Latest Updates
Thursday, June 8, 2023 | 6:00 PM–7:30 PM
Please join the PLAN: Downtown team to discuss draft planning recommendations as they relate to different districts and public benefits.
All PLAN: Downtown Advisory Group meetings are open to the public.
Register in advance
Toll-free call-in number: 833.568.8864
Meeting ID: 160 347 9839
PLAN: Downtown Relaunch Survey
After a two year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PLAN: Downtown is relaunching the planning process and resuming community engagement. The plan will continue work with local stakeholders and community members to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and finalize development regulations and implementation tools to help revitalize the area.
Share with us what you value about Downtown Boston and what you would like to see emerge from this planning process to revitalize the Downtown post-pandemic.
For a Chinese version please click here.
如需中文版，请点击此处
Study Overview | 规划：市区概况
Over the last decade, Boston’s Downtown has transformed from primarily a business district into a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood. Associated with this transformation and the marked increase in development proposals is a clear need to plan for the future of Downtown comprehensively.
Building on past studies, the primary goal of the study will be to develop a new framework for the preservation, enhancement, and growth of the Downtown area of the City of Boston, while balancing the importance of livability, daylight, walkability, climate change, access to open space, affordability, and a dynamic mix of uses, among others. As one of the most diverse places in the City, due in part to its accessibility, it is necessary to encourage growth that is inclusive for all. Supporting a thriving Downtown environment that is responsive to the 21st century needs of residents, businesses, and visitors is critical to Boston’s continued success as an important American city.
Study Area Boundary | 研究边区位置 | Límite del Área de Estudio
Draft PLAN: Downtown Goals | 起草目标
The BPDA hosted a Vision Workshop with the Downtown & Chinatown communities to prioritize values and goals for this planning initiative. Community members who could not attend the workshop were encouraged to complete an online survey. The feedback received through the Vision Workshop, Vision Survey, along with the December Open House, two Advisory Group meetings, and various informal engagement “pop-ups” shaped the draft project goals. The draft project goals will be used to guide this planning process moving forward.
Vision: Develop a new framework for the preservation, enhancement, and growth of Downtown Boston as a place for all, balancing livability, daylight, walkability, climate change preparedness, access to open space, affordability, and a dynamic mix of uses.
Plan: Downtown will...
-
Preserve the cultural heritage and embrace the distinctive histories present in public spaces as essential to creating a unique and cohesive Downtown.
-
Promote dense, mixed-use development to support job growth, housing opportunities, and 18 hour/7 days/week activity for residents, workers, and visitors.
-
Improve access to housing, cultural assets, and amenities for a diverse range of Boston residents across all neighborhoods, levels of affordability, stages of life, and backgrounds.
-
Preserve historic building fabric and cultural institutions while advancing climate preparedness and resiliency measures.
-
Ensure that new development and public realm projects are resilient, and mitigate climate risks such as sea level rise, coastal storms, rising temperatures, and increased stormwater.
-
Improve connections through, within, and to Downtown, with a focus on active transportation, transit, and non-vehicular modes of transportation.
-
Encourage consistent, safe, healthy, and high-quality improvements to the public realm that welcome everyone year-round.
-
Support business development that maintains Downtown as a regional economic center.
-
Promotes the retention, growth, and diversity of ground-floor retail businesses, especially legacy and small businesses.
Timeline | 时间段
PLAN: Downtown Timeline
Advisory Group | 顾问团
As part of the PLAN: Downtown process, the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) sought nominations for community members to serve on an Advisory Group (AG). Members of the AG will assist the City’s planning team in several tasks related to the initiative including:
- Community outreach efforts
- Reviewing the consultant’s tasks and their findings
- Evaluating existing conditions analyses
- Participating in the development of a vision, goals, and principles for the Future Downtown
- Assessing development scenarios and their associated impacts
- Proposing viable recommendations that will ultimately inform new urban design and development guidelines and potential zoning regulations
| Barbara Boylan |
Lydia Lowe |
| Paul Chan |
Herb Lozano |
| George Coorssen |
Beatrice Nessen |
| Alison Frazee |
Mary Ann Ponti |
| Arturo Gossage |
Seth Riseman |
| Gilbert Ho |
Joyce Sanchez |
| Peggy Ings |
Lauren Cambell |
| Angie Liou |
Rishi Shukla |
| Tony Ursillo |
Joshua Leffler |
| Karen LaFrazia |
Suzanne Lavoie |
Ex-Offico Members
| State Representative Aaron Michlewitz |
| State Senator Lydia Edwards |
| City Councilor Ed Flynn |
| Roger Mann, Senior Director of Real Estate at the MBTA |
Previous Events | 社区参
Thursday, May 4, 2023 | 6:00 PM–7:30 PM
The PLAN: Downtown team hosted a virtual public meeting to discuss the ongoing Downtown Office Conversion Study. The meeting explored the obstacles and opportunities of converting underutilized office space to new uses Downtown.
Presentation | Recording
Tuesday, April 4, 2023 | 9:00 AM–11:00 AM
Downtown Crossing, Summer Street at Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108
Boston by Foot, the Boston Preservation Alliance, and the PLAN: Downtown team led a walk through Downtown's Ladder Blocks. The walkthrough started in Downtown Crossing at the corner of Summer Street and Washington Street and continued through the Ladder Blocks, exploring the neighborhood's rich history, it's historic sites, and preservation efforts in the area.
