The History and Mission of the Pier 5 Association

The Pier 5 Association, founded in 2021, evolved from earlier community groups formed as early as 2002 in response to various private development proposals advanced by the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), now the BPDA. These proposals have included a mid-rise building, a marina for luxury yachts, and more recently, the addition of houseboats.

The Pier 5 Association’s mission is to advocate for a fully public, blue and green waterfront—an iconic open space that serves the entire Charlestown community, including the nearly two million annual visitors to the Navy Yard. Through community outreach, education, and a petition campaign that garnered over 3,000 signatures, the Association successfully mobilized public support to preserve this historic waterfront. With the support of civic allies, the community’s unified voice led to the elimination of all three private development proposals. The Conservation Law Foundation later expressed concern that the BPDA had allowed these proposals to advance in violation of public-access protections under Massachusetts Chapter 91.