Rose Kennedy Greenway

• Rose Kennedy Greenway
• South Boston Land Development
• Cross Roads Initiative

Project Background

The Rose Kennedy Greenway – a string of parks running from the North End to Chinatown – is the product of nearly two decades of debate and design about what to do with the swath of land opened up by the Big Dig. The vision, espoused in the late 1980s by the Boston Redevelopment Authority, that the space created above the Central Artery tunnels be kept open was codified in a 1990 certificate issued under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act. That document required that 75% of the Artery corridor remain open space, although the precise boundaries of the corridor and what constitutes open space were never fully defined.

Throughout the planning and design of the parks, advocates for open space stressed the importance of high-quality design and materials. Ultimately, the overall concept of a linear open space, interrupted only by the parcels containing on and off ramps for the Artery below, became the guiding principle for design of the Greenway. Several civic uses were proposed for construction over the so-called "ramp parcels," but today only the proposed YMCA on the parcel adjacent to the North End is being actively pursued.

In October 2008, the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy celebrated the opening season of the Greenway with a gala followed by a day of activities throughout the corridor. In February 2009, after executing a lease with the Turnpike Authority (now MassDOT), the Conservancy assumed responsibility for maintenance of the park parcels, including the fountains, lawns, planting beds and paved surfaces.

Why It's Important

The building of the Rose Kennedy Greenway in place of the elevated Central Artery structure is a historic accomplishment. The parks create abundant opportunities to enliven and unify city neighborhoods that were divided by the elevated highway. ABC views the Greenway, together with the BRA's Crossroads Initiative and the development of the South Boston Waterfront, as completing the legacy of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project. It is expected that the current design will evolve over time, as have other parks in the city, and that when completed, the Greenway will become a crown jewel of the city.

ABC's Role

During the debate about the future of the Artery Corridor, ABC – then the Artery Business Committee – advocated for a shift in the balance of built and open space in the corridor. ABC also pushed for a broad definition of what uses could constitute open space, including uses in and along the Corridor that would help to activate the open space throughout the day and evening, all days of the week and all seasons of the year.

ABC has collaborated with many public and non-profit partners over the past two decades to develop design and programming principles for the parks. In 1997, ABC was among the leaders that convened the Boston 2000 Working Group to revisit the implementation of the original vision for the space. ABC also served on the Steering Committee of the Corridor Master Plan, completed in 2001, which provided guidelines for the design of the open spaces in three contracts: Chinatown, the Wharf District, and the North End.

ABC conducted a series of Edges Studies along the Greenway corridor in the Wharf District, Dewey Square, and Chinatown that explored the potential of the public and private spaces adjacent to the Greenway. The goal of this work was to enable complementary uses and retail opportunities in adjacent spaces, activate the surrounding urban fabric, and provide a threshold to the Greenway using premium urban design techniques.

ABC worked closely with the Wharf District Task Force, a group representing residents, institutions and businesses along the Corridor, commenting on the evolving designs of the open spaces and conducting regular site visits during construction to ensure that the design was executed as planned.

ABC was also involved in the debate over how to best operate and maintain the Greenway, first exploring the idea of a nonprofit "Friends of the Greenway" group to support high levels of maintenance. ABC also reviewed and commented on the Memorandum of Understanding and the legislation establishing the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy.

For more on ABC's role in the shaping of Central Artery Corridor, see Civic Leadership and the Big Dig, by David Luberoff, Executive Director of the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. The report also details ABC's role in the larger Central Artery/Tunnel Project.

Today, the ABC Greenway Abutters Committee works closely with the Conservancy, the BRA and other interested parties in planning activities in the new open spaces. ABC is currently working with the Greenway conservancy to explore additional revenue sources to supplement the state's contribution, maintain a high standard of maintenance and operations, and help generate the level of activity required to make the Greenway a vibrant and inviting place.

Finally, ABC is involved in the planning for future development along the Greenway, preparing detailed comments on the BRA's Greenway District Planning Study. ABC looks forward to working with developers and the city to implement the guidelines resulting from the study in a way that best ensures the continued success of the Greenway.