Building on that history of outdoor recreation, in 1951, a public pool opened on the site. The Lee Pool was named for Boston resident Joseph Lee, who is considered to be the “father of the American playground”.
In the 1990’s, the Lee Pool closed to the public. Throughout much the time since, the site was used by DCR, EA, Hill House, and others to program and maintain the Esplanade.
In 2017, DCR convened over 20 stakeholder groups to consider the highest, best use for this two-acre parcel of public land. Through this public process a consensus emerged about what the Esplanade needs:
- a community gathering place
- a flexible programming venue
- critical park amenities
- support for the Esplanade Association’s in-park operations
- increased access to the riverfront
- broadened recreational opportunities
- reclaimed parkland
- and an improved connection from the Lee Pool area to the broader Esplanade landscape.
During that process, DCR made clear that while the agency would demolish the Lee Pool building, it and the Commonwealth were not in a position to financially support the design, construction, operation, or capital maintenance of a new public facility. Instead, DCR held that it would seek a private sector partner to fund the construction and long-term operation of a new, public building.
Since 2017, the Esplanade Association has worked with key partners to use these findings to shape a phased building and operations plan for the site that achieves all these goals and more through development of Charlesbank Landing.
When the DCR demolished the former Lee Pool building in July 2019, preparing the site for the future establishment of Charlesbank Landing.
See below for an outline of the original landscape design of Charlesbank by Fredrick Law Olmsted.
