BOSTON Planner’s Guide Prepared by the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Planning Association for the APA National Planning Conference Boston, Massachusetts April 9-12, 2011 WELCOME TO BOSTON THE HOMETOWN OF PLANNING Bostonwasfoundedin60ontheShawmutPeninsula,juttingoutintothe BostonHarborandconnectedtothemainlandbytoday’sWashingtonStreet. OnbehalfoftheBostonLocalHostCommitteewewouldliketowelcomeyoutothe Throughplannedfillingand“wharfing-in”,thepeninsulaevolvedtoitspresent 0AmericanPlanningAssociationNationalPlanningConference. shape.In878,thefillingofmarshesintheBackBaybegan(todaytheBackBay neighborhood).Underaplanbyfamedlandscapearchitect,FrederickLawOlmsted, Boston’sapproachtoplanning&developmentistopreserveitshistoriccharacter today’s“EmeraldNecklace”alsowasformed.Theseearlyactionssetthestagefor whileembracingthefuture.Frombeingthefirstcitytorequiredevelopmentsto themodernpublicworksthatcontinuetoshapeBoston. followLEEDstandardstotheestablishmentofanInnovationDistrictforcreative jobs,Bostonisbuildingonboththestrengthofitshistoryanditsyoungand Inthelate800s,thefirstsubwayinthenationwasbuiltunderTremontand educatedworkforce.Over80areacollegesanduniversitieseducatemorethan BoylstonStreets(nowpartoftheMBTAGreenLine).Largehighwayprojects 0,000studentseveryyear.Diversityenrichesthiscitywhereminoritiesnow alsohadimpacts.Inthe950s,theelevatedCentralArterywasbuiltbythe makeuphalfoftheCity’spopulation. MassachusettsDepartmentofPublicWorks(MDPW).Inthe980stoearly000s, MDPW’s(nowMassDOT)massiveCentralArtery/TunnelProject(knownastheBig BostonisoneofAmerica’sgreatwalkingcitiesandyouarelocatedinanexemplary Dig),hadthemostimpactontheCityandregioninimprovingmobilityandthrough illustrationofthat–theBackBay,namedoneoftheGreatPlacesinAmericaby itsmassivemitigationprogram. APA.ExplorethemanyotherneighborhoodsinBostonwhereyouwillfindacity enlivenedbysidewalksburstingwithshops,restaurants,theaters,museums,great Regardingmoderncityplanning,inthemid-to-late960s,¼ofthelandareaof architecture,andpeople.Discoverthesurroundingcitiesandtownsconnectedby BostonwasredevelopedorrehabilitatedbytheBostonRedevelopmentAuthority theoldesttransitnetworkinthecountry,includingCambridgeandBrookline,each (BRA).ThisplanningchangedthefaceoftheCityforeverandhasstimulatedprivate withtheirowndistinctcharacterandactivity. urbaninvestmenteversince. Morethan00sessionsandmobileworkshopsaffordyoutheopportunitytolearn Whatyouseetodayisthecumulativeeffectofmassivepublicandprivatereal aboutplanninglessonsfromNewEnglandandbeyond.Withmobileworkshops estateinvestment.YetBostonremainsacharming,walkablecitythatgood fromBostontoMaine,CapeCod&RhodeIsland,youhavetheopportunityto planninghascreatedandpreserved.Theresultisabalanceofthecontrolledscaleof experienceoneofthemosthistoric,yetprogressive,areasinthecountry. largerealestateprojectsandtheprotectionofBoston’sfamedhistoriccharacter. Historyandinnovation,economicdevelopmentandneighborhoodpreservation, sportsandentertainment,foodandshopping,Bostonoffersitall. TheProgramGuideCommitteecreatedthePlanner’sGuidetohelpyouexplore thiswonderfulenvironment.Itincludesuniquewalkingtoursfromaplanner’s