Street smarts: Come and get 'em here

Just outside Codman Square, a new approach to public safety is taking shape in a former warehouse once notorious for illegal activities. Inside, local groups are building a ``virtual city" in which young people will be trained to recognize and defuse potentially dangerous situations.

The project on Torrey Street began in January of last year when the Boston Society of Vulcans , the local chapter of a national group of minority firefighters , made the building the base for its community-outreach operations, which include CPR and first-aid classes, safety training for children, Thanksgiving turkey donations, and a bike giveaway program.

``Our primary targets are disadvantaged, at-risk youth in the community between the ages of 4 and 21 because those are the ones that are most prone to accidental injuries, preventable injuries, and deaths and things like that," said Karen Miller , president of the Boston chapter, who retired recently after 20 years as a Boston firefighter. ``We've had over 50 shootings this past year, and we want to teach the kids how to be safe and how to avoid potentially dangerous situations."

The Vulcans learned of the concept several years ago at a conference in Fort Wayne, Ind., where they visited an outdoor, 3-acre safe city.

That kind of space is not available in Boston, but after hearing about several indoor facilities in London, Jonathan Jackson, a Vulcan, visited two of them, bringing back pictures, notes, and ideas on how to adapt London's projects.

``It's a similar idea, where they have children come in and show them about CPR, road safety, train safety, things that could happen in the environment where they're at," said Jackson, who retired this year after 30 years with the Boston Fire Department.

Jackson enlisted the help of the Wentworth Institute of Technology's Center for Community & Learning Partnerships , which sends students on community service projects.

A call to the Department of Design and Facilities was answered by interior design student Angela Rotondo , who made Safe City her senior project, assessing the Torrey Street space and building a model for the project .

``The hardest part was trying to make sure everything can be converted to some other kind of use," said Rotondo, noting features such as a classroom and conference space, a bus station, a bank, and a residential facade that children can enter to learn about safety at home. ``You can use it as a community center, an open area with a stage and seating, or an area where kids can ride around on their bicycles."

Rotondo did not have local examples to draw on, but the Vulcans and Wentworth assistant professor Roy Young say that she more than met the challenge. ``What we've really created is a space to allow this to happen in," Young said.

``She's given this a place to be, and she's done it in such a way that when you're there, it will feel appropriate for any of those uses."

Already, the project has generated considerable interest from the city and several local foundations.

The Vulcans have partnered with Paisano Boxing Club , a nonprofit group that uses boxing and counseling to prepare young men and women for professional careers.

Miller said the Vulcans soon will submit final project plans to the city, and are looking for the many kinds of help needed -- building materials, construction work, and funding -- to make Safe City a reality .

``This is win-win situation for us," said Joan McCoy, a community activist who has lived on Torrey Street for more than 40 years. ``After the summer we've had, people might say, `Can anything good come out of Codman Square?' And it is -- it's right here."

Will Kilburn can be reached at ciweek@globe.com.