Mayor Menino Selects Fairmount Indigo Planning Initiative Corridor-wide Advisory Group
Jun 07, 2012
Advisory Group will assist in planning for future of 9.2 mile corridor that links South Station to Readville
Today Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced the selection of the Corridor-wide Advisory Group for the Fairmount Indigo Planning Initiative (FIPI). The 24-member group includes residents, business leaders, institutional representatives, developers, and nonprofit organizations. The corridor-wide advisory group is a volunteer entity charged with assisting the BRA’s planning team in developing a long term strategy for business growth, employment opportunities, housing development, and corridor branding along the 9.2 mile Fairmount Indigo commuter rail line, which links South Station to Readville, crossing through Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, and Hyde Park.
“I am confident that the selected 24-members of the Corridor-wide Advisory Group will have a significant impact on the City’s efforts to identify how to best invigorate the community along the Fairmount corridor,” said Mayor Menino. “Working together we can build neighborhoods and get folks back to work by improving their connection to transit, housing, and jobs.” Corridor Wide Advisory Group Members include: Milagros Arbaje-Thomas, Action for Boston Community Development – Mattapan Paul Filtzer, Equity Office Properties Jeffrey Gonyeau, Historic Boston Inc Dorthea Hass, WalkBoston Victor Karen, Historic Boston and Urban Land Institute Glenn Knowles, Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative Paul Malkemes, Talbot-Norfolk Triangle Neighbors United H. Marcus Owens, Mattapan Resident John E. Marston, Newmarket Business Association Neil McCullagh, The American City Coalition Paul McManus, Boston University Marzuq Muhammad,Trinity Financial Thomas Nally, A Better City Karleen Porcena, Action Boston Community Development - Mattapan Steve Roller, Hyde Park Resident Ethel Santos, Franklin Field Tenant Task Force Pete Stidman, Boston Cyclists Union John B. Sullivan, Newmarket Business Association Matthew Thall, Fairmount Indigo Line Community Development Corporation Collaborative Marcia Thornhill, Southwest Boston Community Development Corporation Michelle Waldon, Upham’s Corner Main Streets Christian Williams, Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation Daryl D. Wright, Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation Azzie Young, PhD, MPA, Mattapan Community Health Center The BRA issued a call for nominations for the FIPI Corridor-wide Advisory Group in February 2012. The authority received 63 nominations from stakeholders, including Fairmount corridor non profits, business groups, and elected officials. Mayor Menino made the final 24 member selection based on its representative sample of the 9.2 mile Fairmount corridor. The Advisory Group will hold their first meeting on Thursday, June 14 from 8:00am to 9:00 am in the BRA Board Room on the 9th floor of City Hall. All advisory group meetings are open to the public and will be posted at the BRA website www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org and at the FIPI website at www.fairmountindigoplanning.org. The public is also encouraged to sign up for meeting notifications by contacting the co-directors of the planning study, Ines Soto-Palmarin, [email protected], or Jeremy Rosenberger, [email protected]. About the Fairmount Indigo Planning Initiative FIPI is a two year BRA study that will look at short and long term strategies for improving capital investment and job access along the 9.2 mile Fairmount Indigo commuter rail line, which links South Station to Readville, crossing through Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, and Hyde Park. The Fairmount Indigo Planning Initiative is the BRA’s largest planning study to date and will impact 190,000 residents, or nearly one third of Boston’s population, who live within a half-mile of the commuter rail line. The study will identify corridor wide opportunities for commercial and residential development, transit access, public realm enhancements, and community building initiatives. This study will lay the groundwork for new opportunities to improve resident quality of life.