Ruggles update, vol. 1, no. 2, April 1993

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REGISTRY HEADQUARTERS ON SCHEDULE

Structural steel erection and concrete work is
well underway on the Registry Building at
Ruggles Center, and construction of the nine-
story building is on schedule for an opening in
January 1994.

Steel erection was completed in early
March, and the last floor of concrete will be
poured by the beginning of April. "We are
excited about the erection of steel. The build-
ing is on schedule, and we look forward to
moving the Registry in early next year," said
Robert L. Green, president of Metropolitan/
Columbia Plaza Venture.

In addition to the completion of structural
steel erection, construction activities over the
next month will include pouring concrete
floors, spray-applied fireproofing and com-
mencement of the exterior wall support and
brickwork.

Through February, the first phase of Ruggles
Center yielded over 1 6,300 hours of work for
local construction tradespeople. Boston resi-
dents accounted for a 67% share of the work,
and people of color performed 57% of the
work, many of whom reside in the Greater
Roxbury area. In addition, Beacon Construc-
tion Company was successful in subcontracting
more than 40% of the job to local minority-
owned construction companies which repre-
sents contract awards of $5.4 million.

MBE firms on the project include Webster
Engineering, Global Steel, Dependable Ma-
sonry, Reid Electric, Allstate Insulation, Rusco
Steel, Metro Boston, Oliver Sheet Metal,
Charles' General Contracting, Jet-A-Way, S.K.
Security, and Sam's Good Coffee.

Phase I construction will include a cen-
trally located public plaza that will provide a
major place of activity and gateway to the
Ruggles Center project. The plaza is a
reconfiguration of the existing "kiss and ride"
area and will serve as a new civic space.

The east-west axis links the main entrance
to the Registry Building with the Phase I public
parking lot and has a major seating and
gathering area at its center -- a place where
Registry employees can gather for lunch on a
warm day. The north-south axis begins with
two seating areas at either end and visually
links the Ruggles MBTA Station with the
plaza's entry portal facing Tremont Street.
Construction of the plaza will begin in late
Spring.

The Ruggles plaza will connect with the
52-acre Southwest Corridor linear park. The
existing Southwest Corridor Parkland and
associated bicycle and pedestrian paths weave
through Ruggles Center at the base of the
MBTA Station steps, connecting Ruggles to the
Back Bay. ♦

RUGGLES CENTER

A Artist rendering of the Registry Building and Public Plaza at Ruggles Center.

Volume 1, Issue 2

Boston, Massachusetts

April 1993

Interview With 2nd Suffolk District State Senator Dianne Wierson

What do you view as the priorities for
your district?

■ Job creation. I think job creation is
the absolute key to the district's residents'
ability to deal with a whole host of issues
such as health care, day-care, education,
and the many problems that face our
youth. We must put people back to work
-- meaningful work. So my priorities are
those projects that create real jobs.

How can the Commonwealth promote
economic development at Ruggles Center
and other areas of Roxbury in general?

■ In communities like the one in which
Ruggles Center is situated, we are not
asking or suggesting that government has
an obligation to do something very
different than what is done in every other
community. It's not about handouts. It's
about equity, fairness and opportunity, so
that all of the Commonwealth's resources
are spent in a way that benefits the entire
community.

What are some examples?

■ The siting of state facilities is an
example of the kind of thing that generates
jobs. The other thing we can do is enforce
the types of rules and regulations that are
in place to guarantee that this type of job
generation benefits the people that live in
the neighborhood where new facilities are
located. That's how you revitalize neigh-
borhoods - by putting people back to work.

How do you think the Clinton Administra-
tion's new economic plan will affect your
district?

■ One thing that I feel is a good sign is
that based on my conversations with
constituents, there seems to be a consen-
sus to at least give the plan a try. They're
willing to give it a chance even if it means
eking a little bit more out of a budget that
is already strapped, as long as it is fair and
everyone else pays their share. There is a
provision in the plan for structural im-
provements and job creation. Job creation
is key to any real economic revitalization.

What do you think of President Clinton's
call for a national service program?

■ The notion of public service that
represents an opportunity and some level
of respect is something that the young

people in the district would welcome as a
way to pay for college tuition, and some-
thing I feel is very positive about the plan.
Massachusetts has always been a leader in
innovative and progressive initiatives.
YouthBuild and City Year are examples of
programs that started here and are being
used as models for the President's plan.

Do you have any thoughts on the effect of
welfare reform?

