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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