Get the Picture

             
         Art galleries give a neighborhood a unique identity. A lot of us like to feel we have a sense of style and somes even secretly enjoy being part of a community where the avant guarde permeates our own sense of style. Art galleries attract a broad range of demographic traffic, imbue a street with atmosphere and are far more interesting and attractive than a Store 24. They can be the sights of parties, meetings among cross social and cultural groups, or a place where residents can go for quiet reflection and stimulation. In short, they give a neighborhood ambience. Tatoo parlors add ambience to a neighborhood too and having both of them on the same street would give a neighborhood a distinctive lure that would be hard to beat. But tatoo parlors don't attract the type of clientele who are often willing to spend money on residences, dining out, clothing and interior decorations. They also don't send out the message that this part of town is not only OK, it's a good place to live. If there are galleries the neighborhood is saying there is peace and quiet, safety and intelligent life.
         The question is whether the dual attractions of galleries and artists with their bohemian eclectic lifestyle will be woven into the development being sown across the harbor. To start answering that question one first looks to see how well the artistic thread has already taken hold in the harbor’s fabric. Initial investigations indicate that galleries and the artists who produce their offerings have been solidly embedded in the genetic code of the harborfront development plans. As development occurs and space is set aside in rehabbed or new buildings more galleries are certain to appear. Why shouldn't they? There are a lot of artists already living in the old Boston Wharf buildings, the mayor has designated a percentage of space in new development in the Boston Wharf Co. buildings for artists and one of the newest developments in East Boston, recognizing that it cannot fill its required public accommodation space with retail shops right now because of low pedestrian traffic flow in the next few years has agreed to instead give artists low cost space in return for running exhibits at the development when it opens.
         That leaves the Charlestown Navy Yard as the only harbor development site without any plans for artists space or galleries. But with the low traffic that will greet these residential developments at the outset they may find that the best use of the retail space they must provide will be leasing to galleries. Galleries are a way to connect these developments to all of the benefits that come with the people they attract; people who have disposable income people who are from so many diverse backgrounds that they make public places interesting. Galleries attract visitors who dine out at cafes and restaurants and shop at all other eclectic stores that need the traffic that galleries generate to survive. And as the inner harbor water transportation system blossoms and the new docks at these developments make it easier to get around the harbor, galleries are destination places for people who want to take a trip on the water and enjoy the view of the harbor.
         Galleries and the artists that supply them are a simple easy way to bring people, more business and a lively vitality and excitement to the new harbor front developments and connect them conceptually even as the expanding ferry and water taxi service connects them physically. Best of all when you have them in your neighborhood and you casually point them out to your friends and show them the other interesting businesses and people that have been attracted because of them, your friends know you truly have style.

                                                                                                            The Boston Harbor Journal