Alliance Requests Long-Term Preservation Plan for Fort Andrews on Peddocks Island

The Boston Preservation Alliance has submitted comments to the Massachusetts Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs regarding a proposal to demolish fourteen buildings, stabilize eight buildings and rehabilitate four buildings at Fort Andrews, located on the East Head of Peddocks Island.

Fort Andrews was built at the turn of the twentieth century as a major component of the Boston Harbor defense system. Fort Andrews is included in the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s Inventory of Historical and Archaeological Assets of the Commonwealth and Peddocks Island is listed in the State and National Register of Historic Places as part of the Boston Harbor Islands Archaeological District. The Fort is significant as the only fort constructed in Massachusetts during the Spanish American War.

After decades of vacancy, many of the buildings at Fort Andrews are in a state of severe disrepair, and the Alliance recognizes that it may not be feasible to restore a number of them. However, the Alliance has requested that the Boston Harbor Island Alliance and the Department of Conservation and Recreation complete a comprehensive feasibility study of potential adaptive use scenarios for buildings on the island and conduct a master plan for long term use before demolition, stabilization or rehabilitation occurs. This information will allow the project proponents to make a more informed decision about the future of Fort Andrews that is based upon an economically viable and programmatically feasible approach. It will also provide more information that will help regulatory agencies and the public assess the proposal.

The Alliance has also raised concerns about the landscape and archaeological assets of the island, and has asked for additional measures to protect these resources. Peddocks Island is known for its significant Native American archaeological resources.

The Alliance hopes to play a constructive role in ensuring that future deterioration of the buildings of Fort Andrews is prevented. Both the Alliance and the National Trust for Historic Preservation have expressed a desire to provide assistance in the development of a comprehensive preservation plan to guide sound decision making at the Fort. With a strong plan in place, the Alliance is convinced that solutions are possible to rehabilitate important parts of the campus for new uses and to permit the public to enjoy it for generations to come.