # 23.0588 FPC  280 SUMMER STREET withdrawn by applicant 

Applicant: David Woolaver  

Proposed Work:  Reclad all rotted wooden window trim with matching aluminum. See additional items under administrative review.

APP # 23.0624 FPC 332 CONGRESS STREET

Applicant: Matthew Wessling 

Proposed Work: Install new through-wall flashings after removal of displaced brick atop existing cast iron channels that will be removed and replaced. See additional items under administrative review. 

APP # 23.0645 FPC 381 CONGRESS STREET moved to administrative

Applicant: Matthew Wessling 

Proposed Work: At rear elevation (south) facing Summer Street: removal and replacement of 500 square feet of brick units. See additional items under administrative review. 

APP # 23.0623 FPC 263 SUMMER STREET moved to administrative

Applicant: Matthew Wessling 

Proposed Work:  Removal of steel embedded in the masonry wall and securement of loose metal. See additional items under administrative review. 

APP # 23.0590 FPC   44 FARNSWORTH STREET

Applicant: David Barbagallo

Proposed Work:  Install antennas along the existing gamma sector.

APP # 23.0653 FPC 51 MELCHER STREET

Applicant: Alex Munoz

Proposed Work: Streetscape improvements along Melcher Street including tree pits, bike racks and bollards; streetscape and accessibility improvements at the Melcher and A Street intersection including accessible curb ramps.

II. ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW/APPROVAL: In order to expedite the review process, the commission has delegated the approval of certain work items, such as those involving ordinary maintenance and repair, restoration or replacement, or which otherwise have a minimal impact on a building’s appearance, to commission staff pending ratification at its monthly public hearing. Having been identified as meeting these eligibility criteria and all

applicable guidelines, the following applications will be approved at this hearing:

► Applicants whose projects are listed under this heading NEED NOT APPEAR at the hearing. 

APP # 23.0590 FPC 332 CONGRESS STREET: Repoint mortar joints, replace damaged brick, repair cracked stone, replace sealant at window perimeter joints, window glazing joints, metal-to-metal window frame joints, cast iron masonry joints and all penetration perimeter joints, cast iron and wood surfaces will be scraped, primed and repainted - all to match existing.

APP # 23.0645 FPC 381 CONGRESS STREET: At rear elevation facing Summer Street: in kind repointing of brick mortar joints; removal of spalled/cracked brick faces and replaced in kind; application of clear water repellent to the entire area.

APP # 23.0622 FPC 44 FARNSWORTH STREET: Replace sealants at window perimeter joints, window glazing joints, metal-to-metal window frame joints, brick masonry expansion joints, and precast concrete panel to panel joints matching colors of the sealants installed at the north elevation.

APP # 23.0623 FPC 263 SUMMER STREET: Repoint chimney to match existing;

repoint brick mortar joints to match existing; replace spalled brick unit(s) in kind; replace spalled limestone unit(s) in kind and add supplemental anchoring prior to limestone

repair; remove failed sealants and replace existing sealants to match existing color and profile, repaint 1st floor wood window mullions to match existing.

APP # 23.0588 FPC 280 SUMMER STREET: withdrawn by applicant 

At front and rear elevations repoint masonry in kind, install caulking at all window perimeters.

Complete washdown of the building using mild, environmentally friendly wa

II. RATIFICATION OF 1/12/23, 2/9/23 PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES

III. STAFF UPDATES

IV. PROJECTED ADJOURNMENT: 8:15 PM

FORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT COMMISSION

David Berarducci, Susan Goganian, John Karoff, Lynn Smiledge, Vacancy

Alternates: Thomas Rodde, Vacancy

orignally published 03.02.23