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BOSTONPUBLICLIBRARY THE GOVERNMENT CENTER/ MARKETS DISTRICT PLAN BOSTONREDEVELOPMENTAUTHORITY StephenCoyle,Director ClarenceJ.Jones,Chairman MichaelF.Donlan,Co-ViceChairman FrancisX.O'Brien,Co-ViceChairman JamesK.Flaherty,Treasurer ConsueloGonsales-Thomell,Member KaneSimonian,Secretary January1991 GOVERNMENT CENTER/MARKETS DISTRICT PLAN INTRODUCTION I. FRAMEWORK FORTHE PLAN II. HistoryOfGovernmentCenterandthe Markets GovernmentCenterUrban Renewal Plan General Context GovernmentCenterandtheCentral Artery III. THE PLAN FOR GOVERNMENTCENTER/MARKETS DISTRICT Purpose Policy Recommendations DevelopmentStrategy State ServicesCenterBlock Parcel 7 U.S. Custom House Saltonstall Building Creek Square RooftopAdditions The Public Realm HistoricPresentation , ^Qg^Qj^ -PUBLIC IV. ACHIEVING THE PLAN | Zoning Implementation APPENDIX A Proposed Article 47Zoning Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Boston Public Library http://www.archive.org/details/governmentcenter02bost I.INTRODUCTION introduction GBuorvieerdndmeeenptiCnesnitdeert/heMalrakregtesanDidstmroicsttliys narasdmearlln wmaatsesrifvroenatnwditfhara-rmeaarckheitnpglraecbeuiilndi1n8g2p3rtoogtrhaemmeovsetr csltuosnteerBolfocnka.rroOwn,wMianrdsihnagllalSlteryesetcailsleadztehreoBlmaiclke-- undertakenintheUnitedStates,urbanrenewal. "smttehoaenseHuursbeetdofutpothaiennHd1u7fb3r.o7"mfBroosmtownh,icmhakdiisntgatnhcaetsswtreereet dTniohfeeicsanGntoovdteesvruenglmgoeepnsmttenmtCa.ejnotIrenrsr/teMebaaudri,klediittnssgeDoeirkssterivtcoetnfiPsnliiagsn-h ItisappropriatethatwhatwasthecenterofBoston caensdsfburlinagrecaowhietshioinnfiltlodwevhealtoipsmeesnstenatniadllayddaitsiuocns- inthe 18th Century is still, forthe mostpart,the andbetterandmorecarefullydesignedareasfor cpeanstseerstomduacy,haofcetnhteralcicvirco,ssporloitaidcsal,thcroomumgehrwchiialc,h tpheede1s9t6r0isa,nsw.hicUnhlciakleletdhfeorUsrwbeaenpiRnegneawnadldrPalmaantiocf andsociallifeoftheCity. physicalchange,this Plan suggestsrefinements GovernmentCenterhaslongbeenacrossroads, omfencotnstrtoolleodrgsacnoipzee,ccloahrietsyi,vdeellyictahceyaGnodvenrenwmeelnet- not only literally, but figuratively as well, a Center/MarketsDistrict. crossroadsbetweenpoliticalpowerandeconomic wealth. Above it, on Beacon Hill is the State Capitol, symbol of the Commonwealth and its government,whilebelowitliesthesea,thecity's traditionalsourceofwealth. in the mid-20th century, with the decline in manufacturingandmaritimeindustryandthecity's economy languishing, planners envisioned a "New Boston," a modern and efficient city designedfortheemergingserviceeconomy. Old ScollaySquarewaschosenforitslocation,central to the retail core, the financial district, the waterfront,andBeaconHillandtheStatehouse. ThenewdistrictwouldbecalledGovernmentCen- ter,asymbolofthecentralrolegovernmentwould playintheeconomiclife and revitalizationofthe Cityandthe New Englandregion. Ahugepublic investment was made in the new center for federal,state,andmunicipalbuildings,acommit- ment on the part of government to create con- fidenceinthecityandgenerateinvestmentonthe partofprivatebusiness. Today, the Government Center/Markets District continues to generate economic wealth. The renaissance of the waterfront and, in particular, historic Faneuil Hall and Quincy Markets, brings over16millionpeopleintotheDistrictannually. TheZeroMilestoneonMarshalStreetinthe BlackstoneBlock OfalltheCity'smanyparts,theGovernmentCen- ter/Markets District isperhapsthatareainwhich cityplanninghasbeenpracticedmostintensively, datingbacktoMayorQuincy'splantoorganizethe FRAMEWORK FOR THE PLAN II.