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Boston, MA
In Eastie, an early glimpse at Boston’s existential and expensive struggle to hold back the sea – The Boston Globe
But, the transforming coastline is raising tough questions about Boston’s broader “Climate Ready” plan: Will it go far enough to prevent flooding, will the private developments built under its policies accelerate gentrification in flood-prone neighborhoods, and how will the city pay for necessary public improvements, such as flood walls and elevated roads?
East Boston, the city’s most flood-vulnerable neighborhood, is the proving ground.
To address sea level rise, city planners envision a mix of public and private projects that, like a skinny jigsaw puzzle, would fit together to create one long coastal barrier: elevated streets, flood barriers disguised as sloping parks, and new developments on higher ground.
In other words, the plan is to plug all the holes along the coastline where seawater could penetrate. When all is said and done, it could cost more than $3 billion.
“Are we going to be ready? I don’t know,” said Ellen Douglas, a climate scientist and lead author of Boston’s foundational climate impact report that the city used to guide its adaptation strategy.
Climate scientists expect the long-held international target of keeping the planet below 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, compared to the preindustrial era, is probably out of reach. Still, with strong action to cut greenhouse gas emissions, global warming could be limited to about 2 degrees.
For Boston, 2 degrees could mean anywhere from about 5 inches to more than 60 inches of sea level rise by 2070.
Already the seas along the Boston shoreline reach about 3 inches higher than in 2000; scientists and policymakers believe that about 9 more inches over the next few decades are unavoidable. So, for planning purposes, the city picked a rise of 40 inches, or about 3.5 feet, by 2070.
If that 40-inch figure comes to pass, thousands of homes in East Boston would be affected by flood waters during a severe storm, according to a city analysis, and with no additional protection, losses could rack up to hundreds of millions of dollars annually through the 2070s.
For neighborhoods most at risk — South Boston, East Boston, Downtown and the North End, Dorchester, and Charleston — a detailed planning process identified the vulnerable areas in each and the corresponding public or private engineering projects that could protect them.
Much of the land that needs fortifying is privately held, and Boston’s climate strategy continues to allow developers to build right on the water. That has irked some environmental advocates who say the land should not be redeveloped, but rather restored as a natural barrier.
But Catherine McCandless, a climate resilience project manager for the city, says the projects will protect the communities and in many cases create new public green spaces.
“Assuming we can move forward with all the projects that we’re intending to, I think we will be able to preserve the safety and functionality of these different neighborhoods,” McCandless said.
East Boston is almost completely surrounded by water. The bustling peninsula is home to Boston Logan International Airport, an ecologically important salt marsh, and more than 45,000 residents, most of them Latino, and many of them immigrants.
Now, after years of planning, it’s time to come up with the money.
The biggest holdup: Boston is waiting on a study by the US Army Corps of Engineers, a prerequisite to unlocking federal funds necessary for dozens of small projects.
Stacia Sheputa, a spokesperson for Boston’s environmental office, said the Wu administration allocated $111 million for coastal resilience projects, the most in city history. But in East Boston alone, the city expects these coastal adaptation projects to cost more than $800 million between now and 2070.
Some projects are done: An expansion and elevation of Piers Park, which is owned by MassPort, cost $20 million. Others in the offing include a $39 million project along a stretch of Border Street that would elevate roadways, parks, the Harbor Walk and docks, and install flood walls.
Next to the Clippership Wharf condominiums, in an area now called Carlton’s Wharf, rising seas could penetrate a gap between buildings and spread into the mostly flat interior of Eastie. There, the city imagines flood walls disguised as part of an elevated harbor walk.
Sheputa, the city spokesperson, said it’s “difficult to quantify” how much money on climate resiliency has been spent on East Boston so far because the waterfront is owned by businesses and various government entities.
Boston is trying to get creative with funding. For the Carlton Wharf project, previously known as the Clippership Hodge Berm, the Boston Planning and Development Agency applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for funding. But the application, which planners say they filed in 2022, hasn’t been approved.
“I believed … that we would have already been through the FEMA process by now,” said Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, Boston’s chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space, during a public meeting about coastal resilience in late January. “That is a barrier.”
Climate scientists and public policy researchers have largely praised Boston’s little-by-little approach. It’s more flexible than, say, a massive concrete barrier in the ocean (an idea that was studied and discarded as being both ineffective and too expensive). It should be easier to finance, too.
