Muhammad Ali-Salaam
For more than a decade, the late Muhammad Ali-Salaam, the BRA’s Deputy Director of Community Planning and Special Projects, remained committed to the redevelopment of the land in Roxbury, provided it served as a catalyst for urban revitalization in Boston. In 1992, he issued a formal citywide request for proposals (RFP) to develop the land. Significantly, the MCB was the only proposal submitted to the BRA. Under the guidance of Mr. Salaam/, the MCB prepared a budget, a description of the services the mosque would provide the community, and architectural plans.
In August of 2013, Muhammad Ali-Salaam, the architect of the Roxbury land deal and the man who helped build the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center and revitalize Dudley Square (renamed Nubian Square in 2019), was honored by the city of Boston with the dedication of a square named after him at the intersection of Elmwood Street and Malcolm X Boulevard.