Waterfront Civic
and Cultural
Space Planning

Isenberg Projects was selected to produce The Waterfront Civic/Cultural Space Planning Study in collaboration with Agency Landscape + Planning, on behalf of the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture (MOAC) and the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA). MOAC regularly partners with BPDA to identify civic and cultural users for waterfront projects, where space is created through Massachusetts Public Waterfront Act as part of Interior Facilities of Public Accommodations (FPA) within private developments.

Aligned with Chapter 91 protections, the study provided guidance for integrating civic, cultural, and affordable retail spaces into future waterfront development, with a focus on Dorchester, Fort Point, Charlestown, and East Boston. At its core, the work aimed to make these spaces more accessible, functional, and responsive to the people who use them.

We focused on three key goals:

First, we built a comprehensive database of existing and projected FPA civic and cultural spaces—capturing their size, characteristics, regulatory constraints, and current users—to give the City a clearer, more usable picture of what exists and what’s coming.

Second, we explored the needs of potential tenants across a wide range of civic and cultural organizations. From arts education groups to makerspaces and incubators, Isenberg Projects identified both distinct requirements and shared priorities, helping clarify what a strong, flexible civic/cultural space should offer and how the City can attract a diverse mix of users.

Finally, we looked closely at how these spaces come online—and who gets access to them. By examining RFIs/RFPs, lease terms, development timelines, and design considerations, we identified both real and perceived barriers to entry. We then developed recommendations to streamline these processes and create more equitable opportunities for organizations to secure and thrive in these spaces.

Throughout the study, Isenberg Projects engaged our deep network of local cultural space users, building on past insights and new research to ground the report in lived experience. The result is a set of practical, user-informed strategies to help Boston’s waterfront civic and cultural spaces better serve the communities around them.