Community Greenhouse

Over the past 10 years Dudley Neighbors Inc. (DNI) The Community Land Trust (CLT) and Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) have been working on building a greenhouse. The greenhouse project was made possible because the Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) was forced to settle a lawsuit by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding environmental violations at MHD Facilities. The settlement mandated that MHD perform a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP). This became an opportunity for DSNI, because we had an abandoned auto garage at 11 Brook Avenue that needed environmental cleanup. Substantial community-wide discussions and committee meetings brought forth the idea of redeveloping the property at 11 Brook Avenue, as a greenhouse. The community greenhouse will be a 10,080 sq ft commercial greenhouse that will be a community owned and controlled. In June of 2002, Green Environmental Company was selected to construct the greenhouse. Estimated cost to construct is $524,900. On May 6, 2003 DNI received necessary zoning relief from the Boston Zoning Board of Appeals. Residents of the area and local organizations have signed on to support the project at community meetings. This greenhouse is a cornerstone of the community urban agriculture plan.

The greenhouse development will.:       

Assess, investigate and remediate environmental contamination left when the property was used as an auto garage.

Provide educational opportunities for area youth to visit, engage, participate, and learn about urban agriculture.

Contribute proceeds of sales to a community development account for use on community projects