Community Breakfast Honors Dudley Square Neighborhood Planner

Image: Gloria Fox, state representative; Joyce Stanley, the 2002 recipient of the Robert H. Quinn Award for Outstanding Community Leadership; Chancellor Jo Ann Gora; and Robert H. Quinn, former speaker of the House of Representatives and chair of UMass Board of Trustees, celebrated together at the community
breakfast held on March 20. (Photo by Harry Brett)

By Leigh DuPuy

“I am very proud to have this award from UMass Boston because you do such great work in the community,” said Joyce Stanley, the 2002 recipient of the Robert H. Quinn Award for Oustanding Community Leadership. At the university’s sixteenth annual community breakfast, UMass Boston recognized Stanley for her work in city planning and community development for Roxbury and the City of Boston. Elected officials such as Boston City Councilor Maureen Feeney, Representative Marty Walsh, and Representative Gloria Fox, who nominated Stanley for the award, joined community leaders, local business-people, and members of the UMass Boston faculty and staff to honor her at UMass Boston’s University Club.

Stanley has been involved in city planning and community development since 1970. Most recently, she has worked with residents, building owners, and public agencies to help revitalize Dudley Square in Roxbury. A long-time resident, Stanley serves as the executive director of Dudley Square Main Streets and the Dudley Square Merchants Association. Her vision to renew economic development and foster an arts and cultural district in the area has personal roots. “I grew up in the Fort Hill area and want to stay there,” Stanley said, “But I realized there was no place to go within my community to have a cup of coffee and have a nice meal, and enjoy artwork.”

Stanley spearheaded an initiative with the Boston Redevelopment Authority and Department of Neighborhood Development to prepare local developers to renovate large anchor parcels, market the commercial district to new tenants, and begin a storefront improvement program. Through her leadership, she leveraged $10.5 million in grants to help businesses develop three multi-story properties, Palladio Hall, Fairfield Place, and the Palmer Building. She has assisted local developers in planning projects, attracting tenants, and receiving zoning, and she has worked with public agencies on infrastructure improvements, including new streets, brick sidewalks, and upgraded electrical and gas lines. She has also established the Dudley Pride Program, a coalition of community members, who examine and address issues of crime and home-lessness in the district.

Through her leadership, more than 50 new businesses have located to the Dudley Square Commercial District with an eighty percent retention rate. Eleven storefronts are now completed in the area and nine more are in the planning stages. Stanley is currently working with more than 38 artists in the neighborhood to develop an arts and cultural area. She hopes to attract more galleries, a black box theatre, living exhibits, art stores, and an ethnic food garden.

At the awards ceremony, Stanley noted the contributions UMass Boston has made to her projects in Dudley Square, including a partnership with UMass Boston’s Minority Business Assistance Center through which small businesses have received help with technical matters, plan development, and marketing, and a connection to the Boston Empowerment Center, which helped secure funds for the revitalization plans. “You can’t do it alone,” she said. “Thank you for the partners and thank you to UMass Boston.”

The Quinn Award was established in honor of Robert H. Quinn, whose record includes years as speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Massachusetts attorney general, and chair of the UMass Board of Trustees.

Top Right : Robert Quinn, Joyce Stanley, and UMass President William M. Bulger.

Top Left: Representative Marty Walsh, Chancellor Gora, Stanley, and Boston City Councillor Maureen Feeney.
Top Right: Stanley thanks the community for their support.

Middle Right: Stanley with family and friends.

Bottom Left: Eileen Calnan of Little House, Anne Nee, director of Little House, Gail Hobin, director of community relations and special events, and Adrienne Taylor, director of the Dorchester YMCA.

(Photos by Harry Brett)

back to top

Go to menu