A Safe, Lively, Unified, and Well-resourced Four Corners Commercial District
FOUR CORNERS COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
team would like to express our gratitude to those who supported the creation of this report and contributed to our understanding of Four Corners and planning processes in the Boston area. In particular, we would like to thank:
owners, organizations, and residents who joined our community workshops and contributed their ideas and feedback;
shared their perspectives through conversations:
Foreword
We entered this project with the goal of collaborating with Four Corners Main Streets to better understand how to revitalize the commercial district in the wake of COVID-19 and decades of underinvestment. We hope that this final report will offer helpful analysis and actionable strategies that build upon existing work in the area.
We know that planners have caused significant harm in low-income, Black, and brown communities like Four Corners and that we are affiliated with MIT as students. We recognize that this institution has room to grow in becoming more accountable to communities. In doing this project, we have strived to honor community knowledge and leadership and focus on the existing assets in the neighborhood instead of building a narrative focused solely on challenges. We also ensured that our final product celebrates the diverse experiences and perspectives we heard in our work in Four Corners.
Our nine-person team also brings a wide variety of perspectives to this project. For some of us, this represents the continuation of years of local planning work, and for others of us, this is our first foray into the complexity of planning at the neighborhood scale. Before beginning this Masters program, we were organizers, students, lawyers, advocates, funders, and consultants. We also bring experience from the cities we originally call home: Manila, Mexico City, New York City, San Francisco, Austin, TX, Eugene, OR, and, here in Massachusetts, Boston and Dover. Six of us moved to the Boston area for our Masters program, and three of us have lived here for many years. None of us are from Dorchester or have lived in the neighborhood, and we recognize that this lack of local knowledge has inevitably shaped the product we have created.
We are grateful for the many people who spoke with us and shaped our understanding of the complex dynamics at play in Four Corners. It has been a meaningful learning experience. We do not believe there is a single path to a more thriving commercial district. However, we hope our recommendations can spark further conversations that support just and equitable economic development.
Thank you for reading this report, especially those of you in the Four Corners community. Your commitment to the area will be instrumental in making pieces of this vision a reality. We hope you will move forward and adapt what is helpful and leave behind that which is not.
Onwards!
About the Project
This report represents work that stems from the partnership between graduate students in MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning and Four Corners Main Streets as part of the Revitalizing Urban Main Streets practicum. Between September and December 2024, our team of nine students worked with Four Corners Main Streets’ executive director and board as well as business owners and other community partners to develop a menu of strategies to strengthen the Four Corners commercial corridor.
The purpose of the Revitalizing Urban Main Streets practicum is to explore opportunities for economic development and physical design interventions in support of a Main Streets commercial district in an urban setting. As a practicum course, it is meant to allow students to develop professional planning skills in a real-world setting while benefiting a client organization — in this case, Four Corners Main Streets.
Undertaking this project, it was important to us to respond directly to the concerns of both Four Corners Main Streets and the community partners we talked to throughout stakeholder engagement. We began the process with site visits and independent research and developed an initial set of priorities and strategies for feedback. We then had a series of conversations with business owners and community partners, through which we assembled a collective understanding of the Four Corners commercial district and a vision for what it could become.
Four Corners Commerical District
Summary of recommendations
Listening to the business owners and community partners who shared their time with us, we sought to identify strategies for the commercial district that could be implemented immediately as well as more ambitious strategies for the future. Put together, they represent a way to realize the vision of a safe, lively, unified, and well-resourced
Four Corners commercial district.
• Create a safer and distinctive intersection at Washington and Harvard
• Employ local artists to consult on opportunities to add memorability
• Explore options to improve sidewalk lighting along Washington Street. Safe
• Work with the City and developers to attract new businesses attending to the residents’ needs
• Advocate for a mix of space sizes in new developments
• Improve the curb and parking to support the businesses’ needs
• Activate empty space for community gatherings and boost local foot traffic Lively
Unified
• Develop neighborhood champion(s)
• Build a core coalition that meets regularly
• Host regular corridor-wide convenings
• Provide regular updates to FC small business community
• Use the historic buildings as a tool to achieve bigger goals
Well-resourced
• Prioritize fundraising
• Tell a clear story of the Four Corners community and what FCMS provides.
• Develop materials for small business owners directing them to existing resources and individuals within the City
• Explore new private or corporate partnerships.
Four Corners Main Streets
A nonprofit organization and a commercial corridor
Founded in 1999, Four Corners Main Streets is a nonprofit organization supporting a vibrant commercial district in Dorchester’s Four Corners neighborhood. As a Main Streets organization, its priority is to support the needs and growth of local small businesses. The organization frames its work around small business development as well as placemaking, jobs, and transit, with the goal of fostering a healthy and engaged community.
Corners
Demographics and history
Four Corners has served as a landing ground for generations of newcomers to Boston. Once a largely Jewish community, the neighborhood is now predominantly home to African American, Puerto Rican, and Caribbean families. Four Corners’ rich cultural heritage is reflected in the dozens of immigrant-owned businesses along the corridor.
Four Corners is located in Dorchester, just north of Codman Square. The Four Corners commercial district lies along Washington Street, extending from Columbia Road to Park Street. Our work and the work of Four Corners Main Streets is primarily focused on the businesses along this corridor.
Historically, auto repair shops lined Washington Street due to its location as a transitional area between neighborhoods. Since then, commercial uses have diversified to include a range of hair salons, restaurants, and more.
Four Corners was deeply impacted by redlining and housing discrimination throughout the 20th century, leading to decades of underinvestment. More recently, new housing and businesses have indicated interest in the neighborhood.
The strategies outlined in this report seek to help Four Corners business owners and residents shape incoming development or investment in a way that serves the neighborhood they envision.
