Mattapan Economic Development Initiative MEDI: Helping to Ensure That Mattapan Reaches Its Full Pote

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Mattapan Economic Development Initiative(MEDI)
Helping to Ensure That Mattapan Reaches Its
Full Potential
The Abt Team Abt Associates Inc. ICON
architecture, inc. Planners Collaborative,
Inc. Guzman Architects, Inc. Dr. Dennis
Derryck September 29, 2005
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The Proposed MEDI Focus Area the central
portion of the 02126 zip code area
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How the Proposed MEDI Focus Area Relates
to Mattapan Overall
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Update from the Abt Consultant Team reporting
on our activities

• Since the June 29, 2005 community meeting, the
  Abt consultant team has been engaged in 3 major
  sets of research activities
• Completion of a business inventory
• Analysis of transportation and public transit
  patterns and needs
• Examination of housing conditions, trends, and
  opportunities
• Our work has been designed with input and
  guidance from the Community Advisory Group (CAG)
  members, other community representatives, and
  City staff
• All the research activities have a similar goal
  identifying opportunities to increase economic
  vitality, to create an Action Agenda for making
  Mattapan a better place to live, work, invest,
  and play.

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Business Inventory, and Meetings with Business
Operators and Property Owners

• Why is this research important for the MEDI
  study?
• Need to know what goods and services are already
  available (both within and close to MEDI focus
  area)
• Important to understand what store
  operators/property owners see as key challenges
  for expanding economic activity
• What have we learned to date?
• Much of the current commercial space is occupied
  by
• Neighborhood convenience establishments (e.g.,
  banks 4, dry cleaners/alterations 7, post
  office, small grocery stores/convenience stores
  12, gas stations 6, car repair shops 15,
  limited service restaurants 26, etc.)
• Offices (real estate 6, mortgage 4, law 5,
  health services 22), and
• Smaller specialty shops (music/books/hobbies
  12, clothing 16, shoe shops 3, etc.)

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Business Inventory and Meetings with
Store/Property Owners

• What have we learned to date?
• The commercial rental market and establishments
  along the corridor have a significant degree of
  informality (relative to store hours, signage,
  formal leases, division of utility bills, etc.).
• The smaller specialty shops can survive in part
  because they are renting relatively limited
  space but because stores are small, the
  merchandise that is offered is limited as well.
• If the Mattapan commercial districts are to
  function as regional retail/commercial districts,
  rather than neighborhood convenience districts,
  larger and/or higher-end retail establishments
  need to be attracted.
• Some of the challenges for expanded economic
  activity include limited larger available space,
  limited parking, zoning, traffic congestion.
  These problems are somewhat less severe at the
  edges of the MEDI focus area.

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Transportation and Public Transit Patterns and
Needs

• Why is this research important for the MEDI
  study?
• The study needs to consider how consumers travel
  to and from the business districts
• To encourage more economic activity in the
  business districts, they need to be both
  driver-friendly and pedestrian-friendly
• What have we learned to date?
• There is available off-street parking in Mattapan
  Square, but signage identifying such parking is
  not adequate, and the foot-routes from the
  parking to stores is not ideal. Moreover, this
  parking is not sufficient to support a major
  anchor store in the Square.
• From the study teams observations, there appears
  to be a problem with double-parking (particularly
  at night) along Blue Hill Avenue as one heads
  north towards Morton Street.

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Transportation and Public Transit Patterns and
Needs (continued)

• What have we learned to date? (continued)
• Lots of foot traffic, but the width of Blue
  Hill Avenue and the auto traffic flow can make it
  challenging for pedestrians (particularly
  seniors) to cross the street to get to
  stores/services/other destinations.
• There is an opportunity to take advantage of the
  redevelopment of the Mattapan Square MBTA station
  to attract more shoppers to the Square.
• The range of public transportation options makes
  Mattapan a relatively attractive place for
  individuals to reside who want to work in
  downtown Boston and/or in the Longwood Medical
  Center area. Travel time to Downtown Crossing
  35-56 minutes
• Additional opportunities may exist to improve the
  commute to and from downtown Boston (that is,
  reduce the travel time) extension of Silver
  Line service, possibility of new Blue Hill Avenue
  commuter rail station,etc.

