Orchard Park Projects

Orchard Park, also known as "Home of New Edition," was one of Boston's most notorious housing projects, located in Roxbury, Massachusetts. It is also the former home of singer Bobby Brown and New Edition members Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ralph Tresvant. The 350-unit three-story brick complex was built in 1941 and was demolished in 1998 due to crime problems.[1]

Orchard Park Housing Projects
General information
Location120 Eustis St, Roxbury, Massachusetts 02119 .
Boston, Massachusetts
 United States
StatusDemolished
Construction
Constructed1940–41
Demolished1996–1998
Other information
Governing
body		Boston Housing Authority

History

Construction began in March 1941 and opened a year later to both African-American and Irish-American families. In the early 1960s, Orchard Park was very diverse, but by 1970 the majority of the complex were low income black families. When racial tensions in the area began to rise in the early 1970s, the Boston Public Schools system began busing black kids from Orchard Park and the nearby Lenox Street complex to other white filled housing projects in South Boston.[2] This led to more riots and crime problems in all Boston's housing developments.

Local juvenile gangs began to form in the housing projects for protection from rival gangs. Housing projects like Colombia Point also had begun to deteriorate throughout the years. Orchard Park was among those housing projects suffering from urban decay. During the mid-to-late 80s, crack cocaine dealers from New York began to move into Orchard Park.

The most well known drug dealer was Darryl "God" Whiting, who also introduced crack to the area. Whiting set up shop in Orchard Park and later became the biggest drug lord in Boston, operating on Bumb Road.[3][4] Whiting associates also formed a sub gang called the Orchard Park Trailblazers. OPT become infamous for violence and drug trafficking, mainly operating crack dens in and around Orchard Park.[5]

In August 1996, Orchard Park was set for demolition. A year later, portions of Orchard Park were torn down. The buildings were finally razed in 1998 and replaced with a $159 million development called Orchard Gardens in 1999.[6]

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References
  1. "'New Edition Story' is a faithful retelling of the group's highs and lows". The Boston Globe.
  2. https://www.cityofboston.gov/parks/pdfs/os3l.pdf
  3. "When God Walked Through the Projects". thephoenix.com.
  4. "Darryl Whiting, one of the most infamous drug dealers in Boston history, could come home". The Boston Globe.
  5. KOEHLER, ROBERT (16 June 1992). "TV REVIEW: Chronicles of Random Violence". LA Times.
  6. "Orchard Gardens". Boston Housing Authority.

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