BPDA Downtown Planning Study [Mandated By 115 Winthrop Sq. Shadow Law Exemption]

DBM

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The Downtown Planning Study that the BPDA is required to execute, per the State Legislature, as part of the shadow law exemption that was granted for 115 Winthrop Sq., has issued its RFP:

http://www.bostonplans.org/work-with-us/rfps-rfqs-bids/rfp-listing-page?id=157

I suppose for now, the most interesting part is, they have an explicitly defined boundary of what constitutes "Downtown" for the purposes of this study. A lot of it is the Midtown Cultural District zoning overlay, as required.... that said, how does their "Downtown" corresponding to ABers' conception of "Downtown"? Note, for example, the exclusion of the whole Waterfront, and Bulfinch Triangle/North Station area....
 
Not sure I've ever considered the area south of The Common and Public Garden as "Downtown" but otherwise it looks accurate to my mental map. I might include Gov. Center personally.
 
The RFP includes this map of the study area, but the quality is abysmal. I'm contacting the BPDA to try to get a high res version:

il3ihrK.png
 
The RFP includes this map of the study area, but the quality is abysmal. I'm contacting the BPDA to try to get a high res version:

il3ihrK.png

I am assuming the inclusion of the area around Park Square is because development in that area, almost by definition, creates shadows on the Common and Public Garden (since it is due south). But the capture of Tremont Street in the Theatre District, but not the south side of Stuart Street (where high rise development is proposed) is really odd.
 
I am assuming the inclusion of the area around Park Square is because development in that area, almost by definition, creates shadows on the Common and Public Garden (since it is due south). But the capture of Tremont Street in the Theatre District, but not the south side of Stuart Street (where high rise development is proposed) is really odd.

That southern border is actually dictated by the boundaries of the "Midtown Cultural Zoning District." They don't seem to want to actually address the core of the problem which is the zoning itself. This doubles down on the screwed up zoning by having the study follow the boundary.
 

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