Mayor Walsh Launches Pop Allston Community Space

BOSTON – Monday, June 8, 2015 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the launch of POP Allston, a temporary pop up community space at 89 Brighton Avenue in Allston Village. POP Allston will feature a nearly 10,000 square foot free indoor skatepark, a weekly multi-vendor vintage market, pop up DIY bicycle repair workshops and nearly 5,000 square feet of flexible space that will be programmed with additional community uses. POP Allston was created through a collaboration of Allston Village Main Streets, Commonwheels Bicycle Co-Op, Orchard Skateshop, Vivant Vintage, the City of Boston and the building owner, Eden Properties.

“The City of Boston worked collaboratively with our local partners to help transition this vision into a reality,” said Mayor Walsh. “Through innovative new ventures like POP Allston, we can work together to create a more vibrant and engaging community.”

One of the anchors of POP Allston will be the Orchard Conservatory Skatepark. Conservatory will be one of the first, free to the public indoor skateparks in the world, and it will be open for regular hours in the summer, winter and spring. Conservatory will be spread across the 2nd and 3rd floors of the building, nearly 10,000 square feet, with varying and unique terrain on each floor. The second floor will be constructed in a “Plaza style,” using sustainable materials that can be relocated to another public skate space after POP  Allston's life cycle comes to an end. The third floor of Conservatory will be constructed in a DIY style featuring concrete transitional elements.

Orchard Skate Shop will design Conservatory along with long-time brand partner, Converse. Once the park is open, Orchard will manage, maintain and use the space as a home for their skateboarding camps and lessons.

POP Allston will also be the home of a weekly multi-vendor vintage market called “Oliver Best Markets.” The Market will boast a wide variety of vintage retailers specializing in records, apparel, home decor and more. Oliver Best Markets was founded by Justin E. Pomerleau owner of Vivant Vintage. Pomerleau is also known for his role in founding Le Pants Kingand The Traveling Spectacular.

CommonWheels Bicycle Co-op, an Allston based non-profit organization that works to empower people to use the bicycle to enhance their lives, will also reside at POP Allston. CommonWheels will provide free skill-sharing workshops, tools and guidance, multilingual resources, gathering space for social rides and build the bicycling community in Allston.

POP Allston will be managed and curated by Allston Village Main Streets. Allston Village Main Streets is a non profit community organization and part of the City of Boston’s Boston Main Streets Program. For nearly 20 years, Allston Village Main Streets has been working to make Allston Village a better place to live, work, dine, shop and own a business. They are known for hosting large community events like the Taste of Allston, as well as managing the weekly Outdoor Market at Allston Village. In addition Allston Village Main Streets funds public art projects, supports small business development and advocates for a safe and accessible Allston Village.

“We are so grateful to all of our partners, for helping to bring this creative vision into an innovative reality,” said Alana Olsen, Executive Director of Allston Village Main Streets.” POP Allston will be a vibrant space for the Allston Community to come together and enjoy. We are especially grateful to Mayor Walsh and the City of Boston for their strong support of this project.”

POP Allston is made possible through the generous support of Eden Properties, Prince Lobel LLP, the Boston Main Streets Foundation and Converse. Eden Properties, the owner of 89 Brighton Avenue has granted free use of the building to AVMS, and made this entire project possible.