Source: 2020 Census Data, 2024 ESRI projections
Land Use
Land Uses
Land in and surrounding FCMS has a wide variety of uses, shaping the district’s character. This includes a wide variety of residential buildings (left), from single-family homes and triple-deckers to condominiums and other larger apartment complexes. There are also a variety of commercial and mixed-use buildings where various businesses are located (center). Additionally, there is a notable concentration of buildings with tax-exempt uses, which house the district’s many churches and community-based not-for-profit organizations.
Land use
Vacant Lots Foot Traffic “Heat Map”
Several parcels across the district currently sit empty, shaping the district’s feel.
Despite a handful of business clusters as indicated in the darker heat map circles, commercial businesses are dispersed across Washington Street and separated by vacant parcels, residential buildings, and other land uses. This creates a disjointed feel to the business corridor.
The “Heat Map” on the right reflects our sense of what pedestrian activity on the corridor might look like based on how land is used throughout the corridor. Later on, and shown in more detail in the “Lively” existing conditions section of the report, we verified our assessment of foot traffic through a more data-driven pedestrian model.
Recent and planned projects in and near Four Corners
Completed projects shown in color and approved or proposed projects shown in grey.
Housing developments in Four Corners
Upper Washington (2017)
330-336 Washington St
35 units affordable housing
Developed by VietAid
Four Corners Plaza (2025)
10 Bowdoin St.
35 units affordable housing
Developed by Codman NDC
2 Bowdoin Street (under review)
2-8 Bowdoin St.
22 housing units (4 affordable)
Proposed by Gary Webster
Boston is facing a housing crisis: Over half of renters in the city are rent-burdened (spending more than 30% of their income on rent), and housing is in short supply. In response, the City of Boston has prioritized supporting new housing and mixed-use development.
This development is happening across Boston, including Dorchester. In Four Corners, it is centered in the intersection between Washington, Harvard, and Bowdoin, which gives the district its name (pictured left).
New developments have the potential to provide affordable housing and increase the vibrancy of nearby commercial districts, but they also risk increasing costs and displacing existing residents.
Change is coming to Four Corners — now is a critical moment to shape how it changes and who these developments benefit.
Ownership of Change
Definition
1. “A sense of empowerment that occurs when the changes happening in your neighborhood align with the changes you think should be happening in your neighborhood.”[1]
2. Physical control of that which is changing
The Healthy Neighborhoods Study (HNS) is a resident-led study across nine communities in the Boston area, including Dorchester. It examines the health impacts of neighborhood change processes, including gentrification and climate change. The resident researchers’ definition above highlights the importance of community members in Four Corners shaping how changes occur in their neighborhood.
In addition to community organizing – a significant focus of HNS participants – who physically controls the land can shape how development occurs in that neighborhood. The map to the right shows which parcels of land in FCMS and surrounding areas are occupied by the people who own them (in green) and are owned by the City of Boston (in teal), and the map below shows the five largest landowners in this same area.
Four Corners as a safe, lively, unified, and well-resourced destination.
Defining Destination
We heard from partners and small businesses alike a desire for Four Corners to become a destination. This means that Four Corners is a place that people from outside the neighborhood want to visit and where residents of Four Corners feel excited and able to stay. Below are critical ingredients to help Four Corners embrace its emergent status as a destination.
Growing Four Corners into a Destination
Safe: Safety is critical to attracting customers and businesses alike. Expanded intersections and increased pedestrian lighting can help improve safety so that people feel drawn to visit and welcome to linger.
Lively: we heard a desire for Four Corners to return to being a place where you can meet all your needs without leaving the neighborhood. More diverse businesses and greater contiguity along Washington Street can help Four Corners feel like a hub and a distinct, cohesive commercial corridor. A lively Four Corners is also a place with high foot traffic, public places for gathering and leisure like restaurants and cafes, and street activation through community events, pop-up markets, and other programming.
Unified: despite the abundance of stakeholders in Four Corners, there is room for greater coordination to achieve common goals. A unified commercial district regularly convenes stakeholders within Four Corners and across the corridor to plan for and take action around economic development priorities. It also leverages the cultural and historical assets of the neighborhood to build a greater sense of place and pride for residents and visitors alike.
Well-resourced: a well-resourced commercial district means a Main Streets organization with ample capacity to support small businesses with the necessary funding to pursue their goals. Improved communication and identifying and championing a shared vision for the direction of the neighborhood can contribute to this sense of abundance.
A Safe Four Corners
A Safe Four Corners
What We Heard
Safety is a Top Concern
While one stakeholder we spoke with indicated that Four Corners is safer than ever, others commented on the lingering impact of recent crimes on public perception of safety and the need for an improved feeling of safety near the commuter rail station entrance. Addressing safety challenges goes hand in hand with promoting a more lively commercial district.
Safety for pedestrians
We heard that interventions are needed to promote better pedestrian safety, especially at the intersection of Washington and Bowdoin streets.
Lighting
Small businesses and partners alike expressed a desire for improved street lighting throughout Washington Street that illuminates pedestrians’ paths. Streetlights can promote a feeling of continuity along the commercial corridor while increasing visibility and safety at night, mainly near crosswalks and major intersections.
Safety is Crucial for Small Business Success
Improving safety will have ripple effects, as it will attract customers from outside Four Corners and attract new businesses to the district.
Imagine a district that has ample lighting and where intersections are safe places to cross and gather
Proposed Strategies
Expanded curbs, improved signal timing, and street art all go hand in hand to slow traffic near major intersections, therefore transforming Four Corners’ namesake intersection into a place where people linger. Meanwhile, pedestrian friendly lighting can improve visibility and safety at night for residents to enjoy walking the corridor.
