Allston Brighton Community Blog

Allston's ample and unconstrained infrastructure?

There are a lot of ways to describe Allston's infrastructure (particularly as it relates to transportation), but I have never heard it described as "ample".

But last night at the MEPA community meeting, Harvard described suggested that our neighborhood is "ample" in this way when explained their request for a waiver to allow construction of the Science Complex without completing an Environmental Impact Report.

One of the criteria for this waiver is that "ample and unconstrained infrastructure facilities and services exist" to support the project. During and after construction, Harvard expects hundreds of workers every day to use the Mass Pike to commute to the Science Complex and contribute what is already one of the region's worst intersections.

Here are some photos from this morning at 9:00, probably a little bit past the rush hour peak and on a Friday in late August when the morning commute is lighter than usual.

What words would you use to describe this?

Keep asking for a MEPA comment extension

We had a great meeting last night to learn more about the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and their review of Harvard's Science Complex and 20 year plan. Many members of the Allston community, our neighbors from Cambridge, and representatives from organizations like the Charles River Watershed Association, Conservation Law Foundation, and MassBike stood and spoke about the importance of strong environmental review and ensuring that the quality of life in our neighborhood and our local environment is not harmed by Harvard's development.

Unfortunately, Harvard still refuses to extend the comment period deadline past the legally required September 7 deadline, so please keep asking. When you email kathy_spiegelman@harvard.edu also cc briony.angus@state.ma.us in the MEPA office to emphasize to the MEPA team how much we need more time to understand and respond to another complex Harvard filing.

Good news - new sidewalks coming soon to Western & North Harvard

Harvard to begin sidewalk repair — finally - Brighton, MA - Allston/Brighton TAB

Two A/B TAB stories from Monday's Allston Civic Association meeting

Allston welcomes Genzyme expansion - Allston/Brighton TAB

Residents: Harvard didn’t communicate nighttime game plans adequately - Allston/Brighton TAB

Harvard endowment now $34.9 billion - Fence going up at Smith Field

Harvard endowment has 7-year best, hits $34.9b - The Boston Globe

The world's largest university endowment grew by 23% and increased from $29.2 billion the previous year. It distributed $1.1 billion for Harvard to spend in the fiscal year that ended June 30.

Meantime, on Harvard property alongside Smith Field, Harvard is replacing the old chain link fence with a new wood one.

Old	New

We'd Like to Be Told

With apologies to Fred Rogers for my adaptation of his song "I Like to be Told" (click the link for the pleasure of hearing Bette Midler sing along with Fred), here is a little ode to Harvard U.

We'd like to be told
If what you're going to say
Will be anything like
What you said yesterday.

We'd like you to work
Together with us.
But why can't we ride
On your shuttle bus?

We'd like to be told
About your secret plan.
We'd like you to stop
Buying up all our land.

We'd like to be friends
Would be much more fun.
But not if you think
You're the only one.

We'll meet every week
Right up 'till the end.
But not if your plans
Cannot even bend.

We'd like to be told
'Cause we're trying to trust,
And we'd like to have faith,
And we want to believe.
We'd like to be told.
We'd like to be told.

Harvard tries to plan for a football game but instead insults the community

There is a lot lacking in Harvard's planning for its upcoming football season and not much effort in evidence to show that Harvard really cares about minimizing the impact on the community. To be clear, I think there should be more public events throughout Harvard's campus, including the athletic fields in Allston. There should also be more care taken to not disrupt the traffic and neighbors' quality of life in ways that might happen when thousands of people converge for an event.

Harvard officials have predicted that 10,000-15,000 people will attend Harvard's first ever night game which is scheduled for Saturday, September 22 at 7:30 vs. Brown. At tonight's Allston Civic Association meeting I asked what Harvard's contingency plans were in case 20,000 people showed up. (Harvard Stadium has a seating capacity of 30,898.)

I was amazed that Kevin McCluskey's answered my question with a question, "What if Napoleon had B-52 bombers?"

Yesterday I was talking with a neighbor who asked why there is so much fuss over a nighttime football game. And as this latest example shows, it isn't as much about a football game as it is about the utter disregard and lack of respect that Harvard shows for our community. Harvard knew months ago that this night game was being scheduled, but they only come to our neighborhood civic association to discuss it 1 month before their first game. And that is only after the Chair of the Boston Licensing Commission told them to come talk to the ACA and they won't even politely answer the questions from the community!

So instead of a rude remark, let's look at the data to try to estimate how many people might attend this game. The NCAA website lists college football attendance #s from 1998 - 2006. Here is Harvard football's average attendance in each of those years:
2006 - 15,548
2005 - 12,169
2004 - no data
2003 - 11,110
2002 - 16,399
2001 - 8,761
2000 - 11,596
1999 - 8,704
1998 - 10,355
1997 - 7,612

Harvard hosted Yale in 2006 which inflates the average attendance, but it was still the 2nd highest average in the last several years. In 2005 when Harvard hosted Brown 11,134 attended the game. In 2001, the Brown game attendance was 8,511.

So how many people might attend the first ever night game? Probably some people will attend because it is a "first" and maybe Saturday night, a time when people are typically going out to do fun things will better fit into people's schedules than a game in the middle of the day. Or maybe not.

But please just treat Allston residents with respect, don't withhold information, and work with us together to figure out how you can get the most use of your facilities while being the best neighbor that you can.

Globe Letters to the Editoral about "Think outside the yard"

Three letters in today's Globe about Harvard, Allston, and innovation.

Big designs on campus - Letters to the Editor - The Boston Globe

5 1/2 weeks and still waiting

It has been 5 1/2 weeks since the July 12 Boston Globe story, "A Street of Broken Vows Runs in Allston", about the improvements to North Harvard St that Harvard promised to make back in 1997. As reported in today's Globe, "Allston residents angry over delay in upgrades", still nothing has been done.

It doesn't make sense for Harvard to defend itself saying "You don't go out overnight and rip up a sidewalk" because nobody ever said they should do it overnight. Replacing a fence and planting trees seem like things that could be done in a week or two if the resources of Harvard University were brought to bear on the task.

Back in 1997 Harvard thought these improvements were a pretty big deal. In its Master Plan it wrote,

"The planned program of improvements is intended to demonstrate Harvard’s growing commitment to its relationship with the Allston community. It is viewed by Harvard as an initial step in what will be a continuing pattern of University leadership in achieving the physical development and community planning goals shared by Harvard, the City of Boston and the Allston neighborhood. Campus edges on and adjacent to Harvard property comprise increasingly important interfaces between Harvard and the Allston community."

Allston and Brighton residents will have attended eleven community meeting about Harvard's expansion in just the months of July and August. As volunteers we are giving so much of our time and it would be great to see Harvard equally committed to making these improvements promised so many years ago.

Could the Pike's financial crises end tolls instead of increase them?

As reported last week, tolls on the Pike, already scheduled to rise from $1 to $1.25 at the Allston and Weston booths, and from $3 to $3.50 in the Ted Williams and Sumner tunnels, may need to rise much more than that to cover the cost of the Big Dig.

Another quarter or two certainly adds up for frequent Turnpike travelers, but it is the sort of incremental tax that seems unlikely to become a major issue.

But if the increase is going to be much much more, maybe enough people will stand up in strong opposition to the increase and the increase becomes politically unacceptable. For a long time, many people who use the Pike frequently have said that a gas tax increase would be a more equitable way to pay for the Big Dig, and maybe the threat of it costing $5 or something like that to drive from Waltham to Allston could unify enough voters and legislators to make this happen.

As Elmer mentions on the misc.transport.road newsgroup, the tolls on the Turnpike encourage people to take Storrow Drive instead of the Pike, even when the Turnpike would be faster and more direct. The case could probably be made from an environmental viewpoint that we should not penalize drivers who are coming from the west and want to take the shortest, most direct route to the airport or 93S. Taking Storrow is easier on the wallet but it means more miles travelled and therefore more gas burned.