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Housing Conditions and Opportunities

• Why is this research important for the MEDI
  study?
• Successful retail and commercial districts depend
  on successful residential neighborhoods.
• Housing conditions and costs must be considered
  in evaluating how current residents will be
  affected by increased economic activity.
• What have we learned to date?
• Housing is one of Mattapans assets. Much of the
  housing in Mattapan is in very good condition,
  and average rents and sales prices have been
  below the citywide average. Therefore, demand for
  Mattapan housing likely to increase.
• Housing affordability is already an issue for
  many. A higher percentage of Mattapan residents
  are paying more than 35 of income for housing
  than is true for residents citywide. Overcrowding
  is also a problem for some households.

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Housing Conditions and Opportunities (continued)

• What have we learned to date?
• Considerable development of new and rehabbed
  housing occurring in Mattapan and adjacent
  neighborhoods. But the bulk of the new housing
  aimed at renters or buyers with incomes above
  Mattapans average household income.
• Construction of mixed income properties (with
  retail or commercial space on 1st floor and
  housing on 2nd and/or 3rd floor) represents one
  opportunity to create more affordable housing and
  expand customer base for stores.

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Now, it is important to hear your opinions on

• Business development and expansion in Mattapan
• What additional types of businesses, stores, or
  services would you like to see in the Mattapan
  business districts?
• How should the MEDI initiative be assisting
  existing businesses in Mattapan?
• Physical improvements to the Mattapan Square
  area, the Morton Street area, and the portion of
  Blue Hill Avenue connecting the two
• What things could be done in the business
  districts and throughout Mattapan to make the
  shopping experience more enjoyable?
• Creation of jobs for residents
• How important will it be to attract businesses
  that will create jobs for Mattapan residents?
  What kinds of jobs?
• Will residents need training for these jobs?

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Survey Instant Feedback Goods Services
Typically Purchased in Mattapan

• Number of Mattapan Residents 8
• Most Common Reasons why you visit Mattapan
  Square
• 1 Commuting/Passing Through (6)
• 2 Eating (2), Visiting Relatives/Friends (2)
• Number of people who shop in Mattapan 7

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Survey Instant Feedback Goods Services
Typically Purchased in Mattapan

• Most Frequently Named Goods (Top 3)
• 1 Gas (4)
• 2 Fast Food (2), Groceries (2), Home
  Improvement (2), Beauty Supplies (2)
• Most Frequently Named Services (Top 3)
• 1 Personal Care (2)
• 2 Insurance (1), Banking (1), Health Care (1),
  Laundry (1), Car Maintenance (1)

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Survey Instant Feedback Places Outside
Mattapan Where People Shop

• South Shore Plaza (Braintree) (7)
• Dedham (5)
• Cambridge (5)
• Downtown (4)

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Survey Instant Feedback Why Individuals Shop
Outside of Mattapan

• Convenience 45 (5)
• Availability of Parking 36 (4)
• Good/Better Quality 55 (6)
• Good/Better Price 45 (5)
• Habit/Long-term Relationship with Owner/Vendor
  9 (1)
• Friendly Store Owner/Sales Staff and Attractive
  Store Space 36 (4)
• Products and Services Unique/Not Available in
  Mattapan 36 (4)
• Other 9 (1) - Presentation of Good is Better

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Survey Instant Feedback Which New Stores or
Additional Goods and Services Would You Like
Located/Available in Mattapan?

• New Stores
• A. Super Stop Shop (2)
• B. Whole Foods (1), Home Depot (1), Staples (1),
  Barnes and Noble (1), Circuit City (1), Walmart
  (1), Verizon (1)
• Additional Goods Services
• A. Quality Restaurant (5)
• B. Supermarket (3) (Whole Foods/Super Stop
  Shop)
• C. Book Store (2), Pharmacy (2)

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Zip Code
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Census Tracts
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Commercial Zoning