Planning for Sustainable Development in Fields Corner
EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS: Introduction
THE PROJECT
This project is part of a course
entitled “Sustainable Development
Planning & Practice.” The goals of
the class are to have students work
with Viet-AID in developing a
sustainable development plan for
Fields Corner.
WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT?
Balancing current development
between economic, social and
environmental principles in ways that
benefit society now and in the future
Consideration of impacts that
traditional actions have on:
• Lasting economic development
• Resources (reduce, reuse, recycle)
• Social equity/fairness
PURPOSE OF THE EXISTING
CONDITIONS ANALYSIS
To analyze the neighborhood of Fields
Corner from four perspectives:
1. Demographics
2. Environmental Conditions
3. Industry Activity
4. Commercial Activity
Through this preliminary analysis, we
hope to identify potential sustainable
development goals, strategies, and next
steps in collaboration with Viet-AID.
Phase I project by the students of class 11.947, “Sustainable Development Planning & Practice,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Department of
Urban Studies & Planning – Spring 2004, in partnership with Viet-AID (Brian Cheigh, Pankaj Kumar, David Perkes, Heather Seyfang, Jeanne Zhijun Tan)
THE DATA
These numbers are from the
2000 US Census for five tracts:
916, 917, 920, 921, and 922.
Total population
= 22,672
% Males
= 48.3
% Females
= 51.7
Number of Households = 7037
Average Household Size = 3.22
Annual Income(in US $)
% of Population
Economic Status of Residents
100%
%of Households
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
White
Black
Below Poverty Level
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Asian
White
Black
Less than 10,000
30,000 to 59,999
Above Poverty Level
House Occupancy
Area of analysis
Number of Persons
3000
2500
2000
Number of Houses
Census 2000 data for Asian ethnic
groups in Boston shows that the
largest group was Chinese, nearly
44% in 2000, down from 55% in
1990. The second largest groups was
the Vietnamese, around 24% in 2000,
up from 16% in 1990. The growth of
the Vietnamese community in Boston
between 1990 and 2000 was around
128%. In Fields Corner, Vietnamese
population grew by 190% to comprise
around 87% of the Asian population,
which is around 15% of the total
population.
Asian
10,000 to 29,999
60,000 and above
Age Distribution
2000
1500
1000
500
1600
1200
800
400
0
White
0
Below 5
5 to 19
20 to 39
40 to 59
60 and
above
Age in Years
White
Black
Black
Owner Occupied
Asian
Asian
Other
Renter Occupied
Means of Transportation to work
50
40
Ability of Asians to Speak in English
%ofPopulation
800
Number of Persons
700
600
500
30
20
400
300
10
200
100
0
Not At All
Not Well
Not At All
Well
Well
Not Well
0
Very Well
Walk
Racial Composition
Very Well
Other
20%
100%
White
23%
Asian
15%
80%
60%
White
Black
No High School Diploma
HS Diploma
Asian
Car
Other
125
Black
42%
0%
Carpool
175
40%
20%
Public
Transport
% Change in Racial Composition
From 1990 to 2000
Education Levels
(of people 25 years and older)
%Change
% of Population
Vietnamese Language Speakers 2000
Planning for Sustainable Development in Fields Corner
EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS: Demographics
75
25
-25
White
Black
Asian
Other
Some College
-75
Source: US CENSUS, 2000
Phase I project by the students of class 11.947, “Sustainable Development Planning & Practice,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Department of
Urban Studies & Planning – Spring 2004, in partnership with Viet-AID (Brian Cheigh, Pankaj Kumar, David Perkes, Heather Seyfang, Jeanne Zhijun Tan)
Environmental
Protection Agency:
Reported Spills
BROWNFIELDS: Brownfields are sites
where prior use may have left the site
with hazardous substances, pollutants,
or contaminants (for example from
commercial activity), therefore
complicating its reuse.