Real community benefits from Harvard (in Cambridge)

Click here - New Park in Riverside - for an update on the new park that is being built (on Harvard land with Harvard money) on Western Ave in Cambridge at the former site of Mahoney's Garden Center.

In Allston, Harvard has said they will do a survey about educational needs in the community they will have to "wait and see" the survey results before making any specific commitments.

In Cambridge, Harvard made very real and specific commitments to donate 3/4 of an acre and 3/4 of a million dollars to create this park. Now a survey is being done to learn who might use the park and what facilities they would like for sport or recreation.

Harvard acts like Allston should play "Let's Make A Deal" with our community benefits, with Harvard's Kevin McCluskey playing the role of host Monty Hall.


Game show host Monty Hall	Good luck Allston - Do you want what’s behind Curtain 1, 2, or 3?	Harvard's Kevin McCluskey

Ask Harvard to extend the deadline for State Environmental review

There is a September 7 deadline for comments to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office about Harvard’s Science Complex. Considering how busy we are with the BRA’s review of this project there is no way we can review another document in the next few weeks.

PLEASE ASK HARVARD TO EXTEND THE MEPA DEADLINE FOR 30 DAYS!

The letter I wrote is below. Modify it, reuse it, or write your own, but please send something. The email should be sent to kathy_spiegelman@harvard.edu with copies to briony.angus@state.ma.us and deerin.babb-brott@state.ma.us

There is also an important MEPA review meeting on Thursday, August 23rd from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Spangler Center Auditorium at the Harvard Business School. Please attend if possible.

Ms. Spiegelman,

I am writing to ask you to grant a 30 day extension to the comment period for Harvard’s MEPA Environmental Notification Form.

As you know, the members of the Harvard Allston Task Force and dozens of other members of the Allston/Brighton community have, and will continue, to make an impressive time commitment in an effort to complete review of Harvard’s Science Complex Draft Project Impact Report by the September 10 deadline as part of the BRA’s Large Project Review process. These meetings include:

July 9 - Harvard Allston Task Force meeting
July 16 – Harvard Allston Task Force
July 25 - Harvard Allston Task Force meeting
July 30 - Harvard Allston Task Force meeting
July 31 - Boston Civic Design Commission design review of the Science Complex
August 6 - Harvard Allston Task Force meeting
August 13 – Harvard Allston Task Force meeting
August 22 – Harvard Allston Task Force meeting
August 23 – MEPA consultation session
August 27 - Harvard Allston Task Force meeting
August 28 – Boston Civic Design Commission design review of the Science Complex
September 10 - Harvard Allston Task Force meeting

I hope you will agree that the addition of a MEPA review process with a September 7 comment deadline is more than any community could reasonably handle.

Thank you for considering a 30 day extension of this deadline to October 7 so that this important MEPA filing can receive the attention it deserves.

Sincerely,
Harry Mattison
28 Mansfield St, Allston

A "momentous occasion" or a "low key" event?

Harvard has announced that the first-ever night football game at Harvard Stadium in Allston has been rescheduled from Friday, September 21 to Saturday, September 22.

The reason? The Jewish Holy Day Yom Kippur begins on the evening of September 21 and a variety of groups considered this to be, in the words of Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz "insensitive to religious obligation."

As an Allston resident, it is fascinating to compare how Harvard describes this night game to two different audiences - the Allston audience in the TAB and the general public in the Globe.

To Allston: The game will be "fairly low key", not too many people will attend, and it won't be a big deal

Scheduled nighttime Harvard football game angers residents - Allston/Brighton TAB

To Everyone Else:
A momentous occasion! - September 21, 2007, will be an historic day
"We want as many people as possible to be able to come to the game," said Harvard's athletic director, Robert Scalise.
Harvard believed that the date, on a Friday night, would draw the most freshmen to its newly illuminated stadium.

Religious conflict in Harvard football schedule - The Boston Globe
So, which one is it?
An insignificant non-event with a few proud parents in the stands?
Or is it a major event scheduled to attract as many people as possible, especially a bunch of 18 year olds who may know who Harvard's starting running back is but who will certainly know which tailgates have full kegs and plenty of Jack Daniels?

(And the person who called Harvard's athletic dept to complain about the electricity needed to power the lights also has a good point. It is great that Harvard wants to build a "green" and energy-efficient Science Complex in Allston, but what is the point if just a 1/4 mile away Harvard will needlessly use gobs of electricity to play football at night?)

More on the Globe column and innovation in Allston

Mike Pahre - North Allston Neighbors Suspicious About Harvard? Sure. Just Not About Architectural Designs - and Adam Gaffin - Yvonne Abraham channels the ghost of Brian McGrory in Allston - offer their opinions about the Globe column attacking Allston residents for impeding Harvard's "innovation" in Allston. More community feedback can be read at http://groups.google.com/group/HarvardNeighborsForum and you can send your feedback to the Globe here.

Howie Carr drives through the Allston tolls and writes about the toll increase

Pike hacks ready to take a hike - out of your pocket - Herald Columnists - BostonHerald.com

Scheduled nighttime Harvard football game angers residents

If you agree with the many people at Monday's Task Force meeting who expressed concern about Harvard's plans for Friday night football in Allston, please join us at City Hall Room 801 on Monday at 10:00 for the Licensing Board hearing.

Scheduled nighttime Harvard football game angers residents - Brighton, MA - Allston/Brighton TAB

Residents said they were told the lights were only for practices in the fall, when it gets dark earlier. They were under the impression, even with the lights, that Harvard would not hold nighttime football games.

“We thought the answer was ‘no night games,’” said Harvard Allston Task Force member John Cusack

“Football caters to undergrads and drinking before. It’s a completely different atmosphere [from nighttime lacrosse games at Harvard Stadium] ,” said Task force member Cathi Campbell. “Anyone around for football games knows they have tremendous impact on the community.”

North Allston/Brighton resident survey

If you haven't taken the Allston Brighton Community Planning Initiative's North Allston/Brighton resident survey, please click here and spend a few minutes to share your opinions about quality of life in North Allston/Brighton and Harvard's impact on it.

Alex Selvig campaign event - Wednesday, August 29th

SoHo (386 Market St.) will be hosting a campaign event for Alex Selvig's City Council campaig on Wednesday, August 29th at 7PM.

More info at http://www.alexselvig.com/

Who is thinking outside the yard?

Think outside the yard - The Boston Globe

I was surprised to read this column in the Globe today and find the Allston community described as "suspicious neighbors" who might "stifle innovation" by Harvard.

The author, Yvonne Abraham, chronicles Harvard's many mis-steps in Allston. As she says "Harvard has whiffed in the recent past".

1) "The Spangler Center at Harvard Business School, completed in 2001, is a riot of retro, a slave to that thing they did so well over there at Harvard Yard -- in the 18th century"

2) "Across the river at One Western Avenue, the university's graduate housing complex of multihued brick and irregular windows was met with scathing criticism by neighbors and architects when it opened in 2003."

3) "Using a third party to buy up acres of Allston in the 1990s, the school didn't endear itself to future neighbors."

And many Allston residents will agree with her that we should "hold Harvard's feet to the fire on open space and benefits for the community".

But when did we start trying to stifle innovation?

I have only heard praise for Harvard's goals to build buildings that will use much less energy than traditional construction. The modern glass and stone look of the buildings has not been a topic of community opposition.

I would say that the community has asked Harvard to be more innovative in how it can build this project and minimize the impact on the community - more innovative when it creates open space so that both the general community and Harvard community can enjoy the space - more innovative in how it would like to form a relationship with the Allston community instead of repeating the conflict that has characterized Harvard's relations with other nearby communities - more innovative in its planning for the future and the rebuilding of the local economy that has been so hurt by Harvard's mothballing of acres of usable land - more innovative to think about community benefits in a way that the considers the wide range of resources that Harvard has at its disposal and how that could make a profound difference for the future of its neighbors - more innovative about improving the transportation infrastructure whose roads and bridges are already frequently dysfunctional and will only become more so as thousands of new people enter Allston to work or live on Harvard's expanded campus - and the list goes on and on.

