Posted July 7, 2005

     We note with approval that Mayor Menino, along with several other political figures, has begun to put pressure on the Pritzker organization to get on with the development of Fan Pier.  While it is true that the construction of the new Institute of Contemporary Art (the ICA) is well underway, ground has never been broken for the Fan Pier project itself.

     Its unique location makes it the “keystone-in-the-arch” of the entire South Boston Waterfront development.  The project’s build-out will take another three or four years, even if ground is broken immediately, so some sort of movement is long overdue.

     Please note that the pressure the Mayor put on the Pritzkers is not that of  “eminent domain”.  South Boston Online is emphatically not suggesting that the Pritzker’s Fan Pier property be confiscated.  Even with the recent Supreme Court decision concerning New London, Conn., the legal grounds for doing that are questionable.  Besides, Boston simply does not have that kind of money to spare.

     Instead, the Mayor has said in a letter to the Pritzkers that permits for parking and building on the property might not be renewed, unless progress on the proposed Fan Pier project begins soon.  We think this is a reasonable approach.

     As we understand it, the permits for the property, at least those from the City of Boston, have been in place for two or three years by now.  There was a delay that was caused by environmental concerns at the state level, but this has been resolved also.  There’s no reason that work shouldn’t be well underway, even as this is being written.

     It’s long overdue. 

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