BPDA/EDIC Board Meeting – May 14, 2026

The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) and Economic Development and Industrial Corporation (EDIC) held a joint hybrid board meeting on May 14, 2026, at Boston City Hall. Vice Chair Raheem Shepard presided. The board approved numerous items including six new development projects totaling 611 residential units (214 income-restricted), zoning updates for Chinatown and a citywide sign code, licenses for public space activations, and personnel actions. All votes were unanimous unless noted.

Consent Calendar

• License Agreement with Mass Bay Brewing Company Inc. – Approved a license for use of parcels S3 and S2 in the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park for outdoor hospitality and Hub Sports Boston leagues from May 15 to December 31, 2026. Fixed rent set at 13.75% of gross revenue; festival weekend revenue exempted.
• License Agreement with Massachusetts Port Authority – Authorized installation of 20 wayfinding stanchions (four in Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park) for three years starting June 1, 2026, at no cost to BPDA, to assist with FIFA World Cup and Sail Boston 2026 events.
• Lease Extension with City of Boston Transportation Department – Extended lease of Suite 501 at 12 Channel Street (4,895 sq ft) for five years from August 1, 2026, with a five-year renewal option; no fee due to public service, but BTD pays electricity.
• Contract Renewal for Blackbaud – Approved one-year renewal for Blackbaud financial edge services, not to exceed $64,940.10, from May 7, 2026 to May 6, 2027.
• Amendment to Canopy and Platform Repair Contract – Increased contract with South Coast Improvement Company by $726,800 (15%) to $5,496,774 and extended completion to October 31, 2026, for repairs at 12 Channel Street due to additional deterioration at the East Loading Dock.
• Personnel Items (EDIC) – Approved one status change (Michelle Goldberg to Chief Procurement Officer), one contract (Brian Aw), seven internships, and a one-year collective bargaining agreement with Salaried Employees of North America (CENA) retroactive to July 1, 2025.
• Approval of Minutes – Approved minutes of the April 16, 2026 BRA board meeting.
• Authorization to Schedule Public Hearing for L Street Station – Planned June 18, 2026 hearing for first amendment to master plan and phase two development plan (Item #2; one board member recused).
• MassWorks/HousingWorks Infrastructure Program Applications – Authorized submission of grant applications for various projects and execution of agreements.
• License Agreements for Placemaking Activations – Approved license with TFC 30 Winter LLC for Colorflows activation at 30 Winter Street (June–October 2026) and with BRM LLC for temporary art exhibition at Chinatown Trade Center/2 Boylston Street (June 11–August 1, 2026). A board member noted the short duration for Chinatown.
• License with Wharf District Council – Approved six-month license for a sea level rise awareness kiosk at Long Wharf (June 1–November 30, 2026), with two six-month renewal options.
• Amended License with Cap Long Wharf LLC – Extended parking license at Long Wharf to May 31, 2027, with a 5% fee increase to $16,642/month ($199,710/year).
• Assignment of Lease for Building 120, Charlestown Navy Yard – Approved transfer from Clifford Long/2nd Mass Ave Realty Trust to USS Constitution Museum Inc. at $14,400 annual base rent.
• Extension of Tentative Designations (Garrison Trotter Neighborhood Association) – One-year extensions for two parcels in Washington Park Urban Renewal Area: 16–20 Townsend Street (community garden/urban wild) and 48 Townsend Street (community garden), both until May 31, 2027.
• Tentative Designations for Welcome Home Boston Phase 3 Roxbury Parcels – Four parcels awarded tentative designation for 12 months:
  • 11–13 Catawamba Street: ACDON (6 units).
  • 14 Catawamba Street: K&G Realty/JV (3 units, panelized construction).
  • 19 Laurel Street: Historic Built/Stack Architecture/MCMI (3 units).
  • 100 Ruthven Street: Ambrie Development (6 units).
• Order of Taking for 212 Stuart Street – Approved taking of 43 sq ft of air rights for $15,000 (appraisal by Hunneman Appraisal Services) to resolve building encroachment.
• Chinatown Zoning and Design Guidelines – Adopted amendment to Plan Downtown establishing new Chinatown neighborhood district zoning (Article 43, 8, 34, etc.) and design guidelines. Implementation moves to Zoning Commission.
• Citywide Sign Code Modernization – Authorized petition to Zoning Commission to update Article 11 with simplified, citywide sign regulations aiming to reduce permit time by 80% (from 4.5 months to 30 days for most signs).
• Certificates of Completion – Issued for 1595–1599 Columbus Ave (100% affordable housing, passive house), 200 Seaport/Commonwealth Pier (Fidelity HQ), and 150 Milk Street (parcel J-1 improvements).
• Notice of Project Change (90 Braintree Street) – Approved conversion of below-grade parking to first-floor stacker system, maintaining 111 rental units; unit mix revised (52 studios, 49 one-bed, 10 two-bed) with 14 IDP units and 8 voucher units.
• Office to Residential Conversions – Approved four conversion projects under Mayor Wu’s pilot program:
  • 419 Boylston Street (E. small project): 41 units (27 studio, 14 one-bed), no parking, 43 bike spaces.
  • 50 Congress Street (B. large project): 169 units (135 market, 34 affordable at 60% AMI), 7,300 sq ft retail.
  • 1 State Street (small project): 76 units (27 studio, 49 one-bed), 52 bike spaces, ground-floor retail.
  • 320 Summer Street (large project): 145 units (46 studio, 76 one-bed, 23 two-bed), 7,000 sq ft retail, roof deck.
• Bartlett Station (PDA #94) Final Approval – Approved 61 mixed-income homeownership units (12 income-restricted + 4 artist live-work) in a four-story building with 51 parking spaces, 62 bike spaces, gallery, and courtyard.
• West End Library Redevelopment (151 Cambridge Street) – Approved 119 affordable apartments (all ≤80% AMI) and a new 19,000 sq ft branch library (doubling current size) in a 14-story building with no on-site parking, 160 bike spaces, and a public plaza.
• Pay Bills – Motion to pay contractual obligations approved.
• Personnel (BRA) – Status change for Michelle Goldberg to Chief Procurement Officer.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Councillor Durkin (District 8) spoke in support of the West End Library project and 419 Boylston Street conversion, citing affordable housing and community benefits, but noted concerns about loading operations and safety for the library project, and urged union construction for the Boylston conversion.
• Representative Livingstone testified in favor of the West End Library project, praising the community process and the solution for deliveries.
• Councillor Ruthzee Louijeune (At-Large) voiced support for the West End Library project, acknowledging delivery issues but confident in resolution.
• Kenzie Bok (BHA Administrator) strongly supported the West End Library project, highlighting its deep affordability (≤80% AMI) and restoration of housing to a historically displaced neighborhood.
• Steve Zaidman (Blackstone resident) testified in favor of the West End Library project, sharing personal history as a former West End resident and displaced person; praised POA management.
• Union representatives (Carpenters Local 327, Local 103 IBEW) spoke in support of both the West End Library and Bartlett Station projects, emphasizing jobs and housing.
• Colin Zick (Beacon Hill Civic Association President) expressed strong support for the West End Library project but raised concerns about seating design potentially enabling drug use, traffic/parking during MGH shift changes, and lack of interim library services during construction.
• Alina Ushikova (area resident) opposed the West End Library project, citing excessive density, shadow impacts, traffic congestion, and questioned the need to replace the current library.