Create a more safe and memorable intersection at Washington x Harvard
Employ local artists to consult on opportunities to add memorability
Explore options to improve sidewalk lighting along Washington Street
Washington Street at night
Washington St and Bowdoin Ave Intersection
Existing Conditions: Traffic and Pedestrians Existing Conditions Perceptions of Crime
Pedestrian and Intersection Safety
Four Corners Main Street has two major intersections: Washington and Harvard Streets, and Washington and Erie Streets. Both are major thoroughfares for pedestrians, buses, and cars, but only cars are prioritized. Traffic slows the high-ridership 23 bus to Ruggles.
Traffic and Accidents
Since 2015, there have been at least 35 collisions at the two major intersections. 12 of these involved pedestrians [2].
There have also been numerous almost-collisions due to limited visibility of cars from Bowdoin Ave and the turning lane at Washington St.
Although overall rates of violent crime are dropping in the Four Corners neighborhood and Dorchester at large, several residents and business owners mention feeling unsafe at specific locations in the neighborhood. Community concerns around safety were particularly linked to areas near the Four Corners/Geneva Ave commuter rail station and segments along Washington Street with limited pedestrian lighting.
Crime impacts neighborhood safety, vibrancy, and activation. Unstable job opportunities, insufficient housing, and limited community systems of support all can place individuals in extraordinarily challenging circumstances where they may be more likely to commit a crime [3]. Communities with strong engagement opportunities for youths and vibrant civic organizations are often associated with lower crime rates [4].
Above: Several community members shared that they felt unsafe near the walkways next to the Commuter Rail station. Activating the adjacent lot with popups, improving pedestrian lighting, and partnering with community-based organizations are all strategies that can improve community safety.
Four Corners Main Streets can help foster a safe and crime-free neighborhood through the following actions:
→ Help local businesses to run a summer jobs program by connecting them with the Boston Office of Youth Employment.
→ Host family friendly pop-up events in vacant neighborhood spaces to foster community systems of support and hold safe gathering activities at night (p40)
→ Convene safety-focused networking events to connect local business and civic leaders with violence prevention organizations, such as the Boston Public Health Commission’s Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative and Safe and Successful Youth Initiative.
→ Invite Boston Public Schools high school students to work for your organization as paid summer or yearround interns through the SuccessLink Program.
→ Improve street design and lighting to help people feel safer and encourage lively nighttime pedestrian activity (p27)
These activities fall within the scope of a Main Streets’ organizations: Bowdoin-Geneva Main Streets and Ashmont Main Streets host monthly and bi-annual safety meetings respectively, and are engaged in community-based safety activities.
Proposed Strategy: Intersection Redesign
We propose a step-by-step approach to improving pedestrian experience at the main Four Corners intersection, primarily through curb extensions.
Asphalt art ($) can help extend visible curbs and make an intersection visually appealing. Local companies or SherwinWilliams can sponsor paint. A local artist can design the art, or there can be a participatory event where residents draw their ideas of what the intersection could look like. Painting the intersection could help engage residents and business owners in a multiweek event.
Restricting access to Bowdoin Ave to specific days/times ($)
After speaking with residents, we noticed that Bowdoin Ave has been a consistent source of almost-collisions. We suggest restricting the street to pedestrians while still allowing street parking in place. This can be achieved through a mix of physical infrastructure (planters) and asphalt art.
Planters ($$) can be physical deterrents to prevent cars from overshooting driving lanes and move into the curb extensions. They also increase the intersection’s visual respite and provide additional greenery and cooling to paved areas.
Signal walk timing ($$$) would prioritize pedestrians over cars at the intersection. Installing new signals would require the help of engineers and experts and capital costs. This is an intensive long-term improvement and would require technical support from the City of Boston’s Transportation Department.
When we combine all these interventions together, Four Corners Main Streets is one step closer to a safe, memorable intersection that prioritizes pedestrians.
Potential Partners
To make this intersection improvement a reality, we have identified key partners and their contact information.
Partner Purpose Website Contact Information
Bloomberg Asphalt Art Program Funding up to $100,000 and technical support in service of the following goals:
→ Improving street and pedestrian safety
→ Revitalizing and activating underutilized public space
→ Promoting collaboration and civic engagement in local communities
Artists for Humanity
Training organization for teens in NYC and Boston towards creative expression and careers in culture and STEM. They could help to identify and train a young local artist to design the intersection
Grant Webpage https://asphaltart.bloomberg. org/grants/
Asphalt Art Safety Study https://assets.bbhub.io/dotorg/ sites/43/2022/04/Asphalt-ArtSafety-Study.pdf
Email arts@bloomberg.org
Grant application https://apply.bloomberg.org/ submit
At the busy intersection of Columbia and Monroe Streets in Passaic, New Jersey, there were 32 car crashes (including three involving pedestrians and one involving a cyclist) between January 1, 2020, and April 1, 2023. The city has installed a new asphalt art project at the intersection, including colorful curb extensions to shorten crosswalks and a mural in the center of the intersection to emphasize that the area is not only for cars but also for pedestrians and cyclists [5].
City of Boston Transportation Department Technical and infrastructural assistance with installing and testing signal walk timing
https://www.boston.gov/departments/transportation
Vision Zero visionzero@boston.gov
Department btd@boston.gov
A successful demonstration project revealed that 95% of residents wanted a more permanent art installation to address safety issues.
Neighborhood
Columbia Avenue & Monroe Street
Passaic, New Jersey
Lead Partners
City of Passaic
EZ Ride Cost Design: $3,000
Labor: $14,802
Materials: $7,198
In Kind: $5,000 (supplies, professional services)
Funding
Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art
Number of residents engaged
575
Materials
Paint, Shark Grip Additive and Sealer Delineators from Sherwin-Williams
Square Footage of Artwork 4 248
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Friendship Community Group and the City of Pittsburgh collaborated to redesign a five-way intersection adjacent to Baum Grove, a parklet frequently used for community events. By extending the sidewalks, adding crosswalks, and adjusting the placement of stop signs, the team transformed the challenging intersection into a pedestrian—and cyclist-friendly space [6]. Neighborhood
Friendship Neighborhood Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Lead Partners
Friendship Community Group
City of Pittsburgh Department of Mobility and Infrastructure
City of Pittsburgh Community Planning
Cost
Design: $15,000
Labor: All volunteer
Supplies: $10,000
Funding
Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art
Materials
Duration Latex Paint, Sealer, Shark Grip slip resistant additive, Primer from Sherwin-Williams
Square Footage of Artwork
6 000
Proposed Strategy: Pedestrian-Level Lighting
Community members expressed that insufficient lighting made it difficult to feel safe walking around Four Corners, especially at night.
