Directly behind Fields Corner Station sits a privately owned 5.5 acre parcel with a 100,000 square foot shopping plaza containing a small supermarket, various discount retail stores, a packaged liquor store, a McDonald’s restaurant, and 265 space surface level parking lot. The site is bordered by Geneva Avenue, Park Street, and the shops and businesses along the Dorchester Avenue corridor. Residential three-family and multi-family buildings abut the rear of the property, while Town Field sits immediately across Park Street. The parcel itself is zoned as the Fields Corner Community Commercial subdistrict, defined as commercial/retail/shopping center serving regional users.

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At 98,140 square feet, the shopping plaza leaves 141,187 square feet of land to its parking lot and limited landscaping on the periphery. Based on its size, underutilization, and close proximity to the train station, this site represents the ideal location and opportunity for true transit-oriented development in Fields Corner.

 

Sustainability

 

Our physical capacity scores identified several locations with room for equitable development in this particularly transit-rich neighborhood. The approach to our chosen site mirrors the sustainable principles of the eco-innovation district, a new urbanism planning model that balances housing development with healthy lifestyles and economic growth. The model has been adapted in neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, PA and Portland, OR, and Boston is already developing its first eco-innovation district, also in Dorchester in the Talbot-Norfolk triangle area. Key concepts include:

• Green construction and design practices that utilize environmentally friendly building materials

• Water and energy conservation and net carbon neutrality

• Street designs that prioritize safety for cyclist and pedestrians

• Creating a sense of place that promotes collaboration and innovation

    

 

Economic Growth

 

Commute time to work has been found to be the strongest factor associated with upward mobility and escaping poverty  (Chetty & Hendren, 2015). A twelve minute ride from South Station, not only does Fields Corner provides transit access to the downtown job market, it could also provide an attractive alternative for businesses and startups that we hope will serve to the benefit of local residents. The area is already home to the Fields Corner Business Lab, an incubator that offers shared office and workspace for startups and encourages innovation among entrepreneurs. There is great potential to expand upon this cluster and bring more businesses and opportunities for job growth to Dorchester. One of the goals for this project would be to incorporate this type of model into the development, with floors dedicated to office space with affordable rates that promote innovation and collaboration.
 

Affordability

 

A central component of this potential housing scheme is to rezone the 5.5 acre site as downtown Dorchester, significantly extending allowed heights beyond the current zoning from 45 feet to 200  feet. Precedent for higher construction already exists in Roxbury in Egleston Square, where the Walnut Park Apartments, a 20-story senior living facility, known for being the only round tower in the city, was built in the 1970’s and remains managed by the Boston Housing Authority. New developments such as Troy Boston in the South End rise 217 feet while a 25-story tower is currently under proposal in Dudley Square.

 

In addition, among the many advantages of Fields Corner are nearby Town Field and Ronan Park, which together provide over 19 acres of usable open green space to the neighborhood. This advantage gives Fields Corner the potential capacity to support the increased heights and density proposed, while preserving a healthy environment for surrounding residents and maintaining the feel of the neighborhood on the ground.

 

Dorchester Avenue is the main thoroughfare that runs through Fields Corner, yet is only two lanes and experiences heavy traffic during peak hours. To accommodate the influx of residents that would live in a development of the proposed scope, we must greatly reduce the number of cars that would be added to the neighborhood. While we have already identified the area because of its access to the Red Line, ride sharing could serve as the potential solution to address remaining gaps in transit for trips that may require a car, in addition to the services, shopping and amenities the area offers within walking distance. Providing the added density bonus allowed by greater height, in conjunction with parking relief would serve as the catalyst for a far reaching affordable housing model.
 

Affordable Model

 

Our model provides for a truly mixed use, mixed income development that combines two-thirds affordable rental opportunities with one third home ownership in the form of a limited equity cooperative. 100% of the units would be affordable, with rental units marketed to low income applicants making 40-70% of the area median income (AMI). Ownership opportunities could come in the form of a limited equity co-op, designated as workforce housing for middle-income households earning 70-100% of the AMI. A range of units from micro to three bedrooms would be provided on site to further accommodate diverse incomes, household sizes, and lifestyles.