For over two decades the residents and police officers in East Boston have awaited the construction of a new police station at the City Yards in Eagle Square across from American Legion Playground.
Last Wednesday Mayor Martin Walsh and Police Commissioner WIlliam Gross joined elected officials and the community to break ground on a new state-of-the-art police station at the City Yards.
officials and the community to break ground on a new state-of-the-art police station at the City Yards. The $30 million project will create a more efficient and better station for police and replace the aging District A-7 station on Meridian Street near Maverick Square.
The $30 million project will create a more efficient and better station for police and replace the aging District A-7 station on Meridian Street near Maverick Square. The station will be roughly 27,000 sq. ft. with an entrance on the corner of Condor and Trenton streets. There will be parking in the rear of the station for 50 vehicles and the building will be LEAD Silver Certified.
According to the city the public art will be placed on the future new Area A-7 Police Station in Eastie with the aim of creating a new public building that is welcoming to the community, while having a civic presence through public art and community space.
“In Boston, we put our community first, and this new police station is an investment in East Boston, and in public safety,” said Mayor Walsh. “This station is our commitment to the next generation. We’re dedicated to community policing, and that means interacting with residents, families and youth in a positive way. For our young people, this station is a place where they can learn about a career in law enforcement, join a youth group, or get mentoring. We will continue to invest in our values of trust and community, and create public spaces that help all residents.”
With the hard work that the officers in Eastie do day in and day out Commissioner Gross said the men and women in blue that serve here were due a new station. He added that the community, for its longstanding partnership with the police at District A-7, have long deserved this new facility.
“What a great day it is,” said Gross, who started his career in law enforcement at District A-7 in 1985. “What you see here today will be ‘our’ police station from our great elected officials to the Health Center, to the command staff to the people of East Boston…this is the community’s station. Our officers work hard every day to serve the residents of Boston, creating relationships and ensuring public safety. I’m proud that my department has won the trust and respect of our residents, and this new building will allow our police officers to do their jobs more effectively, and continue their incredible work and relationships with the East Boston community.”
The station will also contribute to Mayor Walsh’s “Percent for Art” program by permanently housing a piece of public art. The “Percent for Art” program is the City of Boston’s five-year commitment to granting $13.4 million to public art pieces over the timeframe. It is a part of the City’s cultural plan, Boston Creates, founded in 2016.
The City has identified several potential sites for the artwork, including the entrance lobby, the community room, and three locations outside of the station.
“It was 15 years ago when I went to a series of meetings at our police station,” said Eagle Hill Civic Association President Debra Cave. “When I looked around I thought, “My God, this place is decrepit…our police deserve much better than this”. So here we are 15 years later in Eagle Hill and we are going to have this beautiful state-of-the-art police station with a community room. We are just so thrilled in Eagle Hill to finally see this happening and thank Mayor Walsh for getting this done. East Boston is one of the safest neighborhoods in Boston and I give credit to our police. We have the most wonderful policemen and women working in this community. They are wonderful people and they deserve this facility.”
The project is expected to take approximately two years to complete.