Beyond Walls Launches Commonwealth Places Campaign for Waterfront Destination in Lynn

$50,000 goal to win matching grant through MassDevelopment’s Commonwealth Places

May 16, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Kelsey Schiller, MassDevelopment, 617-330-2011 & 617-694-9695 (cell)
kschiller@massdevelopment.com

Jonathan Berk, Patronicity, 617-750-6008
jonathan@Patronicity.com

Sandi Goldfarb, for Beyond Walls, 617-391-9653
sgoldfarb@rasky.com

MassDevelopment and the civic crowdfunding platform Patronicity have launched a new Commonwealth Places campaign with Beyond Walls to build a temporary waterfront park in Lynn. Dubbed “The Launch,” the park will activate a vacant waterfront parcel adjacent to the city’s marine transportation facility with art installations, performance space, recreational amenities, and more. By creating meaningful public access to the waterfront, Beyond Walls aims to establish a connection between Lynn’s waterfront and its vibrant downtown, provide small business owners with opportunities to test the market for their creative wares, and promote local and regional awareness of potential water transportation at the Lynn Ferry Terminal. The organization will use campaign funds to buy equipment needed to make this park a reality, including stacked shipping containers and associated infrastructure that will form the perimeter of the park and provide canvases for art installations; a modified container that will function as rotating retail space; and a multi-use futsal court that will be used for sports games and exercise classes.

“Beyond Walls has emerged as a local champion in Lynn, partnering with the city and the community to bring public art and vibrancy downtown through grassroots advocacy,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Lauren Liss. “We look forward to supporting the organization on its latest project, a transformative plan to activate Lynn’s underutilized waterfront and create space for community engagement, recreation, and entrepreneurship to take root.”

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $50,000 by June 30 at midnight, the project will win a matching grant with funds from MassDevelopment’s Commonwealth Places. Learn more and donate to Lynn’s The Launch project at patronicity.com/thelaunchlynn.

Beyond Walls Founder and CEO Al Wilson said, “This project will ensure that area residents have meaningful access to the water's edge with multi-generational amenities in a beautiful setting. As the city works to encourage development in on the waterfront, it is critically important that the area remains accessible to those living, working and visiting downtown Lynn.”

Commonwealth Places is a collaborative initiative from MassDevelopment and Patronicity that leverages public support for placemaking projects through crowdfunding and a matching grant from MassDevelopment. The program engages residents in the development of strategic projects in their towns and cities. In November 2018, MassDevelopment announced $500,000 in funding for the third year of the program, which has supported successful campaigns across the Commonwealth, from Northampton to Hyannis. Communities, nonprofits, and other entities can learn more about these successful projects, donate to ongoing campaigns, and apply at massdevelopment.com/commonwealthplaces.

This is Beyond Walls’ third Commonwealth Places campaign. In 2017, Beyond Walls crowdfunded $80,665 and received a $50,000 matching grant from MassDevelopment to fund its summer 2017 mural festival and other significant art and lighting installations. In 2018, the organization crowdfunded $93,487 and received a $50,000 matching grant from MassDevelopment to support its summer 2018 mural festival.

MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, works with businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2018, MassDevelopment financed or managed 384 projects generating investment of more than $4.1 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are estimated to create or support 10,994 jobs and build or rehabilitate 830 housing units.