Latest Updates
City of Boston Resilient Fort Point Channel Infrastructure Project
Fort Point Channel is a flood pathway into Boston that causes repetitive damage to transportation ways, infrastructure, residences, and businesses from storm surge. Storms and resulting damage are expected to increase in frequency and severity as a result of climate change and future sea level rise.
The purpose of the proposed project is to reduce flood damage and provide protection to nearby residents, infrastructure, utilities, and structures.
The City of Boston and the BPDA have applied for Federal funding for this proposed project, and are currently conducting an environmental review. An Environmental Notification Form (ENF) for this coastal infrastructure project was filed with the MEPA Office on December 31, 2021 due to proposed alteration of coastal wetland resource areas (coastal bank and land subject to coastal storm flowage), requiring a State permit.
Remote MEPA Meeting for Resilient Fort Point Channel Infrastructure Project
Tuesday, February 1, 2022 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Meeting Presentation | Meeting Recording
For more information, please see the meeting notice and project overview below.
A copy of the ENF may be downloaded here.
Previous Updates
View the BPDA Board Meeting presentation slide deck from August 19, 2021, which includes details on the Resilient Fort Point Channel Infrastructure Project, including project location, proposed design features, and an overview of the MEPA environmental review process.
(November 19, 2021)
A Draft Environmental Assessment for the Resilient Fort Point Channel Infrastructure Project is now available for public comment. View the Notice of Availability and the Draft EA.
(November 16, 2021)
View the initial Public Notice for a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) proposal to provide Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program funding for an action located in a floodplain.
(April 13, 2021)
Fort Point District Planning Background
The continuation of public realm planning in the South Boston Waterfront includes the recently completed 100 Acres Master Planning process for the Fort Point District. The goal was to create a public realm plan that would guide future development. The area's population, historic buildings, cultural activity, industries, and commercial activities lend the district a unique energy that is treasured by residents, workers, and visitors alike. The district, however, is faced with major infrastructure changes, development pressures, and other community challenges and opportunities.
The 100 Acres Master Plan provides a framework for transforming the existing surface parking lots around the Proctor & Gamble/Gillette (“P&G/Gillette”) plant, the USPS facility, and Fort Point historic structures to a vibrant 24-hour, mixed-use neighborhood anchored by over 11 acres of new public open space and almost 5.9 million square feet of development. The Master Plan is the culmination of over five years of collaboration between residents, property owners, City and State agencies, and other interested parties. Together these groups have created a bold vision for the 100 Acres that incorporates a broad set of planning principles and addresses many concerns voiced during the community process.
Key elements of the Plan include:
- Defining a land use plan for the district;
- Recommending appropriate building heights and density;
- Preserving industrial uses while encouraging an increased mix of uses, and providing buffers around industrial uses to prevent conflicts with nearby commercial and residential uses;
- Ensuring that at least one-third of development is housing, including an expansion of artist housing, and aggregating residential elements around open spaces; • Extending Harborwalk along the entire length of Fort Point Channel;
- Providing an open space connection from the South Boston Bypass Road/Haul Road to the Fort Point Channel;
- Identifying the P&G/Gillette Plant as a critical water-dependent use on the Fort Point Channel; and;
- Establishing limits on the future build-out of the 100 Acres area, and implementing phasing of this development based on available and projected transit infrastructure capacity.
BPDA Releases Draft Fort Point 100 Acres Open Space Concept Plan
Following a yearlong public engagement process, the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) released the draft Fort Point 100 Acres Open Space Concept Plan for community feedback. The draft plan builds on the 100 Acres Master Plan and Climate Ready Boston, and establishes more detailed park designs for an open space network at the heart of the Fort Point neighborhood as it grows over time. The proposed park network strengthens connections to the waterfront, creates a more resilient community, and expands recreation, events, and green space access.
The open spaces are designed to become year-round destinations for Boston as whole, while also meeting current and future local neighborhood needs. An underlying focus of this plan is for the parks to be resilient and welcoming to all. Strategies to create a more inclusive park network are woven tightly throughout the recommendations in this plan.
The draft Fort Point 100 Acres Open Space Concept Plan will serve as a guide for future development of open space resources as the 100 Acres is built out. This plan describes a vision for a connected set of distinct, destination-quality open space experiences, reflective of community priorities and needs identified through research and analysis. In addition, the ground floor recommendations in this plan identify opportunities for indoor spaces to enhance the district experience.
Watch a presentation on the plan from Boston Harbor Now's Virtual Harbor Use Forum in November 2020.
Comments and feedback on the draft plan can be shared via the form below through February 5, 2021, or while attending any of the following three events: