Boylston Street Corridor Planning Studies

By having the Boylston Street Visioning Group (see below) lay the groundwork prior to the Boylston Street Corridor Study Committee, members will have a good sense of the desired outcomes from the immediate neighborhoods. For work by the Boylston Street Corridor Study Committee starting in October 2020, please see their webpage here: https://www.brooklinema.gov/1605/Boylston-Street-Corridor-Study-Committee

Boylston Street Visioning Group ​

The Department of Planning and Community Development's Economic Development and Long-Term Planning Division worked with a group of neighborhood stakeholders on land-use and infrastructure planning for the Boylston Street Corridor. The goal of the initiative was to evaluate existing conditions, review and update previous plans (see below), and discuss community priorities for near-term implementation. The Boylston Street Corridor study area, shown below, extends along Boylston Street from its intersection with Milton and Brington Roads eastward to the intersection with Washington and High Streets. The study area focused on the mix of land uses (commercial, residential, institutional, and public facilities) that line the state-owned roadway, but also included several residential areas that are either interspersed among the existing commercial and institutional uses or directly abut those uses, such as along Walnut Street south of Boylston Street. Please read the summary report for the January 16th, 2019 Boylston Street Corridor Planning Study Open House for a full overview of the event! Check here for updates on future meetings.

"The Boylston Street corridor will be transformed into a placed defined by walkability, multi-modal transportation, a contextually-appropriate urban character, a mix of uses, open space, and an active public realm."
(2018 Boylston Street Vision Statement)

Boylston Street Corridor Study Area - Click to enlarge

Boylston Street Framework Map_Base_StudyArea_Cropped

Previous Plans

This work is based on several previous planning efforts, including:

2005 Comprehensive Plan (Town of Brookline)

2015 Bringing Back Boylston study (MIT)

2018 Perspectives & Opportunities for Brookline’s Commercial Areas (Metropolitan Area Planning Council)


Boylston Street Visioning Group

The Boylston Street Corridor Planning Study began with a visioning process that included a cross-section of neighborhood stakeholders. The group, which was led by Tom Nally (member of the Economic Development Advisory Board and Greater Point Neighborhood Association) and Wendy Machmuller (TMM precinct 5 and High Street Hill Association), met three times during the late summer and fall of 2018. The group issued a summary of its vision and preliminary recommendations: 2018 Boylston Street Visioning Group Summary Report 


Open House

On the evening of January 16th, 2019, community members gathered for an Open House at Town Hall to discuss plans and priorities for the Boylston Street corridor. The event was attended by over 70 individuals. Click for photos from the event and to view the boards that were presented, and be sure to check this site in coming weeks for further updates. A summary of the event can be downloaded here. 


Next Steps

The work of the Boylston Street Visioning Group provided an essential community-based update to prior planning efforts. This work will serve as the foundation for a series of next steps toward implementing the Boylston Street Vision. These include:

  •  Outreach to stakeholders, including community members, property owners, and businesses (such as a public open house)
  •  Technical and financial analysis of potential development scenarios
  •  Development and revision of the now-outdated Boylston Street design guidelines
  •  Work with Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) and MassDOT on roadway improvement planning
  •  Pending further outreach and analysis, a proposal for zoning by-law changes to Town Meeting