So Harvard - please draw on the greatest minds of our generation from across your university and beyond. Please put forth a bold vision as Ms. Abraham says great universities should do when they expand. We will look forward to seeing it!

Allston and Brighton neighbors who might want to let the Globe's readers know that we have no intention of "stifling" Harvard's innovation can write to the Globe using this form.

Northeastern students and Charles River Conservancy repair Eliot Bridge

Cheers to the Charles River Conservancy and students from Northeastern for making this nice improvement along the river in Allston!
Northeastern students repair Eliot Bridge - Brighton, MA - Allston/Brighton TAB

Mass Pike tolls may rise more than expected

On Jan. 1 tolls are scheduled to increase from $1 to $1.25 at Allston and Weston and from $3 to $3.50 at the Ted Williams and the Sumner tunnels. The Turnpike Authority is not predicting how much more tolls will rise, but said the increase could be "substantial."

This story in the Globe quotes Mac Daniel, an Authority spokesman. For several years Mac worked at the Globe writing the informative and provocative Starts and Stops column. I guess that explains why the Stops and Starts blog has been on hiatus for the last month and the column in the paper has recently had much less information than it used to. Here's hoping that the Globe soon hires someone who pursued transportation issues with the passion that Mac did. We certainly have plenty of traffic and infrastructure issues in the Boston area and beyond and the regular attention that Mac gave these topics I considered to be a valuable public service.

Tolls may rise higher than expected on Turnpike - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe

Harvard's 'Educational Portal' proposal and University-sponsored Community Learning Centers across the country

At the Harvard Allston Task Force meeting last night, Harvard offered space in their 175 North Harvard St warehouse building for a “education portal” where Harvard would run a after school math/science tutoring program. Harvard suggested that they would conduct a community survey this fall/winter and then being discussions about the scope of this program. Until then, Harvard is not making any commitment about how many tutors they might provide, how many students could be tutored, the hours of operation, or other details.

Here are two examples of programs at other universities with similar or larger ambitions:

In 2006, Yale University opened the Dixwell-Yale University Community Learning Center in the Dixwell neighborhood of New Haven, CT. This center, which is funded by Yale with an annual budget of $200,000, has a year-round full time director, several full time staff during the summer, and part-time paid interns throughout the year. The Learning Center was built as part of the Rose Center, a 30,000 sq ft building that is the home to the Yale Police Department headquarters. The police use 27,000 sq ft of the building and the Learning Center uses the other 3,000. The center has 400 youth and 300 adult members who are able to take part in an impressive array of programs including soccer, basketball, SAT and college prep, arts & crafts, computer room and computer training, home buying and financial literacy classes, judo, and dance. Staff also arranges field trips to local museums and sports events.

More information about the Dixwell-Yale University Community Learning Center can be found in these stories:
A Rose Blooms in Dixwell - The New Haven Independent
Yale Daily News coverage

In South Bend, IN, the Robinson Community Learning Center is a unit the University of Notre Dame's Office of Public Affairs and Communications. The Robinson Center offers tutoring, GED preparation and ESL classes, violence prevention programs, yoga classes, piano instruction, healthy-living workshops, and many other programs. Last year, 175 RCLC tutors worked one-on-one with South Bend schoolchildren. More information is available from:
A commitment to the neighborhood - Notre Dame Magazine
Robinson center celebrates fifth anniversary - South Bend Tribune

Can Harvard build a museum on par with the founder of the Gap?

We haven't heard much from Harvard in the past several months about their plans for an art builing in Allston, but the rest of the art world rolls on. Last week in San Francisco Donald Fisher, the founder of the Gap, announced plans for a major art museum to display for the public his vast collection of modern art.

For comparison, Harvard's proposal for Allston was a 135,000 sq ft building with 21,000 sq ft of gallery space. Harvard also has more than 200,000 art objects that it is unable to publically display due to lack of gallery space.

ART FOR OUR SAKE / PLAN: 100,000 square feet for works that have mostly been seen only by art world

The Fishers hope to build a 100,000-square-foot museum with 55,000 square feet of gallery space - 5,000 more square feet than at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art - to house their collection of more than 1,000 works.

Raymond Street teardown has neighbors riled up

This is a terrible story about the fate of the charming home at 34 Raymond Street at the corner of Raymond and Westford. This house, on a large (16,144 sq ft) lot, was assessed by the City for $483,400. It was bought in May of 2007 by Richard Garaffo, president of Avary R.T.G.. Inc., a real-estate developer based at 355 Western Avenue. Garaffo paid $950,000 for the property, which is quite a premium over its assessed value. This house was a beautiful part of the neighborhood and would have been a wonderful home to raise a family. One can imagine children playing in the yard, a large vegetable and flower garden, and a house with distinctive architectural details.

But Mr. Garaffo didn't pay almost a million dollars to raise a family here. According to the Globe, his plan is two buildings with a total of 24 to 27 bedrooms and 14 parking spaces. That however, would seem to be in conflict with our zoning code that requires 2 parking spaces per unit for buildings with more than 9 units. This could only be in accordance with that requirement if Garaffo plans to build 7 units with 3-4 bedrooms each.

Sure Boston needs more housing. And there is plenty of land in our neighborhood where housing could be built in a way very compatible with the rest of the neighborhood. (hint - Harvard owns most of it). But the destruction of 34 Raymond St hardly seems to be good for this neighborhood and far from compatible with the idea of making Boston a better city for people to settle down and raise a family.

Back in 2002, this Harvard Crimson article also mentioned Mr. Garaffo:

Richard Garaffo, owner of a Soldiers Field Road building that he says is the “first acquisition Harvard made,” is planning to relocate to another Allston location.

He says he is looking forward to seeing the changes that Harvard could make to the neighborhood.

“The area itself to me could really use a change and a face-lift,” Garaffo said.

Teardown has neighbors riled up - The Boston Globe

Raymond tear-down began without asbestos removal - http://www.townonline.com/allston/homepage/x266589908

Thanks to watchful neighbors - http://www.townonline.com/allston/opinions/x737609631

The BU Bridge, What makes it an "Eyesore?

Some folks over at the misc.transport.road newsgroup are talking about the condition and appearance of some of the Allston bridges over the Charles.

Boston - BU Bridge, What makes it an "Eyesore"? - misc.transport.road Google Groups

Does the Harvard President read Allston/Brighton blogs?

Back in June, Mike Pahre wrote a scathing blog entry about outgoing Harvard President Derek Bok's awareness of what was happening with Harvard's plans for Allston expansion. The heart of Mike's piece is that Bok's letter gives the wrong date for Harvard's publishing of its 50-year master plan and where and how Harvard wants to build its Art Warehouse.

If you read Mike's blog and then the current version of Bok's June 2007 President's Report on Harvard's website, you'll notice a couple things have changed. The letter now says "January" where it once said "December". More significantly, Mike quotes the letter as saying:

"Architectural plans are also underway for extensively renovating a large building in Allston that will house the University’s art collection during the long-awaited renovation of the Fogg Museum"

But on Harvard's website the letter now reads:

"Architectural plans are also underway for a new art center in Allston for the Harvard University Art Museums to provide them with additional permanent space"

So either from Mike's blog or some other close reader, Harvard learned about and then corrected their mistakes. It will be interesting to see what President Faust's writes in her first letter about Allston.

What's hot and not on waterfront and why it matters for Allston's future

Everyone interested in Harvard's Science Complex proposal, the future of Western Ave and Barry's Corner, and the idea of a vibrant, permeable campus should read this Steve Bailey column from last Friday's Globe - What's hot and not on waterfront.

