BRA Board meeting & vote on the Harvard Science Complex - Wednesday, Oct 3

On Wednesday, October 3 at 2:00 on the 9th floor of City Hall, the Board of the Boston Redevelopment Authority will vote on the Harvard Science Complex project proposed for Western Ave in Allston.

Please join members of the Allston/Brighton community to tell the BRA that a Final Project Impact Report must be required and the BRA should not waive further review of the project.

Here is a sample of what Allston and Brighton residents have said about this project:

"I encourage the BRA Board to send this back to Harvard for a "do-over" -- no fouls, no penalties. I think the City, if it truly cares about this neighborhood and getting this first phase of a 20+-year plan right, should follow its own rules and ask for a resubmission." "The Science Complex size is too tall for the site and unjustifiably violates the agreements of the North Allston Strategic Framework for planning" "A project of this size and scope deserves a review process that ends with a consensus opinion as to the process having been fair in its treatment of the community's concerns. That is not yet the case." "Our community has endured over the last 13 year Harvard's grab for more and more land that has resulted in shuttered businesses all along Western Ave. As part of approving the Science Complex development and before the next IMP is approved the BRA must insist that Harvard immediately start a Commercial District master plan process for their holdings along Western Ave and the Holton St corridor"

"We are concerned that the proposed transit network may be insufficient to adequately serve the Science Complex" "Many of the pertinent issues raised by the community have not yet been addressed adequately by Harvard" "It would be shortsighted to move forward with such a large development without having a broader transportation and public space plan" "I am opposed to the lack of attention and collaboration between Harvard and the community in adequately addressing community benefits, open space and public access to the river, traffic mitigation plans, and building heights. It is evident that that there are far too many unanswered or inadequately answered questions concerning the impact of Harvard's development plans on the community. Yet, despite this, and despite repeated requests for extensions, it appears as it all is poised for the community to be steamrolled by Harvard's plans." "The sheer size of the development will dwarf our neighborhood"

The complete set of comments submitted about the Science Complex and the related Master Plan Amendment are available online using these links. (note that many Amendment comments relate to an art building proposal that has since been withdrawn).

I look forward to seeing you on the 3rd.