Tell Rondo that Smith Field needs new courts

Thanks to Joe T. Walsh, Osmin Montero, and everyone else who is spreading the word

Rajon Rondo Bostons Got Wings - Vote For Your Court :: Red Bull

Anderson Bridge comments from Allston Brighton North Neighbors Forum

The ABNNF has submitted this letter regarding the State's plans to reconstruct the Anderson Memorial Bridge that connects North Harvard St in Allston with JFK St in Cambridge.

More information about the project is available here:
http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/charlesriverbridges/downloads/Anderson/presentation_111610.pdf
http://www.mhd.state.ma.us/downloads/hearings/ho_allston111610.pdf

If you are interested in submitting comments about this project (which will affect all of us for years both during and after construction) the deadline for this phase of comments is November 27.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 9:41 AM
Subject: Project File No. 605517 - Anderson Bridge comments from Allston Brighton North Neighbors Forum
To: "Boundy, Stephanie (DOT)" <Stephanie.Boundy@state.ma.us>, Tracy.osimboni@state.ma.us

November 23, 2010

Frank A. Tramontozzi, P.E., Chief Engineer
MassDOT Highway Division
10 Park Plaza
Boston, MA 02116

RE: Project File No. 605517 - Anderson Bridge comments from Allston Brighton North Neighbors Forum

Mr. Tramontozzi,

On behalf of the Allston Brighton North Neighbors Forum (ABNNF), I am writing to submit comments after attending the November 17 meeting on the Anderson Memorial Rehabilitation Project.

We are pleased to see plans for the Anderson Bridge that look to be a significant improvement over the current design. We hope that further collaboration and consideration will yield further improvements before the design is complete.

Bike/Pedestrian Underpasses

This project is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Underpasses for pedestrians and bicyclists with proper lighting and drainage would be a major asset. For the thousands of people who frequently exercise, commute, and enjoy the river, we hope you will find a way to include underpasses in the bridge reconstruction. The additional thousands of people who participate in fund-raising walks and road races along the river would similarly benefit from the increased safety and ease of travel.

When evaluating the feasibility of Anderson Bridge underpasses, please note that MassDOT recently agreed to a $10 million replacement for the pedestrian bridge along the Longfellow bridge. The pedestrian bridge in Cambridge near the BU Bridge is in the process of being completely rebuilt. We hope that the people of Allston will be similarly considered.

Tree removal should be minimized

Existing trees that undermine the structural integrity of the bridges should of course be removed. But your plan removes many trees that do not harm the bridge and that add natural beauty to the area. Just because a tree is not a native species and is not in a master plan does not mean it should be removed. It also seems inappropriate to cut down several trees to create a construction storage and staging site. Please find another location for these construction activities where trees do not need to be removed.

Construction options deserve public discussion

This project's construction will have a severe impact on the quality of life for Allston/Brighton residents. A public discussion of various options and their pros and cons is merited.

For example, how would the impact, schedule, and cost change if the bridge was completely closed during construction? There are not enough facts known to determine if this would be wise - but with the Eliot, Western, and River Street bridges and Weeks Footbridge in close proximity, the likelihood that construction would be faster and cheaper with the bridge completely closed, and the relatively successful closure of the Craigie bridge during its construction - this and other possibilities should be creatively and openly considered.

Maintenance

What are the plans for sidewalk snow removal after the construction is complete?
What is the long-term maintenance plan so that the "new" bridge does not deteriorate as the current bridge has?

Stakeholder Meetings
At Wednesday's meeting it was mentioned that several stakeholder meetings were held earlier this year. The residents of North Allston will be directly affected by this project, and it is our understanding that there were no North Allston residents present at these meetings. We would appreciate the opportunity to have an ABNNF representative present at all future stakeholder meetings for this project.

Sincerely,
Harry Mattison
Allston Brighton North Neighbors Forum

Anderson Bridge presentation now online

Here is the presentation that was made on Tuesday about the reconstruction of the Anderson Bridge between North Harvard St and Cambridge.

http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/charlesriverbridges/downloads/Anderson/presentation_111610.pdf

Upcoming zoning hearings

http://www.cityofboston.gov/ons/pdfs/allstonbright.pdf

38 Breck Avenue
21 Rogers Park Avenue
4 Garrish Street
45 Selkirk Road

BRA gets tough with Vornado. Is Harvard next?

In this letter to Steven Roth and John Hynes, BRA Director John Palmieri cites the lost revenue, construction jobs, and negative impact of the stalled Filene's Basement project and says that a new Project Notification Form must be filed. Will Drew Faust get a similar letter soon?

Truly amazing biology/computer/art

The work of Harvard Professor Rob Lue, who also directs Harvard's Ed Portal, is featured in this NY Times story. The images and videos are absolutely incredible and have great potential to be part of awe-inspiring and educational public art (which sure could look great in Allston!)

Molecular Animation - Where Cinema and Biology Meet - NYTimes.com

Anderson Bridge meeting tonight

6:30 at the Honan Library. Learn about the plans to reconstruct this bridge connecting North Harvard and JFK streets

Anderson Bridge website

Notice of Public Hearing

ACA meets Wednesday

The next Allston Civic Association monthly meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 17th at the Honan Allston Library.