The image above depicts what Washington Street could look like with improved pedestrian-level lighting. By implementing the following changes, the corridor could be a bright and welcoming place for both cars and pedestrians to move through. Similar streetlights have already been implemented in other parts of Boston, such as Nubian Square.
PRECEDENT: NUBIAN SQUARE
→ Decreased distance between light posts: The City of Boston recommends 75’–90’ between lights, while in Four Corners, some light posts are closer to 100’ apart [7].
→ Additional pendant lights for the sidewalk: Light posts that include another light at a lower level facing the sidewalk can increase light levels and overall safety.
A
Lively Four
Corners What We Heard
Contiguous Corridor
Businesses along Washington Street are dispersed and separated by residential buildings and vacant lots. A more continuous business corridor along Washington Street can make the commercial district feel like a distinct hub.
Diverse Business Mix
Stakeholders shared that Four Corners used to be a place where all personal needs could be met, but now people go elsewhere, like neighboring Codman Square. For instance, there used to be multiple large grocery stores, a dry cleaner, a bank, and other establishments. We heard a strong desire for more varied and unique businesses catering to different needs, including basic necessities and leisure.
Foot Traffic
Multiple food establishments we spoke with indicated that they rely heavily on food delivery services to maintain business due to the low foot traffic in the neighborhood.
Community Programming and Gathering Spaces
A Lively Four Corners
Stakeholders want to see more “third spaces” where people can gather, such as cafes, sit-down restaurants, and watering holes. Additionally, they desire more street activation through community events involving food and music.
Cluster of businesses on Erie and Washington streets
Climate Justice / Urban Agriculture Fair
a district that has ample lighting and where intersections are safe places to cross and gather
Proposed
Strategies
Activating vacant lots creates a sense of contiguity within the district. Meanwhile, creating a welcome environment for more unique new businesses and making parking improvements to increase access to existing businesses can create a thriving commercial district that raises foot traffic and brings in customers from near and far.
Work with the City and developers to attract new businesses that match residents’ needs
Advocate for a mix of space sizes in new developments
Improve the curb and parking to support the needs of businesses
Activate empty space for community gatherings, boosting local foot traffic
Businesses within the boundaries of the Four Corners Main Streets district
Types of businesses Number of businesses by type
Barber shops and hair salons are by far the most common types of businesses in FCMS. Along the main street, there are also a significant number of food establishments, both restaurants and grocery stores, and auto repair stops. People we spoke with expressed appreciation for the existing businesses but also a desire for a broader array of business types in their community.
Proposed Strategy: A More Diverse Business Mix
It is true that it is a challenge to attract particular types of businesses to a given area, particularly in the current retail market in the wake of the pandemic. However, as investment continues to grow in the district, below are pathways to target desired tenant types:
1. Collaborate with the City and developers to attract business types that do not already exist in the area, beginning with those that a significant fraction of area residents might utilize, like sit-down restaurants or banks.
2. As part of Squares and Streets engagement, support zoning changes that promote mixed-use development and/or new retail uses.
3. Encourage entrepreneurs to participate in incubators like Commonwealth Kitchen to enable their growth.
4. When new developments with first-floor commercial space are built, advocate to include smaller spaces to make leases accessible to a broader variety of businesses.
Existing Conditions: Curb Management
During the mid-semester workshop, participants shared concerns about parking and how the curb is used. They stressed the ways the current system is challenging for their customers and can limit the number of patrons at their establishment
1. Crosswalks
Few crosswalks and crosswalks with misaligned signal timings discourage people from walking to businesses and events.
2. Bus Stop Locations
Buses struggle to stop and merge into traffic, making it difficult for buses and cars alike to enter and leave the district.
3. Parking
Currently, the corridor has two setups — unregulated parking and two-hour parking that is not enforced. This makes it challenging to pick up an order at a restaurant or to park for longer visits to hair salons or other appointments. Additionally, residents reported that auto body shops leave cars for long periods of time on the street, and there is not adequate enforcement.
Top: Fields Corner Main Street (Renee DeKona Photography)
Left: Commonwealth Kitchen
Right: BPDA image describing Squares and Streets
Proposed Strategy: Reimagining the Curb
Streets and curbs are spaces that all people in Four Corners share - residents, visitors, children, and drivers. A few small interventions to curb and parking spaces can make a big difference in creating a safe, fun, and lively business corridor.
Reimagining the curb: Relocating loading zones
Relocating bus dropoff and pickup zones out of intersections helps prevent traffic blockups, helping visitors, residents, employees, and delivery service staff access all parts of the corridor.
The 23 MBTA bus makes six pull-out stops along Washington Street in the Four Corners corridor. Four of these stops would benefit from modifications to the bus loading zones and curbs. Across the corridor, we recommend keeping bus stops in-lane to facilitate traffic flow.
Relocating bus stops to the near side of an intersection (i.e. before a light) or mid-block may ensure that traffic is not stalled by a loading bus.
At two of intersections (Washington St. and Erie St. and Washington St. and Vassar St.), the bus loading and drop-off zones are in the middle of an intersection and between traffic lights. Pull-out bus stops make it difficult for buses to merge back into traffic, often adding to congestion.
Near Mother’s Rest, we recommend aligning the northbound and southbound mid-block loading zones and moving the stops in-lane. Adding curb extensions and crosswalks will make it easier for people of all ages to reach the park and bus shelter.