Since 2000, 27 oil and/or
hazardous waste spills
were reported to the MA
Department of
Environmental Health
within our field study
area. Some of these sites
may be eligible for state
funding for
redevelopment under the
1998 Brownfields Act.
RECYLCING & WASTE STREAMS
• Several opportunities for recycling
and composting programs
• Need additional data for household
and commercial waste streams
OPEN SPACE
• 9 open spaces classified as parks,
community gardens or playgrounds
• Among lowest neighborhood ranking
for open space per 1000 children
Air Emissions
Toxic Release
Hazardous Wastes
Green space acres per 1000 children by
neighborhood
West Roxbury
South End
AIR AND WATER QUALITY
• Asthma rates are increasing for
Dorchester and Asian communities
• Attributable to emissions from
numerous types of business
• Contaminated runoff from oil leaks
and industry
N
Al
or
ls
th S W
to Ch
H D ou es
n/
Br ar le yde orc th B Rt
i g st P h e o o x
ht ow a s st bu
on
n r k ter on ry
Planning for Sustainable Development in Fields Corner
EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS: Environment
South Dorchester
South Boston
Roxbury
Roslindale
North Dorchester
Mattapan
Jamaica Plain
0
50
100
150
200
Hyde Park
Fenway/Kenmore
Acres per 1000 Children
East Boston
Charlestown
Central
Back Bay/Beacon Hill
Allston/Brighton
TRANSPORTATION
• High concentration of auto trips
• High daily ridership on T and Route
17 Bus
• Pedestrian activity is not emphasized
Phase I project by the students of class 11.947, “Sustainable Development Planning & Practice,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Department of
Urban Studies & Planning – Spring 2004, in partnership with Viet-AID (Brian Cheigh, Pankaj Kumar, David Perkes, Heather Seyfang, Jeanne Zhijun Tan)
Fields Corner Commercial Area
STREET-SCAPE OF MAIN
STREETS DISTRICT
•
•
•
•
•
•
Poor street image
Lack of pedestrian activities
Lack street cleaning
Public ‘eyes’ for safety
Dangerous for pedestrian traffic
Car dependent, but lacking parking
Area of
Analysis
!(
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!(
!( !(!((!
!(!
( !(
!(!(
!(!(
Legend
!(
(!!(
Viet_own
FC_Green_Land
(!!(
residential area
Commercial area
!(
Parking
CM
Institutional
!(
!(
!(
Institution
Industrial
1 Fam ily Residential
2 Fam ily Residential
FIELDS CORNER MAIN STREETS
AREA COMMERCIAL ANALYSIS
3 Fam ily Residential
Apartment
M ix use
RL
Overrepresented types of businesses:
• Building Materials/Hardware
• Financial/Insurance/Real Estate
Underrepresented types of businesses:
• Food Supply/Supermarket
• Food Services
0
187.5
375
750
FC_sensus_BG
Meters
1,500
1,125
Data Sources: U.S. census 2000 and Boston Assessor’s Office
Compare with Typical Neighborhood Shopping Center
Medical and dental
Insurance
Finance company
Banks
Nail salon
VIETNAMESE BUSINESSES IN THE
MAIN STREETS AREA
Business Type
•
•
•
•
Videotape rentals
Family based/small businesses
25% of total establishments (36/143)
13% of total commercial lease area
2% of total sales
Unisex hair(barber salon)
Dry cleaner
Women’s hair salon(Beauty salon)
Drugstore/pharmacy
Liquor/wine
Gifts/Specialty
Clothing and Accessories
Food Service
food
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Percentage of establishments
Map of Zip Code 02122
Typtical Neighborhood Shopping Center
Fields Corner has the most concentration of
commercial establishments in the Zip Code.
Economic Activity
Local
Industry
4 dominant sources of economic activity:
Food services, health care and social services,
construction, auto-related businesses, and
financial services businesses.
Source: U.S. Census, County Business Patterns - 2001
Estimation of
Total Employment
Number of
Establishments
Food
Services,
15.49%
Health Care
and Social
Services,
9.41%
All Others,
43.14%
Heavy industrial activity occurs near Fields
Corner as a result of ‘Local Industry’ zoning.
Auto-Related
Businesses,
10.98%
Commercial
Areas
Financial and
Insurance
Services,
10.20%
Total Number of Establishments: 510
Food
Services,
16.17%
All Others,
38.85%
Construction,
10.78%
Financial
and
Insurance
Services,
5.75%
Health Care
and Social
Services,
16.79%
Auto-Related
Businesses,
11.50%
Construction,
10.94%
Located in the ‘Local Industry’ section
ANALYSIS OF ZIP CODE 02122
(Larger Region Analysis)
Fields Corner
Alsen Maples Industrial Park
Planning for Sustainable Development in Fields Corner
EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS: Economic
Total Estimated Employment: 5981
Phase I project by the students of class 11.947, “Sustainable Development Planning & Practice,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Department of
Urban Studies & Planning – Spring 2004, in partnership with Viet-AID (Brian Cheigh, Pankaj Kumar, David Perkes, Heather Seyfang, Jeanne Zhijun Tan)
Planning for Sustainable Development in Fields Corner
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: Key Findings and Frameworks
KEY FINDINGS FROM THE
EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORKS
Business
Framework
DEMOGRAPHIC
• High dependency on automobiles for transit
• High rate of employment in the health care sector
among residents
• Ethnic diversity and wide range of incomes
• Relatively low educational attainment
• Significant numbers of Vietnamese in the region
• Significant amounts of community based
organizations
MIT
ENVIRONMENTAL
•
•
•
•
•
Area may have significant numbers of brownfields
Lack of open space, but two large parks in the area
Lack of pedestrian orientated pathways
High asthma rates
Current heavy industrial activity and auto-related
commercial activity
• High automobile traffic in the area despite presence
of mass transit
• Occupational health issues in auto-related,
beauty/nail salons, heavy industry
Sustainable
Development
Plan for
Fields Corner
ECONOMIC
• High employment opportunities in the health care
and social services sector
• Lack of certain business typically found in shopping
Centers
• Vietnamese businesses represent disproportionately
small market share
• Vietnamese businesses are primarily small, family
run businesses
• Heavy industrial activity
• Cluster industries in health care and social services,
and auto-related businesses
Viet-AID
Making sustainable
development a cornerstone of
business practices to enhance
economic development as
well as environmental
sustainability.