Presentation | Recording
Chinatown Gate, John F Fitzgerald Surface Road & Beach Street, Boston, MA 02111
The PLAN: Downtown team hosted a walk through Chinatown to discuss and give feedback on the recently proposed zoning recommendations for the area.
PLAN: Downtown Office Hours
The PLAN: Downtown team held office hours to discuss the Plan’s latest draft development scenario for Downtown and Chinatown.
Presentation | Recording
Presentation | 演示 (中文) | Recording
This meeting provided a closer look at the preservation, growth-balanced scenario, and refinements for Downtown and Chinatown based on public feedback.
Presentation | 演示 (中文) | Recording
This workshop provided an overview of the remaining PLAN: Downtown process and sought feedback from the community on how the past planning work can be refined to address the impact of the pandemic on the area and revitalize Downtown and Chinatown.
The PLAN: Downtown team relaunched the planning process at an outdoor kick-off event on November 9 in Downtown Crossing.
Agenda (Includes Goals) | Presentation | Reference Maps | Previous Feedback Summary
日程安排 | 演示 | 地图
The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) with City of Boston team members invited the Downtown and Chinatown community to discuss the PLAN: Downtown development scenarios. The planning team presented an overview of current zoning, followed by two future scenario options for rethinking preservation and growth in Downtown and Chinatown. The goal of this session was for community members to help the planning team narrow down to one preferred scenario and provide input into the next round of updates to the preferred scenario.
Agenda | Visions, Goals Strategies | Feedback Boards
The eighth Advisory Group (AG) meeting for PLAN: Downtown was a working session focused on small group discussions and prioritizing the draft planning recommendations.
Agenda | Presentation | Notes (forthcoming) | 日程安排 (中文) | 演示 (中文)
If you are unable to see the animations embedded within the AG#7 Presentation then please visit the links below. The animations are for illustrative purposes only.
Current Conditions Animation | Scenario 1 Animation | Scenario 2 Animation
The seventh Advisory Group (AG) meeting for PLAN: Downtown focused on the development scenarios.
Agenda | Vision, Goals, and Strategies | Presentation | Boards | Feedback Boards
日程安排 (中文) | 起草愿景和目标 (中文) | 演示 (中文)
The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) in collaboration with other City of Boston departments invited the Downtown and Chinatown community to participate in the PLAN: Downtown Community Priorities Workshop. The workshop updated participants on the planning work completed to date and explored the preliminary planning recommendations and public space improvements identified by PLAN: Downtown. Themes included Growth & Preservation, Climate & Resiliency, and Mobility & Public Space. Participants aided the planning team in prioritizing the preliminary list of recommendations by geographic area, including Chinatown, Downtown Crossing, the Financial District, the Theater District, and the Wharf District.
Agenda | Presentation | Feedback | Notes | 日程安排 (中文) | 演示 (中文)
The sixth Advisory Group (AG) meeting for PLAN: Downtown focused on community priorities and draft planning recommendations.
Agenda | Presentation | Notes | 日程安排 (中文) | 演示 (中文)
The fifth Advisory Group (AG) meeting for PLAN: Downtown focused on mobility and the public realm.
Agenda | Presentation | Notes | 日程安排 (中文) | 演示 (中文)
The fourth Advisory Group (AG) meeting for PLAN: Downtown focused on climate and resiliency.
Agenda | Presentation | Notes | 日程安排 (中文) | 演示 (中文)
The third Advisory Group (AG) meeting focused on preservation and growth and the draft goals for PLAN: Downtown.
Future of Downtown Feedback | Map-based Feedback
The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) in collaboration with other City of Boston departments invited the Downtown community to participate in the PLAN: Downtown Vision Workshop. The workshop explored and prioritized draft values & goals for this planning initiative. The event began with a brief presentation explaining the PLAN: Downtown initiative. Attendees then broke into small groups to discuss priorities for the planning initiative. Community members who could not attend the Workshop were encouraged to complete an online survey. This survey replicated some of the discussion questions from the PLAN: Downtown Vision Workshop. Responses to this survey are currently being compiled and will be shared anonymously with the Vision Workshop feedback on the project website.
Agenda | Presentation | Notes | 日程安排 (中文) | 演示 (中文)
The second Advisory Group (AG) meeting for PLAN: Downtown focused on existing conditions and the character areas.
Agenda | Presentation | Notes | Advisory Group Member List | Advisory Group Roles & Responsibilities | Open House Summary Booklet
日程安排 (中文) | 演示 (中文) | Advisory Group Member List (中文) | Advisory Group Roles & Responsibilities (中文) | Open House Summary Booklet (中文) | Open House Summary Booklet (Español)
The first Advisory Group (AG) meeting for PLAN: Downtown introduced the planning team and AG members as well as provided an update on the current status of PLAN: Downtown.
Presentation Boards & Gathered Feedback | Presentation | Summary Brochure | Significant Landmark & Places Feedback | Neighborhood Profiles: Downtown | Photo Slideshow of Downtown Through Time | Smart Model Demonstration
Presentation Boards & Gathered Feedback (中文) | Brochure (中文) | Significant Landmark & Places Feedback (中文) | Open House Brochure (Español)
The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) Planning Team and other City departments kicked off the PLAN: Downtown on December 3, 2018 from 4–7 pm. The session offered opportunities for visitors to learn about the goals of the Plan, to share ideas for Downtown, and to discover how to participate in shaping the Plan’s outcomes. Over one hundred and twenty residents, workers, business and property owners, students, advocates, and other visitors interested in the future of Downtown Boston attended the Open House.