Fields Corner neighborhood analysis- DUSP'MIT

8/2/2019 Fields Corner neighborhood analysis- DUSP'MIT

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NEIGHBORHOOD HIGHLIGHTSand

KEY ISSUES

11.436 Greenhouse StudioMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Department of Urban Studies and Planning

Tuesday, March 13, 2012


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Fields Corner Highlights

One of Dorchesters most vibrant businessdistricts with a peripheral residentialneighborhood

Easily accessible and transit-oriented:

Dorchester Ave./Adams St. intersection; MBTARed Line Fields Corner Station; close to I-93 Home to a diverse community of Vietnamese,

African-American, Caribbean, Irish and Latinobusinesses and residents

From the mid-1980s, home to a strong, visibleand politically active Vietnamese community.Features a variety of Vietnamese restaurants,groceries, jewelry and silk shops, etc.


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Business core with low, rectangularone-two story commercial blocks

dating back to the 1920s.

Industrial zone with largewarehouses and a large number ofauto service businesses

Residential area: Triple-deckersmostly built between 1880s to 1920s

Public space: Park

Residential area: Single familyhousing

Public space: Playground


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Business Core


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Neighborhood Highlights


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A VIBRANT ANDDIVERSEFIELDS

CORNER

Vision

ValuesAffordability; Environment; Engagement


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What We Have Accomplished

Neighborhood field trip and meeting with clientData sources identificationInitial information collectionIssues and opportunities brainstorming

Looking Ahead

Present initial findings to VietAIDGather feedback from client and residents

Reach out to other community groups in theneighborhoodPrioritize areas of further research and policyrecommendation


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Presentation Outline:Key Issues & Opportunities

Community Cohesion and Civic Engagement Physical Connections: Commercial, Residential,

and Transit Environmental Health: Air Quality Housing/Transportation Affordability and

Housing Quality

Vitality of Commercial Core


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Community Cohesionand Civic Engagement


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Community Cohesion and Civic Engagement

Fields Corner Demographics Community Organizations

Upwards of 20 non-governmentalorganizations currently work in orwith Fields Corner.

Existing organizations work with

many ethnic communities. Engaged on issues of:

o Community Organizingo Youth Serviceso Economic Developmento Housingo Healtho Senior serviceso Working with Immigrant and

ESL communities

Source: 2010 U.S. Census


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Community Cohesion and Civic Engagement

Issueso Challenge of engaging Fields Corner residents in programs and

campaigns.

o Lack of connection between Vietnamese-Americans and other ethnicgroups.

o Viet-AID has limited resources and constituency to effect community-wide

change.

Opportunitieso Richness of expertise and capacity exists across community

organizations.

o Active models for inter-organization collaboration.

o Viet-AID has ongoing relationships with several organizations.

Questionso What substantive goals and specific projects can catalyze cohesion and

engagement?


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Physical ConnectionsCommercial, Residential, and Transit

NODES


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Physical Connections:Commercial, Residential, and Transit

NODES

Metro station is visuallydisconnected from commercial core

Vacant buildingsundermine vitality of

commercial nodes

and corridors

Metro overpasses break continuity of

commercial streets


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Physical Connections:Commercial, Residential, and Transit

CONNECTIONS

Underdeveloped blocks inhibit pedestrianflows between metro station andcommercial corridor


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Environmental Health

Air Quality


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Air Quality Issues in Fields Corner

Fields Corner has poorer air quality than otherneighborhoods in Dorchester

Poor Air Quality Contributes to High Asthma Rates

Fields Corner Neighborhood


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Sources of Poor Air Quality in Fields Corner

Traffic: "...there may be a correlation between high asthma rates and trafficcombustion exposures to those living on and near Dorchester Avenue

Construction: Dorchester Environmental Health Coalition has studied airquality impacts of Dorchester Ave Construction Projects (2010)

Fuel Oil for Home Heating: "Studies find heavy heating oil has severeeffects on air quality"- New York Times, 2009

Older Housing Stock: Poor indoor air quality from lead paint, mold,

mildew, and chemical use to reduce presence of pests

Contributing Factor: Lackof Tree Cover


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Housing/Transportation

Affordability and Housing Quality


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Fields Corner Housing + Transportation Costs

Housingo 2/3 are renters (same as Boston-wide) and 3,664 people receive federal

assistance to maintain an affordable rent

o Most households in Fields Corner do not receive assistance and struggleto afford housing. This is particularly true among poor households.

Transit

o Car ownership is similar to Boston as a whole: ~1.3 cars per household.

o Despite good transit access, 74% of trips by car, compared to 51% inBoston as a whole. Why is this?

o In Boston, people stand to save $13,503/year by switching to transit.


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Residential Energy Efficiency and Energy Costs


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Housing Quality

A large proportion of Field's Corner housing stock is old buildings, many of

which have not been renovated recently. 2/3 of housing is renter-occupied. Landlords often have little incentive to

upgrade properties.

Outdated materials (lead paint, asbestos) pose health risk to residents.o Boston lead exposure has fallen dramatically since the 1990s.

o Dorchester has the highest rate of elevated blood lead levels in Boston,but it has fallen dramatically. (In 2005, 3.5%; in 2010, 1.2%)

o Lead exposure can come from pre-1978 paint or from contaminated soilsin yards.

o Although lead exposure has fallen substantially, it is important to consider

hazards from lead and asbestos as we consider improvements to housingquality and energy efficiency.


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Vitality ofCommercial Core


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Vitality of Commercial Core

Center: Adams and Dorchester Ave. Small retail: restaurants, offices, convenience stores

Shopping Center Cluster of auto related businesses


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Commercial Core: Challenges


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Commercial Core: Opportunities

Critical mass of activity Supporting new and existingsmall businesses

Local job creation

Building improvements

Fields Corner neighborhood analysis- DUSP'MIT

Documents

Transcript of Fields Corner neighborhood analysis- DUSP'MIT