If we’re not careful, Boston Harbor will be walled off to those of us who are not wealthy and powerful, even though we have laws and regulations put in place to protect us. Today, CLF is taking action to ensure that the city and state cannot get away with putting private developers’ interests ahead of the public when it comes to these precious public assets.
In May, we highlighted the Gateway Center in Everett and how the shopping center owner, DDR Gateway LLC (“DDR”), has failed in its legal obligations to provide public access to waterfront areas – in this case, the Mystic River. CLF wrote to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) asking them to hold the company… Continue reading Update: Good News for Public Waterfront Access in Everett
Today, hundreds of mayors are convening in Boston to talk about climate change. We’re calling on them to walk the walk when it comes to climate action – these solutions can’t wait.
Nearly 20 years ago, DDR Gateway LLC (DDR) promised to provide greater public access to Everett’s waterfront in exchange for a State license to build its Gateway Center shopping complex. But two decades on, the waterfront park the developer promised hasn’t fully materialized. Now CLF is asking the State to hold DDR accountable for its failures.
Barely a month ago, a historic storm blasted coastal New England – a “bomb cyclone” that brought blizzard conditions, heavy snow, and massive flooding to Boston’s Seaport neighborhood and other waterfront communities like Chelsea and Salem. As the storm raged, Twitter and Facebook feeds filled with a barrage of images showing icy waters flowing down… Continue reading Building for the Climate of the Future
Boston’s newest neighborhood, the Seaport District, has drawn recent criticism for its high-priced housing and amenities, exclusivity, and lack of diversity. What started out as an incredibly rare chance for Boston to redevelop nearly 1,000 acres of city land is now largely considered a major missed opportunity. Given the billions of dollars of public investment… Continue reading Let’s Learn from the Seaport’s Mistakes, Not Repeat Them
We’re not giving in. Yes, approaching a year after President’s Trump’s election, he seems intent on undermining decades of work to protect public health and the environment and fostering an ideology that denies and denigrates the basic facts of science. But we’ve been here before. In the 1970s, oil companies were intent on drilling for… Continue reading One Year Down: Fighting Back and Fighting On for New England
The conversation around public access and rampant development along the Boston Harbor is heating up. But some waterfront properties seem a little confused about the rules for public access – for existing establishments and for the many new projects popping up. Here’s why this matters: Much of the land in the Seaport District is subject… Continue reading Pitch-a-Blanket Day: The Story Behind the #PeoplesHarbor
This week, the City of Boston proclaimed its dedication to working with developers to create public spaces in the midst of its new construction boom – and ensuring that those spaces are kept public and welcoming. The next day, the Intercontinental Hotel at 500 Atlantic Avenue received a notice from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental… Continue reading Boston: When Public Spaces Aren’t Really Public
