Fan Pier

Boston, MA
Key Elements
  • 20.5-acre transit-oriented development 
  • Coordination with multiple project teams 
  • Boston permitting 

The development of the 20.5 acres that make up Fan Pier changed the face of the South Boston waterfront area. Curving along nine city blocks between Northern Avenue and the Boston Harbor, Fan Pier has three million square feet of space permitted for mixed-use development. Flanked by the John J. Moakley Courthouse and Institute of Contemporary Art, the transit-oriented development consists of nine buildings that contain luxury condominiums, 1.5-million square feet of Class A office space, a five-star luxury hotel, the Harbor Walk path along the water, the Fan Pier Park, and a protected marina. 

Working directly for the owner, Nitsch coordinated all of our services with and provided information to multiple project teams. We performed existing conditions, topographic, title insurance, utility, and property line retracement surveys for the entire site. In addition, we coordinated the wetlands flagging and delineation on the site. Nitsch used these plans to design new utilities, layout, and grading for the site. We performed a hydraulic analysis of the drainage system for the area and designed the drainage system. For each phase of the project, Nitsch also assisted in the permitting process for the Public Improvement Commission (PIC), Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC), Chapter 91 process, Wetlands, and Department of Environmental Protection; prepared construction specifications; attended and presented at public hearings/meetings; and provided construction administration services. 

All of the buildings within Fan Pier pursued LEED Certification. The first phase of the project, completed in 2010, included the design and construction of ONE Marina Park Drive, a 500,000-square-foot, 18-story office building with ground floor retail and underground parking, that overlooks the marina and a two-acre public park. ONE Marina Park Drive was the first LEED Gold certified newly constructed building in Boston. The park, called Fan Pier Public Green, won a 2013 Honor Award for Waterfront Design from the Boston Society of Landscape Architects. 

Key Collaborators

Owner: The Fallon Company 
Architects: Tsoi/Kobus & Associates, Elkus Manfredi Architects 
Landscape Architect: Richard Burke Associates, Inc. 
Contractor: Turner Construction Company