Without big dollars from the feds, though, Boston in the interim is relying on public-private agreements and policy changes to nudge its “Climate Ready” goals along, such as new design guidelines that encourage developers to elevate their buildings.
But Chris Marchi, an environmental activist in East Boston, said that so far, such efforts look more like gentrification than climate resiliency, and asserted that the neighborhood’s most pressing needs — including affordable housing and better air quality — are falling to the wayside.
While Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration has greatly expanded the city’s focus on climate issues in the neighborhood, Marchi said, “it doesn’t seem like anybody in East Boston is any safer than they were, you know, 10 or 15 years ago.”
“It doesn’t seem like we’re very far along,” Marchi said.
Sheputa, the city spokesperson, said the high cost of housing is one of the mayor’s top concerns and pointed to the East Boston Neighborhood Trust’s acquisition of several multi-family buildings, an effort that the city helped fund.
John Walkey, a local environmentalist and director of waterfront and climate justice initiatives with the community-based organization GreenRoots, called the requirements for developers “minimal.”
He and other environmental advocates have called for “nature-based” solutions — such as reinforced dunes and restored wetlands — instead of allowing more development right on the coastline.
Sheputa said the city has a “strong preference” for those strategies.
But in most places along Boston’s shoreline, experts point out, there is little left of nature to enhance: The land is built up, and moreover, is not controlled by the city.
Paul Kirshen, a civil engineer and climate adaptation professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston, said the shortage of space to create nature-based solutions is a “killer.”
“The land constraint is really binding right now,” said Kirshen, who is also research director of the Stone Living Lab, an initiative that tests nature-based solutions.
But Walkey, of GreenRoots, thinks it’s more a question of political will.
If a developer offers to put in luxury housing, he said, “it becomes very hard for the city to say no. … [It’s] how the city makes its budget.”
Erin Douglas can be reached at erin.douglas@globe.com. Folow her @erinmdouglas23.
News
Ellie Ayati-Jian and Jaine Davies, two Greater Boston milliners, are raising the brim—and the bar.
Pretty in pink, blue, and yellow and festooned with ribbon, feathers, and a bold flower, this fascinator was created by Ellie Jian Millinery. / Photo by Steph Larsen / Styling by Abby Brenc for Anchor Artists
At spring events like the Kentucky Derby and Boston’s own “hat luncheon,” the Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s annual Party in the Park, hats have long shaped the conversation—an expected flourish of brim and bloom marking the start of the season. In recent years, however, the role of the hat has evolved, from celebratory flourish to considered craft.
Leading that charge locally is Ellie Jian Millinery, the Newton studio founded by Ellie Ayati-Jian. Trained in architecture and interior design, Ayati-Jian brings a structural sensibility to her work, approaching millinery less as ornament and more as wearable design. Her hats—ranging from floral fascinators to structured couture pieces—are engineered with intention, balancing form, proportion, and comfort. “What drew me in was the energy and sense of community around derby events,” Ayati-Jian says. “They bring together fashion, tradition, and celebration in a very social way.” That social element remains central to her work: She’s a familiar presence at Boston events, often modeling her own designs to show how even bold headpieces can feel approachable.
This Ellie Jian Millinery pink fascinator is anchored by deep blue handmade flower. / Photo by Steph Larsen / Styling by Abby Brenc for Anchor Artists
Ayati-Jian’s creative process begins not with sketching, but with research—architecture, art, fashion history, or a client’s personal story—until a concept emerges. She often spends days gathering visual references before touching a single material, allowing a narrative to emerge before form takes shape. From there, she shapes and refines her hats by hand.
Ayati-Jian says toppers incorporating clean shapes, softer brims, and sculptural forms are now trending—which, given the city’s fashion predilections, is a big advantage. “Boston style is generally more conservative, and I think that works beautifully with this direction,” she says. “Bostonians appreciate quality, craftsmanship, and timeless design.”