Discussion Items

• Chinatown Zoning – Jack Halverson presented new zoning districts (R1, CC, R10, SkyLow CT, IS2, AIR) and design guidelines developed over two years with over 350 engagements. Board member Matt O’Malley questioned the R1 downzone from 80 ft to 45 ft, arguing it could limit housing production. Staff explained it was a preservation strategy for naturally occurring affordable housing and that future projects could seek Article 80 variances. The board voted approval.
• Sign Code Modernization – Cyrus Muselli and Lizzie Turek presented the update to Article 11, reducing regulations from 16,000 to 4,500 words. The new code establishes four sign categories (allowed, conditional, forbidden, sign types) with dimensional standards, aiming to permit 80–85% of signs by right within 30 days, saving an estimated 100 years of cumulative permitting time annually. Board members expressed support for streamlining and preserving iconic signs.
• Director’s Report – Arthur Shin highlighted that the board approved six development projects totaling $400 million investment, 611 units (214 affordable) generating about 700 construction jobs and 345 indirect jobs. He also noted the appointment of Diana Fernandez Bibo as Parks Commissioner.

Key Outcomes

• Passed unanimously all consent items, personnel actions, zoning amendments, and development approvals.
• West End Library & Bartlett Station received final approval after public hearings.
• Zoning changes (Chinatown and sign code) will proceed to the Boston Zoning Commission for adoption.
• Office-to-residential conversion program continues to expand, with four new projects approved bringing total to 26 applications covering 31 buildings, 1,785 units (336 affordable).
• Upcoming – Public hearing for L Street Station set for June 18, 2026.
• Meeting adjourned after Director Shin’s remarks.