perspective,restaurantsuggestionsandinterestingplanninginformation. Enjoytheconferenceandenjoyourcityandregion.Learn.Discover.HaveFun. LocalHostCommitteeChairs BobMitchellFAICPPeterLowittFAICPJenniferM.RaittKairosShen Don’t forget to check out all of the Boston 2011 products on sale at the Local Host Committee merchandise booth. Hynes Convention Center APANationalPlanningConference0BostonPlanner’s Guide HOW TO USE THE GUIDE PUBLIC TRANSIT, THE “T” Citiesarebestvisitedonfoot.Bostonisoneofthebestplacestodojustthat. ThewalkingtoursandtheotherneighborhoodsofinterestintheBostonPlanner’sGuideare “America’sWalkingCity”iscompact,relativelyflatandpedestrianinscale.Inits easilyaccessiblebysubway.ThemapbelowshowstheMassachusettsBayTransportation oldestsections,thestreetsarelaidoutinanirregularpattern.Therearemany Authorityrailsystemthatservesthese0areasintheGuide.Afull“T”mapisavailableat cornerstoturn,revealingnewvistas.Therearemanywindowsanddoorsat stationsandonlineatwww.mbta.com.TheHynesConventionCenterisservedbytwosubway streetlevel.ThisvarietyatstreetleveliswhatmakesBostonsointerestingtopoke lines.TheHynesConventionCenterStationontheGreenLineislocatedonMassachusetts around.Intheredevelopedsections,therearefewerofthese“lowgrain”features, AvenueatNewburyStreet,abouttwoblocksfromtheHynes.TheBackBayStationwhich buttheyarestillwalkableandimpressive. servestheOrangeLine,CommuterRailandAmtrak,islocatedonDartmouthStreetbetween StuartStreetandColumbusAvenue,oppositeNiemanMarcusinCopleyPlace. TheBostonPlanner’sGuideisespeciallytargetedtocityplannersandthosewhoare interestedinplanning.Itincludesseveraldo-it-yourselfwalkingtours,eachone- to-twohourslongthatrevealtheplanningstoryofBostonaswellasinteresting partsofCambridgeandBrookline.Thetoursemphasizebuiltenvironmentscreated byplanningsuchasthenewGreenwayparksbuiltabovethenewI-9tunnel, theHarborwalk,andthe“highspine”tallbuildingsintheBackBay,adeliberate planningpolicytofocusnewdevelopmentinacorridorandtoprotectthehistoric residentialsectionsoftheadjacentSouthEndandBackBay.Othersectionsof BostonarealsoreferencedandincludeBeaconHillandhistoricCharlestown,for whichthereisampleinformationelsewhere. Thewalkingtoursbeginandendnearsubwaystations.Asmalltransitmapis includedintheGuide.Thetourmapsindicatethetransitstations,amarkedwalking routeandhighlightinterestingsightsalongtheway.Severaltoursarecontiguous; theendofonetourisnearthebeginningofthenext.Youcanplantospendan hourorafulldaywanderingthestreetsatyourownpace.Youwillseeandlearn alotabouthowplanninginBostonanditsneighborsinfluencedthewaytheylook today. Inaddition,TheBostonPlanner’sGuideincludesaselectrestaurantguideattheend withshortdescriptionsandapriceguide AllanHodges,FAICP,ChairPlanner’sGuideCommittee Onourmaps,you’llfind we’veshowntheTstations andtheircorresponding coloredlineorlineslikethis. APANationalPlanningConference0BostonPlanner’s Guide 5 THE TOURS CONTENTS TOUR PAGE NO. WALKING TOURS NO. 1 Back Bay 0 2 Jamaica Plain 3 Downtown 6 4 East Boston 8 5 Fenway 0 6 Navy Yard 7 Chinatown 8 Greenway 6 9 Fort Point 8 10 South End 0 11 Longwood Medical Area 12 Kendall/MIT 6 13 Two Cities 0 14 Brookline OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS OF INTEREST A Beacon Hill & Boston Common 8 B Government Center & Fanueil Hall 8 C Charlestown Historic District 8 D North End 9 E Harvard University & Square 9 Hynes Convention Center F Central Square & University Park 9 Thelocationsofthewalkingtoursare indicatedbyBluenumbersandtheother neighborhoodsofinterestareindicatedby Greencapitallettersontheabovemap.The Restaurant Guide 50 HynesConventionCenterlocationisindicated Sponsors 5 byapinkdot. Acknowledgements are on the back cover. 