July 5, 2023 $200,000 grant funds Alford Street Pumping Station Study
Historic Boston and the City of Everett are recipients of a $200,000 grant from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to conduct a preservation and re-use feasibility study for the historic Alford Street Pumping Station.
The tiny sliver of the Charlestown neighborhood that extends over the Mystic River into the City of Everett is the focus of planning that would help the City of Everett connect the Alford Street Bridge and the short stretch of Charlestown’s waterfront beneath the Alford Street Bridge to the historic pumping station. 
The pumping station dates to 1895 and, while vacant and disused, continues to be owned by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. The historic building has been modified over the last century and has suffered many years of deferred maintenance and will require considerable re-investment. Nevertheless, its survival and Victorian architecture is a reminder of the first generation of public buildings serving water and sewer management in Boston.
The grant will devote $140,000 to the building’s assessment, which includes structural, architectural, environmental and market studies. The ancient sea wall on which the building sits will also be reviewed for its structural stability. Ultimately, the study will also evaluate potential uses for the building and site. Any proposed use will need to conform to Chapter 91 of Massachusetts General Laws which requires that the public have access to the water’s edge, and the Commonwealth’s Designated Port Area program, which requires that development and uses along certain waterfront areas in the state be water-dependent.
The study gets underway this summer. Follow HBI updates by subscribing to our monthly newsletter or following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.