He describes a walk along Boston Harbor and writes about what works and what doesn't work to make a city alive and thriving. Here is some of what he says:

"Programming works. So does blurring the lines between the public and the private. Barricades and fences definitely do not work. Potential is ours for the taking -- but only if we aim higher...

The red-brick plaza behind the Boston Harbor Hotel, with the boats and the band and the people and the magnificent water view, is the single best space in the city. With the hotel packed and a deluxe double room going for $650 a night, these people are making gobs of money. But telling where the public space ends
and the private space begins is hard to know... But it works, and works well. Tuesday is Motown night on the barge. You can dance to swing music on Wednesday, hear blues on Thursday, and see a classic movie on Friday. Drop a bundle for dinner and drinks or watch for free on the steps...

The neighboring Intercontinental Hotel, by contrast, has a long way to go. There's a nice green lawn, but no one is there. What's private is private. The entrance to the outdoor cafe is through the hotel, not from the waterfront. All the outdoor seating is sealed off by large planters. There is no programming at all and nothing happening on the water itself... We're stuck with the hotel's glass facade better suited to a Houston inter state..."

It seems clear that Harvard would prefer with nice green lawns and nobody there. The Science Complex public space can only be accessed through the lobby, not directly from the Western Ave sidewalk. Each iteration of their design removes public space and no effort at all is made to enliven the east, west, and south sides of the project.

So it was great to hear Kairos Shen, the BRA's Director of Planning, at Monday's Task Force meeting talking about wanting the Science Complex and Western Ave to avoid following in the footsteps of dead zones like Kendall Sq. It remains to be seen how much Harvard will be persuaded and how hard the City will pursue this.

If this matters to you, please write Kairos (Kairos.Shen.BRA@cityofboston.gov) and Gerald Autler (Gerald.Autler.bra@cityofboston.gov) and let them know.

YouTube for the City Council candidates?

Mike Pahre discovered a couple of days ago that Alex Selvig is advertising with the internet search engine Google to promote his City Council campaign.

A seemingly obvious (and free) way for the candidates to embrace the technology of the internet is the video-sharing website YouTube. The only use of YouTube that I could find was this YouTube version of John Connolly's campaign ad from 2005. John is running again for an At-Large seat on the City Council and I have been seeing a lot more of him recently in Allston. It would be great for some of our district candidates follow John's lead and post some video to tell us more about themselves and their vision for A/B.

Waiting for the 57 Bus

The MBTA's schedule for the 57 bus, which runs along Washington St, Brighton Ave, and Comm Ave, says that it stops in Allston and Brighton at least every 10 minutes. The "I Spy Something in Boston" blog reports seeing this bug much less frequently.

I Spy Something in Boston… » Blog Archive » 57 Bus...Every 10 to 50 Minutes

What if money for the Allston/Brighton City Council race only came from Allston and Brighton?

Last week my wife and I got phone calls from surveying companies asking who we would vote for in the A/B City Council race. The paid campaign managers working for some candidates, the direct mail activities, lawn signs, etc. all show that there is serious money being raised and spent.

Tim Schofield may be the only candidate actively fundraising outside of the Allston/Brighton neighborhood. Last month he held a fundraiser in downtown Boston and last night he had one in Brookline.

The City of Boston Elections website doesn't put campaign finance information online. (maybe that is another issue that our next Councilor could work on)

In the meantime, the State of Massachusetts Electronic Filing & Campaign Disclosure System gives us some insight into the fundraising patterns of City Council candidates who have run for state office in the past.

Tim Schofield reported $43,865 of contributions in the period between 01/01/2005 & 02/25/2005 when he ran for State Rep. Excluding the $10,000 that Tim donated to himself, where did the money come from?
$105 (0.3%) came from Allston (02134).
$1,040 (3%) came from Brighton (02135).
Cambridge residents from 02139 and 02138 donated $1345, more than all of Allston/Brighton combined.
18% ($6,000) came from outside Massachusetts.

Greg Glennon also ran for State Rep against Tim, Mike Moran, and others in that race. In the same period, Greg raised $16,970, $1,600 of which he donated to himself.
$700 (5%) came from Allston
$200 (2%) came from Brighton
13% ($1,650) came from outside Massachusetts.
Greg also took $1,000 from the energy company NSTAR ($500 from NStar's Responsible Energy Policy PAC and $500 from Joe Nolan, an NSTAR vice president).

Maybe I am naive to say that candidates for Allston/Brighton city council should only have fundraisers in Allston and Brighton. How about only having fundraisers in Allston and Brighton? How about politely refusing money that could create a conflict of interest between an out-of-town donor and Allston/Brighton residents?

In Washington DC, politicians are making some changes to reduce the impact of money on our political system. Can our candidates set a good example instead of running "win at any cost" campaigns?

Jeff Ross - State Senate candidate

Jeff Ross sent me and probably many of you another postcard today asking for our votes in his bid for the State Senate seat held formerly held by Jarrett Barrios. His website - Ross4Senate.org - is worth a visit.

Candidates Forum sponsored by the Allston Brighton Community Planning Initiative

Allston Brighton Community Planning Initiative

Candidates Forum: Tues. Aug.7 in Allston

Tuesday, August 7, 6:30 PM
Jackson Mann Community Center
500 Cambridge Street, Union Square, Allston

6:30PM -- Refreshments & Socializing
7:00PM -- Program begins

If you missed the forum at the Oak Square YMCA sponsored by the A & B Board of Trade & AV Main Streets, then come meet the candidates in Union Square. Questions are strongly encouraged.

Why would a university accept such a bland design?

Columbia's $7 Billion Expansion Plan by Piano Fails to Thrill - "Why would Columbia hire such a talented urbanist as Piano and then allow him to produce something so bland?"

Columbia's Plan, created by Renzo Piano and SOM

An alternative, community-created plan - summarized by Architectural Record -

Three Cheers for Tim!

Tim McHale did a fantastic job organizing and hosting the neighborhood party at the Bus Stop last night. Tim was clearly at home behind the microphone and gave an extra oomph to the festivities, helping everyone there have a great time. It was nice to meet new people from across Allston and Brighton and of course see old friends too. Somewhere out there are photos of several elected officials and political aspirants behind the mike. Maybe someone would like to send some of these pix along to be posted here? Let's hope this party was the first of many. How about a Halloween party (with costumes) in a few months?

North Brookline doesn't want to be the next Allston/Brighton

Neighbors band against 'party houses' - Brookline, MA - Brookline TAB

National Bridge Inventory data for some Allston/Brighton bridges

The terrible bridge collapse in Minneapolis is another reminder of the huge backlog in maintenance that exists for the infrastructure of our country. Here at home there are plenty of examples. The Federal Highway Administration does an annual survey of our nation's bridges called the National Bridge Inventory. The raw data is a bit unwieldy, but here is some information about bridges the cross the Charles from Allston and Brighton into Cambridge and Watertown.

Name	Year Built	Avg Daily Traffic	Total Improvement Cost	Status
ARSENAL ST / WESTERN AVE	1925	40,000	$3.2 million	Functionally Obsolete
CAMBRIDGE ST / RIVER ST	1925	32,100	$3.3 million	Functionally Obsolete
ELIOT BRIDGE	1950	51,000	$6.3 million	Not Deficient
N HARVARD ST	1912	29,000	$3.7 million	Functionally Obsolete
WESTERN AVE	1924	33,000	$4.2 million	Not Deficient

Possible designations for Bridge Status are Structurally Deficient, Functionally Obsolete, Not Deficient.

What is the Phoenix's Allston mystery cartoon all about?

Anyone have any ideas?

1) This used to be my bike shop - Life - The Phoenix

2) Now we return to the Allston mystery - Life - The Phoenix

3) Interns - Life - The Phoenix

4) Silence is golden - Life - The Phoenix

Open Brighton manhole causes two accidents

Open manhole causes two accidents - The Boston Globe

Two cars blew out tires when they rode over an open manhole on Nonantum Road in Brighton yesterday, the latest in a series of accidents caused by loose manhole covers and storm grates on Massachusetts roadways.

