In 2016 the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB) undertook a public-private partnership to create two new residence halls ranging in height from 7 to 12 stories and totaling approximately 249,000 GSF and a new 8-level, 1,400-space parking garage and public safety building totaling approximately 500,000 GSF.

Pare Corporation served as UMB’s representative in coordinating the Project Commencement Notice (PCN) submission for MEPA review. This included coordinating the efforts of the two design teams, UMB, the University of Massachusetts Building Authority (UMBA), the MEPA office, and the Massachusetts DEP Waterways Program to create a permit submission that addressed all requirements of the Special Review Procedure and Consolidated Written Determination. The PCN also included a greenhouse gas analysis, transportation study/traffic analysis, a summary of the status of the 25-Year Master Plan Phase I projects, and a comparison of the projected environmental impacts from the 25-Year Master Plan with actual impacts realized to date.

Pare coordinated the Public Hearing for the project, producing a PowerPoint presentation that summarized the PCN in detail and took the lead in presenting the project during the public hearing. In addition, the R-1 residence hall project also required authorization under the Chapter 91 Consolidated Written Determination on the Master Plan for work on filled tidelands.