The “Monaco” by IndigoHats is made of silk with a peacock feather. / Photo courtesy of Jaine Davies/IndigoHats
She’s not the only one taking advantage of the recent hat craze. Raised in England near a major horse race, Jaine Davies, whose millinery studio, IndigoHats, is based on the South Shore, grew up immersed in a culture where hats signaled occasion. Her ideas often begin in a small notebook she carries everywhere, filled with details spotted at museum exhibitions and in historical garments. “Couture runway shows are really important to study,” says Davies, who observes the season’s designer dresses closely, translating their colors, embroidery, and silhouettes into hats ready for her studio. She handblocks each piece on traditional wooden forms and sews every hat by hand, pairing time-honored techniques with an adventurous use of materials. Alongside classic straws, Davies works with Dupioni silks, richly patterned textiles, beadwork, and meticulously crafted feather flowers designed to be as light as they are dramatic.
For Davies, drama and discipline go hand in hand. “I want to wow from a distance and impress close up with how well made they are,” she says. Indeed, her hats accomplish exactly that.
The shop’s “Aster” is a pillbox style with quills and sophisticated veiling. / Photo courtesy of Jaine Davies/IndigoHats
This article was first published in the print edition of the April 2026 issue, with the headline,“Head First.”
Food News
If it closes, the nearest 99 Restaurant locations to Boston will be in Revere and Quincy.
A beloved New England chain restaurant’s last Boston location may close as developers eye the lot around it for future apartments at Charlestown’s Bunker Hill Mall.
Universal Hub first reported the news that the 99 Restaurant on Austin Street could shutter as part of a proposal to replace much of the site with a six-story, 240-unit apartment complex.
A spokesperson for the restaurant said the 99 has been at its 31 Austin St. location for 33 years.
“We are aware that the owners of Bunker Hill Mall property are considering a redevelopment of the entire site, and as such, we are exploring our options to remain in this community far into the future,” a spokesperson said. “We will continue to serve our loyal guests in our current location as long as our lease remains in place.”
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Boston.com readers have a runaway favorite for favorite food chain
The property owner, New England Development, originally proposed a plan in 2021 that would build apartments around the 99 in a U-shape design, according to previous documents and members of the Charlestown Neighborhood Council who spoke to Boston.com. But the neighborhood council development chair Nancy Johnson said the community had a hard time envisioning that design.
Since then, a key zoning change has reshaped the project. In late 2023, the Boston Planning Department changed the Bunker Hill Mall site’s zoning from neighborhood shopping to mixed-use, clearing the way for residential builds. New England Development now proposes replacing the 99 entirely, with construction to be finished by 2028.
In a statement, New England Development said the restaurant “will remain in operation through at least the end of 2026.”
“The residential development, which adheres to zoning, will provide needed housing, and also complement and support the existing grocery and commercial uses with no reduction in parking for those businesses,” the statement read.
In a March meeting, some public comments opposed the project because of the likely shuttering of the 99.
“The 99 is one of the few family-friendly restaurants in Charlestown,” said one commenter. “We have celebrated numerous end-of-season sports events there. We need these kind of community spaces in Charlestown.”
Residents also raised broader concerns about the development, including parking and the potential loss of retail in addition to the 99. It isn’t immediately clear which stores will stay. A draft project impact report filed this year indicates redevelopment would only be considered after the “expiration of long-term retail leases.”
But along with zoning changes, Boston’s planning department approved a modification to the urban renewal plan to allow for the residential build. Johnson said the community is worried it could mean less retail stores at the site, which is the opposite of what the community wants.
The Bunker Hill Mall currently includes a Whole Foods, CVS, an Ace Hardware, and other stores. The 99 and a Dunkin’ are the last remaining restaurant spaces on site — the 99 being the last full-service option. The mall previously housed a Papa Gino’s and a Friendly’s.
The Charlestown Neighborhood Council expressed frustration mostly with the Boston Planning & Development Agency over the lack of a community process during the 2023 zoning change and a subsequent update to the site’s urban renewal plan.
“We want our neighbors and other residents to have good, affordable housing that’s safe and well-made,” Johnson said. “But you have to plan for the future, and a neighborhood is going to need retail spaces.”
The 99’s long history in Charlestown includes a 1995 shooting that killed four people. More recently, the chain has maintained a loyal following: It topped a Boston.com reader poll in 2020 and drew a wave of praise from readers in 2024 reacting to a Reddit post declaring the chain was underrated.
If the Charlestown location ultimately closes at the Bunker Hill Mall site, the closest 99 locations to Boston proper would be in Revere and Quincy.
