FINAL PNF -- Jackson Square - Boston Redevelopment Authority

Jackson Square Planning Initiative / ”Putting the Pieces Together”
The Project meets the goals of the community as expressed in the community vision
prepared by the BRA and the specific requirements detailed in the RFP. These goals
include over 200 units of affordable housing, community facilities for youth and families,
and small-scale retail that will support and complement the existing retail in the
Hyde/Jackson Square and Egleston Square districts.
Boston Main Streets Initiative
Boston’s Main Streets Initiative is a City economic development program aimed at
promoting and sustaining the vitality of 19 designated neighborhood business districts
around the City. Situated at a key crossroads between Jamaica Plain and Roxbury and
between two Boston Main Streets districts – the Hyde/Jackson Main Street District in
Jamaica Plain and the Egleston Square Main Street District in Roxbury - the addition of
approximately 67,700 square foot of retail space in Jackson Square will complement and
strengthen the Main Streets Initiative by bridging these two Main Streets districts,
implementing a coordinated marketing effort to connect the new Jackson Square into the
existing business district, and increasing the number of potential customers for the
businesses in these Main Streets districts. The public benefit derived from the retail
component will be further enhanced by a concerted effort to recruit local entrepreneurs as
retail tenants, provide space for local and start-up businesses, and to craft an economic
development program to support those start-ups. JSP has been working with these two
Main Streets organizations throughout the planning process and subsequent to designation;
this will continue through the permitting, development and leasing and management stages
of the Project.
Smart Growth Development
The Project will leverage the Jackson Square area to create a thriving urban environment by
replacing vacant and underutilized brownfields property surrounding Jackson Square
Station with a new, attractive mixed use sub-neighborhood. Located within a quarter-of-amile
radius of the Jackson Square Station, this TOD will result in improved access for
pedestrians and bicyclists to public transit by incorporating sidewalk, street and signage
improvements that will contribute to reducing automobile dependency in the area and
encourage greater use of public transit. Figure 1-7 illustrates the TOD nature of the Project.
Open Space
The Project presents a splendid opportunity to take full advantage of the unbuildable
easements in the area and make improvements to existing area open spaces. As part of the
Project, the proponent will develop an addition to the active Southwest Corridor park along
the section of the MBTA easement that extends between Centre Street to the north and
Amory Avenue to the south with generous walkways, bike paths, benches, site lighting and
1772/PNF/ Jackson Square Page 1-20 Summary
Epsilon Associates, Inc.