A new development promises to transform a gritty part of the Back Bay, according to this article from the Boston Globe.
Tim Logan reports: "A windblown, traffic-choked corner of the Back Bay could soon get a major makeover. But it’s going to take something that hasn’t happened here in four decades: a construction project above the Massachusetts Turnpike."
"Developers hope to start work early next year on a pair of towers that would be on a deck above the busy highway and Commuter Rail tracks, on the west side of Massachusetts Avenue between Boylston and Newbury streets," adds Logan. "The complicated project, seven years in the making, won a key vote from the Boston Planning & Development Agency on Thursday and now heads to the final stages of planning with state transportation officials."
The development of the two towers will also include significant investments in the public realm, like a two-story public plaza, a new entrance to the MBTA’s Hynes Convention Center Station, and new bike and bus lanes. A lot more detail and a rendering of the planned project can be found at the source article.
FULL STORY: For the first time in four decades, new buildings could rise over the Mass. Pike

National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.

Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.

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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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