New Boston Police Station Opens in East Boston

The new facility (which officially opened last week) on East Eagle Street represents a $29.9 million investment in East Boston’s public safety and community spaces, and was designed following several public meetings to hear the community’s opinions about the project, public safety, traffic, and accessibility. The new facility also includes stormwater management and more energy efficient systems.

“An investment in our municipal buildings is an investment in our City workers and our residents. This new state of the art station provides the working environment our officers deserve and creates a more accessible experience for the local community,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I want to thank our Public Facilities Department for seeing this project through and incorporating community input and sustainability into the design.”

“This new District A-7 station is a win for our officers and for the East Boston Community,” said Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox. “The former station was unsafe and outdated for far too long. The new A-7 is more strategically located and offers modern resources for our officers to better serve the diverse communities of East Boston. We are grateful to Mayor Wu, as well as the City’s operations and facilities teams, for making this a priority. This building brings with it new space for our officers to meet and connect with residents and the business community as we work to build trust and enhance our community policing efforts.”

This new police station will be the first complete new district station in more than a decade. Its location is centrally located in East Boston. The new facility is safer and more code compliant than the old premise which contained antiquated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. The officers gain a more efficient space for work and collaboration which provides adequate space for personnel, equipment, and security. The new A-7 facility helps conserve water and prioritizes the use of safer materials to lower exposure to toxins. The mechanical systems are all controlled by a building management system and the lighting is controlled by a lighting control system and occupancy sensors to manage energy use and increase efficiency. 

“We broke ground on this project in October of 2019 to create a modern facility with enhanced community access, improved working conditions, and public art,” said Chief of Operations Dion Irish. “This new station will improve dispatch response times, while providing a sustainable, resilient asset for the East Boston neighborhood and Boston Police Department.”

The building is situated so that the public lobby and community room face the neighborhood with transparent facades and an accessible plaza facing the main intersection. It is entirely accessible to both the community and to staff with dedicated parking.

To complement the construction of the new building, the City commissioned artist Monika Bravo to create a long-term public art project in the community room and main lobby of the building. The artwork, UNUS MUNDUS, consists of mosaics and hanging glass mobiles that mimic the original topography of East Boston, a place that was once five separate islands and now has been covered in landfill to create one neighborhood. Bravo referenced many historical and current images and maps of East Boston in creating the work, embedding some of them in the artwork itself. She also engaged community members and Boston Police officers in a series of workshops to learn more about the project and share their input and experiences. 

“There has been much anticipation about the opening of the East Boston Police Station,” said City Councilor Gabriela Coletta. “I look forward to working in partnership with the community and BPD to continue building trust and ensure that the station is a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space for everyone in the community.”

“I’m so proud of the work Mayor Michelle Wu, City Staff, and the Boston Police Department have done to bring a new police station to East Boston, the first new station in Boston in a decade,” said State Senator Lydia Edwards. 

"I'm glad to see the new A-7 police station open in East Boston after many years of hard work and collaboration with the community," said State Representative Adrian Madaro. "The new facility will be a more modern, healthy, and centrally located facility for both the officers who work there and East Boston residents."

This announcement builds off of Mayor Wu’s commitment to invest in City workers and infrastructure to ensure all residents and City workers can take advantage of state of the art facilities. Earlier this month, Mayor Wu announced $25 million for a new BCYF community center in the North End. Last year, Mayor Wu announced a Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools, a $2 billion plan to overhaul BPS facilities, including new construction and renovation projects, as well as district-wide upgrades.

To watch the ribbon cutting, visit this link.