Painting crosswalks ($) reduces the risk of car and pedestrian accidents by over 25% [8]. Crosswalks also encourage people to explore new parts of the neighborhood, transforming streets into connectors rather than barriers.
Managing parking ($$) with meters may free up space for customers and discourage longterm car storage in commercial areas. Parking limits should be adjusted based on local business needs - i.e. 3 hour near salons and barbers.
Adding warm pedestrian lighting ($$$) can help people feel safer and more comfortable, encouraging more evening trips out.
Extending curbs ($$$$$) creates a neighborhood feel by reducing the distance people need to cross and by preventing high car speeds. These benefits are especially welcome for kids and people with disabilities who may face additional barriers to crossing large, busy roadways.
At the main Four Corners intersection, we recommend moving the bus stops before the intersection and adding curb extensions. This may require relocating the northbound bus shelter.
Top: An aerial image of two bus stops at Washington and Erie. Both stops fall inside intersections and slow traffic.
Bottom: A street view of the Washington @ Erie intersection near the commuter rail shows the current bus loading zone.
Location: Washington St. and Erie St., facing south towards the Commuter Rail Stop.
Proposed Bus Loading Zone Relocations for Four Stops Along Washington St (23 Bus)
Zooming Out: Curb Solutions Across the Corridor
Here, we have considered what a better parking and curb design could look like along Washington Street. This followed a close review of the current parking setup throughout the entire corridor.
Existing unregulated parking remains untouched
While specific stretches of the corridor are predominantly housing, others are primarily businesses and thus have different curb use needs.
15-min drop off zones
Enables some cars to still park for more extended periods, primarily in heavily residential stretches of Washington
For customers to easily reach businesses like Santo Domingo or Island style that primarily sell to-go orders
Wider sidewalks at key points
Make it safer to cross the street and keep bus riders from blocking sidewalks
Shift bus stop locations
Eases traffic caused by buses in key intersections
3-hr meters in current 2-hr zones
Meters help to encourage turnover and create space for more customers. The hourly price tailored to an amount appropriate for Four Corners
Looking north at 205 Washington
Potential partners
Here are several government and non-profit partners whose initiatives can help make these curb ideas a reality.
Partner Purpose Website Contact Information
Massachusetts Department of Transportation
The annual Streets and Spaces grant provides up to $250,000 for curb extensions, bus stop, and walkway improvements https://madothway.my.site.com/ GrantCentral/s/shared-streetspublic-overview
Application due Jan 13, 2025 (with municipal sponsorship)
Email sharedstreets@dot.state. ma.us
Existing Conditions: Vacant Lots
A series of vacant lots throughout the corridor contribute to gaps in street activity but also present an opportunity to bring desired activities to the corridor. FCMS has documented this challenge for many years on its website and in reports.
MBTA
City of Boston Transportation Department
The Better Bus Project includes varied initiatives to help support bus loading and dropoff changes or lighting near stops https://www.mbta.com/projects/better-bus-project
Can request that the Curb Management Team change drop off and loading zones or add meters. Can complete this form: https:// www.boston.gov/departments/ transportation/curb-management
Email betterbusproject@mbta. com
Email newmobility@boston.gov
Transit Matters
Walk Massachusetts
The NextGen Bus project improves safe circulation at bus stops for walkers & riders
Data Dashboard provides real time data for advocacy
Provides technical guidance with wayfinding systems and pedestrian safety implementation including lighting.
Data Dashboard: https://dashboard.transitmatters.org/
The NextGen program staff list personal emails on the webpage.
Manages a list of resources to help fund local walkway and sidewalk improvements.
Staff email addresses and meetings signup: https://walkmass. org/staff/
197 Washington Street city-owned vacant lot
FCMS is leasing 205 Washington (adjacent to the abovementioned lot). The city of Boston owns the lot next door, at 197 Washington.
While investment is growing in the corridor, there is an exciting opportunity to utilize either one or both lots for partnerships with peer organizations, Boston-based major companies, or neighborhood small business owners.
Data source: City of Boston Accessing Department Parcels (2023)
Potential Strategy: Night Market Empowering Local Entrepreneurs with Accessible Spaces
This rendering depicts a seasonal Caribbean Night Market at the same vacant lot, celebrating local culture and providing a lively community space. Key elements include:
→ Seating for Pedestrians: Benches and open areas encourage visitors to relax and enjoy local vendors’ food and beverages.
→ Shipping Containers for Retail: A mix of small and large containers serves as flexible spaces for food stalls, retail shops, and other vendor offerings, supporting a diverse marketplace.
→ Gravel Foundation: The gravel ground ensures maximum flexibility for temporary installations and events while minimizing costs.
→ Dynamic Cultural Celebration: The scene features a diverse group of attendees, highlighting the market’s cultural vibrancy and community-focused atmosphere.
→ Nightlife Appeal: This concept brings nightlife into the neighborhood by offering food, entertainment, and retail options in an outdoor evening setting, reducing the need for residents to travel elsewhere.
Local Partnership Activation
Celebrating Culture and Creating Local Nightlife
An
This rendering illustrates a proposed brandactivated space in partnership with New Balance at the 203-205 Washington St. lot in the Four Corners Commercial District, Boston. Key elements include:
→ Brand Partnerships for Community Events: Featuring New Balance branding, this space highlights the potential for collaborative events between local districts and global companies.
→ Shipping Containers for Pop-Up Spaces: The design incorporates small and large shipping containers, providing modular and customizable event spaces for showcasing merchandise or hosting community activities.
→ Portable, Lockable Merchandise Storage: Display panels and movable storage units ensure security and convenience for vendors..
→ Community Engagement: The setup invites residents to experience exclusive events without leaving their neighborhood, fostering local pride and participation.
