Jamaica Plain, once a part of Roxbury and West Roxbury, has distinguished itself as a diverse and independent community with residential streets, commercial centers, green spaces, and transportation infrastructure all in close proximity. Running the length of the neighborhood is the Southwest Corridor Park – a corridor intended as a right of way for I-95 in the 1950’s, but instead turned into a park and way for the orange line as a result of community protest. Southwest Corridor Park today represents the strong activism of the neighborhood’s residents and the complex history of JP’s built environment. Events during Common Boston Weekend will take place the length of the Southwest Corridor, highlighting the variety in activity and scale that compose the neighborhood. Tours will feature green spaces like the Arnold Arboretum and Franklin Park, as well as adaptive re-use such as the Brewery building near Stonybrook. At a smaller scale, events will feature projects such as a single family renovation project called the JP Greenhouse – a prime example of sustainable dwellings for families that are adding to JP's rich built environment.
All events are free and open to the public. Some events may require pre-registration.
Email jp@commonboston.org for pre-registration.
Events for this Common Point
Click on other Common Point titles in the menu bar to view events happening at those locations. Check back soon for updates!
June 20th
- Brewery
Building Tour:
10:30
AM. Meets at Brewery Building Lobby, 284 Amory Street side (Google map)
Andy Waxman of the JPNDC and Gail Sullivan of Studio G Architects will lead the tour of the 5-acre brewery. They will share the early history, subsequent decline, and creative reuse of this national historic landmark. It is a remarkable story of how a neighborhood non-profit has spent 25 years overcoming architectural, financial, and other challenges to redevelop this unique aggregation of buildings into a vibrant mix of light industrial, professional office, retail and other businesses. After the 1.5 hour tour, enjoy lunch at the brewery, at Ula Cafe, Bella Luna Restaurant / Milky Way Lounge or join a separate tour of Boston Beer Company's R&D Brewery!
- Franklin
Park Walking Tour:
10:00
AM. Meets at the picnic tables across
Circuit/Jewish War Veterans Dr. from the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital,
about 1/8 mile inside Franklin Park’s Forest Hills Entrance.
(Google map)
A National Park Service ranger from Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site will be conducting a guided walk of Franklin Park entitled “Country in the City.” It will be held rain or shine. For more information about this walk please call Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site at 617/566-1689, extension 221. Franklin Park is considered one of Frederick Law Olmsted’s finest design achievements and a prime example of his social ideals. Discover Olmsted’s vision for Franklin Park on this two-hour walk through the landscapes of Scarboro Pond, Schoolmaster Hill, the Country Park meadow, and the Wilderness. Explore the ideas behind the design.
This tour is sponsored by the National Park Service/Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site and Common Boston.
- JP
Greenhouse Open House:
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
. 133 Bourne St., Roslindale (Google map)
The JP Greenhouse is a renovation project, turning a 100 year old former neighborhood store into a sustainable, mixed use establishment that will be a gathering place for the neighborhood. One of the main goals of the project is to provide its own energy source, enabling the users to live predominantly off the grid.
- Biking
Roxbury's
Highlands: On the Trail of Bigfoot:
11:00
AM. Meets at Forest Hills T stop, Orange Line (Google map)
Starting in Forest Hills T-Station, and ending at the Greater Boston Bigfoot Research Center, avid cyclists will be taken for an architectural escapade through of some of Boston's lesser traveled neighborhoods, cemeteries, and parks. Among the questions this tour will answer: What's the JP Greenhouse? Where's Waldo's house? And lastly, what's Bigfoot Research Center doing in Egleston Square?
Cyclists are encouraged to carry their own bike safety and repair equipment. Short portions of the tour are on wide unpaved paths.
Tour guide will be Simon Hare of Placetailor Inc.
Pre-registration is required.
- Arnold
Arboretum Walking
Tour:
1:00
PM. Meets at the Arnold
Arboretum main entrance, 125 Arborway (Google map)
Guided by an Arnold Arboretum docent, this walking tour will cover general information about the history, mission, seasonal highlights and major botanical collection. Participants are encouraged to dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes and bring binoculars.
Pre-registration is required.
- MassBike
Spins - Tour to JP: 2:00 PM. Meets in
front of Flat Black Coffee, 1906 Dorchester. Ave. (Google map)
Presented by DotBike and Common Boston. Explore the future of architecture and landscape in Dorchester and Jamaica Plain by bike, with Justin Crane of Common Boston; Christine Poff, of DotBike and the Franklin Park Coalition; and Joe Pryse, AIA of Leers Weinzapfel Associates.
pre-registration is recommended.
- Hyde
Square Task Force
Open House and Presentation:
2:30
PM. Meets at 365 Centre St., Jamaica Plain (behind the Blessed
Sacrament Church, Google map)
In 2005, HSTF successfully advocated for the purchase of the Blessed Sacrament Church and Campus for community redevelopment. Today construction of mixed income housing is underway and the 100 yr. old former grammar school at the Cheverus Building is once again alive with the voices of youth through HSTF's youth leadership, after school and arts & cultural programs. These activities will engage more than 1000 youth this year. Former youth commmunity organizer and HSTF staff member Ashley Cotton will give a brief multimedia presentation on the group's efforts to create a liveable city through its youth-led community organizing and development initiatives emphasizing the recent past, present and future of the organization's newly-renovated Cheverus Building. The presentation will be followed by a brief Q&A session and a building tour. Lot and street parking are available. Please note that the Cheverus is not handicap accessible.