News & Updates

BRA Board Adopts Columbia Point Master Plan

Jun 16, 2011

The Board adopted the Columbia Point Master Plan, which sets forth a comprehensive vision for 412-acres between Dorchester Bay and Interstate 93. The Master Plan is the result of a three and a half year community planning process, and reflects the neighborhood’s desire to encourage urban vitality, improve pedestrian and vehicular connections, and foster plans for potential new development. At full build out, the Master Plan would allow for up to 5.67 million square feet of new development, and with this could provide approximately 1,560 new permanent jobs, $17.2 million in new City property taxes, and $4.3 million in State income tax revenue. The Master Plan envisions a neighborhood with more residential uses than the currently predominate educational uses, which would improve the jobs-housing balance while creating an 18-hour-a-day neighborhood. A new system of streets would break down the superblock structure, establishing a pedestrian scale for Columbia Point, while significantly increasing transportation options. Almost 17 new acres of park space and multi-modal paths could be created to increase connectivity in the area. This is the BRA’s first Master Plan to include an entire chapter on sustainability. The basic armature of the Master Plan, with its compact mix of uses and walk-able streets situated close to transit, is the definition of sustainable land use. All new development would be required to achieve a LEED Silver rating. Both in terms of individual buildings and the larger planning framework, the Columbia Point Master Plan will be a leader in sustainability for Boston.

Related Tags

BRA Board Meetings Dorchester Sustainable Neighborhoods Zoning 

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