Warren Green

There’s a fine patch of green space on the corner of Warren and Park streets. Slightly bigger than an acre, the green could be a baseball field, although it’s hard to imagine baseballs flying through the air in such a heavily-trafficked area. One might thump a tourist making his way along the Freedom Trail.

The Warren Street land, known in city records as Parcel 3, is fenced off with chain-link and sports a ‘No Trespassing’ sign. Although it looks like nothing is happening there, that might soon change. Groundbreaking is planned for July and developers hope that 14 months later, an ornate complex of 17 condominiums will stand on the site.

Previously owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Parcel 3 is now in the hands of developer George J. Georges and Neshamkin French Architects. Both companies have many years experience in the Charlestown neighborhood.

Ten years ago requests for proposals went out on the site and another developer was slated to begin work on the green. After that developer was "de-designated," Warren Green LLC--as the current group is known--came on board.

• Where is Parcel 3?
  Across from the Ironside Bar & Grill at Warren and Park streets. 

• What was it used for?
  For about 40 years the space held the Charlestown off-ramp from the Tobin Bridge. Before the off-ramp was built there were several brick houses in the space.

• How long has it been empty?
  For almost 20 years. In 1992 the ramp came down and the exit was rerouted underground.

• What are the future plans for the space?
  Warren Green LLC  plans to build a group of 17 condominiums that are "compatible with traditional house forms and development patterns historically associated with Charlestown." A fact sheet furnished by Jack French of Neshamkin French Architects states: "The designs for these homes are based on the 19th century brick and clapboard homes found on Putnam, Common and Warren Street, as well as the Training Field (Winthrop Square). The overall design adheres to the scale of the neighborhood with heights of 3 stories."
  
  French added that the houses facing Warren Street will be brick, in keeping with the look of other buildings on Warren; and the houses facing Park and Putnam Streets will be in Federal style, to harmonize with those homes. The exterior building materials will be brick, clapboard, and slate look shingle with historically appropriate wood windows with double paned glass. Of the 17 units, two will be affordable units, and one HC unit priced within affordability guidelines. A park at Warren and Park Street will open up the square and provide benches and shade for citizens of all ages who walk or jog by. Clara Batchelor, who also has extensive experience with design in Charlestown, will do landscape design.

Information for this article was compiled from various web-sites, including www.archboston.org and interview.