Reconnecting the East Boston Waterfront

By Ian Ramey

The Mark at DeNormandie Wharf is a 107-unit residential building along the East Boston waterfront on the site of the former Hodge Boiler Works. The project reserved over two-thirds of the site for a series of public and semi-private open spaces designed by Copley Wolff, a landscape architecture firm based in Downtown Boston.

When the project was initiated in 2016, the East Boston waterfront was in the midst of a major transformation which included the creation of new parkland; the addition of large, multi-family housing communities; and the rapid expansion of the East Boston Harborwalk. A component of the larger Boston Harborwalk, the East Boston Harborwalk is a multi-modal path that will eventually create a 43-mile waterfront route connecting East Boston to Dorchester.

accommodate a jog in the Harborwalk entry/exit points as you move through the site. The curving form of the path stands in juxtaposition with the hard, linear edge of the existing wharf providing unfettered access through the site while creating a series of subspaces that invite pedestrians to stop and linger.

These spaces include The Point, a gently shielded overlook space which takes advantage of the corner of the existing wharf edge. The Point provides a refuge from the bustle of activity on the Harborwalk to absorb the truly unparalleled views of Downtown Boston and the Zakim Bridge.

DeNormandie Wharf included one of the last unbuilt sections of the East Boston Harborwalk. The importance of this connection to the community was reinforced during the two-year public process which included meetings with BPDA and community organizations which resulted in a call for both the closing of the Harborwalk gap and the creation of a site plan that prioritized publicly-accessible significant open space along the waterfront.

The landscape design addresses both of the goals revealed during the public process, unfolding in two directions –parallel to the waterfront through the creation of the Harborwalk link and sectionally from the water’s edge to Sumner Street.

Within the site, the Harborwalk alignment takes a curvilinear form to

A stage and tiered viewing area for observing performances are nestled into the slope and act as part of the resiliency-based grading strategy that transitions pedestrians to the elevated publicly-accessible open space. Broken down into easily negotiable vertical rises, the project ultimately makes up 7 feet of grade change between the existing harbor walk grade and habitable first floor level and courtyard, which were set above the 2070 design flood elevation identified in the Climate Boston Guidelines.

At the building level, the Waterfront Terrace includes a series of gathering spaces for the public, as well as a planted amenity deck for residents. Within the public portion of the terrace, an open flexible plaza space is provided to accommodate small community events, while an elevated deck structure provides a harbor overlook as well as spill-out space for the planned restaurant tenant. A curved pergola structure with a seat wall is nestled into native seaside plantings to deliver a shaded space for the public. The public are welcomed to the Waterfront

Terrace via a tree-lined sidewalk and monumental stair and accessible ramp.

The planting palette is 100% native to Suffolk County, Mass. and introduces nearly 40 unique species of shrubs and perennials. Plants were selected for their adaptability and salt-tolerance. Selections were orchestrated to provide continuous overlapping bloom periods for pollinator support and high habitat value for endemic fauna.

Fort Point Associates, environmental consulting; and Childs Engineering, marine engineering. Cranshaw Construction served as general contractor. Ian