Social
Framework
Creating and nurturing greater
social linkages within the
Fields Corner community
between all stakeholders –
residents, employees,
businesses, community
organizations, and visitors.
Mobility
Framework
Enhancing the mobility in and
around the Fields Corner
community that will enhance a
sense of responsibility,
openness, and vitality.
Local Industry
Framework:
A Long Term Strategy
Phase I project by the students of class 11.947, “Sustainable Development Planning & Practice,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Department of
Urban Studies & Planning – Spring 2004, in partnership with Viet-AID (Brian Cheigh, Pankaj Kumar, David Perkes, Heather Seyfang, Jeanne Zhijun Tan)
Planning for Sustainable Development in Fields Corner
OPTIONS FOR NEXT STEPS: 3 Sustainability Frameworks
Business Focus
Mobility Focus
Social Focus
This option focuses on the current commercial
assets of the Fields Corner neighborhood.
This option focuses on altering how people move
around Fields Corner.
This option focuses on social networks and
activities in Fields Corner.
End Goal & Vision:
End Goal & Vision:
End Goal & Vision:
Improve sustainability of Fields Corner by
focusing on the commercial assets of the
neighborhood. By making sustainable
development a cornerstone of business practices
we hope to enhance economic development as
well as environmental quality goals.
Improve sustainability of Fields Corner by enhancing
mobility in and around the community through
design improvements, promoting pedestrian-friendly
activities, and introducing alternative means and
purposes of travel.
Improve sustainability of Fields Corner by creating
and nurturing greater social linkages within the
Fields Corner community between all stakeholders
– residents, employees, businesses, community
organizations, visitors, etc.
Objectives:
Objectives:
Objectives:
• Help Vietnamese business realize market
potential and opportunity
•Increase sense of business owners’
responsibility as members of community
• Introduce best practices for sustainable
development for specific business types
• Increase networks between related businesses
to attain sustainable development and economic
development goals
•Improve links between business owners,
employees, residents, and other businesses
Implementation Actions:
• Leverage new design of T station to increase nonauto modes of transportation
• Identify and eliminate the barriers and sense of
division that prohibit community building
•Increase walking, cycling and transit use as modes
of transportation
•Tap into underutilized social assets of
neighborhood
• Increase sense of openness, safety, access, and
comfort by enhancing pedestrian-orientated
activities
• Increase pedestrian traffic, creating a sense of
community, increasing public safety, and
promoting business and local social activity
• Partner with local businesses to target and
increase pedestrian customer base
• Work with the huge youth population to ensure
their linkages with the larger community
• Increase linkages between local
residents/employees, and the commercial
district/major employers
• Increase community pride, sense of place, and
joint responsibility for working towards sustainable
development
Implementation Actions:
• Environmental best practices
• More pedestrian friendly streetscapes
• Employee well-being best practices
• Eliminate barriers to pedestrian flows, and
promote events, actions, structures that enhance
pedestrian flows
• Business association for sharing resources and
information
• Spread information to Vietnamese-owned
businesses throughout greater Boston area
• Engage businesses/property owners to improve
facades and increase business hours
• Market Fields Corner as an accessible and friendly
destination
Implementation Actions:
• Engage large youth population to improve
community (murals, festivals, etc.)
• Social festivals & expansion of existing cultural,
social, and/or commercial activities
• Social assets directory
• Increase the collaborative capacity of the
numerous community based organizations and
service providers in the neighborhood
Phase I project by the students of class 11.947, “Sustainable Development Planning & Practice,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Department of
Urban Studies & Planning – Spring 2004, in partnership with Viet-AID (Brian Cheigh, Pankaj Kumar, David Perkes, Heather Seyfang, Jeanne Zhijun Tan)