Seaport Walk: “A Stroll Through the Seaport: Past Present and Future”

Seaport Walk: “A Stroll Through the Seaport: Past Present and Future”

Every season WalkMassachusetts invites our supporters and friends to join us for free, point-to-point walks along 1-1.5 mile routes where we hear from guest speakers who discuss local projects, area history, built environment changes, and more. It gives us a wonderful opportunity to learn new things about our neighborhoods, connect with our supporters beyond a screen, and of course, walk!


Image: Yanni Tsipis, Senior VP of Fenway | Seaport Development at WS Development explains how this plaza was made to feel welcoming to visitors and residents alike. 

For July, we held a walk called “A Stroll Through the Seaport: Past Present and Future.” Yanni Tsipis, the Senior Vice President of Fenway | Seaport Development at WS Development guided us along a fully accessible walking route in the Seaport District.  The route began at Our Lady of Good Voyage Chapel and ended at Cisco Brewers Seaport.


Image: Using wood instead of asphalt or concrete can help mitigate the urban heat island effect.

The Seaport District has famously undergone many changes since the early 2000s, going from a largely uninhabited industrial port to a bustling mixed-use neighborhood today. WS Development has devoted their 33 acres of land to “residential, hotel, office, retail, entertainment, civic and cultural uses, as well as signature public open spaces.” For over a decade now, WalkMassachusetts has assisted with walk audits and advised on projects and development to ensure that the area is walkable and welcoming.


Image: Yanni discusses the expansion of the green spaces next to the Institute of Contemporary Art.

Throughout the walk, Yanni took care to explain the intentionality behind WS’ design choices: planter boxes with native wildflowers that buffer pedestrians from traffic; playful sculptures that create a welcoming energy; the use of wood, grass, and trees to mitigate heat; the gently sloping foundations that will be resilient to sea-level rise.


Image: Yanni explains that the building under construction out of frame will be net-zero carbon and source its electricity from renewable resources.

Thank you so much to all who joined us! To read more about Seaport’s history and future, check out this oral history in Boston Magazine. 

Keep an eye out for our next event! We’re heading to Franklin Park on September 19th!

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