It’s no secret that Boston is booming. While glass towers rise downtown and the city looks toward its next few decades of growing pains, some places in Dorchester felt the pressure in 2016. The neighborhood saw a slew of major developments get under way while housing needs were weighed against preserving the historic character of the neighborhoods. Trepidation grew as an uncertain future lay ahead for a liberal state under a Trump administration.

Following is a review of some of the local stories the Reporter has tracked over the course of the year.

Block by block
In the Nov. 8 election, Boston approved, by a resounding 73.64 percent to 26.36 percent margin — the Community Preservation Act (CPA), adding the city to the 161 other municipalities in Massachusetts that have approved the tax-surcharge-funded resource for affordable housing, historic preservation, and green space.

The vote came at a time of reckoning for a city seen likely to reach 724,000 residents by 2030. Mayor Martin Walsh has pledged to add 53,000 new units of housing by that time, and those goals spill out into the neighborhoods. Large, mixed-use projects like Dot Block, Treadmark, the South Bay Center, and the Mattapan Square development will have the potential to house higher proportions of Dorchester residents, but other projects continue to draw a watchful eye from residents.

Civic groups, always attentive to minor alterations in the character of their home neighborhoods, are paying close attention to smaller projects peppering the area. Construction is underway for condominiums above the Savin Bar and Kitchen expansion. A 21-unit building is pitched to replace the Scally & Trayers funeral home on Pleasant Street, which will remain operational until June 2017.

Numerous proposals for River Street in Mattapan have been met with apprehension and sometimes outright resistance. The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) – rebranded this year from the Boston Redevelopment Authority – approved a use change for 27 units near Mattapan station from condominiums to rental housing. Just down the street, an 18-unit proposal at 73 River St. was withdrawn in the face of public backlash.

The closure of the Long Island Bridge in Fall 2014 and access to its shelter continues to impact need-based housing and rehabilitation providers. Bowdoin-Geneva residents offered reserved support in September for a Pine Street Inn-run 52-unit housing complex on Hamilton Street. A 60-bed Bay Cove detox center proposed for Freeport Street drew the ire of residents and some officials alike in May, and the center ultimately secured a location out of Boston proper for the needed beds.

Uncertain education
Capping off a contentious year of school budget debate and student protests, the Boston Public Schools rolled out its 10-year master facilities plan, Build BPS. The district is seeking to streamline operations by evaluating, among other things, the school facility footprint and the most effective use of transportation networks.

The long-term impacts of educational priority became clear after debate swirled around the announced closure of the Mattahunt Elementary School. Years of low performance left the school on the brink of state receivership, which Superintendent Tommy Chang hopes to circumvent by reinventing the school as an early education center. Parents and community members, alarmed by the change, demanded accountability from administrators who, they feel, let the school languish rather than make changes before it was too late.

Restaurant
renaissance
Beginning with the launch of Dorset Hall on Neponset Avenue, through the offering of classic fare with a twist at Lucy’s American Tavern, the neighborhood saw a slew of new restaurants, bars, and cafes roll in this year. Molinari’s — an Italian eatery— opened up to strong reviews in Adam’s Village. The Lower Mills Tavern eased into the former Lower Mills Pub property, taking on a new look under the hand of owner Brian O’Donnell and his wife, the acclaimed interior designer Taniya Nayak. O’Donnell and Nyaak are planning to open a taqueria on Dorchester Avenue.

The home.stead cafe and bakery brought a much-needed neighborhood hub to Fields Corner, now joined just down the street by the innovative, Asian-inspired coffee shop Reign Drink Lab.

A fight swelled between abutters and the owners of 33 Hancock St., now the Kriola restaurant, over liquor licensing. With precious few city-backed, reduced-cost liquor licenses available, neighbors raised concerns about granting a license to the restaurant and bar, which sat on a historically troubled property. A beer and wine license was ultimately granted.

And Adams Corner landmark Sonny’s closed late in the year, with the new owners planning a complete renovation to pave the way for a new eatery at the site. The local pub shuttered abruptly on Oct. 26.

The Landmark Public House replaced Gerard’s in late fall.