RE: DRAFT Pier 5 Draft RFP put forth by the Boston Planning & Development Agency
(BPDA)

“Creating a Destination for the Public

Should buildings be located on or along the pier we expect that the selected
ground floor uses to help activate the waterfront and welcome the public.
The proponent’s requirement to keep “[a]t least 40% of the first floor of
any built structures … devoted to facilities of public accommodation” will
support public use of the space, but we specifically hope to see FPAs and
other waterfront amenities that provide services at various price points,
including low-cost and no-cost opportunities, to eliminate social barriers
that may deter visitors from coming to the area and to make it accessible to
all.

Designing for Coastal Flooding
The RFP will evaluate proposals based on “the extent to which a
proposal’s: (1) plan aligns with current coastal resiliency efforts in the CNY
(2) plan can adapt to future planning efforts (3) plan meets or exceeds
sustainability and energy standards and (4) development team is willing to
work with other entities surrounding this topic.” We are pleased the BPDA
acknowledges the importance of collaboration when building coastal flood
infrastructure. District-wide flood infrastructure will require action from a
multitude of stakeholders and property owners, and coordination will be
imperative to its success. In addition to compliance with the
recommendations from the Coastal Resilience Solutions for Charlestown
Phase II and Flood Resilience Planning, Feasibility and Design Study for
the Charlestown Navy Yard, we hope RFP applicants will also comply with
any coastal resilience plans undertaken by the National Park Service, which
is a major nearby property owner also working to prevent coastal flooding.
As the BPDA reviews proposals, we hope they will also consider how the
applicant plans to maintain physical ADA-compliant access to the site even
with climate infrastructure in place.”