Boston Herald overview of race to replace Barrios in State Senate

Five candidates vie for Barrios’ seat - Local Politics - BostonHerald.com

At Large Candidate Marty Hogan Answers the Allston 02134 Survey

Here's another viewpoint from someone who wants to represent Allston, Brighton, and the rest of Boston in the City Council. You can learn more about Marty at www.votemartyhogan.info

1) Do you support the creation of a Boston Planning Department?
Yes__x__ No_____

I do support the creation of a planning department in the city of Boston which will plan and work with the residents of each section of our great city. For the last 4 years, Councilor Arroyo has been trying to get a vote in the council just for this specific reason. However, and as usual, certain members have all too strong ties to the BRA and will not let us take back our rights. I will work with Councilor Arroyo and any other member that will take a stand and return urban development to the city of Boston.

2) Should height limits in the North Allston Strategic Framework be strictly applied to Harvard’s proposed buildings?
Yes_X___ No_____

I feel that we need to regulate the height requirements on all businesses, non profits and residential uses to preserve the beauty and quality of our neighborhoods. I feel that any building that may block the view or sunshine of any section or area needs to be controlled. One of our greatest natural resources is our environment and we need to preserve it for our future.

3) Should City Council approval be required before a university can purchase property in Boston?
Yes_____ No__X__
I feel that the City Council as a body should be able to pass resolutions that regulate the expansion of which the universities grow as well as many of our non-profits and large commercial entities, however I do not agree with the “state” interfering with or stopping the growth by which a business can progress.

I feel that there has to be a balance between the healthy growth of business/institutions and the needs of our residents. As of this time I do not feel that the city council has effectively protected this balance.

As your city councilor at large I will fight to make new laws which will regulate overgrowth of these institutions and protect the needs of housing and quality of life for our residents.

4) What are your thoughts about a possible Charlesview relocation?

I feel that there can be two solutions we can investigate to solve the current state of deterioration of the Charlesview apartments. The first of course is to build on a separate site and go through all of the necessary litigation and political decision making. Or we can forgo the moving aspect and invest the total amount that would otherwise be spent on the land and redeveloping it and build on the site currently used. I feel that we could effectively and cautiously move the current residents to an alternative site(s) to be able to work more efficiently on the project until it comes to fruition. My choice and my preference would be to do the latter.

5) What should be the future of the Speedway property on Western Ave?

One problem with development in our city today is that we want to make plans for a site before the public interest and input is heard. I would like to have extensive public meetings throughout the community to find out exactly how we can best serve the people and conserve the area as well. I believe we need to take this process at a slower and more cautious pace than what typically the politicians and developers of Boston do. We can’t forget that the main responsibility of our politicians is to represent the people which means making decisions that are the best for our city based on what the people need.”

6) How do you feel about the vacant Harvard-owned properties in North Allston and North Brighton?

I would advocate to Harvard University and all of the other Universities and institutions in Boston to use their land that is not currently being developed for common area/community land that can be used for park and recreational land for the residents and the students alike.

I would also try to work with Harvard with the strength of the residents and the City Council to negotiate a percentage of the lands that each institution owns and will purchase be donated to the city.

August 7 Zoning Board Hearing

Hearing is at 11:30 in room 801 at City Hall

219-221 North Harvard Avenue - Create off street parking for four vehicles.
71 Euston Road - Create off street parking for four vehicles
130-132 Nonantum Street - Create off-street parking for one vehicle

If you wish to express an opinion about these zoning variances you can call 617-635-4775 for more information or write to:
Board of Appeal
1010 Massachusetts Avenue, 4th floor
Boston, MA 02118

No bones about it, St. E's must dig up the past

A road project at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital is on hold until an archaeological review of the site has been completed...

No bones about it, hospital must dig up the past - Local & Regional - BostonHerald.com

New Interest in a Neglected Neighborhood

Here is another story about the improving prospects of an urban area that has been in a long-time slump. Harvard has talked about getting businesses and life back into its properties on Western Ave and throughout North Allston and North Brighton, but there is little or nothing beyond just talk. "We have the potential to be really good stewards of property," said Kathy Spiegelman, chief planner for Harvard's Allston expansion, back in April. But I think in the last year or longer, Harvard has signed ZERO leases to bring ZERO new businesses into any of its many vacant properties.

New Interest in Bridgeport’s Neglected Neighborhoods - New York Times

A legacy of neglect - our crumbling infrastructure

The story of crumbling bridges over the Charles is nothing new for people here who use the bridges at Cambridge St, Western Ave, and North Harvard St. This op-ed piece suggests how the state could start making sure projects like this get the maintenance and repairs that they need.
A legacy of neglect - The Boston Globe

Allston artist featured at the DeCordova museum

Sculptor Anne Lilly has an amazing sample of her art at the DeCordova museum in Lincoln. Anne works in the Franklin Street artist studio and these moving sculptures (when you spin the base the 'fingers' travel in a variety of different paths) are quite hypnotic and beautiful. I highly recommend her exhibit and the DeCordova in general.

The 2007 DeCordova Annual Exhibition: Anne Lilly

Meet the candidates at the Hill Memorial Baptist Church

The Hill Memorial Baptist Church (279 North Harvard St, between Coolidge and Easton) is doing a great thing. They are hosting a "meet the candidates" series for the Allston/Brighton City Council candidates. Today at 11 Tim Schofield will be there. The church is not endorsing anyone but is creating this forum for people to meet the candidates and learn about the issues.

Neighborhood activists party this Saturday at the Bus Stop

For planners' party, the Bus Stops here - The Boston Globe

Neighborhood activists and friends are invited to the event, which begins at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Bus Stop Pub, 252 Western Ave. in Allston. RSVP to McHale 617-787-2122 or bostonminstrel@aol.com

Boston Globe profile of new Allston/Brighton Police Captain Genevieve King

Sounds like our new commander is taking a strong stand about the quality of life issues that are important to many of us in the community.

For new commander, the force is with her - The Boston Globe

As far as student misbehavior, King said, she's sending a "loud and clear" message as they arrive this year. "If you have a large party, underage drinkers, you will be arrested for keeping a disorderly house."

Further, King has solicited promises from the universities to take action and notify parents directly if a student is arrested. "It often doesn't bother them if they're arrested," she said. "But if a school says you're on probation -- that makes a huge difference."

Another resident concern King has heard is about traffic, particularly students speeding through residential streets to get to school. Her department is talking with neighborhood groups about changing parking and traffic patterns to force cars to slow down. Dick Hardy, a traffic engineer for the city, has already agreed to do traffic studies after September, she said.

The issue of underage drinking will also be addressed. King and her department are meeting with bar owners in the neighborhood to educate them about fake identification cards.

Paving Allston - the good and the bad

The new sidewalks being poured on Franklin Street are a very nice neighborhood improvement. One area had been a dirt patch maybe an inch lower than the rest of the sidewalk and now it is smooth and safe. My son's tricycle ride to the playground will be much better as a result of this project and of course many other people will enjoy a safer and more pleasant walk.

I am amazed that someone would want to do this to the front yard of their home. Think how hard it will be for someone to correct this some day. Planting a bit of groundcover is not hard and would look SO much better. I am also amazed that the City of Boston allows this to be done.

With all the talk about making Boston a "green" city it would be great if the City could prevent needless paving of front, side, and back yards. Rain like we had today should be going into the ground and then the Charles River. Instead so much of it goes into the sewers. To learn more about the problems this causes, visit the Charles River Watershed Assoc website

Quote of the day

The absence of alternatives clears the mind marvelously.
- Henry Kissinger

Harvard Crimson story about the July 25 Task Force meeting

The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Allston Task Force Tackles New Construction Concerns

MIT's free physics/baseball summer camp

MIT's learning curve - The Boston Globe

A nice story about a free camp offered to students from Allston/Brighton and other neighborhoods sponsored by MIT, the Red Sox Foundation, and other organizations to help kids learn math and science. When we are talking about how Harvard could have a larger role in our community this is an example of one of the relatively small things (for an institution with the Harvard's resources) that would seemingly be easy to do.