6 APANationalPlanningConference0BostonPlanner’s Guide 7 BACKBAY TOUR 1 DOWNTOWN TOUR 3 NORTH- EASTERN UNIVERSITY HUBON WHEELS JAMAICA PLAINTOUR 2 BACKBAY TOUR 1 FORT POINTTOUR 9 8 APANationalPlanningConference0BostonPlanner’s Guide 9 THE ESPLANADE TOUR NEAREST T STATION TOUR DURATION Hours THE PUBLIC GARDEN GreenLine:HynesConventionCenter NEARBY TOURSSouthEnd,Fenway the charles river ARLINGTON ST StationorCopleyStation 1 DARTMOUTH ST 1 START BERKELEY ST 4 STORROW DR CLARENDON ST MARLBOROUGH ST BACK BAY 2 3 on st EXETER ST gt a n ti RecognizedbyAPAasoneoftheten li o r n BEACON ST a NEWBURY ST GreatNeighborhoodsintheGreat 5 T FAIRFIELD ST PlacesinAmericaprogramfor00, GLOUCESTER ST theBackBayoffersmorecontrasts COMMONWEALTH AVE HEREFORD ST COMMONWEALTH AVE ua FOOD & DRINK thananyotherneighborhood sq re s y ta le t i p o n o c 6 A Trident Booksellers and Café inBoston.Withastreetlayout T ST JAMES AVE COPLEY 8NewburyStreet designedbyAurthurGilmaninthe F SQUARE B Other Side Café 07NewburyStreet 850s,itisanoutdoormuseum STUART AVE E END TOUR GOE JP Licks BOYLSTON ST C of9thcenturycityplanningand 5NewburyStreet 7 HELPFUL LINKS D 12 S Lir Irish Pub and Restaurant Victorianarchitecture,alaboratory A D www.visitbostonbackbay.com B cen C IN n te TOU 90BoylstonStreet io r DO t s n t HYNES a e O t RG www.newbury-st.com v Tapeo Taps Bar and Rest. of0thcenturyplanningandurban i R o E n n S o www.bostonbackbay.com c T I-90 OE 68NewburyStreet S design,andaworldclassshopping IN D Piattini Wine Café O F O destination. RS 6NewburyStreet HARCOURT ST 8 See the Restaurant Guide BELVIDERE ST THE TOUR 11 on page 50 for more tial en sta d ti HUNTINGTON AVE suggestions. Part I – Historic ST GERMAIN ST u o r n p T 1 BeginontheCharlesRiver MASSACHUSETTES AVE Esplanade.YoucanseeCambridge 9 W NEWTOWN ST andMITacrosstheriver.Also,you willseetheJohnHancockTower andthePrudentialCentertower, SW COLUMBUS AVE dwarfinganumberofchurch 10 COORIDOR spires.The¼mileEsplanade PARK formspartofFrederickLaw Olmsted’sEmeraldNecklace.The onyst ph a ti m o y n firstportionwasdevelopedin90 s T anddoubledinsizeinthe90s. Inthe950s,StorrowDrivewas 2 ProceedsouthonDartmouth 3 WinstonChurchilldescribed resultofacommunitytreeplanting constructed.Walkeast,000feet toMarlboroughStreet,turnleft CommonwealthAvenueas programinthe960s.Todaythe tothepedestrianfootbridge;cross andwalkeast.Atthenextblock, the“PrincessofStreets”.The BackBayisvigorouslyprotectedby itandproceedeastandacrossthe ClarendonStreet,turnrightand 0-foot-wideavenuewithits theBackBayArchitecturalHistoric pedestrianbridgeoverStorrow walksouthtoCommonwealth landscapedmallformsthespine DistrictCommission. DrivetoDartmouthStreet. Avenue.AtthecornerofClarendon oftheBackBay,tyingthePublic StreetandCommonwealthAvenue GardentotheBackBayFens. 4 Proceedeaston