September 22, 2004
ROMNEY LAUNCHES $44M FACELIFT AT ASHMONT STATION
MBTA station renovations part of state’s transit oriented development plan
Governor Mitt Romney today launched a $44 million overhaul of the MBTA’s Ashmont Station, part of the state’s ongoing modernization of the Dorchester branch of the Red line.
Romney noted that the renovation of the Ashmont Station will complement efforts to transform the area surrounding the station into 28,000 square feet of retail space and 120 mixed-income apartments.
“Developing transportation, retail and housing in urban centers revitalizes our neighborhoods and makes them more attractive,” Romney said. “We want this area to be more than just a stop on the Red Line. We want it to be a place to go shopping, a place to go out and eat and – with the new apartment construction – a place to live.”
Originally built in 1927, the Ashmont station is in dire need of a renovation, which will spur economic growth in the Peabody Square neighborhood of Dorchester. The station is a terminus on the MBTA’s Red Line and a key transfer point for bus and trolley passengers. With the improvements, the station will include elevators, escalators, security cameras, automated fare collection equipment and a new roof.
“The new Ashmont station will be a jewel for Dorchester and a great improvement for Red Line riders,” said House Speaker Tom Finneran, whose district includes the station. “Mike Mulhern and his team at the MBTA have been splendid public servants in the attention they have given to the aspirations and concerns of community leaders.”
The Ashmont station will be the fourth and final Red Line station in Dorchester to undergo a complete overhaul as part of the MBTA’s schedule to modernize the nation’s oldest subway system. Already under reconstruction are the Savin Hill, Fields Corner and Shawmut stops under a $67 million project that will make the Red Line stops fully accessible to the disabled.
The unique designs of all four Dorchester stations were a direct result of years of dialogue between MBTA staff, neighborhood residents, community activists and elected officials. Construction will begin at Ashmont after the MBTA Board of Directors awards a contract with the entire project scheduled to be completed three years from now.
“The reconstruction of Ashmont station is truly a neighborhood project, and we received input and recommendations from many area residents and officials as the design unfolded,” said Transportation Secretary Daniel Grabauskas. “The result will be a state-of-the-art station that will combine clean and efficient Red Line service with tremendous residential and commercial opportunities.”
Douglas Foy, Secretary of Commonwealth Development (OCD), noted the retail and housing development around the soon-to-be renovated MBTA station is consistent with the Romney Administration’s transit-oriented development policy, which encourages the use of public transit, the development of residences and workplaces in proximity to transit and the creation of active pedestrian districts around transportation hubs.
“Many of our T stations have great potential to be much more than just a place to park and grab a train,” said Foy. “Through smart growth and transit oriented development we can add to the vibrancy of cities and towns around the Commonwealth.”
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