City to initiate master plan for Columbia Point

A passel of large development projects on and around Columbia Point has the Boston Redevelopment Authority and Mayor Thomas Menino itching to create a "comprehensive vision" for the Dorchester peninsula.

"There are so many exciting developments in this vibrant neighborhood and a comprehensive master plan will help the city ensure these changes are balanced with community input an eye for long term sustainability and matched with appropriate infrastructure," said City Councillor Maureen Feeney in a prepared statement.

The study will cover roughly 412 acres between I-93 and the bay, including the University of Massachusetts, Boston; Bayside Expo Center; John F. Kennedy Library; Boston Globe; and Boston College High School, to name a few institutions.

Part of the plan would address reconnecting the point with the rest of Dorchester and South Boston for pedestrians and cars, according to the Mayor's press release.

"I see the plan as not re-inventing the wheel but, for instance, what are the impacts of that traffic circle," said Otile McManus of Corcoran Jennison, Inc. pointing out her office window at the rain-swept Kosciusko Circle on Tuesday. "If we all look at it, then we may be able to think creatively for a solution and all buy into [it] as well."

McManus is also co-chair of Columbia Point Associates, which includes representatives from all of the major institutions in the area. Many of them are already busy with plans of their own:

Villages: 


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