Recommendations

The national panel of The Boston Harbor Conference makes the following recommendations for development of Boston Harbor, its waterfront and its islands:

1. That a master plan for the 170-acre Fort Point Channel district be adopted no later than January 1, 1999, featuring a street grid compatible with Boston's city-block scale. The plan would be contained in an agreement by the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, Massport and the four major private property owners in the fort point channel district.

2. That the Fort Point Channel plan create a livable urban neighborhood consisting of at least 3000 housing units in combination with hotel, commercial office and retail space, attractive to the entire metropolitan area.

3. That planning for the full Boston Harbor Seaport District be linked to new transportation investments extending the Red Line into the Fort Point Channel area, including access to the proposed urban ring. Major building complexes should be located within walking distance of the new stations. The precise number of stops should be the subject of further study.

4. That a "tax increment financing district" be created as part of the Fort Point Channel plan to help pay for the costs of transit investments and public realm amenities through trusts and a revolving fund.

5. That planning by Massport and the city for the adjacent 700-acre industrial port area be coordinated with the feel and fabric of the Fort Point Channel neighborhood, while maximizing port-related uses to the extent feasible.

6. That existing state tidelands and environmental laws (Chapter 91 and MEPA) be utilized to create a master plan for the entire 46-square-mile Boston Harbor water surface and its shoreline. This plan should emphasize commercial development and maritime port opportunities, as well as the creation of a water transit network from Winthrop in the north to Hull in the south.

7. That the Convention Center Authority be charged with the responsibility for financing the Boston Harbor Islands National Park as a linkage contribution to the new Boston harbor development frontier.

8. That Massport construct a new ocean liner terminal to attract additional segments of the rapidly expanding cruise-ship industry to Boston Harbor.

9. That Massport plan to accommodate up to 60 million passengers per year, either at Logan or in combination with another existing airport and high-speed rail, serving the new Boston Harbor economy through the first half of the 21st century.

10. That a continuing Boston Harbor forum be convened to ensure that bold and diverse thinking infuse the planning process for the future of Boston Harbor and its surrounding communities well into the next several decades.