After the defeat of I-95 which was to be built along the path of what is now the Southwest Corridor (with a cloverleaf
at Roxbury Crossing), the Southwest Corridor Project (the Orange Line and the Park) was completed in 1987. In October 1987,
a Jackson Square Development Collaborative was created to look at development for the Square. A report was issued in 1992
with recommendations that included commercial, office, housing and community uses buffering an industrial subdistrict. The
plan was never implemented because many residents objected to the proposed recycling plant which was the focus of the industrial
district.
In 1995, Urban Edge initiated the Egleston-Jackson Strategy. A community process was begun. In July 1998, Kmart contacted
Urban Edge to discuss the possibility of a store in Jackson Square. A proposal was drawn up with a Kmart on the parcel across
the street from the Jackson Square "T" station. The Kmart was opposed by residents and businesses who feared the impact on
locally owned businesses, the traffic problems that would be created and the fact that the part-time low wage jobs that would
be created would not benefit the community. As the controversy grew, with Urban Edge on one side and the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood
Development Corporation (JPNDC) on the other, the Egleston-Jackson Coordinating Committee dissolved.
In June 1999, the Jackson Coordinating Group was created by the BRA and the Mayor’s Office. 30 neighborhood organizations
were identified and the Mayor appointed representatives. Maya Hasegawa was asked to represent the Fort Hill Civic Association.
The group which included Urban Edge was designed to be more inclusive group with staff from the BRA instead of from either
Urban Edge orJPNDCs. The first meeting was July 8, 1999. It was expected that the planning process would last 6 to 8 months.
The JCG agreed on a scope in October 1999:
+A quarter mile radius of Jackson Square for the development area
+Consideration of vacant and under-utilized land and buildings and how land and building use will impact the community
in terms of gentrification, retail demand and housing costs
+The impact area would be within a half mile radius of Jackson Square
In November 1999 it was agreed that the goal would be a community process to allow the community to control development
in Jackson Square with the outcome Requests for Proposals for the publicly owned land and development and use of mechanisms
(e.g. zoning) to implement the community vision.
From February to May 2000 about 80 focus groups with close to 800 participants were held. On February 2, a focus group
was held at a FHCA meeting. The three questions were discussed at all the meetings. These were:
+What do you think are the biggest issues in the neighborhood?
+What kinds of development or changes would you like to see in Jackson Square?
+What kind of development or changes would you not like to see in Jackson Square?
The results were to be summarized in a short paragraph.
The summary submitted for FHCA was:
We would like to see a small scale retail (meaning small shops not big chains) facility which could incorporate many of
the other items on the development list like the various kinds of retail stores, restaurants, green space (where a farmer’s
market could be held), office space and community space. It might also incorporate or have nearby a movie theater, senior
housing and recreation facility.
A wide range of people and organizations participated in the focus groups including several youth groups, people from both
Academy Homes and Bromley Heath, Senior Center attendees and a number of neighborhood associations.
The results of the focus groups led to hours of discussion and a lack of agreement. Urban Edge representatives were still
interested in a "big box" retail store like Kmart while the focus group results were overwhemingly opposed. It was decided
to bring in a consultant and add to the community process.
In January 2001, a Community Design Charette was held with 250 participants. 10 teams worked with a facilitator and a map
of the area to create a design. 3 groups were conducted in Spanish. A second Charette in February 2001 with 75 people including
JGC members and representatives from the first Charette worked in 4 teams to refine the ideas that had been developed in January.
The priorities that emerged from the process were:
+Affordable Housing with a minimum of 200 units
+Small scale commercial retail and offices
+Expansion of green space with emphasis on a more pedestrian friendly environment
+Build connection between Jamaica Plain and Roxbury including better traffic management
Part of what was envisioned was three story buildings with commercial/office space on the ground floor with housing above
it. The youth participants were interested in a community facility which will provide programs for young residents of both
Academy Homes and Bromley Heath. They felt this would help build a connection between the two housing developments.
The report on the planning process, Putting the Pieces Together, was issued in July 2001. Since that time a smaller
JCG has been working on a number of studies (such as traffic, parcel ownership, pollution) as preliminary to issuing the RFP.
Much of the time has been spent looking at the vision statement and trying to determine what is possible and practicable and
writing the RFP’s. One important development has been the coming together of Urban Edge and JPNDC who have signed an
agreement to work together on this project. Neither participated in writing the RFP and are expected to submit a proposal
implementing the planning document.