Save some money - shop on Aug. 11-12

House OK's two-day sales-tax holiday - The Boston Globe

With all the things in this state that need more money (schools, parks, roads, bridges, just to name a few) I don't think the state should be giving up $30 million to $50 million in revenue. But if you want to save 5% on purchases up to $2,500 you can do your shopping on August 11 and 12.

Kick-off reception for John Connolly, Candidate for City Councilor-at-Large

John Connolly, Candidate for City Councilor-at-Large, invites friends from Allston / Brighton to join him for a Kick-off reception at Devlin's, 332 Washington St., Brighton Center. The event is from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Monday July 30.

All are welcome to come and meet John and discuss topics of interest. The event is free but donations of any size would be welcome. Come meet John and hear about his vision for Boston and share your thoughts about your neighborhood and the City.

Street congestion tops concerns about Harvard (this week)

TAB article about last night's Harvard Allston Task Force meeting

Street congestion tops concerns about Harvard (this week) - Brighton, MA - Allston/Brighton TAB

NStar woes unplugged - Letters to the Editor - BostonHerald.com

The Herald published a Letter to the Editor I submitted about the ongoing struggle with NSTAR regarding its Lincoln St substation.

NStar woes unplugged - Letters to the Editor - BostonHerald.com

Departing City Councilor Jerry McDermott may think he won the battle with NStar [NST], but those of who live near the NStar substation know a different reality (“Councilor builds new career, McDermott to head housing charity,” July 21).
Graffiti and litter accumulate on the Lincoln Street side of the substation. At the intersection of Mansfield and Lincoln streets, a vacant lot sits empty and unattractive. The barrier wall to protect abutting homes and other improvements that McDermott demanded from NStar are nowhere in sight.
NStar could be a better neighbor to people who have watched its substation literally explode before our very eyes.

A victory in the battle against graffiti

Graffiti is a continual problem in Allston, Brighton, and across the city, so it is nice to hear this good news about a major victory in the Mission Hill neighborhood. This account of the situation was written by people from the Back Bay who volunteer a considerable amount of their time to keep their neighborhood clean.

On July 11, 2007, in Roxbury Court our friends in Mission Hill set a significant precedent with a felony conviction of Andrew White, tag TEL. White pleaded guilty to Vandalism of Property and received two years of supervised probation and restitution in the amount of $10,000 to be paid to Community Alliance of Mission Hill, representing the neighborhood, and Wentworth College. The restitution is to be completely repaid during the two year period of probation. Since this is a felony conviction, White’s driver’s license will also be revoked and if he should violate his probation or fail to pay restitution he will be facing time in jail.

This is the first felony conviction we have seen and were it not for the perseverance and presence of the neighbors in Mission Hill this would not have been possible. Bob Francey in particular was instrumental in putting together over 100 photographs showing how pervasive and invasive White was in his tagging and coordinating with Wentworth and Harvard to bring their evidence to the trial. As we have seen before in previous trials, White’s being sentenced this day was without much notice, as he only agreed to plead guilty to the recommended sentence late the night before. Fortunately several members of the community were there, and this was crucial as the judge who decided the case had heard one of the earlier pre-trial hearings and remembered the faces in the audience and the photographs he had viewed. Anne and I have been attending these hearings because we have also seen White's tags throughout the Back Bay neighborhood, as well as in Beacon Hill, Fenway and South End. Although White has not had any previous convictions and has a clean record prior to this, and his attorney argued brilliantly as to the harshness of the penalties, the judge agreed with the recommended sentence and gave the penalties requested by the assistant district attorney. One of the main reasons that White agreed to plead guilty was that the neighborhood and assistant district attorney would have brought both a criminal and civil suit for more than 200 incidences of vandalism otherwise. Since White has admitted to his tag being “TEL” he could be held accountable for all graffiti with his tag.

It is wonderful to see this result that we have been working so hard towards. White is a particularly prolific tagger and we hope that this severe penalty will send yet another pointed message to the tagging community that Boston will not tolerate this expensive vandalism anymore.

Ooops! Harvard's proposed construction access is much closer to the neighborhood

On page 4-114 of the Science Complex DPIR, a drawing shows a possible route for truck access to the Science Complex site. The drawing is wrong! This is not really what Harvard is proposing. The purple line in the drawing shows the access staying north of the Sears building foundation and staying a safe distance from the nearest homes.

What Harvard's Impact Report shows	What Harvard is REALLY proposing

It may seem like a short distance, but hundreds of trucks a day will use this haul road, and bringing it so much closer to the homes on Windom and Hopedale will not be good for the people who live there.

Fortunately, there are alternatives that seem feasible and would be much less disruptive to people in the neighborhood.

A look at the DCR

Sam Allis write about the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the state organization responsible for many of the roads and parks that are so important to our quality of life in Allston & Brighton (Chestnut Hill Reservation, Charles River - Herter Park and Artesani Playground, swimming pools on Chesnut Hill Ave & North Beacon St, Daly Field, Soldiers Field Road, etc.)

Broke and broken - The Boston Globe

Charles River bridge closed tonight?

The Cambridge police and State Police I called don't know anything about this. I called them because the Globe's description does not make sense - there is no bridge that connect JFK Street and Western Ave.

In any case, if you are driving between Cambridge and Allston this evening you might want to be on the lookout. My guess is it is the Anderson Memorial Bridge, the one that connects North Harvard St & JFK St.

Memorial Bridge closed tonight - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe

Memorial Bridge in Cambridge will be closed between 7 and 9 tonight for the filming of a movie, State Police said this afternoon. The bridge will be shut down in both directions between JFK Street and Western Avenue. Motorists should seek other routes because traffic is expected to be heavy, police said.

CORRECTION - City Council Forum tonight

The previous post had the wrong times for this event. The correct info is:
Place: Oak Square Y
Meet the Candidates: 6:30-7:00 PM
Candidates Forum: 7:00-8:30 PM

New boathouse for Community Rowing under construction in Brighton

Community Rowing Inc. has broken ground on a $15 million project to build a new boathouse along the Charles River near Daly Rink. This great organization in its new home (scheduled to open in spring 2008) will be able to make rowing accessible for many people, regardless of age, wealth, physical disability, or other barriers to the sport of rowing.

Project to bring rowing to public - The Boston Globe

Paul Nowicki, State Senate candidate

I got a letter today from Paul Nowicki, a Chelsea City Councilor, who is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Jarrett Barrios. This crazy shaped district includes some or all of Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Somerville, Revere, Sagus, and the northern part of Allston. The letter mentions www.paulnowicki.com but there is no such website, at least not yet. You can instead try Paul on the phone if you want more information about his campaign - 617-595-7927.

Letter: All voices must be heard

Alex is writing about Chapter 9 "Response to Comments" of the Havard Science Complex Draft Project Impact Report (the 4MB file can be downloaded here). In many situations, Harvard's "response" isn't really a direct reply to the comments and questions posed by members of the community. But even worse is that the last 13 letters don't get any response at all.

Letter: All voices must be heard - Brighton, MA - Allston/Brighton TAB

Harvard’s Draft Project Impact Report (600 or more pages, 8 pounds, 3 inches tall) addresses aspects of their Allston plan quite exhaustively. Fully 111 pages of it responds in minute detail to the questions and concerns of each citizen or citizens group. However, anyone writing in Spanish, from the Charlesview complex, writing by hand or on lined paper, can expect their comments to be put at the end of the report. The letters placed in this section will not be translated, nor will the concerns expressed so courageously be addressed.
They deserve to be heard and not egregiously ignored.
Alex Selvig
Candidate for Boston City Council

Local struggle with NSTAR continues

It is amazing to see our City Councilor claim that he "won" a battle with NStar to improve the substation on Lincoln St in Allston. This substation has been the site of numerous explosions and other problems in the last several years. NStar is in the process of replacing old equipment and they put a new fence along the Lincoln St side of the substation.