Boston, MA
Lawsuit that alleges Boston is inflating commercial property taxes goes to court this week
A lawsuit that alleges the City of Boston is inflating the assessed value, and taxes, for commercial properties that file abatements will be taken up by Suffolk Superior Court on Wednesday.
The alleged practice has been slammed as retaliatory and unlawful by the Pioneer New England Legal Foundation, a watchdog group that filed the class-action lawsuit on behalf of a commercial property owner last December. The property is 148 State St., a Seaport office building.
The city filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in February, arguing that the case does not qualify as one that should be considered by Superior Court, given that the plaintiff “has an adequate legal remedy at the (state) Appellate Tax Board.”
City Hall attorneys will be asking the court to grant the motion at Wednesday’s 2 p.m. hearing.
“Plaintiff failed to exhaust its mandatory administrative remedies; indeed, plaintiff and the city are involved in a pending administrative action that will address some of the excessive valuation claims raised in its complaint,” the city’s motion states. “Plaintiff chose not to appeal the remaining excessive valuation claims raised in its complaint.
“Contrary to its argument, plaintiff’s claims do not fit into the exceedingly narrow exception that would permit the Superior Court to hear its claims for declaratory and injunctive relief under extraordinary circumstances,” the city’s motion states. “As a result, the court is without jurisdiction to entertain the complaint, and it must be dismissed as a matter of law.”
The Pioneer New England Legal Foundation filed an opposition to the city’s motion to dismiss last month that argues against what it sees as the “essence” of the the motion, which is that “the court must decline to hear the case because the statutory abatement and Appellate Tax Board process is mandatory and exclusive.”
“Defendant’s framing baldly misstates what the complaint actually pleads and what this action seeks to remedy,” the Pioneer filing states. “Contrary to the premise of the city’s motion, this action is not a routine dispute over the valuation of a single parcel.
“Plaintiff alleges a deliberate, systemwide retaliatory practice: when a taxpayer exercised the right to petition by pursuing an ATB appeal, the city used an add-back or override methodology to inflate the property assessment at issue artificially, and ostensibly to ‘stabilize’ the taxpayer’s value at prior-year levels.
“Similarly-situated taxpayers without ATB appeals did not receive the same treatment. Plaintiff further alleges that this practice is reflected in the city’s own property record cards and operated as a hidden penalty on protected petitioning activity,” the Pioneer filing states.
Pioneer’s attorneys added, “At the pleading stage, those well-plead allegations must be credited as true, and the city cannot obtain dismissal by trying to recast the complaint as nothing more than an ordinary overvaluation claim.”
The lawsuit is seeking restitution, for the city to repay the plaintiff commercial taxpayer, along with others who may join the filing, the amount they were overcharged in property taxes, due to the city’s alleged overvaluation.
Despite reportedly agreeing privately to stop the alleged overassessment practice as part of settlement negotiations, the city has publicly dismissed Pioneer’s allegations as “baseless and full of misinformation,” per a prior statement from Mayor Michelle Wu’s office.
Frank Bailey, Pioneer’s president and a retired judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Massachusetts, has said Pioneer estimates as many as 200 commercial properties have been overtaxed by the city practice.
If the suit is successful, those properties could be owed restitution at a time when the city’s finances are hampered by declining commercial property values tied to vacant office space that one City Hall watchdog has projected may lead to a $1-2 billion budget shortfall over the next five years.
The city is scrambling to close a $48.4 million budget shortfall by June 30, the end of this fiscal year 2026. The mayor has pitched a $4.9 billion budget for FY27 with a 2.1% increase, the lowest rate of growth since the Great Recession in FY10.
Bailey said the lawsuit was filed “only after serious consideration and after literally months of efforts to engage the city and the Department of Revenue to ensure basic questions about the transparency and fairness of the Boston commercial real estate tax system” and that it “is operating in compliance with the law.”
He said the alleged overassessment practice went on for fiscal years 2024 and 2025.
City Hall disagrees.
“The city assesses 180,000 properties annually, and less than one out of every 200 end up in dispute,” a city spokesperson said in a prior statement. “There is a well established and clear legal process for any property owner to appeal who believes their valuation is too high, including this plaintiff.
“Ultimately, Pioneer chose to sue and the city will defend Boston taxpayers and our authority to fairly tax our largest commercial properties.”
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