Community Control of Upham's Corner Arts and Innovation District

• DSNI plans to release a Request for Proposal (RFP) on Monday, December 14th for the DNI Community Building (DNICB). For more details about DNI’s process and how you can get involved, see the DNI Redevelopment Process page.
• The City of Boston plans to release RFPS this winter for the main set of City-owned sites (including the Strand and former Bank of America) and one for the City’s municipal parking lot.

The Tufts Research Team recently published an article about the Upham’s Corner Implementation process in Shelterforce. “Arts for Community Control: Planning an Arts and Innovation District Without Displacement” highlights the ways in which residents use creative engagements to envision an arts and innovation district without displacement in Boston’s Upham’s Corner. Check out the article at this link.

Read the full Case Study here.

• Delays continued from Fall 2019 into Spring 2020, as the City continued to pursue acquisition of the Santander and Upham’s Corner Health Center sites. Then the covid-19 pandemic forced another delay. As of September 2020, plans are being developed to release the RFP as soon as November 2020. The plan is for 3 distinct RFPs. The City will release RFPs for the main set of City-owned sites (including Strand and former Bank of America) and one for the City’s municipal parking lot. DNI will release its own RFP for the DNI Community Building in coordination with the City.
• The WAG has not met since the covid-19 pandemic began, but intends to resume meetings remotely this fall. The City still plans to recruit new members to the WAG.