suffolk downs
An underutilized horse racing facility closed in 2018, Suffolk Downs is now under ownership of HYM, a Boston-based development company whose vision is to transform the land into a highly-resilient, transit-oriented, mixed-use development with commercial office, retail, housing, and open space. This 161-acre site has been separated from the community for decades and plans include reconnecting it to the adjacent neighborhoods. It is located in both the cities of East Boston and Revere, convenient to an MBTA station, two stops from Logan Airport and 10 minutes from downtown Boston. The powerful new economic hub will include hotels, street-front retail, and restaurants, generating new jobs, local tax revenues and will create a destination that is significant for the futures of both East Boston and Revere.
Due to the site being low-lying, plans for Suffolk Downs rely on forward-thinking principles to effectively manage for climate change and sea-level rise. Stoss led landscape and open space design for the development, including resiliency planning—building on our experience and deep knowledge of Climate Ready Boston principles. The site includes protected wetlands and is situated on a low-lying plane subject to the impacts of sea-level rise, therefore master planning efforts incorporate strategies to address climate change and mitigate flooding.
Timeline
2017—2019
Status
Complete
Size
161 Acres
client
HYM Investments
location
East Boston and Revere, MA
TEAM
CBT Architects
Stoss
Resiliency
The plan envisions a system of interlocking open spaces that serve to channel water during both tidal and storm events. Wetlands and salt marshes are preserved at the edges to provide a natural barrier and incorporate natural ecology into the site. A central green acts as a catch basin and infiltration site during large storms, up to the 2070 100-year storm event. Landscape features such as an outdoor amphitheater play dual roles as both green infrastructure and community gathering places.
As you move into the site, green fingers channel water deliberately through the site. These fingers lead to a central green (shown above) that acts as a catch basin and infiltration site able to accommodate water from an 100 year storm event.