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Reuse Plans for Boston’s Navy Yards and Military Bases: “Balanced Growth Reuse Strategies for Military Base Conversions,” Boston, USA, 1993-1996

Abstract

In 1993 and 1996, the Unit compiled two urban planing reports for the reuse of decommissioned military bases and historic navy shipyards in Boston and South Boston, USA.

The first, “Balanced Growth Reuse Strategies for Military Base Conversions” (1993) was a Technical Assistance and Research and Evaluation lead by Dr. Francois Vigier (The Unit, Chairman of the Department of Urban Planning and Design) with Victor W. Karen (City of Boston’s planning and redevelopment agency). The undertaking was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA). The EDA in turn supported the Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) to assist communities through the military base decommissioning process and transition to civilian life.

The report presented urban planning approaches to harness the potential social and economic reuse of U.S. military bases scheduled for closure. Forts included Fort Devens, MA: An army base in a rural setting (c. 1996); Charleston Navy Yard, SC: A navy facility in an urban setting; and Lowry Air Force Base, CO: An air force installation in a suburban setting. (2.3 Capsule Project Description).

Local professionals were consulted for the study, including leading educators and urban planning experts in the Boston area from the mid-1990s: Robert W. Rush (Director of Economic Development for the City of Springfield, MA); James English (Project manager for a private sector biotechnology for Charlestown Navy Yard); Paul Van Dien Davis (Private sector real estate manager for Charlestown Navy Yard’s developer); William Poorvu (Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Harvard Business School); and Alan Altshuler (Ruth and Frank Stanton Professor of Urban Policy and Planning at the Graduate School of Design and Kennedy School of Government and Director of the A. Alfred Taubman Center for State and Local Government) – circa. 1996.

The second report, “Reuse Strategies for Military Base Conversions (1996)” was authored by the Unit, led by Dr. Vigier (former Charles Dyer Norton Professor of Regional Planning, Harvard University), and Edward Robbins (Lecturer in Urban Design). Documents include an Executive Report, a Summary Report, and Main report. The strategy addressed four points of value in the specific case of Boston’s base zones: historic value, regional economic trends, investment for economic growth, and the centralization of a community input process in the formulation of a closure strategy for Boston’s bases. Overall, this pair of reports are excellent models of the Unit’s early style of professional urban planning.

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year1993-1996
Project Type:Technical Assistance
Geographic Regions:Charlestown Navy Yard and Marine Industrial Park, Boston, Massachusetts, USA / (Formerly) Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado, USA / (Formerly) Fort Devens, Massachusetts, USA / (Formerly) Griffiss Air Force Base, New York, USA / (Formerly) Charleston Naval Complex, South Carolina, USA
Reports:
Balanced Growth Reuse Strategies for Military Base Conversions: (Vigier, December 1993)

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Reuse Strategies for Military Base Conversions: (Executive Summary, 1996)


Reuse Strategies for Military Base Conversions: (Summary Report, December 1996)


Reuse Strategies for Military Base Conversions: (Main Report, December 1996)

Authors:Dr. Francois Vigier (the Unit); Victor W. Karen; Edward Robbin; Robert W. Rush; James English; Paul Van Dien Davis
Sponsors:Economic Development Administration (ESA), U.S. Dept. of Commerce Development Administration
Categories:Urban Finance
  
ID:1996_12_001

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The Redevelopment of Charleston Navy Yard, Boston Case Study, 2001


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Reuse Plans for Boston’s Navy Yards and Military Bases: “Balanced Growth Reuse Strategies for Military Base Conversions,” Boston, USA, 1993-1996

City of Boston’s “Neighborhood Partnership Initiative” & “Main Street Program,” Urban Revitalization for Roslindale and West Roxbury, Boston, United States, 1997

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“City of Szczecin Capital Improvement Program,” Case Studies for Technical Assistance Program, Szczecin, Poland, 1996

Abstract

As part of USAID’s 1996 Local Government Assistance Program for technical assistance, the Unit for Housing and Urbanization collaborated with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI International) to prepare capital improvement program for the city of Szczecin, Poland.

The program emphasized linking land management strategies to the provision and financing of infrastructure. The development of public/private partnership identified in the strategy documents included methods of packaging projects in order to build rehabilitation and neighborhood improvements.

This technical assistance project was later used to prepare a teaching case for an Executive Seminar on Urban Planning and Local Economic Development taught in Iasi, Romania on March 20-23, 2001, organized by the GSD in association with the Research Triangle Institute, and as part of the USAID Local Government Assistance Program. Documents include case studies and 5 tables containing detailed outlines of strategic goals.


[Excerpt: The Capital Improvement Program, City of Szczecin: (Case Study), page 7]

“Supportive Policies and Strategies: A series of strategy documents within key development sectors were produced and used as a guide for the development of the capital investment plan. These include:

● A renovation strategy for commercial and residential buildings in city center;
● A housing policy for the entire city.
● Master Plan for central heating;
● Master Plan for waste management;
● Master Plan for water supply and sewage management.

“Other reports and studies pertaining to the Capital Investment Program (CIP) included transport studies for Szczecin and an analysis of the city’s regional and macro-regional functions and responsibilities. The reports have generated a valuable database outlining the range of investment requirements in individual sectors. These reports also formed the basis for a more extensive review of the Conditions and Directions Of Urban Planning for The City of Szczecin and a City Development Strategy.”

“These reports identified investment priorities that would promote balanced development for the city. The most important of them will be the specifications of investment projects graded according to their priority. Together, these Strategies and Master Plans provide analysis of effective sectoral management methods for the city.”

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:1996
Project Type:Technical Assistance
Geographic Regions:Szczecin, Poland
Reports:






Authors:John Driscoll; Mona Serageldin;
Sponsors:RTI International; USAID
Categories:Informal Settlements and Urban Upgrading
  
ID:1996_06_002

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