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Save Fenway
On July 31, 2000 the Massachusetts Legislature passed a law providing $313 million for the Boston Red Sox to tear down historic Fenway Park and take 25 acres of land by eminent domain for a new stadium. The plan would have forced out dozens of businesses and cost hundreds of jobs.
During the two years before this legislative action, a battle for the community and for the ballpark had been led by community groups including the Fenway CDC, one of the country's oldest Community Development Corporations. Jethro Heiko, now the Action Mill's Strategic Organizing Director, was at the time Organizing Director for the Fenway CDC, which had spent years creating a community development framework called the Urban Village Plan. Fenway CDC had built affordable housing and run a variety of programs for the community including a senior center, a daycare center, job programs, and playgrounds. From 1998 to 2000, Fenway CDC organized local, city, and state-wide coalitions to stop the new stadium, and drew up alternative development plans to make their case.
At the same time a group of committed baseball and Red Sox fans and historic preservationists going by the name "Save Fenway Park!" were waging a battle to save the stadium.
On August 5, 2000, just days after the governor signed the legislation authorizing funds for destruction of Fenway Park, Save Fenway Park! and Fenway CDC joined forces for a ten-day charrette that brought professional ballpark and urban designers together with key stake-holders to design alternative plans that achieved what the Red Sox said they needed without the need for public money or eminent domain. Elected officials and the Red Sox brass stayed away, but fans and community members got involved by attending daily sessions where they heard about the design plans and gave input. It was at one of these sessions that the idea of putting seats on the left field wall – the Green Monster – was contributed by a Fenway resident.
At the conclusion of the ten-day charette, the results were presented to the Red Sox and the media. The Fenway CDC and Save Fenway Park! continued to campaign against the new ballpark, and after two years the Red Sox owners put the team up for sale. The groups presented the alternative plans to the various bidding groups, and the new owners decided it was in their best interest to save the stadium. Between 2003 and 2009, Fenway Park was renovated and improved utilizing the plans developed during the 2000 charrette, including one of the most popular attractions of the revitalized park, the Green Monster seats. In 2008, Jethro received one of the bricks removed from Fenway Park during restoration from the new President/CEO of the Boston Red Sox, Larry Lucchino. In a letter, Lucchino wrote, "We sincerely appreciate your passion and dedication, as well as the time, ideas, and support you have given to Red Sox Nation."
Years of creative action saved a community, a historic ballpark, dozens of businesses, and $313 million of taxpayer money – one of the few times a community has prevented the building of a major new sports stadium. The combination of community resistance and a parallel development planning process contributed to a positive outcome for both the Red Sox and the community. The Fenway Park battle continues to offer lessons in the Action Mill's work.
Jethro worked at Fenway CDC for 7 years before moving to Philadelphia. In 2006, he founded Casino-Free Philadelphia, which is working to keep casinos out of Philadelphia. Jethro's wife Chelsea Thompson and Action Mill Creative Director Nick Jehlen contributed to action planning for the Saving Fenway Park and advancing the Urban Village Plan.
