Category: Vision

New City Initiative Alert – “Spaces for You”

Matt Lawlor
Visual images of use of public spaces in Boston.
Source: Boston Planning Department.

In line with the way the Wu Administration has been seeking to emphasize systemic planning instead of project-based development review, they’re now out with a new initiative on public spaces they’re calling “Spaces for You” and which they describe at a very high level as follows:

Spaces For You is a collaborative and proactive initiative by the City of Boston to co-create, enhance, and celebrate public outdoor spaces that foster joy, belonging, and well-being for all residents. It seeks to bridge the gap between community needs and city resources, knitting together public and privately generated open spaces to create vibrant social places for all.

The project page can be found here and note that there’s a brief survey in which they’re seeking some initial feedback. Go ahead and let them know what you think!

Hebrew Senior Life – Centre/Walter Proposed Project – Article 80 Public Meeting – 6 pm on 23 July 2025

Matt Lawlor

With the Project Notification Form (PNF) for Article 80/Large Project Review of Hebrew Senior Life’s proposed all-affordable senior residential development at Centre/Walter with the Boston Planning Department having been filed on 25 June, we are now within a public comment period for the project that will end on 28 July. As noted in the headline, a community meeting for the project has been scheduled for 6 pm on 23 July via Zoom. Information on signing up for the meeting, as well as as on the project (including the PNF itself), can be found below, which has been cribbed from the Planning Department’s recent notification email.

Very briefly described, Hebrew Senior Life are proposing to fill in what is now a surface parking lot at the corner of Centre and Walter streets on their Roslindale campus with a 78-unit all deeply affordable senior residential building, addressing a critical need for this kind of housing within our overall regional housing emergency. In addition, neighborhood gateway corners are always critical and, as can be seen below, the proposed 6-story building will do an impressive job of holding down this particular gateway corner and complimenting the imminent safety improvements to this intersection that the neighborhood have long sought. Among the proposal’s many benefits, the fact that it is going to fill in what is now a surface parking lot is truly music to our ears. The WalkUP Roslindale Board are strongly supportive of the proposal and we intend to submit a support letter before the close of the comment period that will go into more detail about our specific thinking. We encourage those who support this kind of neighborhood improvement addressing the ongoing housing emergency to attend the meeting, learn more about the project, and, if you come away convinced of its value, to submit a comment in support of the project. We hope to see you there!

THE BELOW IS CUT AND PASTED FROM A PLANNING DEPARTMENT NOTIFICATION EMAIL.

1200 Centre Street

1200 Centre Street

Public Meeting | Virtual Meeting

Wednesday, July 23, 2025 | 06:00 PM – 08:00 PM

This is a public meeting for the proposed 1200 Centre Street Project, located in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the overall project and the potential impacts. The meeting will include a presentation followed by questions and comments from the public.

How to Participate

Please register for the meeting using the following Zoom link: bosplans.org/1200CentreStreet

Meeting ID: 161 991 5474
Toll-Free Call-in Number: 833.568.8864

Roslindale Squares & Streets – Boston Zoning Commission Hearing on Deck – Wednesday, 21 May 2025, at 9:00 am – ADOPTED! UPDATE BELOW

Matt Lawlor

Roslindale Square - Squares + Streets | Bostonplans.org

The Boston Zoning Commission is set to hold their public hearing starting at about 9 am on this coming Wednesday, 21 May 2025, on the zoning text and map amendments developed through the small area planning process here in Roslindale Square over the course of the last year-plus.

LINK HERE: BZC agenda and information on how to register.

We encourage supporters of the proposed zoning changes to attend and offer testimony at the hearing, which will be over zoom, if at all possible. Whether you can make it or not, we also encourage you to submit supportive written comments to the Boston Zoning Commission’s Secretary, Jeffrey Hampton, at their official email address of zoningcommission@boston.gov. We’re going to submit our WalkUP Roslindale comment letter around the time of the BPDA Board vote last month. Hope to see many supporters on hand on Wednesday morning and here’s a LINK to a helpful tool that was put together for the BPDA Board meeting, but is also very helpful for preparing for the hearing and submitting your written support in advance!

UPDATE:

As first reported by Universal Hub (“Denser zoning approved for Roslindale Square”), the Roslindale Squares & Streets zoning amendments – both text and map – were adopted by the Boston Zoning Commission at their hearing this past Wednesday morning by a unanimous vote of 11 in favor, 0 against. As we have said many times, deep thanks go to the mayor and her administration, especially the folks at the Boston Planning Department, who worked tirelessly over the last 15 months to solicit feedback, develop the small area plan, and then craft zoning amendments to meet this moment in our neighborhood and city. Now we will all get to see what kinds of improvements and projects the new zoning will engender. Onward!

BTD Open Houses: Roslindale Transportation Action Plan & Hyde Park Ave

Ben Bruno

Mark your calendar for two upcoming Boston Transportation Department (BTD) open houses this May!

Roslindale Transportation Action Plan Open House

Tuesday May 13th, 6:00 – 7:30pm @ St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church

BTD will be introducing the project, sharing what they’ve heard, and asking for some initial feedback. There’s no formal program and no need to stay the whole time. Come any time to meet the planners, learn about the project, and share your thoughts! See the flyer for the event.

Hyde Park Ave Multimodal Corridor Open House #3

Wednesday May 21st, 6:00pm – 8:00pm @ Boston Teachers Union School

Come listen and provide feedback on the latest design concepts for Hyde Park Ave.

Soft Open Alert – Roslindale Gateway Path Phase 1!

