Charlestown Navy Yard Waterfront and Water’s Edges Activation Opportunities

The Boston Redevelopment Authority (“BRA”) is pleased to release this Request for Interest (“RFI”)

from qualified parties to undertake the activation of the waterfront and water’s edges of the

Charlestown Navy Yard, specifically Dry Dock #2, the foot of Dry Dock #2, Dry Dock #2 Pump

House, Pier 5, Shipways, Dry Dock #5, the water’s edge, and adjacent watersheets.

Request for Interest Availability

This RFI is available for download from the BRA’s website at (hyperlink) beginning on (day),

(month) (date), 2016.

An informational conference will be held on (day), (month) (date), 2016 at (time) at (location).

Attendance is not required, but encouraged.

Letter Submission Deadline

All responses, as letters of interest (“LOI”), must be returned no later than 5:00 PM on Friday,

(month) (day), 2016 to:

Teresa Polhemus

Executive Director/Secretary

Boston Redevelopment Authority

One City Hall Square, Room 910

Boston, MA 02201-1007

Respondents should be aware that the BRA or MassDEP may contact them as a result of their

Statement of Interest to meet and discuss the concept proposed. The BRA reserves the right to

reject any responses received after the deadline.

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SECTION I: BACKGROUND

In 2007, the BRA completed the Waterfront Activation Network and Water-Dependent Use

Management Plans for the Charlestown Navy Yard, which both augment the 1991 Municipal

Harborpark Plan and the Charlestown Navy Yard Master Plan. Together, these plans promote

and conceptualize a plan for the public’s access to and enjoyment of the waterfront and

watersheet and Navy Yard. Water-dependent uses, complemented by an open space network,

are prioritized and mixed with recreational, residential, and commercial uses. Today, the

Charlestown Navy Yard is an active hub of both historic and modern uses for residents,

employees, and visitors. In addition to residential properties and a marina with more than 400

slips, it is also home to multiple restaurants, a National Historic Park, a terminal for the seasonal

Charlestown-Downtown Boston ferry, offices of Massachusetts General Hospital, and the new

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. Historic preservation where possible has maintained the

original form and character of the Navy Yard while public and private investment have revitalized

the area. A cohesive public realm, including the waterfront Harborwalk, connects the

Charlestown Navy Yard with both its past and the historic Charlestown neighborhood fabric. The

area continues to transition from the past to present, creating opportunities for short- to midterm

improvements, including public amenities, programming, neighborhood enhancements,

and more.

In the examination of and building upon the Waterfront Activation Network and Water-

Dependent Use Management Plans for the Charlestown Navy Yard, the BRA is seeking Letters of

Interest from interested, able, and ready proponents to undertake the activation of the

waterfront and water’s edges of the Charlestown Navy Yard specifically Dry Dock #2, the foot of

Dry Dock #2, Dry Dock #2 Pump House, Dry Dock #5, Pier 5, the docks at Harborview Point, the

Harborwalk, and adjacent watersheets. The purpose of this RFI is to identify potential qualified

parties acceptable to the BRA, whose uses are consistent with the Waterfront Activation Network

Plan and the Public Waterfront Act (Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 91) and

complementary to the SPDF-like destinations in the Charlestown Navy Yard, such as the USS

Constitution, the USS Cassin Young, Courageous Sailing, and the Constitution Museum. The BRA

is seeking temporary or permanent uses and programming that will activate the area and

enhance the user’s enjoyment of the Navy Yard and utilize the water’s edges and watersheet.

The BRA is particularly interested in uses and programming that generate year-round interest

and visitors. Additionally, the BRA is open to and interested in partnerships that will use or attract

uses to many of the vacant ground-floor facilities along the Harborwalk of the Charlestown Navy

Yard. Finally, the BRA prefers uses that educate the public about and enhance the resilience of

the area to the impacts of climate change.

SECTION II: SUBJECT AREA

The Charlestown Navy Yard is a 135-acre former Naval Base in the Charlestown neighborhood

of Boston. The CNY is bounded by the USS Constitution National Historic Park to the south,

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Boston Harbor to the east, the Little Mystic Channel to the north, and Chelsea Street to the

west. It lies less than one mile from the heart of downtown Boston, with direct access via bus

and boat to the Financial District.

The existing site assessment is outdated, but currently being updated. Additional details will be

provided as they become available. Specific queries are welcome and best attempts will be

made to answer them in the absence of a completed update to the site assessment.

