The Greenway Conservancy is seeking an operator to activate a highly-visible, open, and undeveloped space on parcel 12, located between North & Mercantile Streets, near the Armenian Heritage Park.
Requests for expressions of interest (RFEI) are currently being accepted for initial concepts for all or a portion of the crescent-shaped area, approximately 8,500 sq. ft. parcel. This RFEI is the first step for qualified and experienced respondents to submit original and distinctive ideas that will complement existing Greenway offerings.
The timeline for RFEI submissions for Parcel 12 is as follows:
- Thursday, July 18, 2019, RFEI distributed and posted on the Conservancy website
- Tuesday, August 6, 2019: Optional site visit from 9:30am-10:30am
- Tuesday, August 13, 2019, noon: Any clarifying questions due via email
- Tuesday, August 20, 2019, noon: Answers posted on Conservancy website
- Monday, September 16, 2019, noon: RFEI submissions due
Learn more about Parcel 12 and the wildflower meadow currently planted there in this Greenway Conservancy presentation from the June North End / Waterfront Residents’ Association meeting.
Additionally, Boston Harbor Now has released an RFEI for the Boston Harbor Islands Pavilion Welcome Center, located on The Greenway a few blocks from P12. Boston Harbor Now and the National Parks Service are seeking an operator to activate this space which is approximately 4,600 sq. ft. Additional ground space may be available.
The timeline for RFEI submissions for the Welcome Center is as follows:
- Thursday, July 18, 2019: RFEI distributed & posted on the Boston Harbor Now website
- Tuesday, August 6, 2019, 11:00am: Information session & mandatory site visit (Meet at the Welcome Center on The Greenway, 191W Atlantic Avenue, Boston)
- Tuesday, August 13, 2019, noon: Any clarifying questions due via email
- Tuesday, August 20, 2019, noon: Answers posted on Boston Harbor Now website
- Monday, September 16, 2019, noon: RFEI submissions due
Why can’t we just have parks???
Why do certain spaces need to be “activated?” Yes, the ramps need a final setup that commits to the public use, but I am VERY concerned about the posepect of commercial development here AND at the parcel by the carousel.
This RFP for Boston Harbor Now offers up the footprint of a 400 foot building, approximately 4,600 square feet, and “Additional ground space may be available” as though taking space from the public domain is no big deal.
Why is “Boston Harbor Now” rather than a city or state agency – or even the Greenway Conservancy – which was created for this purpose- determining the user and use of this space?
Why does Boston Harbor Now get to determine how revenue from a public park is used?
We are already losing public space to food trucks and various ads? Yes ads – LL Bean had a place recently, and some trendy coffee sampler.
Our downtown neighborhood has plenty of places to buy stuff and eat. We don’t need our open spaces to be exploited for commercial use to feed the overhead of a nonprofit, whether the Greenway or Boston Harbor Now.
Prior to I-93 leveling half the North End, these open spaces were originally buildings with homes and businesses. Building something atop this site would help to correct this historic mistake.
Parcel 12 is particularly hostile to pedestrians as the on and off-ramps to the now underground highway occupy most of the site and are conduits for drivers with lead feet coming into and out of our downtown.
Let’s have a park with trees.
Every few years they try to auction off parcel 12. Spent 15 Bil on the Big Dig. How about just leaving it alone for awhile.
The State completed the Big Dig in 2007. Twelve years is long enough to wait for this eyesore to change.
It’s not the first time they have made at a run at this parcel. They wanted to sell it to building developers and then a glass museum shaped like a ship, etc… None of the developers wanted to be restricted to the 55 ft limit and just ignited a neighborhood fight. The City of Boston has shown they want to have someone develop some monstrosity there. There is not much eyesore there since most of the exit is subterainian.
Mini-golf would be a great use of this narrow spot.. The North End and families in Boston simply doesn’t have access to those types of recreational opportunities that exist in the suburbs. Let’s try to get the City to using this space so children and adults can have fun. Wouldn’t that be something we can all support? Right now there is nothing but weird stop signs there.
No one is really using this area right now. Let’s get a few putting greens and small windmills and start using it!