City PlanningNew BostonUrban Renewal Garden apartment proposal, from the Boston Redevelopment Authority’s “Urban Renewal in Mattapan,” 1962 (Boston Public Library).

The Mattapan Project: Urban Renewal That Never Happened

The Mattapan Project was first mentioned by the Boston Housing Authority in 1952 and later by the Boston Redevelopment Authority in 1962 as a possible urban renewal project. Despite the preliminary planning funding being granted in 1963 and the urban renewal application prepared in 1964, the project was dropped by the City of Boston. The delays in the Mattapan Project’s site development and the eventual abandonment of the plan helps to demonstrate the changes in public opinion on urban renewal projects of the time.

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City PlanningNeighborhood LifeNew BostonUrban Renewal Photograph of a city block of three story brick buildings with cars parked along the curb

Minot Street

The Lost Streets of the West End: Minot Street was one of the dozens of narrow, residential, West End streets razed by redevelopment in the 1950s. While the two street blocks on the northern side of the redevelopment zone were changed profoundly by urban renewal, the site’s rich history represents the constantly shifting geography of the Boston cityscape over the past two centuries.

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ModernNeighborhood LifeReports & AnalysisUrban Renewal Photograph of an elderly man sitting with his dog next to a pile of stone and concrete debris.

Urban Renewal and Social Isolation

Urban renewal projects, like that in the the West End, have long promised to revitalize aging urban areas, create economic opportunities, and improve living conditions for residents. Despite these positive intentions, urban renewal has also resulted in false promises, the physical destruction of neighborhoods, and forced removal of residents. Such negative impacts have resulted in social isolation, lost social connections, and loneliness.

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New BostonUrban Renewal Image of a map showing the location of buildings and titled Charles River Park

Charles River Park

Charles River Park is an apartment complex built on 45 acres of the historic West End, soon after its demolition. Jerome Rappaport, Sr., attorney for Charles River Park, Inc. and one of the corporation’s early investors, was politically connected to Mayor John Hynes, whose platform for a “New Boston” was the pretext for urban renewal. The vast majority of West Enders could not afford the luxury apartments that replaced their homes. The first tenants of Charles River Park were offered many modern, communal amenities – intended to attract young professionals and suburban families alike.

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City PlanningModernUrban Renewal Photograph of the front of a U-shaped, 10-story, brick and masonry building with windows lining each floor. The building is at a city intersection and surrounded by lamp posts.

West End Place

West End Place, the mixed-income condominium complex on Staniford Street, is the home of The West End Museum. West End Place, like the Museum, owes its existence to the dedicated activism of displaced former residents who hoped to right the wrongs of urban renewal.

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Two boys standing in a street by a demolished building

Treasures from the West End Museum Archives

Step into the past and experience history interactively at the West End Museum’s exclusive event: Treasures from the West End Museum Archives. Join us for an unforgettable evening as we delve into the captivating stories and artifacts that offer a window into the West End’s rich history.

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