The live-work-play vision behind Fan Pier on Boston’s Seaport

When Richard Martini looks out across Boston Harbor from Fan Pier, he doesn’t just see a bustling waterfront—he sees two decades of vision taking physical, community-shaping form. 

Martini, the executive managing director of The Fallon Company, has lived in the Seaport for 10 years and helped guide its transformation from windswept parking lots into one of Boston’s most dynamic places to live.

“I think one of the best things about the Seaport and the planning of the Seaport and Fan Pier was the mix of uses,” he says. “Mixed use, work, live, play, was really a key aspect way back when [former Boston] Mayor Menino’s envisioned a third retail, a third office and a third residential” for the expansive site. 

That balance, notes Martini, has “served very well.” 

But what truly unlocked the Seaport’s potential, Martini says, was the decision to embrace a harbor the city had long “turned our backs on.” With sweeping water views, generous public spaces and walkability woven throughout, the neighborhood feels thoroughly urban and distinctly connected to the natural coastline that frames it.

“I’ve lived here for 10 years, and I walk everywhere,” he says. “I’ll walk to the Back Bay, I’ll walk to the North End, and I’ll walk all over the neighborhood in the Seaport.” The Harborwalk—considerably wider than originally planned—offers a front-row seat to harbor life, while local restaurants and shops ensure the neighborhood feels rooted in Boston rather than overtaken by chains. “Keeping it Boston, keeping it local” was essential, he says. 

History and new design

Fan Pier’s renaissance didn’t mean ignoring its maritime past. The development team worked carefully to preserve and reinterpret the area’s historical features—even in a landscape where much of the built environment is brand new.

The developers aimed for a balance, Martini explains. Among the most distinctive examples is a tidal pool placed “in the middle of what was an old slip,” where the developers had to drive piles because the fill beneath was structurally different from the rest of the site. The team also rebuilt a 400-foot seawall that had “been there for hundreds of years,” reinforcing it while raising site elevations to better protect against flooding. 

Thoughtful details—from granite edges to landscaping, shade and flowers—help the district feel inviting and human-scaled. “I think it harkens back to the urban park landscapes of Fredrick Law Olmsted, not that it’s a mirror image, but it picks up on a lot of his ideas.” 

Living along a working and recreational waterfront brings daily surprises. 

“Probably the most fun thing is just seeing the amount of boat traffic,” Martini says, highlighting everything from kayak races and sailboats to ferries, passenger ships and massive cargo carriers “eight, 10 stories high.”

The growth of ferry commuting has also changed how Boston moves. “We know exactly how long it’s going to take—it’s 13 minutes,” he says of the water shuttle to North Station—unlike the traffic jams on busy Boston streets. By his count, the shift to water transit took “60 buses off the streets.” 

Life on the waterfront

The Fallon Company’s third Seaport residential project, 122 luxury condos at One Harbor Shore, builds on lessons from earlier successes 22 Liberty and 50 Liberty.

“With 22 we built at a perfect time. We were sold out before we finished the building,” he recalls. “And 50 was very similar.” The newest building embraces more variety in unit sizes—meeting modern preferences for one-bedrooms and one-bed-plus layouts—while integrating an impressive range of amenities.

A rooftop terrace features grill stations, a fireplace, a fire pit and even outdoor TV options. Inside, residents can enjoy fitness spaces, sports simulators, a spa and a lounge. Martini personally traveled to Italy to select stone finishes: “It was great fun, to make sure we get the right quality.” 

Sustainability and resilience were central to the construction approach, especially given the waterfront site. The building sits atop what Martini calls the “Cadillac” of foundation systems—a three-layer protective design. Floors are elevated above grade, and flood barriers and sloped hardscaping help manage potential storm surges. The building is also “95 percent electric,” with triple-insulated windows and materials designed for energy efficiency. 

LEED Gold certification is expected, with the project potentially only “a couple of points away” from Platinum. “We had to adapt as we went,” Martini says, noting that some all-electric systems required by new city standards “weren’t available at the time” construction began. The solution? Flexibility and innovation. 

A place to thrive

For Martini, the story of Fan Pier is one of perseverance and belief in a vision.

“I always look back and say, ‘How did we get here?’” Many early skeptics questioned whether the promised public amenities—from fire pits to open spaces—would ever be built. Now, he says with pride, “We told you we were going to do this, and we did it all and more.” 

Today, the waterfront is one of Boston’s most-visited sites. “Our little pavilion building, it’s probably the most photographed area in the city of Boston by far,” Martini notes. “We have around a dozen photo shoots a day.” Weddings, tourists, photographers—they all flock to the harbor’s edge for its unbeatable combination of skyline, sea and thoughtfully designed public space. 

Culture, too, has become a defining feature at Fan Pier, home to institutions such as the Institute of Contemporary Art, GrubStreet and Community Boat Builders. The new building at One Harbor Shore will include more than 23,000 square feet of cultural facilities, with a request for proposals expected soon. “Just one more element to all the parts and pieces,” Martini says. 

In watching the neighborhood come alive, Martini finds his greatest reward: seeing people enjoy a place that once seemed unimaginable.