Changing scenery in East Boston

Graffiti marks the fencing and jersey barriers along Bremen Street. Dingy plastic bags adorn branches of nearby trees, fluttering in the wind. Three-decker houses line one side of this thoroughfare, offering a dismal view of asphalt and highway, with Logan International Airport in the distance.

But that scenery is changing. Beyond the fencing along Bremen Street, a long-vacant railroad building now houses a state-of-the-art YMCA facility. With newly restored brick exterior and windows, the Y's new home could be mistaken for an upscale coffee house or swank restaurant.

The YMCA now anchors a swath of green space that will soon emerge from the gritty neighborhood landscape. This strip of parkland has replaced old parking lots, and when it's completed next summer those three-deckers on Bremen Street will have a clear view of grassy parkland featuring colorful playground equipment, an oval granite pool of water, and a sculpture of 19th-century shipbuilder Donald McKay. The public park will be enclosed by ornamental iron fencing and shrubs.

This $20 million project will become a jewel of Bremen Street, a source of Eastie pride, and a symbol of the neighborhood's renaissance. The new park stretches 18.5 acres, running four blocks along Bremen, with Porter Street to the west.

''It's a great thing for this area, for the real estate, for the families over there: They'll have some place to go with their kids," said Mariellen Burns, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, which is overseeing the project. ''It will be a beautiful area to walk through."

McClellan Highway remains a fixture of the neighborhood's landscape. But the Bremen Street park project is evidence of Eastie's much-ballyhooed turnaround.

With the recent influx of upscale housing, realtors are comparing East Boston to the South End. Restaurateurs are setting up shop in Orient Heights, claiming it's the new North End. Rebirth, revival or gentrification -- call it what you will -- but East Boston is getting a makeover.

The new YMCA, which opened last month, is the latest addition to this changing cityscape. The circa-1909 structure, which had been vacant for a decade, was formerly a railroad engine servicing building known as the Boston & Albany Engine House.

Today the facility houses the YMCA's community meeting room, fitness arcade, child-care center, and a wireless computer lab that offers classes including English as a Second Language.

The new Y's director, Wendy Zinn, said the center's programming will encourage the community to use the surrounding parkland. Drama classes and theatrical performances will be offered at the outdoor amphitheater. The East Boston Greenway will run through the park, providing a link to the playing fields of the soon-to-be renovated Memorial Stadium.

Signs of Eastie's revival can be seen further down Porter Street, where a century-old vacant warehouse and bra factory have been converted into swank loft condos.

Developers also have big plans for Eastie's waterfront.

Roseland Property Co. has proposed building Portside at Pier One, a mixed-use development on 26 acres of waterfront land and piers on Marginal Street. The project would include 490 residential units, retail space, a restaurant, and a day-care center. The marina and docks would also be refurbished.

The project would also include a public landing and a new marine services building. It will also add 2,300 feet to the city's Harborwalk along the water. Meanwhile, the Clippership Wharf project would revive an old wharf on Lewis Street. Plans include building retail stores and 400 condos on 13 acres of waterfront.

Both Clippership Wharf and Portside at Pier One will have views of downtown Boston. The projects could break ground as early as next spring, the Boston Redevelopment Authority said.

Emily Sweeney can be reached at esweeney@globe.com.