An image of 203-205 Washington St, Dorchester, with our proposed vendor kiosks
image of 502-507 Washington St, Dorchester, with our proposed lot activation in partnership with New Balance
Vendor Kiosks: Night Market
Top: An image of 203-205 Washington St, Dorchester, with our proposed vendor kiosks. Bottom left: An image of Boston’s Little Saigon Market. Bottom Right: House of 7 Cafe mobile coffee cart and kiosk in Copley Sq.
The vacant lot in Dorchester offers a unique opportunity to support local entrepreneurs through a kiosk program. Inspired by CommonWealth Kitchen, this initiative could provide a low-risk platform for caterers and food trucks to test or expand their businesses, bringing new flavors and concepts to the community. A coffee stand, similar to the House of Seven at Shawmut Station, could also be established in the 203-205 Washington St. lot. This addition would serve commuters and locals, creating a welcoming, active space while fostering community connections.
A seasonal Caribbean Night Market could transform the lot into a dynamic destination, showcasing food vendors, art, and live entertainment. This event would celebrate local culture while offering residents a vibrant nightlife experience without leaving the neighborhood. Adding a beer or liquor garden in one of the vacant lots would provide a space for adults to enjoy, further enhancing the event’s appeal. The market could become a cornerstone for community gatherings, energizing Dorchester’s cultural and economic landscape.
Local Partnership Activation
In April 2018, New Balance launched the “1982” MADE 099v4, a limited-edition tribute to its original grey colorway. The company hosted pop-up shops in 15 cities worldwide, from Seoul to Berlin, to promote the release. However, despite being headquartered in Boston, the city was notably excluded from this global campaign, leaving local communities disconnected from the brand’s exclusive experience.
Boston, home to companies like Nike, Bose, Reebok, and Converse, offers a vibrant ecosystem for hosting high-profile brand events. Through a partnership that happens along Four Corners Main Street, New Balance or similar brands could create pop-up experiences in the Four Corners commercial district, providing residents with direct access to exclusive products. These events would eliminate the need to travel to retail hubs like Newbury Street or Brighton while showcasing Four Corners as a center for innovative, community-driven retail engagement.
Top: An image of 502-507 Washington St, Dorchester, with our proposed lot activation in partnership with New Balance Street.
Bottom left: An image of one 2-story shipping containers used in a New Balance Pop-up. Bottom right: An image of one shipping container pop-up.
A More Lively Corridor: Connecting the Pieces
Recommendations
Work with the City and developers to attract new businesses that match residents’ needs
Advocate for a mix of space sizes in new developments to enable a more diverse business mix
Activate empty space for community gatherings, boosting local foot traffic
Improve the curb and parking to support the needs of businesses
The City of Boston operates an online form where anyone can request changes to curb regulations, such as drop off zones or parking meters, in their area.
A Unified Four Corners
A Unified Four Corners What We Heard
Community-based organizations and small businesses shared an overarching desire for greater collaboration within Four Corners and across the corridor.
Siloing Within Four Corners
Multiple partners highlighted that district actors, including the various neighborhood associations, need to talk to each other more. We heard about the importance of having a few champions from the City and within Four Corners advocate for district priorities and more formalized collaboration structures that can support targeted economic development moving forward.
Siloing Between Corridors
Building on existing precedent for corridor-wide projects, there is interest in stronger collaboration between Codman Square and Four Corners. Stakeholders want these efforts to be sustainable and to include Four Corners in a genuine partnership.
Interest in Private-Public Partnerships
We heard excitement about the potential for Boston-based businesses like New Balance or Reebok to partner on programming or build out operations in Four Corners. Our strategy for private-public partnerships is listed under “Local Partnership Activation” within the Lively section (p43).
Limited Awareness About District History
Multiple Four Corners stakeholders expressed a general lack of awareness around the legacy of historic buildings in the neighborhood.
Codman Square and Four Corners
(Source: Boston Planning Department)
Imagine a main street corridor that has champions, strong partnerships, and takes pride in its history.
Proposed Strategies
Relationships form the bedrock of a thriving Four Corners commercial district. Advancing a unified plan will require a consistent vehicle for coordination within Four Corners and across the corridor. Meanwhile, creative strategies that bring in corporate partners and celebrate the history of Four Corners can shape the district’s image and grow a deeper sense of identity.
Develop neighborhood champion(s)
Build a core coalition that meets regularly
Host regular corridor wide convenings
Use the historic buildings as a tool to achieve bigger goals.
Explore new private or corporate partnerships
Historic Greenwood Memorial United Methodist Church
Existing Conditions: Commercial District Partners
To better understand the needs and priorities in the Four Corners commercial district, we met with twenty stakeholders. These included four small businesses and sixteen other stakeholders, ranging from community-based organizations in the district to city and regional actors engaging in specific development projects, advocacy, and technical assistance.
While some of the partners highlighted here have existing connections to each other (e.g., SnapChef and Daily Table, or Montserrat Aspirers and Greater Four Corners Action Coalition), there is still room for them to collaborate more proactively on shared economic development priorities.
Proposed Strategy: Champions and Collaboration
Coordination Within District
Building on the work of Greater Four Corners Action Coalition and others, Four Corners Main Streets should partner with local “anchor” institutions to consistently convene district actors interested in improving the commercial district. This coordinating body should host regular, substantive meetings for multiple purposes, such as developing strategy, implementation, and education. This body can be a central place for resident feedback and should aim to engage diverse stakeholders. Ultimately, this space can help foster trust, strengthen partnerships, improve coordination, and advance the goals of a thriving commercial district.
Coordination Between Districts
Four Corners Main Streets should co-convene regular meetings with other Main Streets organizations and commercial district actors across the corridor (i.e., Codman Square and Grove Hall). Through these meetings, participants can identify shared priorities and opportunities for collaboration while sharing best practices. Ultimately, these meetings allow the corridor to make decisions aligning future programming, streetscape improvements, development strategies, and more.
