New Quincy Center Redevelopment

In May 2010, Stephenson Design Group (SDG) was awarded a contract with Hancock Adams Associates (HAA) to provide conceptual design, civil engineering and permitting services to support the proposed New Quincy Center Redevelopment Project located within the commercial and historic heart of Quincy Center. The project includes the redevelopment of approximately 50 acres of Quincy Center within the City’s Urban Revitalization District and includes the construction of over 3 million square feet of high density mixed use redevelopment building program.
This historic redevelopment project is consistent with the City of Quincy’s significant planning efforts, as the City of Quincy has been actively seeking to revitalize the Quincy Center area for over thirty five years starting in 1973 when the City adopted the Quincy Center Redevelopment Plan. Recently the City has implemented planning measures to promote the creation of an attractive mixed use commercial center through the adoption of the Quincy Center District Urban Revitalization and Develop Plan (URDP) in 2007, the creation of the District Improvement Financing (DIF) District in 2007, and the approval and execution of the Land Disposition Agreement in January 2011 with the selected developer, Hancock Adams Associates.
The Redevelopment Project is a $1.2 billion private/ public redevelopment that will restore Quincy Center into a vibrant, exciting place to live, work and shop. Wide sidewalks, street level dining and shopping, new apartments and condominiums, and attractive structured parking with public open spaces weaved into the historic assets are planned to create an attractive regional destination and desirable location to live.
The Redevelopment Project is anchored to the north and south by two significant gateway projects that the City has been planning and permitting for over 20 years. The Adams Green Project will be the northern gateway into the new Quincy Center and create significant public open space and improve the pedestrian connectivity between City Hall, the Quincy Center MBTA station, the Church of the Presidents and the pedestrian infrastructure south of granite Street. The Adams Green Project proposes to close the southbound portion of Hancock Street between City Hall and the Church of Presidents, which will significantly alter vehicular traffic patterns within Quincy Center.
The Concourse Roadway Improvement Project will be the southern gateway into the new Quincy Center. The Concourse is an east west roadway connector between Burgin Parkway and the Southern Artery (Route 3A). The Concourse Roadway Improvement Project is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in November of 2011. The construction of the Adams Green in conjunction with the Concourse will reshape the Quincy Center area and the traffic patterns around the Center.
SDG’s scope of services with HAA includes the development of a comprehensive site development plan for Quincy Center that integrates appropriate access improvements, circulation, parking, open space, and utility improvements consistent with the City of Quincy’s many planning initiatives and vision for Quincy Center. Significant to SDG’s scope of services includes the review of the aged infrastructure within Quincy Center and the design of new and upgraded infrastructure to accommodate the proposed high density mixed use redevelopment building program. The infrastructure improvements include the design and permitting associated with the upgrade of water, sanitary drainage, relocation of Town Brook through Quincy Center and coordination with private utility companies to integrate upgraded infrastructure and building service connections.
Additionally, SDG is working with HAA and the City of Quincy on the numerous federal, state and local permitting efforts necessary to entitle and construct the various phases of the development project. Recently, SDG and the City of Quincy achieved a significant milestone with the completion of the MEPA process for the relocation and Enhancement of the Town Brook through Quincy Center. The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs issued a certificate on the Environmental Notification Form (ENF), dated April 22, 2011, which required no further MEPA review allowing for the completion of the state permitting process.