By Donna Goodison
Infraspace at Ink Block — a new Boston park with a boardwalk, waterside performance space, half-court basketball court, pedestrian and bike paths, dog park and community and cultural event space — is slated to debut in October under the elevated portion of the Interstate 93/Southeast Expressway, long a blighted, crime-ridden pocket of the city.
The landscaped park between Albany Street and Frontage Road is designed to bridge the South End and South Boston and revitalize a long-neglected area as part of the ongoing transformation of a neighborhood that has seen a raft of new development.
National Development, the Newton developer of the mixed-use Ink Block project across Albany Street and along Harrison Avenue in the South End, won leasing rights to the state-owned “Lot 5” parcel through a bidding process with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. It signed a five-year lease with extension options in April.
“We are still working on the planning, and MassDOT is working on the construction,” managing partner Ted Tye said. “The bottom line is that this location … will be an exciting new urban park. There are some great examples around the country, and we look forward to doing some great pioneering work.”
National Development plans a full park opening, with activities, next spring. Lease terms require it to produce arts and event programming, with a minimum of 24 events each year.
“We’ll be dual-branding with Ink Block and trying to bring the energy of Ink Block to this new urban park,” Tye said.
It is also possible that the South End Open Market, which operates at 375 Harrison Ave. on Ink Block property, could relocate to the park, according to Tye, who said an announcement is due this fall.
The park’s waterside performance space will be adjacent to Fort Point Channel. Tye said the elevated boardwalk will be a fun, walkable area providing a link between the South End and South Boston and connecting to an existing walkway to South Station. “(The) idea is to encourage pedestrian and bike traffic,” he said.
The park will include a 24-hour parking lot with a security guard and spaces for 176 cars. Ten percent of the spaces will be available to local residents during city snow emergencies.
The project is part of MassDOT’s infraspace program to innovatively redevelop areas under elevated roads, bridges and viaducts. MassDOT previously built two parking lots with 248 spaces under the Expressway and signed a deal with GTI Properties, which will pay $444,600 this year and provide 24-hour parking, security and 12 community events.
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