MBTA Board Awards Contract To Rebuild Ashmont Station; Sells Land For Cable TV Studio In Roxbury

The Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority today awarded a $35.2 million contract for the complete reconstruction of the Red Line’s Ashmont Station in Dorchester. Barletta Heavy Division, Inc. had submitted the lowest price among four eligible contractors who bid on the project. A multi-modal transit hub that is more than 75 years old, Ashmont Station is in desperate need of a complete overhaul. After razing the existing structure and viaduct, construction crews will - for all intents and purposes – rebuild the station from the ground up. Highlights of the project include: - New platforms and a viaduct for the trolley service to Mattapan - Two new lobbies with access at both ends of the station - An elevated bus way that is level with the new lobbies - Public access over the subway tunnel to Peabody Square - Three new elevators and two new escalators - Security cameras and significantly enhanced lighting - Automated fare vending machines and fare gates “The reconstruction of Ashmont Station is truly a neighborhood project, and we received input and recommendations from many area residents and officials as the design unfolded,” said Transportation Secretary John Cogliano. “The result will be a state-of-the-art station that will combine clean and efficient Red Line service with tremendous residential and commercial opportunities.” As part of Governor Mitt Romney’s Transit Oriented Development initiative, the Ashmont Station project is an exemplar of the Smart Growth principles of revitalizing urban centers by improving transit hubs. The area around the station will be transformed with the construction of more than 100 residential units and nearly 30,000 square feet of retail space. “This is a modernization project that is long overdue,” said MBTA General Manager Daniel Grabauskas. “The new Ashmont Station will serve as a catalyst for economic growth and development in the neighborhood.” Also today, the T’s Board of Directors approved the sale of a former power substation and nearly 12,000 square feet of land at 3025 Washington Street in the Egleston Square section of Roxbury. The Urban Edge Housing Corporation and the Boston Community Access & Programming Foundation are purchasing the property for $560,000. Once used to provide power to trolleys on the elevated Orange Line, the substation has been vacant and unused since the 1970s. Because the structure is on the Massachusetts Registry of Historic Places, the new owners have agreed to preserve the building’s exterior while renovating the interior space. Once the construction work is completed, Boston’s Community Access Cable Television Station will move its operations into the building. The remaining space will be used for offices or housing purposes. “This is a great property, and we’re thrilled that it is going to be used for such a community focused endeavor,” said Transportation Secretary John Cogliano. “The re-use of this building is in step with Governor Romney’s Smart Growth principles, and Community Access will be a valuable addition to the Egleston Square neighborhood.” “It’s a good thing when you can raise some non-fare revenue while finding a great way to re-use public property in a densely populated urban area,” said General Manager Daniel Grabauskas. “It’s the ideal location for a cable television station that focuses on the issues that matter most to the residents of Boston’s neighborhoods.” ###