Neighbors Share Ideas for John Harvard Mall Renovation

When it comes to renovations at Charlestown’s John Harvard Mall, local residents seem to agree that less is more.

The park, which stretches between Harvard and Main streets near City Square, is in line to receive $525,000 from the city for renovations. Representatives from the Boston Parks and Recreation Department on Monday, July 29 held the first in a series of public meetings seeking input on the project.

The meeting, held at Boston Police Department’s District A-15 station on Vine Street, drew a crowd of about 50 residents, many who had clear ideas about what they would and would not want to see done to the park.

Many said the chief concern should be maintaining the site’s historical features—making interpretive plaques easier to read and restoring existing surfaces and benches.

“Our history, Boston’s history, is primary to everything,” Prescott Street resident Annette Tecce said. “Before putting in anything new we need to restore what’s there.”

Located along Boston’s Freedom Trail, the Mall marks the former homestead of John Harvard, who left half his estate and his entire library to what eventually became Harvard University. The house burned down, along with others in Charlestown, in 1775 during the early days of the Revolutionary War.

A park was established on the site in 1942, purchased by a Harvard alumnus and gifted to the city in honor of John Harvard, according to a Patch story written by Charlestown historian Helen O’Neil.

The park underwent a major renovation in 1977, with additional updates in 1991 and 2004, according to Cheri Ruane, team leader for Weston and Sampson—the firm hired to design the latest renovations.

“It’s incredibly dense, with residential texture all around, and yet abutting right against the very busy Main Street and City Square area,” Ruane said of the Mall. “But you really feel removed from the fray and protected and enclosed.”

Among the issues that need addressed at John Harvard Mall, Ruane said, are displaced benches, grass growing up between bricks, resurfacing on the upper level and replacement of the play structure to meet code requirements and the varying needs of different age groups.

“Many of the materials have simply reached the end of their useful life,” she said.

Several residents said they liked that John Harvard Mall was “underused” and “uncluttered" and did not want to see a new, large play structure installed.

“It’s one of the few places where I can find peace and quiet,” one Main Street resident noted.

Harvard Square resident Nancy Grant said other than a few problems late at night she finds the level of use of the park to be perfect.

“It’s noisy during the day when kids are out there in the upper park and it’s quiet in the evening,” she said. “I think it needs to be cleaned up and maintained, but I wouldn’t want to see anything change drastically.”

Boston Police Sgt. Tom Lema said there are some issues with homeless people hanging out in the park and that the site could benefit from improved lighting and trimmed trees and bushes. He also encouraged residents to call police if they notice suspected drug dealing or other criminal activity.

Harvard Street resident Jill Morelli said she would like to see play areas geared more toward older elementary school age children and urged the city to go with a more natural look for playground equipment—no “neon pink with yellow stars,” for example.

Others suggested the children’s play equipment be separated somewhat from where dogs are walked for safety and sanitations reasons.

Another area of concern was drainage in the park’s lower level.

Cathy Baker-Eclipse, project manager with the Parks Department, said that the city would take a look at the drains to see whether it was a matter of unclogging or whether upgrades are needed.

Funding for the design portion of the project is set in the city budget for fiscal year 2014, with construction money set aside in FY15, Baker-Eclipse said. When asked whether that money would be maintained under a new mayor, she said she felt it would be.

“I haven’t been through an administration change before. I don’t know what the future holds, but I don’t anticipate the brakes being put on,” she said.

There was also talk Monday of the Friends of John Harvard Mall possibly raising additional funding for specific projects in the park.

Friends member Rosemary Kverek said the American flag that currently flies over the park should be taken down—it does not have appropriate lighting and is not regularly brought in. She also wanted to see better signage for people looking for the historic site, easier-to-read plaques and a pathway connecting them, benches with backs and simple recreational pieces, such as a hopscotch board.

The Parks Department and Weston and Sampson plan to put together a few design options before the next public meeting, which is set for Wednesday, Sept. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Mary Colbert Apartments, 20 Devens St. Residents will have an opportunity to review and comment on the options, and a final design will be presented at a third meeting, probably sometime in October, Baker-Eclipse said.

Once a design is chosen, construction will likely go out to bid in the spring, with work expected to begin next summer. 

Couldn’t make the meeting but want to add your input before the next session? Contact Project Manager Cathy Baker-Eclipse at 617-961-3058 or cathy.baker-eclipse@cityofboston.gov or Outreach Coordiantor Marchelle Jacques-Yarde at 617-961-3006 or marchelle.jaques-yarde@cityofboston.gov.