To the Charlestown Patriot Bridge Paper Editor,

The Board President of Courageous Sailing accuses others of “inaccuracies,” yet his own letter omits the single most revealing document: the Financial Submission (Section 3, pp. 93–100). By leaving it out, Courageous misleads the public about what their Pier 4+5 proposal actually entails.
[Read it here: https://bpda.app.box.com/s/um9t2lhwtx3tcy98erbi5kej14evkbqz/file/1819711206934]

The facts are clear. Courageous wants the City to absorb an estimated $80 million cost of rebuilding Pier 5 and related infrastructure, bringing the total project cost to an estimated $150 Million. Their pro forma is not viable without that public subsidy.

Not “privatization”? The plan gives long-term control of Pier 5’s building and watersheet to Courageous and its for-profit operator, ASM Global, for weddings, corporate events, concessions, and dock leases. By their own filings, over half of projected revenue comes from commercial rentals, while less than a quarter is tied to community sailing. That is not about “expanding access to Boston Harbor” — it is pay-to-play.

Worse, Courageous has bundled Pier 4 into the same plan, sidestepping a separate review. Why? Because Pier 4 has already received $10M in City upgrades, with expansion plans prepared and a long-term lease reportedly within reach. Courageous does not need Pier 5 to grow. By concealing this, they manufacture a false narrative to justify a two-for-one takeover of both piers.

The hidden truth is simple: beneath the language of equity and access lies a commercial land grab for six acres of prime harborfront land and watersheet.

For a detailed rebuttal of Courageous’ half-truths and false narratives, see:
https://harborpark.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Courageous-Sailing-Pier-45-QA-RebuttalExhibits-20250818.pdf

Sincerely,
James Lee, AIA Emeritus
Charlestown, MA