The dilapidated pier adjacent to Piers Park, and also the future Piers Park II is being eyed by Massport as the future site of a third waterfront park.
Last week Massport announced it has sent out a Request for Proposals (RFP) hoping that developers will come forward to turn the aging pier into a 3.6 acre greenspace dubbed ‘Piers Park III’. According to Massport’s RFP the Port Authority is asking that proposals include resiliency features to help protect the neighborhood from flooding and sea level rise.
“Today’s announcement is the first step in creating another vibrant public space for our neighbors in East Boston; one that we hope will be as popular as Piers Park has been and that will also include protections against flooding and sea level rise,” said Massport CEO Thomas Glynn. “The activation of East Boston’s waterfront for its residents has been a long time coming and Massport is proud to play a part in this exciting new era for the neighborhood.”
The award winning Piers Park was completed in 1995 and has since become part of a network of greenspace that transverses Eastie from the Jeffries Point waterfront to Constitution Beach. Massport has worked with the community for nearly two decades to create more than 33-acres of greenspace as part of this continuous park network that includes Piers Park, and the Bremen Street Park, the Greenway Connector as well as airport edge buffers like Neptune Road, Southwest Service Area, Navy Fuel Pier and the Bayswater Street park.
“We are very excited about Piers Park III and the opportunity for further resiliency efforts for East Boston,” said Mayor Martin Walsh. “The City has worked closely with Massport on Climate Ready Boston planning, and we look forward to continuing this important work together.”
Back in October Massport announced it was committed to funding the construction of Piers Park II after several months of negotiations between the Port Authority and the Logan Impact Advisory Committee (LIAG), Massport and the city announced the Piers Park II project as part of their review process for both the Terminal E modernization and the addition of 5,000 new parking spaces.
Piers Park II will be a mirror park to the award winning Piers Park. The planning process and design is already underway for that park and the Piers Park Advisory Committee (PiersPAC), an advisory group made up of Eastie residents, will work with Massport and its design consultants to oversee the development of the park. Once completed Piers Park II will add another 4.5 acres to the existing Piers Park. This will result in over ten acres of greenspace for the Eastie’s waterfront. PiersPAC recently traveled to New York City to get ideas on waterfront parks and their design in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Massport said the same process will exist throughout the process for Piers Park III.
“As we look toward the future, Massport will continue to work with the East Boston community to develop a thriving, dynamic waterfront that is resilient to flooding and rising sea levels associated with climate change,” said Glynn. “Massport’s collaborative working relationship with the East Boston Piers PAC has been and will continue to be essential to the development of a vibrant, dynamic waterfront.”
Each phase of Piers Park has been considered with different features to allow for a diverse and rich environment. Piers Park was designed as a peaceful urban oasis–specifically as a “passive park”– without athletic fields where individuals and families can enjoy the lush greenspaces as they look across the water to downtown Boston.
“East Boston’s parks and natural resources are the pride of our community,” said Senator Joseph Boncore. “Piers Park III will not only serve as a final compliment to Piers Park II, but also presents a unique opportunity for coastal resiliency, ensuring access to the park for future generations.”
Representative Adrian Madaro said he was thrilled to see the Eastie waterfront continue to develop into a destination for residents and visitors alike.
“Piers Park III will be a resilient oasis and add to the incredible system of parks and open space this community already enjoys,” he said. “I look forward to working with local stakeholders on this exciting opportunity.”
City Councilor Lydia Edwards said Piers Park III will enrich Eastie’s waterfront and enhance and improve the neighborhood’s resiliency efforts.
“I’m excited to see this unused space be transformed into a world-class destination park,” she said. “Joining Piers Park I and II and the East Boston Greenway, Piers Park III will be a remarkable and helpful amenity to our community of East Boston.”