But all this is much less than what McDermott and other elected officials demanded several years ago. A vacant and neglected lot sits at the intersection of Mansfield and Lincoln Streets. The safety/visual barrier wall between the substation and abutting homes remains unbuilt. So for those of us who still live here, the "battle" still continues.

Councilor builds new career: McDermott to head housing charity - Local Politics - BostonHerald.com

"McDermott said he’s most proud of his measures that reduced speeds around
playgrounds from 30 mph to 20 mph, and a battle with NStar that he won,
convincing the utility provider to spend $4.7 million to fix an electric
substation in Allston."

Cleaned-up Charles can host swimmers

For some good news, The Charles River Swimming Club is hosting its first swimming race on the Charles this morning. This one-mile race is being held near the Esplanade, not the Allston/Brighton part of the river, but it is a great sign all of the Charles is getting cleaner and more usable.

Cleaned-up Charles can host swimmers - The Boston Globe

McDermott moving out of Boston, may resign early from Council

Up here in North Allston we already don't have a State Senator (Jarrett Barrios) and now we won't have a district City Councilor (McDermott).

McDermott plans to move out of Boston - The Boston Globe

Councilor Jerry McDermott, a lifelong Brighton resident, plans to move to the suburb of Westwood with his wife and two young children this fall when he resigns from his seat.

McDermott will become executive director of the South Shore Habitat for Humanity in Braintree on Sept. 4. The new job, he said, will probably cause him to quit the City Council earlier than anticipated, perhaps as early as September, rather than Dec. 31.

City Hall adding oversight to Harvard's expansion

BRA approves Glavin for deputy director post - The Boston Globe
The Boston Redevelopment Authority board of directors approved the appointment of Michael F. Glavin as deputy director for institutional development of the city's planning and development agency. Glavin, formerly a manager of community investment programs at Bank of America and its Boston-based predecessors including BankBoston, will lead a team that oversees Harvard University's significant expansion into Allston, among other projects.

Read the complete press release on the BRA website

Allston-Brighton City Council candidate Tim Schofield responds to the allston02134 City Council questionnaire

Tim is the 4th candidate to respond to this questionnaire. You can learn more about Tim at http://schofieldforcitycouncil.com/.

1) Do you support the creation of a Boston Planning Department?
Yes, I support the creation of a separate Boston Planning Department. I also support other specific reforms to the current BRA procedures including a requirement that institutions submit detailed plans to the community at mandatory public meetings, and specifically respond to community concerns, prior to filing any plans with the BRA. As it currently stands (and as the institutions frequently remind us), the meetings being held are not mandatory and there is no requirement that the institutions present interim plans which respond to community concerns. I have personally sat through meeting after meeting where the same plans were presented and the same concerns expressed time and time again, to no avail. Similarly, I would extend the time periods for the community to review and respond to plans that are filed with the BRA. As we are seeing right now with Harvard’s recent filing, the time which the community has to review and respond to the BRA filings are wholly inadequate, especially when dealing with the large and complex projects being proposed by the institutions.

2) Should height limits in the North Allston Strategic Framework be strictly applied to Harvard's proposed buildings?
Many members of the community volunteered countless hours of their time to develop the North Allston Strategic Framework (NASF) and their work and work product should be respected. The Framework must be applied to protect the residents and the residential character of North Allston and North Brighton by preventing Harvard and any other developers from constructing towering buildings abutting residential neighborhoods.

3) Should City Council approval be required before a university can purchase property in Boston?
The Institutional Master Plan (IMP) process is an opportunity for the community to obtain specific concessions and benefits from the institution seeking IMP approval, one of which could be a requirement that the institution seek approval prior to purchasing any property within the community. An ordinance requiring City Council approval for the purchase of property is likely unconstitutional, but an institution (like any other person) can agree to such a requirement and we should work to obtain such agreements as part of the IMP process. As an attorney, I have extensive experience negotiating concession and settlement agreements.

4) What are your thoughts about a possible Charlesview relocation?
Many of the buildings and units at Charlesview require significant work to bring them up to current standards for safety and comfort. Relocating the complex and constructing new units is one way to address these issues. Any such relocation must, however, be done in cooperation with the residents of Charlesview and the abutters of any new complex. The current plan being considered is far too large for the proposed location at Brighton Mills and does not adequately take into consideration the needs of all the interested parties.

5) What should be the future of the Speedway property on Western Ave?
Ideally, the Speedway property will be restored and preserved. Fortunately, the property is currently owned by the Department of Conservation and Recreation so any sale or long-term lease would have to be approved by the legislature (in other words, nobody can purchase the property without us knowing about it beforehand). I would work with our state legislators to ensure that the community has full input into any proposed sale or development of the property prior to any such approval. The property is the gateway to our community and so we must, as a community, carefully weigh how we want to property to be used.

6) How do you feel about the vacant Harvard-owned properties in North Allston and North Brighton?
I think it is wrong and unfortunate that Harvard has permitted these properties to remain vacant and, frequently, in a state of disrepair while there is a great need for retail services in the community. If Harvard does not intend to utilize the properties for educational purposes in the foreseeable future, then it should lease the properties to businesses who will utilize them for the benefit of the community. I am also greatly concerned by the number of jobs that have been lost as a result of these actions. Many of the businesses that were along Western Avenue employed people who lived in the neighborhood. Whether it was Pepsi, the telephone company, the car dealerships, or video stores, these businesses provided job opportunities for workers who lived in Allston and Brighton. Harvard’s proposed development will not bring these types of permanent jobs back to the community. Harvard must ensure that there is a mix of retail and commercial uses now and in the future so that there are good jobs available to people in the neighborhood and basic retail services within walking distance of the residential community.

TAB article about the Allston Civic Assoc meeting and plans for Lowe's in Brighton

Lowe’s gets community support - Brighton, MA - Allston/Brighton TAB

City Council candidate Mark Ciommo shares thoughts about Harvard's expansion

Mark Ciommo sent along these thoughts about Harvard University and its relationship with Allston. If other candidates have thoughts they'd like to share I'll be happy to publish them too.

I respect and admire the time and diligent work the Harvard Task Force has undertaken to move the community process forward regarding the Science Complex development. My intentions are not to discredit the hard work of the task force. They have put in countless hours and sacrificed many months of their personal time. While campaigning through the neighborhood of North Allston, I have walked the site of the proposed Science Complex Development outlined in the Draft Project Impact Report (DPIR). I was troubled and then angered at the deplorable condition of the site. Buildings partially painted, locked gates with fencing peeled back, overgrown weeds and asphalt sidewalks with unsafe ditches is an unacceptable way for a prestigious and powerful institution to begin its fifty year expansion into our neighborhood. Certainly Harvard can afford to spend the necessary money to hire local painters, landscapers and contractors that would take pride in beautifying and improving our community. Harvard is an institution which touts its social justice credentials internationally; they should be ashamed at how they disregard their neighbors.

The Task Force has proposed an agenda to meet weekly to finalize the article 80 process (75 day comment period) without discussing community benefits until after construction begins. This process to review community benefits should start when Harvard repairs and completes the work promised in 1997. In addition, The Task Force and community are relinquishing leverage to negotiate if this process continues without these remedies. How can we trust Harvard will live up to any of their agreements and treat our neighborhood with respect and dignity in the next fifty years when they haven’t done so in the past ten?

I have negotiated numerous contracts and agreements throughout my professional and civic experiences. I understand the importance of timing in the bargaining process. If we wait until Harvard attains approval for the DPIR and begins construction to raise points about community benefits, our community will be in a very weak bargaining position. Instead, I suggest that as meeting’s focus on different aspects of the project, community benefits related to those aspects of the project be brought into the discussion. Construction and transportation will have the greatest impact on the quality of life in our neighborhood for years to come and the benefits to the community and to those directly impacted should be part of the discussion and put on the record.