Matt Lawlor
Roslindale Gateway Path at Arboretum Road Entrance.
The newly opened entrance at Arboretum Rd.
Arboretum Map showing the new entrance and a view toward the Blackwell Path connection.
Updated Arboretum Map & Blackwell Path connection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We here at WalkUP Roslindale have been advocating and organizing around the Roslindale Gateway Path since our inception almost a decade ago and, thanks to the sustained leadership and partnership of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, the Arboretum Park Conservancy, LivableStreets Alliance, the Tufts University Department of Urban and Environmental Planning, Rozzie Bikes, Hubluv, the Solomon Foundation, and of course the City of Boston (especially the leadership of Mayor Michelle Wu as well as the Parks and Recreation Department, the Department of Public Works, and the Transportation Department), we now have the first tangible result of those efforts – the Phase 1 extension from the terminus of the Blackwell Path at South Street alongside and then under the MBTA Needham Line tracks to a brand new and fully fledged Arboretum entrance on Arboretum Road. This is a great step forward in providing better access to this Emerald Necklace jewel to/from this part of Roslindale. It’s long overdue and very welcome, and we will continue to advocate for the rest of the path going forward, so that improved access can be achieved at Archdale Road and at the Roslindale Village Commuter Rail Station. We also urge everyone to mark your calendars for Saturday, 19 July 2025, when the formal grand opening celebration will be held. We’ll share details on that as they become available. Many thanks to all of the players who made this possible!

Our most recent summary piece on the full path can be found here: Roslindale Gateway Path.

 

Squares + Streets Zoning Map – Roslindale Square – Closeout Meeting – 8 April 2025 @ 6 pm on ZOOM

Matt Lawlor

Close on the heels of the end of the comment period yesterday, the Planning Department is hosting their scheduled closeout meeting on the zoning map and the revisions made thereto since its release in February. We encourage supporters to attend and thank the staff who have worked so hard over the last year to move the process from visioning to the small area plan and now the adoption of a new zoning map for the plan area. Information on the meeting and how to sign can be found HERE. Thanks!

Roslindale Square - Squares + Streets | Bostonplans.org

 

Last Call for Comments on the S+S Zoning Map!

Ben Bruno

The deadline for comments on the Roslindale Squares+Streets Zoning Map has been extended to this Saturday, April 5th. We’ve just submitted our comment letter on the map, make sure to submit yours!

You may have submitted comments back in January or February for the Small Area Plan which was accepted by the BPDA, but the zoning updates are a separate process that follows the recommendations from the Small Area Plan. Make sure to comment on the Zoning Map as well.

Make a Public Comment on the Roslindale Squares + Streets Zoning Map by the Deadline on This Saturday, April 5th!

Highlights from The Rozzie Zoning Zoom!

Ben Bruno

Key highlights from The Rozzie Zoning Zoom are now available! You can also watch the full recording here.

Balancing Zoning Flexibility & Community Input

Boston City Planner Abdul Zachariah discusses how the new zoning grants greater flexibility to property owners interested in redevelopment, but it is also sensitive to neighborhood character and community input.

Roslindale Housing Growth Projection

Eric Ouyang, CEO of Perci PBC, shares a projection of housing growth in Roslindale based on assumptions of which parcels are more likely to be redeveloped under the new zoning.

New Zoning Makes it Easier to Build Affordable Housing

MAPC Director of Land Use Andrea Harris-Long and Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepén discuss how the new zoning flexibility and faster approval for projects means lower costs, making it easier for affordable housing developers to succeed.

Housing Types For Different Life Stages

Should we require developers to build more family-sized housing? Insights from MAPC Director of Land Use Planning Andrea Harris-Long, Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepén, and Perci CEO Eric Ouyang.

Community Interest in Upzoning

Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepén shares what he’s been hearing from community members interested in the new zoning.

Addressing Displacement

Our panelists discuss the risk of displacement today, as well as what tenants and businesses may encounter under new zoning. They also tackle different strategies for addressing it.

Tax Revenue Impact of New Development

Perci PBC CEO Eric Ouyang and Cambridge City Councilor Burhan Azeem describe the impacts that new development can have on local property tax revenue.

Removing Parking Minimums in Rozzie & Cambridge

Boston City Planner Abdul Zachariah and Cambridge City Councilor Burhan Azeem talk about the implications of allowing developers the flexibility to determine how much on-site parking to build.

Make a Public Comment on Squares + Streets Zoning by the March 31st Deadline!

Recording of The Rozzie Zoning Zoom!

Ben Bruno

Last night, over 70 people joined us live to listen to a rich and lively discussion with an expert panel of urban planners, local officials, and housing advocates and dive deep into the new Squares + Streets zoning for Roslindale – what will this mean for the community? How much new housing and public amenities should we expect? What will be the impact on affordability and displacement risk?

Video and audio versions of the recording are now available:

Audio only:

 

WalkUP Roslindale and Rozzidents for More Rozzidents extend our thanks to the excellent panelists who participated.

 

Resources discussed during the panel:

 

Public comment is open through March 31, and we want to show strong neighborhood support.

Here’s how to make your voice heard!

TONIGHT at 7pm – The Rozzie Zoning Zoom!

Ben Bruno

The City proposed new Squares + Streets zoning for Roslindale – what will this mean for the community? How much new housing and public amenities should we expect? What will be the impact on affordability and displacement risk? Join us for an expert panel of urban planners, local officials, and housing advocates tonight to find out!

The Rozzie Zoning Zoom!            

Thursday March 13, 7:00 – 8:30 PM