Planning Initiatives

Facilities of Public Accommodation (“FPAs”) are known as “facilities at which goods or services are made available directly to the public on a regular basis, or at which the advantages of use are otherwise open on essentially equal terms to the public at large.” FPA space is located in buildings along the waterfront throughout the City and is required under the State’s Waterways Regulations (Chapter 91) for new or redevelopment projects. Examples of interior facilities of public accommodation referenced in the regulations include restaurants, performance areas, hotels, retail establishments, and educational and cultural institutions. In the coming years, several hundred thousand square feet of FPA space will be created in Boston as various waterfront projects are completed.

The BRA has recently completed the following two studies on FPAs:

Study of Cultural, Civic, and Non-Profit Facilities of Public Accommodation in Boston

The BRA commissioned this study by Community Partners Consultants, Inc. to analyze the network of public spaces on the waterfront in relation to the spatial needs of Boston’s cultural, civic, educational and non-profit organizations. This study identifies how much space currently exists and how much is projected to come on line in the next ten to fifteen years. Each neighborhood is analyzed separately to determine where FPA requirements meet insufficient demand and where important opportunities to activate the waterfront with cultural uses exist. Project case studies inform recommendations intended to improve the quality of public waterfront facilities and overall waterfront vitality. This study addresses current and future challenges and makes recommendations on ways to best utilize FPA space to ensure public access and enjoyment of the waterfront.

Facilities of Public Accommodation Commercial Retail & Restaurant Market Demand and Supply Analyses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the market support for commercial FPA development within the Water’s Edge Districts of Boston. The intent was to create an understanding of how much space the market can reasonably be expected to absorb in each District over the course of the next 25 years and what conditions are necessary for that space to be economically viable and sustainable in the long term.

1. Facilities of Public Accommodation Commercial Retail & Restaurant Market Demand and Supply Analyses
   
2. Study of Cultural, Civic, and Non-Profit Facilities of Public Accommodation in Boston