Written by Corey Dinopoulos
Last night, Hilco and Redgate held their second open house conversation with the South Boston community about some high level ideas they had for the 18-acre waterfront property. The meeting, with about 30-40 in attendance, gave an overview of the former Boston Edison site with visuals and shared 8 guiding principles as a reference point to start a conversation:
- De-commission and continue the cleanup of this heavily industrial site so that it is healthy and safe.
- Take down the walls and fences surrounding the site and create connections into and through the site so it’s accessible and inviting to the South Boston neighborhood to the waters edge.
- Convert the site to a live, work play mix of uses that fits with the neighborhood.
- Preserve and protect the continuing operation of an active, thriving Conley Terminal.
- Include retail and other uses, and significant public spaces that will be used by the neighborhood.
- Preserve some significant building elements to give the site character and a sense of history.
- Minimize the use of cars by providing better transportation alternatives.
- Make the site green, sustainable and resilient.
During Q&A, members of the South Boston Arts Association including Dan McCole and Joanne McDevvit presented a case for a South Boston Arts & Cultural Center being built as part of the 18-acre redevelopment plan. An arts & cultural center was very well received by the room. Other recurring themes voiced by attendees were for a resident only parking garage, grocery store, neighborhood retail and preference of affordable hotel space over more condos.
Ralph Cox of Redgate Real Estate estimated to have more details to present to the community in 60-90 days. They seemed very open to constant conversation with the community.
Corey Dinopoulos is a resident of South Boston and currently works at John Hancock as a web & mobile app designer. He’s an advocate of the arts, civically engaged and always looking for ways to make Boston an ideal city to work, live and play. Helped bring music back to the bandstand this summer.
I say a 55+ community housing and assisted living so I may retire and still remain in God’s Country. I bet a lot who left would also come back.
I agree with you George.
What no karaoke hall?
South Boston needs a YWCA. Other neighborhoods have theirs, why not us.?
#2 is not possible since the new Conley Terminal haul road will cut this site off from the waterfront.
Two meetings and they still will not commit to an Arts Center. Will the Globe do a story on that??
I also would love to see a 55+ Condo building for middle income seniors.
I’d love to see it somehow transition to an extension of the waterfront industry, with more ship borne cargo coming into the country. Make it an extension of the Conley terminal and let South Boston residents have first shot at some of the jobs (Longshormen, dock workers, associated employment). South Boston was always a blue collar neighborhood. Enough with the million dollar condos.
retail/residential? ugh no we have BROADWAY for shopping. enough catering to the yuppies….how about giving something to the ppl who are from southie. or how about making it low income, they deserve a chance to live by/near the water? just suggestions.