The government center markets district plan

168 Pages·1991·4.1 MB·English

by  Boston Redevelopment Authority

BOSTONPUBLICLIBRARY
THE
GOVERNMENT CENTER/
MARKETS DISTRICT PLAN
BOSTONREDEVELOPMENTAUTHORITY
StephenCoyle,Director
ClarenceJ.Jones,Chairman
MichaelF.Donlan,Co-ViceChairman
FrancisX.O'Brien,Co-ViceChairman
JamesK.Flaherty,Treasurer
ConsueloGonsales-Thomell,Member
KaneSimonian,Secretary
January1991

GOVERNMENT CENTER/MARKETS DISTRICT PLAN
INTRODUCTION
I.
FRAMEWORK FORTHE PLAN
II.
HistoryOfGovernmentCenterandthe Markets
GovernmentCenterUrban Renewal Plan
General Context
GovernmentCenterandtheCentral Artery
III. THE PLAN FOR GOVERNMENTCENTER/MARKETS DISTRICT
Purpose
Policy Recommendations
DevelopmentStrategy
State ServicesCenterBlock
Parcel 7
U.S. Custom House
Saltonstall Building
Creek Square
RooftopAdditions
The Public Realm
HistoricPresentation
, ^Qg^Qj^
-PUBLIC
IV. ACHIEVING THE PLAN
|
Zoning
Implementation
APPENDIX A
Proposed Article 47Zoning
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2010 with funding from
Boston Public Library
http://www.archive.org/details/governmentcenter02bost
I.INTRODUCTION

introduction
GBuorvieerdndmeeenptiCnesnitdeert/heMalrakregtesanDidstmroicsttliys narasdmearlln wmaatsesrifvroenatnwditfhara-rmeaarckheitnpglraecbeuiilndi1n8g2p3rtoogtrhaemmeovsetr
csltuosnteerBolfocnka.rroOwn,wMianrdsihnagllalSlteryesetcailsleadztehreoBlmaiclke-- undertakenintheUnitedStates,urbanrenewal.
"smttehoaenseHuursbeetdofutpothaiennHd1u7fb3r.o7"mfBroosmtownh,icmhakdiisntgatnhcaetsswtreereet dTniohfeeicsanGntoovdteesvruenglmgoeepnsmttenmtCa.ejnotIrenrsr/teMebaaudri,klediittnssgeDoeirkssterivtcoetnfiPsnliiagsn-h
ItisappropriatethatwhatwasthecenterofBoston caensdsfburlinagrecaowhietshioinnfiltlodwevhealtoipsmeesnstenatniadllayddaitsiuocns-
inthe 18th Century is still, forthe mostpart,the andbetterandmorecarefullydesignedareasfor
cpeanstseerstomduacy,haofcetnhteralcicvirco,ssporloitaidcsal,thcroomumgehrwchiialc,h tpheede1s9t6r0isa,nsw.hicUnhlciakleletdhfeorUsrwbeaenpiRnegneawnadldrPalmaantiocf
andsociallifeoftheCity. physicalchange,this Plan suggestsrefinements
GovernmentCenterhaslongbeenacrossroads, omfencotnstrtoolleodrgsacnoipzee,ccloahrietsyi,vdeellyictahceyaGnodvenrenwmeelnet-
not only literally, but figuratively as well, a Center/MarketsDistrict.
crossroadsbetweenpoliticalpowerandeconomic
wealth. Above it, on Beacon Hill is the State
Capitol, symbol of the Commonwealth and its
government,whilebelowitliesthesea,thecity's
traditionalsourceofwealth.
in the mid-20th century, with the decline in
manufacturingandmaritimeindustryandthecity's
economy languishing, planners envisioned a
"New Boston," a modern and efficient city
designedfortheemergingserviceeconomy. Old
ScollaySquarewaschosenforitslocation,central
to the retail core, the financial district, the
waterfront,andBeaconHillandtheStatehouse.
ThenewdistrictwouldbecalledGovernmentCen-
ter,asymbolofthecentralrolegovernmentwould
playintheeconomiclife and revitalizationofthe
Cityandthe New Englandregion. Ahugepublic
investment was made in the new center for
federal,state,andmunicipalbuildings,acommit-
ment on the part of government to create con-
fidenceinthecityandgenerateinvestmentonthe
partofprivatebusiness.
Today, the Government Center/Markets District
continues to generate economic wealth. The
renaissance of the waterfront and, in particular,
historic Faneuil Hall and Quincy Markets, brings
over16millionpeopleintotheDistrictannually. TheZeroMilestoneonMarshalStreetinthe
BlackstoneBlock
OfalltheCity'smanyparts,theGovernmentCen-
ter/Markets District isperhapsthatareainwhich
cityplanninghasbeenpracticedmostintensively,
datingbacktoMayorQuincy'splantoorganizethe

FRAMEWORK FOR THE PLAN
II.