Leaders in Codman Square are gathering support this month for a Letter of Interest (LOI) that would start the process of the neighborhood becoming a state-designated cultural district.
Codman Square Neighborhood Council (CSNC) members have initiated the process through the formation of a Cultural District Partnership Team and gained early backing from the new Codman Square Merchant’s Group, the Unity Sports Club, and Codman Square Health Center – as well as Councillor Brian Worrell, state Rep. Russell Holmes and state Sen. Nick Collins.
“A lot of what we’re passionate about and care about and have prioritized for our community are things that are on the list for a cultural district,” said CSNC President Cynthia Loesch-Johnson. “It’s just in line with what our priorities are and it would be nice to all work together on this.”
CSNC Board Member Saranya Sathananthan said the core group is working to sign on organizations and neighborhood groups to the LOI, adding, “We’re hoping to bring Codman Square together in a great way to get this designation.” They would have to file the supported LOI with the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) by the end of August, with a final application deadline next February. So far, 14 groups and individuals have signed on, with five others showing initial interest. The numbers are expected to grow as more people find out about the push.
Cultural Districts are state-designated areas that allow communities to enhance spotlighting their cultural communities, history, and economic development. Organizers noted that a cultural district citation would unlock access to new funding sources and create an infrastructure to support the neighborhood with events, activities and engagement.
The most well-known cultural district in Dorchester is Boston Little Saigon in Fields Corner, but others exist in Roxbury, Hyde Park/Jamaica Plain, and East Boston has a pending application.
Sathananthan said their designation has six possible criteria. While Boston Little Saigon focused on centering the Vietnamese culture in Fields Corner, there are other things that can be focused on due to Codman Square having such a multi-cultural convergence. The three that apply for Codman could be enhancing local business and economic development, preserving cultural organizations and institutions, and preserving and utilizing historic buildings/spaces.
“Given we have a lot of historic buildings in the neighborhood, we’d like to leverage them and activate them more for the cultural district,” she noted. “These are the three things that made most sense for this neighborhood.”
The idea first came to light in June when CSNC had a meeting focused on reinvigorating the merchants district, which is plagued with vacancies and a lack of organization. That spark the formation of the new Merchant’s Group, but it also brought out the idea of the cultural district. A further discussion at the CSNC August meeting revealed “strong support” from the community.
Councillor Worrell said he has always been a fan of such a district in Codman Square, as it is “low hanging fruit” to help the community with community activations and even storefront improvement grants.
“I’m excited for this conversation and it’s something I’ve advocated for,” he said at an online organization meeting on Monday. “I’m glad to see there’s energy in organizing around this right now. I’m interested in how we put this together to make sure all the cultures here are represented and amplified.”
Mike Dockery, the president of the new Merchant’s Group, said they “are in full support of the effort.” Vicki Rugo of the Ashmont Adams Neighborhood Association said it was an “exciting idea” at this stage, and Jaronzie Harris – an artist and actress the Dorchester Weather troupe – said she also supports the initiative.
If the MCC responds favorably to the LOI, the Partnership Team will begin working with city and state assistance on the application – also soliciting help from other cultural districts like Boston Little Saigon. The Partnership Team will also be developing goals for the district, creating a plan, and figuring out how to assess success.
Likewise, the boundaries of the district would have to be determined by the MCC and the Partnership Team. While they mimic the CSNC boundaries that extend to Dorchester Avenue, Blue Hill Avenue, Park Street and Gallivan Boulevard, the cultural district could be narrowed down to the business corridor area of Washington Street, Talbot Avenue, and Norfolk Street.
