Mellone worried that the proposed Barry’s Corner Complex, as it stands, will not realize the University and the community’s expressed desires to make Barry’s Corner a vibrant and lively community center.
“Right now, it seems generic,” Mellone said. “It doesn’t seem to have a kind of interest for most of the community.”
“Harvard for years talked about there being some major cultural institution or activities,” Mattison said. “We want that. If it’s a CVS, a bank, and an AT&T store, it’s not going to be a place people want to come to—it’s not going to be a particularly attractive draw.”
Mattison said that to address the current issues causing anxiety in the community, the nature of the conversations between residents and the University would have to change.
“Right now, the discussion is focused almost exclusively on the height and shape of the buildings,” he said. “If Barry’s Corner is going to become a lively vibrant place, there are a lot of other things that are much more important than how tall and how wide the buildings are.”
Nice to see that Harry is back on the air
ReplyDeleteA CVS at this end of Allston would be good. Now you have to either take your car if you are unable to walk up and down hills and bridges with any fluidity. It would be nice to be able to walk to a store with better prices and another choice of pharmacy. Some of us HAVE to use a CVS because that is where our insurance has told us to go. I used to go to Walgreen's which was down the street from my house. Now I have to go to the other end of town for a CVS. Quite an inconvenience. P.S. Walking over the Everett Street bridge is absolutely freezing in the winter with the snow, slush and wind. With asthma it is no party!!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that insurance companies required people to shop at certain pharmacies. Given that there is already a pharmacy at Shaw's, the relatively new Walgreens in Union Square, and I think another pharmacy going in on Brighton Ave in the strip mall, I wouldn't rank it towards the top of what would make Barry's Corner a lively and interesting place to go. I'm not saying it would be bad to have another pharmacy, but that it would seem to have a "supporting" role in our new Main Street. What we also need is some businesses and activities that would have a "starring" role and I haven't seen Harvard or their developer propose any "stars" yet.
ReplyDeletethe latest push is for medications to be sent via the mail from giant pharma centers. this eliminates cvs/walgreens from the equation, which probably isn't the best arrangement either but that is the newest wave in insurance.
ReplyDelete