By Adam Swift
The 18-acre Forbes property in neighboring Chelsea has been sold to Mass Audubon, marking a major milestone for regional conservation.
“We can report that the receiver has officially sold the property to Mass Audubon for $8.36 Million,” stated Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez in a letter to the city council. “As part of the City will receive over $1 Million in back taxes and property liens. The City will also receive all costs appropriated by the City Council for the receivership.”
The land is the former site of the Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing Company and has been abandoned for nearly two decades as several residential and mixed-use plans came close to fruition but never fully materialized. In November of 2024, there was a massive nine-alarm fire at the Forbes site that drew a regional response and sent smoke across the surrounding area.
In late 2024, the property was placed in receivership at the request of the City of Chelsea—a legal step that opened a window of opportunity for the partnership to actively pursue the acquisition of the property, according to Mass Audubon.
Mass Audubon partnered with local environmental justice non-profit GreenRoots and The Neighborhood Developers, a local community development corporation, to transform 18 acres of waterfront property into a broadly accessible, climate-resilient park, mixed-income housing, and community amenities. Mass Audubon is a familiar name to Winthrop residents through its ongoing stewardship and programming at the nearby Belle Isle Marsh. Current plans call for up to 225 units of mixed-income housing, according to Mass Audubon.
The vision for the project includes a nature center, outdoor classroom, and accessible green space, according to Mass Audubon. The project partners will be developing a community engagement plan so members of the community have a say in the future development of the site.
The efforts to transform the property received a boost recently when the State Superior Court judge overseeing the receivership approved Mass Audubon’s offer to purchase the property.
“GreenRoots and the residents of Chelsea have been actively engaged in this critically important site for over two decades,” stated Roseann Bongiovanni, Executive Director of GreenRoots and lifelong Chelsea resident who grew up near the site. “As we work to create more waterfront access and green space, and achieve environmental justice, we see that this parcel offers multiple opportunities for the community that we are excited to realize. Our residents deserve to access this historically important site in a way that is welcoming and beneficial for all. While there is much work to be done, we are celebrating this monumental milestone for the community, for GreenRoots and for environmental and climate justice.”
Mass Audubon officials stated that the organization intends to spend the next few months performing site evaluations and environmental testing. The Forbes company had an extensive industrial presence from the mid-1880s through the 1960s, and while some environmental remediation has been performed, additional testing must be conducted, they stated. In addition, existing infrastructure needs to be evaluated as well, including the access bridge over the MBTA commuter rail and an existing seawall.
“Mass Audubon’s experience conserving land and protecting biodiversity, combined with the community’s input and our invaluable partners who live and work in Chelsea, means that we have the expertise and commitment to turn this dream into reality,” said David O’Neill, President & CEO of Mass Audubon. “The opportunity to create an accessible oasis of open space while also bolstering climate resilience is fully aligned with our mission, and we look forward to partnering with community members.”
Rafael Mares, Executive Director of The Neighborhood Developers, said residents need more public parks, access to the waterfront, and affordable homes.
“This project promises to deliver all of the above at the same time and in the same location,” stated Mares. “The partnership between Mass Audubon, GreenRoots, and TND intentionally combines green space and waterfront access with affordable homes to create powerful benefits that each amenity could not deliver alone.”
The next steps for the site, according to the project partners, include updating public safety measures and temporarily blocking access to the site by repairing fencing and reboarding up buildings; removing the damaged and vandalized buildings while preserving historic elements for future reuse; and repairing the seawall to protect Chelsea Creek and Mill Creek from pollutants and build climate resiliency in the face of sea level rise.