Agenda:

6PM to 7PM: Closing Times - StoneHearth's Pizza - Harvard and the Allston Community.

7PM: Zoning and Licensing Matters:

• 1079-1089 Commonwealth Ave. ("The Atrium") Proposal for Tanning Salon
  Habibi's Loung: Extension into adjacent property, adjustment of extended hours, Live Entertainment
• 446 Western Ave. Request to legalize Taxi Dispatch operation

Dear BRA & Harvard - How about urban farms on vacant property in Allston?

Imagine mini-Allandale Farms across Dorchester and Mattapan - Universal Hub

The BRA and the Department of Neighborhood Development hold a meeting next week on a proposal to turn vacant lots owned by the city (in Dorchester) into urban farms to help increase the amount of "affordable, healthy food" available in the neighborhoods.

Upcoming zoning & licensing hearings

Subway - 419 Washington Street
Stone Hearth Pizza, Co. - 182 Western Avenue
175 Parsons Street - Erect a one-family dwelling on same lot as existing two-family dwelling.

http://www.cityofboston.gov/ons/pdfs/allstonbright.pdf

Retail Possibilities, Despite Harvard's Claims

After last week's Harvard Task Force meeting, a Harvard employee told me that I was crazy for thinking Harvard could do more to create the Western Ave "Main Street" with retail and service-oriented business that might be frequented by Allston residents. We should accept the quiet non-profit tenants like Earthwatch because, in this tough economy, Harvard really can't find any tenants with more public relevance.

This is a nice story for Harvard to tell, but it also isn't true. There are small, locally-owned retail businesses constantly opening, expanding, and relocating in the area. Whether or not Harvard could make offers attractive enough to lure them to Allston I don't know, but the possibilities do exist.

For example, there is an innovative restaurant owned by a Harvard grad. Last year they were considering opening a restaurant in the CITGO station on Western Ave. That fell through, and last month they opened a restaurant in Harvard Square.

This small ski and sporting goods store recently moved from Comm Ave near Newton Center to Needham Street. An another sporting goods store in Watertown is also moving to a new location.
Maybe these businesses or others like them would never be convinced to move to Western Ave, but it also isn't clear how hard Harvard is trying.

Allston/Brighton Open Studios this weekend

November 13-14 from Noon - 6pm. More info at Allston/Brighton Open Studios

What Harvard Didn't Say Yesterday

A story about what we didn't learn yesterday from Harvard's Allston Work Team Co-chair Bill Purcell.

Allston Residents Question Harvard's Commitment to Science Complex | The Harvard Crimson:

Purcell said he could not provide a timeline for Harvard’s construction the Science Complex site, nor was he certain exactly what shape it would take,

Purcell did not say whether the site would still be used for science-related purposes.

“Is this [the Science Complex] still Harvard’s number one priority for development?” asked Allston Resident Michael Hanlon.

Purcell did not answer the question

Harvard student suggests Allston should keep out

The story sums up the meeting pretty well - HBS Lab Worries Allston Residents The Harvard Crimson

This comment on the Crimson website from "current student" also seems to be shared by others at Harvard, who haven't yet shown much interest in using this renovation as an opportunity to create a permeable campus along a Western Ave. Main Street.

'“Will [the lab] feel as though it is Harvard only—don’t come in unless you have an ID?” asked Task Force Member Brent Whelan. “Or will it feel like part of the community?”'

OF COURSE it is part of the university and you will need a harvard ID - it's a private university, not a community development NGO.

Harvard has a plan - What about one for A/B?

I'm looking forward to seeing many of you this evening at the Harvard Allston Task Force meeting (6pm at the Honan Library), and particularly because it has been so long since we've been together for a meeting like this, I thought it might be helpful to share some thoughts.

As I've been considering the current situation, I've realized that Harvard has a 1-year plan (to open a $20 million "Innovation Lab" in the former WGBH building at 125 Western Ave). Harvard also has a 3-year plan (to complete construction of Tata Hall, a $100 million Executive Education building on the HBS campus). Finally, Harvard is creating 5-year plans for each of its schools.

But North Allston-North Brighton does not have a 1-year plan and no consensus about land use, licensing, and leasing by Harvard and others. We have no 3-year plan, and no agreement on issues such as what will happen to the current Charlesview site after the new Charlesview is complete. And we don't have a 5-year plan either.

To be meaningful, these plans need the support of our community, Harvard, the BRA, our elected officials, and other stakeholders. Using the "SMART Goal" methodology - Specific / Measurable / Attainable / Resourced / Time-Bound - might also help make this an "action plan" instead of just a "plan".

We can sit back and wait until mid-2011 when Harvard's Allston Work Team will make its recommendations. Or we can wait until 2012 when Harvard is scheduled to submit a new Institutional Master Plan. I hope we will agree that our community has been waiting long enough and now is the time to move ahead.

I look forward to hearing your opinions on this today, tonight, and/or tomorrow.

LA production company opens $1.5m studio in the other LA

Quixote Studios, a Harvard tenant at 100 Holton Street, is featured in today's Globe.