OWNERSHIP
CONDTIONS
CONTEXT
DESIGN ISSUES
PLANNING PROCESSES
TESTIMONIES

Click here for map and orthophoto

OWNERSHIP:
Metropolitan District Commission (MDC)
(The MDC also owns the triangle of greenspace at the corner of South Street, Washington, and the Arborway).

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CONDITIONS:
This entire stretch of the Arborway lies in the shadow of the four-lane Casey Overpass. On both sides of the street, there are grass and trees, including young sycamores, pine, fir, and oaks in excellent condition. But on the northern side, views of these plant materials from the street are largely blocked by a stone wall, and in general the green elements are overwhelmed by shadow and concrete. Street signs call the stretch of the road east of South Street "New Washington Street." This description, however, refers to the road as the Arborway just as most residents seem to.

Intersections:
Arborway and South Street intersection:
The Arborway intersects with South Street at a light beneath the shadow of the Casey Overpass and adjacent to the busy Forest Hills MBTA Station. Cars and buses use the intersection heavily, and the road is wide, with little greenery. This intersection represents a break in the continuity of the Emerald Necklace despite landscaping at the Forest Hills MBTA Station and the Southwest Corridor Park.

Arborway and the Southwest Corridor Park intersection:
There is a well-lit, well-marked pedestrian crosswalk from the MBTA station to the Southwest Corridor Park walkway and bikeway. The area where the path from the MBTA station and the path from Washington St. meet is inviting, well-lit, and carefully landscaped. The trees are healthy and well established, and the topography is varied and provides multiple, interesting levels for exploration. The land drops down from the street and becomes less of a buffer-zone connector and more of a recreational destination in its own right. Many walkers and bikers use the area, which connects with the rest of Southwest Corridor Park.

Arborway and Washington Street intersection:
The intersection of New Washington and Washington is "greened" with trees, shrubs, and grass. There are primarily oaks, with some white pine, cherry, and small juniper shrubs. The trees are well established, healthy, and growing vigorously. They appear to be well taken care of, there is little trash, and the mulch is neat and plentiful around the base of the trees. These areas help to mitigate the congested, traffic-dominated environment, however it would be difficult to use them as parklands because of the surrounding congestion and sloping topography. The area does function as a buffer area, creating some semblance of continuity between the section of the Arborway that borders the Arboretum and Franklin Park. The green area marginally improves the atmosphere for the driver and pedestrian.

Buildings: 
-- Arborway Gardens is a private apartment complex that extends from Shea Circle towards Forest Hills. There are 124 units of housing -- 40 units of housing per acre -- in 11 long, narrow apartment buildings. 

-- The Covenant Congregational Church, which is of Swedish origin, has experienced a renaissance in recent years after a period of stagnancy. This church also houses a Latino Presbyterian Church. Habitat for Humanity has an office on the upper floor. 

-- Next door to the church and close to the station is the West Roxbury Court. This district includes West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, Hyde Park, Roslindale, some of Roxbury, some of Dorchester, some of Mission Hill, and some of Mattapan.

-- The office building at 500 Arborway is a long, thin structure that houses Design and Construction, System Wide Maintenance, and Operations Support.

Signage:
The signage at Southwest Corridor Park is often covered in spray paint, but is otherwise good, clear, colorful signage that raises awareness of the entire stretch of greenspace in the park and the kinds of activities that are possible along it. Another sign entitled "Metro Parks - Forest Hills" gives a brief background on Arnold Arboretum, Franklin Park, Forest Hills Cemetery, and the Emerald Necklace (as well as the State Diagnostic Laboratory and the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital). The attached map is oriented east/ west and includes no directions for how to get to these places or where the entrances are (although the spaces themselves are marked on the map).

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CONTEXT:
This part of the Arborway is an important link between the Arnold Arboretum, Franklin Park, and Forest Hills Cemetery. It is also the endpoint of the Southwest Corridor Park, which extends north to downtown Boston and is adjacent to the former Arborway Yard and the 500 Arborway MBTA office facility. These areas are discussed in detail in separate entries.

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DESIGN ISSUES:
-- Because street signs call this stretch of the Arborway "New Washington," it is not clear that this area was intended to be a continuation of the Emerald Necklace to Franklin Park. 

-- Although there are some attractive landscaped areas along this stretch of the Arborway, the small trees and shrubs fail to counteract the impacts of the Casey Overpass, the multiple parking lots, the Arborway Yard, the two intersections with major roads, and the wide lanes and bus transit facility. This is a break in the experience of the Emerald Necklace.

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PLANNING PROCESSES:
Each of the following planning processes will deeply impact this section of the Arborway when and if the plans come to fruition: 

-- The Boston Department of Parks and Recreation, in collaboration with the Metropolitan District Commission, the Arnold Arboretum, and a variety of community groups, initiated an Arborway Master Plan process in the spring of 2002. 

-- Planning for the redevelopment of the Arborway Yard as a bus storage facility with land reserved for development by the community has been underway for several years. 

-- Planning for the return of the Arborway Greenline trolley began in earnest in 2002.

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TESTIMONIES:
"We have a patchwork of a few trees trying to cover up hundreds of parking places" (Connie Cecil, Franklin Park Coalition and Design Review Committee for the Arborway Yard).

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