Mark Ciommo, Candidate
Allston-Brighton District City Council

Keeping the noise down

This is a great publication by the Federal Highway Administration about noise barriers and reducing highway noise for nearby homes. The concepts are also applicable to reducing the noise that will be created by Harvard's upcoming construction. - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/keepdown.pdf

Some similar information is at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/htnoise.htm

What are noise barriers?
Noise barriers do not completely block all noise - they only reduce overall noise levels. Effective noise barriers typically reduce noise levels by 5 to 10 decibels (dB), cutting the loudness of traffic noise by as much as one half. For example, a barrier which achieves a 10-dB reduction can reduce the sound level of a typical tractor trailer pass-by to that of an automobile.

How Does a Noise Barrier Work?
A noise barrier must be tall enough and long enough to block the view of a highway from the area that is to be protected, the“receiver.” Noise barriers provide very little benefit for homes on a hillside overlooking a highway or for buildings which rise above the barrier.

Therefore, a barrier that is effective for someone standing on the ground might do nothing to block sound from someone at the 2nd or 3rd floor of a home where you would have a clear view over the barrier wall to the source of the noise.

To effectively reduce the noise coming around its ends, a barrier should be at least eight times as long as the distance from the home to the barrier.

Can Trees Be Planted to Act as Noise Barriers?
Vegetation, if it is high enough, wide enough, and dense enough that it cannot be seen over or through, can decrease highway traffic noise. A wide strip of trees with very thick undergrowth can lower noise levels. 30 meters (100 feet) of dense vegetation can reduce noise by five decibels.

However, it is not feasible to plant enough trees and other vegetation along a highway to achieve such a reduction. Trees and other vegetation can be planted for psychological relief but not to physically lessen noise levels.

WalkBoston review of Harvard Science Complex proposal

WalkBoston is starting to put together comments on Harvard's Proposed Allston Science Complex. They are holding a review session on Tuesday, July 31st, 5-6:30 PM. For more information contact Wendy Landman at wlandman@walkboston.org.

Hidy-ho, neighbor! Harvard + Allston

Some architects at www.archinect.com are discussing Harvard's plans for Allston

Archinect : School Blog Project : Harvard University - GSD (Quilian) : Hidy-ho, neighbor! Harvard + Allston

Harvard, the behemoth with many heads, is moving to Allston, that much seems to be clear. As to how and when it does it, who moves there, what type of community it creates, and its relationship to its neighbors, no one seems to be quite sure. Will Harvard be a literal ivory tower separated from its surroundings, or will they follow a more friendly and open approach? Will the question be dodged by just moving the river, as a GSD professor proposed?

It is that last part, the relationship to its neighbors, that a group of very active Allston residents are trying to influence. They are helping Harvard keep in mind that their actions have real and sometimes unexpected consequences on a community. Harvard owns large plots of land, if it is not careful the community around can die. One can only understand if the local community is a bit wary, as Harvard's first steps have not been very successful. The Business school is a virtual minimum security prison, I am not even sure how one goes about getting in there...

July 24 zoning and licensing hearings

30R Undine Road - Confirm the legal occupancy as a shelter for cats and erect a rear addition to the building.

256 Lincoln Street - Convert vacant lot into additional parking area for 250 Lincoln Street.

15 Ransom Road - Create off-street parking for six vehicles.

60 Woodstock Avenue - Create off-street parking for ten vehicles.

75-87 Harvard Avenue - Change the legal occupancy from music instruction, rehearsal
and sales, a store, a restaurant and hair salon to music instruction, rehearsal, and sales, a store, a restaurant to include a money exchange office at #75 Harvard Avenue.

If you wish to express an opinion in regards to the above proposal either in favor or in opposition, write to:
Board of Appeal
1010 Massachusetts Avenue, 4th floor
Boston, MA 02118
You can call the Board of Appeal at 617-635-4775 with questions.

Boston College launches its IMP web site

Boston College IMP - Home

Northeastern's new president sets and example that others could follow

Northeastern tries a lighter tread - The Boston Globe

Soon after he became president of Northeastern University last August, Joseph Aoun made a symbolic, fence-mending gesture to the university's Lower Roxbury neighbors. He moved his office across campus to Columbus Avenue, just over the Roxbury line, changing the office's ZIP code.

Aoun didn't stop there. He has been personally courting clergy and neighborhood leaders and gone door to door to talk with residents to warm an often chilly relationship between the city campus and its neighbors.

"You cannot put students in a tower for four years and expect them to be engaged citizens," Aoun said last week at Peoples Baptist Church on Tremont Street. "It cannot work this way."

Northeastern's effort and Aoun's personal investment have won praise from many city leaders and neighbors, who say it marks a sharp break with the past.

"They're being a little more pleasant," said Adline Stallings, cochairwoman of the Mission Main Task Force, a community group. "They haven't always been a good neighbor. They would push, not ask. But now they are listening a little bit."

The Globe publishes THREE(!) letters to the Editor about Harvard's broken promises

Harvard's broken promise in Allston - The Boston Globe

MY KIDS ride their bikes on this broken, treeless sidewalk and others in Allston-Brighton. It is hot, ugly, and dangerous. Maybe Harvard University doesn't owe me anything, but the city of Boston does. If Harvard promised the city it would fix this, the city needs to ensure that it does.

SONIA SHAH, Brighton

THE STATUS of Harvard's 1997 improvement plan does seem like a harbinger of things to come. I've seen a lot of beautiful drawings and ideas that sound fine on paper, but Harvard's apparent disinterest in its neighbors comes through in its actions -- or lack thereof.

Compared to its long-range plans for the area, improvements such as repairing a sidewalk and replacing a rusty fence are probably less than exciting . But a decrepit stretch of road does have an effect on a community, and Harvard's distraction from this fact seems like just another example of its cavalier attitude toward the neighborhood it is supposedly trying to curry favor with.

That the country's premier institution of higher education needs to "take a much closer look" at the possibility of not flagrantly ignoring its neighbors says everything about this whole affair.

TOM BOZEMAN, Allston

HARVARD UNIVERSITY'S failure to follow through on long-promised street improvements in North Allston is yet another example not only of Harvard's broken promises but of the Boston Redevelopment Authority's failure to enforce agreements made in the master planning process ("A street of broken vows runs in Allston," City & Region, July 12).

Allston-Brighton is currently besieged by massive new expansion proposals by Harvard to the north and Boston College to the south.

Every month at neighborhood meetings we hear BRA officials claim how the master plans will be enforced, whether it be lighting hours or dormitory use. Harvard's failure to improve North Harvard Street, however, demonstrates the hollowness of the BRA's words.

Harvard should agree to a hiatus on BRA approval of their new projects until they satisfactorily resolve past promises. Only then will they live up to their school motto: Veritas.

MICHAEL PAHRE, Brighton

City Councilor Candidates Forum next Monday (July 23)

Location: Brighton YMCA, 615 Washington Street
Moderator: Senator Steven A. Tolman

Meet the Candidates: 6:30-7:00 PM
Candidates Forum: 7:00-8:30 PM

Candidates
Mark Ciommo - Greg Glennon - Rosie Hanlon - James Jenner - Tim Schofield - Alex Selvig

Refreshments will be served
Limited parking available
Voter registration at the event

Affordable Allston condos for sale

Lottery set for low-cost Glenville condos - The Boston Globe

Next month, Allston Brighton CDC will open applications for people who meet income limits and want to purchase one of 33 units at 48-52 Glenville Ave. Anyone with income of 80 percent or less of the median income for Greater Boston would qualify. For a single-person household, the income limit would be $46,300. Information sessions will be held July 24 in English (Spanish translation available) and July 28 in Spanish. For details or to register, call the development corporation at 617-787-3874, ext. 35.

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