CHAMPION EXAMPLE: CODMAN SQUARE
Multiple stakeholders highlighted Bill Walczak, founder of Codman Square Health Center, as an example of a critical champion that helped to advance economic development priorities in neighboring Codman Square. Bill leveraged political connections and helped convene leaders regularly each week to develop a vision for economic development for the district and seek funding.
Bill Walczak, former Mayor Tom Menino, and key leaders (Source: Ed Forry | Dorchester Reporter)
Proposed Strategy: Leverage Historic Buildings
The number of buildings with historical designation in the district is a built-in asset that can be used as a tool to enrich the neighborhood by attracting capital investment, creating new spaces without the cost of new construction, and highlighting the rich history of this area.
Tours in Four Corners Commercial District
Historic Walking Tour
We have created a walking tour pamphlet that displays eight properties, pictured on the right. It is also in the annex in full size. This pamphlet can be used as the starting point to connect with tour companies and craft custom tours in the Four Corners area; this would benefit the district without the labor and burden of the Four Corners Main Streets organization, local neighbors, or volunteers having to run the tours yourselves or making an initial investment.
The walking tour pamphlet, available in English and Spanish, and a contact sheet with the information of a local Tour company that curates tours and takes tourists to learn the history of specific areas through their food, buildings, and landmarks (see Appendix) of neighborhoods of people of color have also been delivered to the organization.
Opportunities
→ Expose culinary businesses to new clients
→ Share history of the neighborhood and its community while creating a sense of pride
→ Create new partnerships with businesses outside the area
Greenwood Memorial United Method Church pictured in the background along a sign informing the undergoing Exterior Restoration and the funding sources
Walking tour pamphlet, version in English. Full version in the appendix.
Building preservation and renovations
Bullock Funeral Home
Prospectus
During the research process for the Historic Buildings in the corridor, we found buildings with incredible histories, relevant not only to the Boston Area but also, in particular, to the Black Community that is representative and predominant in this area.
The Bullock Funeral Home was chosen to create an example of promotional materials to be used and replicated to promote historic buildings seeking investment and partnerships. It was surprising to find out that the history of the building’s owners was one of resistance to racism in a primarily white neighborhood, entrepreneurship, community-building, and honor serving the country during World War II.
Promotional Material for Four Corners
Extra digital materials to promote historical buildings have been created for the organization. The materials contain building photographies, location, general information from the building and most importantly, the historic context that gives it significance and is the selling point for visitors and potential investors.
Opportunities
→ Creates new space available for businesses, housing, events, and other purposes at lower costs and shorter timelines than new constructions.
→ Repurpose existing buildings.
→ Prevent the dilapidation of existing buildings
→ Beautification of the area.
Bullock Funeral Home. 389 Washington S, Dorchester, MA 02124
Powerpoint promotional material. Full version in the appendix.
Promotional Material for Four Corners
We provide a list of successful examples of repurposing different buildings in the Boston area. The organization has also been provided with an array of building types, from bookstores to prisons, and turned them into spaces like hotels, restaurants, art spaces, firehouses, and mixed-use spaces that include affordable housing.
A Well-Resourced Four Corners
A Resourced Four Corners What
We Heard
Partners expressed a need for a comprehensive development vision that can catalyze district funding and generate targeted resources to support existing small businesses.
Greater City Accountability
Multiple stakeholders would like increased investment in local infrastructure and accountability from City agency.
Importance of a Clear Vision
A focused vision regarding the Four Corners commercial district’s direction can help galvanize action and secure future funding.
Frequent Communication
Small businesses are interested in more frequent check-ins with Four Corners Main Street and a centralized communication channel like a newsletter for regular, proactive updates about opportunities and events.
Imagine a well-resourced Four Corners Main Streets that can launch new programming and provide more services
Proposed Strategies
A focus on fundraising and a clear narrative of where the district is headed can help Four Corners Main Streets build capacity and attract greater resources. This can help Four Corners Main Streets offer increased technical assistance and regular communication with small businesses so they can pursue their own business goals.
Prioritize fundraising
Tell a clear story of the Four Corners community and what FCMS provides
Support with Accessing Funding
Small businesses are interested in expanded technical assistance to help them seek and apply for funding, including grants.
A Well-Resourced 4CMS Can Support a Resourced Commercial District
Develop materials for small business owners directing them to resources and individuals at the City
Provide regular updates to FC small business community
Existing Conditions
Resources for Four Corners Main Streets
Four Corners Main Streets largely relies on funding from the Boston Main Streets Foundation.
Four Corners Main Streets and the Board are interested in bringing in additional grants and sponsorships to the neighborhood but lack capacity to pursue.
Resources for Four Corners Small Businesses
Small businesses have diverse needs and barriers remain for many non-English speaking business owners to accessing small business support.
Telling Four Corners’ Story
Successful fundraising is built on similar principles across causes, and relies heavily on creating a narrative vision for your pursuit.
Four Corners
Four Corners Main Streets can leverage the neighborhood’s history and community in support of a vision, long-term goals, and specific activities.
HISTORY
Four Corners has seen generations of new Americans make Boston their home, with waves of immigration for the last 150 years. Irish, Italian, and Jewish immigrants in the early 1900s and now Caribbean and Spanish speaking immigrants call Four Corners home.
COMMUNITY
Visitors come from all over the city to get food and flavors they can’t get anywhere else in the city. The incredibly diverse population brings vibrancy to Boston.
VISION
Four Corners Main Streets can promote a vision for a safe, lively, unified, well-resourced destination that is ready for investment.
PRECEDENT: FIELDS CORNER
Fields Corner Main Streets focuses on telling the stories of residents and community in Boston’s ‘Little Saigon’ Cultural district. Online they advertise available commercial properties, maintains a restaurant guide, business director, and a business hub for local entrepreneurs, which highlight the unique cultural landscape in Fields Corner.