■ Welfare reform will affect the district in a
major way. I think the clear majority of women
heads of households, if given some real
options and opportunities, would rather be

self-sustaining. It's not a whole lot of fun
trying to sustain an existence on public
welfare. However, the reform must encour-
age independence and reward people for
getting off and staying off, rather than punish
them for being on welfare. That's a real
change in philosophy. So far, I am optimistic
about what is going to happen in this area.

Why did you run for office?

■ That's a difficult question. It was not a
lifelong dream, but something that evolved
over time beginning in 1 991 . I sensed a
tremendous amount of frustration in the
community. The HUD litigation that I was
involved in represented a tremendous
amount of progress, but it took 14-1 5 years
- that's three generations of families that
were affected. I thought that through the
legislature I could do the same sort of

things, only much faster, and actually
develop policy into laws instead of trying
to secure basic fundamental human and
civic rights through litigation.

What made you think you could win?

■ I didn't think the community was
getting what it deserved and felt that we
could do better. We needed someone
who could earn the respect and dignity
necessary to deliver resources to the
community, and I said to myself — I think
I can do that. Obviously, many people
thought so as well. I feel humbled and
honored at the trust and responsibility
placed in me. I'm confident that I am up
to the task. ♦

Design For New Boston
Police HQ Underway

Ruggles Center architects, Stull & Lee of
Boston, will continue to play a major role
in shaping the Southwest Corridor by
designing the City of Boston's new Police
Department Headquarters building.
Preliminary designs for the facility were
completed in December.

In addition to accomodating adminis-
trative offices, the 194,000 square-foot
building will house an operations center
featuring state-of-the-art 91 1 controls, a
new criminal analysis and ballistics
laboratory, and a photo identification unit.
Other building features include a day-care
center, community meeting room, and
employee cafeteria.

The site for the new headquarters
building is at the intersection of Tremont
and Ruggles Streets, directly across from
Ruggles Center. City of Boston's Public
Facilities Department will have bid
documents for the $35 million project
available in October of this year.

This facility will replace the existing
Berkeley Street location in the South End/
Bay Cove community. The police head-
quarters employs a workforce of approxi-
mately 400 uniformed and civil employ-
ees and attracts over 800 daily visitors. ♦>

Roxbury Southwest Corridor Site Selected For
Massachusetts State Track Facility

M/CPV Contributes

Plans have recently accelerated for the
long-awaited Massachusetts State Track
facility. The 126,000 square-foot, multi-
use facility will be located at the intersec-
tion of New Dudley and Tremont Streets
near Ruggles Center, adjacent to Roxbury
Community College (RCC).

The indoor facility will serve the
practice and competition needs of high
school track and field athletes and provide
RCC students, faculty and staff with space
for recreational, intramural and intercolle-
giate sports activities. Community
residents will use the building for various
recreation and public events.

The proposed track includes:

Six lane fixed-banked track
Eight infield sprint lanes
Facilities for all field events
Weight and fitness rooms
Seating for 3,000 spectators
and participants
500-seat basketball gymna-
sium with practice and
exhibition courts

■ Locker rooms, classrooms,
offices and on-site parking.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Division of Capital Planning and Opera-
tions expects to select a design/build team
for the $17 million facility by early Spring,
start construction this summer and open
the facility in late 1994. ♦

l V

In November, Ruggles Center developers,
Metropolitan/Columbia Plaza Venture,
presented a check for one million dollars
for affordable housing in Chinatown and
Roxbury. Boston Mayor Raymond L.
Flynn, BRA Director Paul Barrett, Parcel 18
Task Force Chairman Rev. Tony Bethel,
and Chinatown/South Cove Neigh-
borhood Council moderator Bill Moy,
accepted the check on behalf of the city
and Chinatown and Roxbury communities.

Also at the event, Metropolitan
representatives expressed thanks to the
permanent lenders, a group led by the
Massachusetts State Carpenters Pension
and Guaranteed Annuity Funds.

Carpenters Funds' President Andris J.
Silins reinforced the union's commitment
to finance worthy projects in Massachusetts
by saying, "Clearly there has been a credit
crunch in real estate with traditional
lenders simply unwilling to participate.
We firmly believe in financing economi-
cally sound and important projects like
Ruggles Center, so that construction
workers can go back to work in good jobs."

Other pension funds participating in
the permanent financing include City of
Boston Retirement System, Plumbers Local
#12 Trust Funds, Middlesex County
Retirement System, Iron Workers District
Council of New England, Medford Retire-
ment System, Massachusetts Laborers,
Bricklayers and Masons Pension Fund of
Boston and Roofers Union Local No. 33.
Bank of Boston, Shawmut Bank and
Banque Indosuez are providing construc-
tion financing. ♦

Volume 1 , Issue 2

Boston, Massachusetts

April 1993

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