Agassiz Road Duck House, Back Bay Fens Erica Mattison & Marco - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Agassiz Road Duck House, Back Bay Fens

Erica Mattison & Marco Baldassarre, Fenway Civic Association

“The building needs to be occupied in order to restore and maintain its historic character.”

Source: McGinley Kalsow and Associates LLP survey, April, 2008

An opportunity for…

• historic preservation
• community revitalization
• enhanced public safety

Location

Agassiz Road is a DCR parkway that connects Park Drive and The Fenway, thereby linking the West and East Fenway neighborhoods. The Back Bay Fens are part of the Emerald Necklace park system, designed in the late 1800s by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The Parks & Recreation Department is responsible for the management of the Duck House.

History

• “The building exterior and interior have not

substantially changed since the structure was built in 1897.”

• “The building has been boarded up and

vacant” since a 1986 fire.

Source: McGinley Kalsow and Associates LLP survey, April, 2008

Press

The Boston Courant January, 2008 The Boston Courant May, 2008

In the past, the building housed a public bathroom facility.

Architect: Alexander Longfellow, nephew of famous poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Wood beams show current condition (post-1986 fire work)

The interior of the Duck House is approximately 665 net square feet.

Emerald Necklace Master Plan

“Historic buildings are to be restored: the Olmsted-planned Agassiz Road Shelter (Duck House) will be reused as a Ranger Station.” “Important historic structures (bridges, gatehouses, and Duck House) are in need of restoration.” “This historic building (from an original sketch by Olmsted, Olmsted and Eliot, 1897) has become seriously deteriorated due to vandalism and neglect. As a historic structure, it will enhance the Olmstedian character of the park, and could house an integral park function as well, the Boston Park Rangers, as part of the Emerald Necklace management and maintenance reorganization.”

Steps for Improvements to Duck House

• Historic “Acorn” Lights
• Attractive seating

Opportunities for Improvements Around Duck House

• In-depth assessment of building condition and needs
• Fundraising
• Planning
• Construction
• Maintenance

Ideas for Uses

• Ranger Station
• Bike Sharing Pick-Up/Drop Off Location
• Public Bathroom
• Café (bottled beverages, snacks, ice cream)
• Some combination? Other ideas?

Agassiz Road and Its Many Shades of Gray

• Sidewalks
• Unpaved section several

feet wide next to both sidewalks

• Street

Opportunity to:

• widen sidewalks,
• build bike lanes,
• build curbs to prevent

vehicles from driving/parking on park land

(Potential) Involved Parties

Citizens Fenway Civic Association Elected and Appointed Officials: City Councilor Mike Ross Parks and Recreation Department (City) Department of Conservation and Recreation (State) Area Businesses and Institutions: The Copley Group Area Organizations: Historic Boston Inc., Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Fenway Alliance, Muddy River Restoration Project Oversight Committee, Mass Bike, etc. Consultants Other?

Key Questions

• What ideas does the community have for use of this building?
• What ideas does the community have for improvements to the

parkway?

• What steps would need to be taken to make the building

usable and who/what entity would handle each aspect?

• What are some potential funding sources?
• How would these improvements fit in with the pending

dredging and restoration of the Muddy River?

• Other?