Source: Fields Corner Main Streets Website
Fundraising to increase capacity
Successful fundraising is built on similar principles across causes, and relies heavily on creating a narrative vision for your pursuit.
External Communications Strategy
Four Corners has talented, entrepreneurial residents, but there is a gap in access to financing and education on running a business that impacts local residents’ ability to open, sustain, and grow enterprises. Resources exist - but challenges to accessing these persist.
Fundraising for Four Corners
→ Annual fundraisers leveraging board members’ and volunteers networks.
→ Membership fees from local businesses or donors.
→ Sponsorships from small to medium sized businesses.
→ Work with elected officials to secure funding from the state budget.
PRECEDENT: ROSLINDALE MAIN STREETS
→ Yearly fundraising gala held locally
→ Secured earmarks from the state budget
→ Structured volunteer opportunities
→ Host ticketed and income-generating events
Roslindale Main Street Organization has been able to substantially increase their budget beyond the Boston Main Streets Foundation support through fundraising, sponsorships, grants, and other services. With three to four staff members they have the capacity to host regular events, a seasonal farmers market, holiday markets, and support local businesses.
Consider new communication channels Become a collaborator and convener
→ Create regular, multilingual communication with small business owners and neighborhood collaborators through low-cost methods including newsletters, listservs, or other online channels to share resources, opportunities, important public meetings, and 4CMS activities.
→ Leverage volunteers to maintain social media channels and support content creation.
→ Create regular opportunities for local small business owners to access resources in Four Corners from other partners, including Codman Square NDC, City of Boston Small Business specialists, incubators like Commonwealth Kitchen, and more to advise on business development, strategy, or financing.
→ Support the advertising of available commercial space and building connections with potential entrepreneurs.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Four Corners Main Streets can play a dynamic role in furthering a vision of Four Corners for equitable neighborhood growth.
Four Corners Main Streets is an important partner in supporting the neighborhood’s economic development goals and larger quality-of-life issues that impact residents everyday. No single organization can address all of a neighborhood’s challenges, and 4CMS is part of a rich tapestry of community based organizations with shared goals.
Recommendations in this report are the result of conversations with stakeholders, research, and analysis of existing conditions. This report focuses on economic development and design interventions to make Four Corners a destination. The goal of this report is not to implement every solution, but to provide 4CMS with strategies and precedents to investigate further and adapt for Four Corners. Four Corners residents are eager to support local small businesses and access all the amenities of this city closer to home.
We are cognizant that at the time of this report, the City of Boston’s Planning Department is beginning their work on the Square and Streets zoning and planning initiative. Four Corners community has an opportunity to collaborate on a shared vision for the neighborhood, and we hope these recommendations can offer inspiration and benefit future conversations between the community and city.
We are immensely grateful to Marcos Beleche, Four Corners Main Streets, and community leaders who gave us time and insights in developing this report. We are nine graduate students coming from an array of diverse backgrounds. We deeply appreciate this learning opportunity as we graduate and continue to work on issues of economic development and place-making.
Endnotes
1. PAGE 14 Binet, Andrew, Yael Nidam, Rebecca Houston-Read, César Garcia Lopez, Gabriela Zayas Del Rio, Dina Abreu, Carl Baty, et al. “Ownership of Change: Participatory Development of a Novel Latent Construct for Neighborhoods and Health Equity Research.” Social Science & Medicine 309 (September 2022): 115234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115234.
2. PAGE 20 2 Shannon, Larson, and Nickerson Scooty. “Boston Averages 1,900 Serious or Fatal Crashes per Year. Here Are the Most Dangerous Intersections. - The Boston Globe.” Boston Globe. Accessed December 9, 2024. https://www.bostonglobe. com/2024/10/22/data/boston-traffic-high-accident-intersections/.
3. PAGE 21 Housing Data Tool. “Crime Density: External Quality.” Accessed December 5, 2024. https://www.vitalvillage-housingdata. org/crime-density-external-quality.
4. PAGE 21 Sharkey, Patrick, Gerard Torrats-Espinosa, and Delaram Takyar. “Community and the Crime Decline: The Causal Effect of Local Nonprofits on Violent Crime.” American Sociological Review 82, no. 6 (December 2017): 1214–40. https://doi. org/10.1177/0003122417736289.
5. PAGE 25: Improving a dangerous intersection with art. https://asphaltart.bloomberg.org/projects/passaic-new-jersey-usa-improving-a-dangerous-intersection-with-art/
6. PAGE 26: Improving a dangerous intersection with art. https://asphaltart.bloomberg.org/projects/pittsburgh-pennsylvania-usa-empowering-a-community-to-improve-their-streets/
7. PAGE 27 Jeffrey, Alexis, Donaghy Mike, and Sánchez Zamora Daniela. “Street Lighting: Reconstruction of Cummins Highway.” City of Boston Street Lighting Team. Zoom, September 21, 2021. https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/file/2021/09/2021-0921%20 Street%20Lighting%20and%20Cummins.pdf.
8. Page 34 Becky, Crowe, and Eun Peter . “Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian.” U.S. Department of Transportation, n.d. https:// trec.pdx.edu/sites/default/files/Peter%20Eun%20FHWA%20STEP.pdf.
Report Authors
Bianchi Dy
Sarafina Fabris-Green
Milan Chuttani
Caitlin Fukumoto
Nicole Wong
Zoe CinaSklar
Samantha Kaufman
Wil Jones Devora Barrera Gonzalez
Aside from our recommendations in this report, we have provided additional documents that accompany each proposed solution.
A Safe, Lively, Unified, and Well-resourced FOUR CORNERS COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
→ 1-pager
→ Pitch deck
→ List of businesses and organizations
→ List of funding resources
→ Historic buildings tour pamphlet, both in English and Spanish
→ One pager of Bullock Funeral Home with success stories page both in English and Spanish