SECTION III: QUALIFIED ACTIVATION ACTIVITIES

The Waterfront Activation Network Plan for the Charlestown Navy Yard provides a wealth of

suggests of uses and programming that would activate the area and augment the public’s access

to and enjoyment of the waterfront. Potential activities, as identified in Waterfront Activation

Network Plan’s conceptual plan of “The Story Loops”, which create thematic areas within the

Navy Yard and provide choices for visitor and resident experiences, include:

 An outdoor maritime interactive park at the foot of Dry Dock #2 and the Boston Marine

Society;

 Protected water demonstration and learning center for public waterborne activities such

as kayaking, sailing, and canoeing at Dry Dock #2;

 Visitor booth and concession stand at the Pump House of Dry Dock #2;

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 Improvements to the Flagship Wharf water transportation waiting area, Pier 4, and

Flagship Wharf public plaza such as passenger or visitor amenities, lighting, signage, etc.;

 Tactical urbanist interventions at Pier 5;

 An outdoor interactive maritime park at the Parris Landing Harborwalk;

 Public art at the Shipways;

 Programming of the Harborview Point on Parcel 4 and use of the docks; and

 Docking for permanent and visiting vessels at Dry Dock #5, including marine-sciencethemed

ships.

Complementing the concept of “The Story Loops”, is the three-mile section of Harborwalk within

the Charlestown Navy Yard. Further activation of this critical connection to the rest of Boston

and the history of the Boston Harbor cleanup is also suggested.

Other uses that would also qualify include:

 Dining facilities;

 Art galleries or other establishments dedicated to public presentation of the fine arts;

 Educational, historical, or other cultural institutions open to the public;

 Interior spaces dedicated to the programming of community meetings, informational

displays, special recreational events, or other public activities;

 Sports or physical fitness facilities open to the public;

 Open spaces, pedestrian walkways, or outdoor recreation facilities open to the public;

 Retail sales or service facilities;

 Marina berths for transient use; and

 Public/farmer’s markets.

Other similar activities that are accessible to the public are allowed, provided, however, that they

shall not include uses that do not meet the definition of Facilities of Public Accommodation as

defined at 310 CMR 9.02.

SECTION IV: LETTER IN RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INTEREST

This RFI is not a formal procurement process to select a user for the space; it is an informal

solicitation to gauge interest from qualified users. Responses to this RFI shall assist the BRA in

identifying qualified users for the activation of the Charlestown Navy Yard waterfront and water’s

edges. Responding to this RFI is entirely voluntary, and will in no way affect the consideration of

any proposal submitted in any subsequent solicitation. All responses to this RFI will be public

record under the Commonwealth’s Public Records Law, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter

66 s. 10, regardless of confidentiality notices set forth in such responses to the contrary. The

BRA reserve the right to select a respondent at any time during the selection process. The BRA

appreciates your interest in this exciting potential partnership and welcomes your comments.

SECTION V: LOGISTICS

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Respondents to this RFI should do the following:

 Review this RFI in detail

 Review the Municipal Harborpark Plan (1991), Waterfront Network Activation Plan of the

Charlestown Navy Yard (2007) and the Water Dependent Use Management Plan (2007),

provided as “Supplemental Materials” to this RFI.

 Provide a written response to this RFI consisting of a Letter of Interest in accordance with

the form attached hereto as Exhibit A and a Form of Interest with the information set

forth in Exhibit B attached hereto (collectively, a “Response”).

 A Response shall be submitted to the BRA by mail on or before 5:00 PM on Month Day,

Year (45 days from RFI issuance) at the following address:

Teresa Polhemus

Executive Director/Secretary

Boston Redevelopment Authority

One City Hall Square, Room 910

Boston, MA 02201-1007

Respondents should be aware that the BRA may contact them as a result of their Statement of

Interest to meet and discuss the concept proposed. The BRA reserves the right to reject any

responses received after the deadline.

Additional information that may become available will be posted on the RFI’s webpage: (insert

link).

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SECTION VI: TIMELINE

The following is the timetable for the request for information process:

Activity Date

Issuance of RFI

Informational Meeting

Deadline for Submission of Responses

Review of Submissions by BRA

Selection of Short-List of Respondents for

Further Development and Evaluation

Deadline for Submission of Supplemental

Information by Short-List of Respondents

Review of Supplemental Information by BRA

Selection of Successful Respondent

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the BRA reserves the right to select a respondent at any time

during the selection process or select no respondents for this RFI.

SECTION VII: REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF RESPONSES

The BRA will review the Responses submitted to determine whether a respondent has met the

eligibility criteria and demonstrated that it has the required experience and qualifications. A key

objective of this process is to encourage Responses that meet the spirit of the planning

objectives for Charlestown Navy Yard to provide a vibrant and popular year-round public

destination for a diverse demographic.

Key evaluation criteria include financial ability to manage the space and deliver relevant

programs and services. It is the respondent’s responsibility to provide complete applications that

meet the evaluation criteria. Responses will be evaluated based on meeting the criteria as well

as their viability.