Harvard-Allston Task Force Raises Concerns About Community Benefits Conversation

Harvard-Allston Task Force Raises Concerns About Community Benefits Conversation | News | The Harvard Crimson:

Gerald Autler, senior project manager at the Boston Redevelopment Authority, said on Monday that the task force would have a 60-day period to provide feedback on the master plan [that Harvard will file in July]. But task force member and Allston resident Bruce E. Houghton railed against Harvard and the BRA for expecting the task force to identify the benefits they want included in the plan in what he described as an unreasonably short period of time.

“What is expected of this community and what’s being placed on it...is inappropriate and impossible,” Houghton said. “What’s truly inappropriate is the fact that there’s an expectation on behalf of BRA that this community should put into place in four months a community benefit package that might last as long as 10 years.”

Send your input to the City of Boston for its Open Space Plan 2015-2021

Public Input | City of Boston

The City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department is reaching out to the public and to users of the parks, playgrounds, and other open spaces in the city, whether or not you reside in Boston, to learn about how they use open space in Boston and how we can improve their experience.

http://www.cityofboston.gov/parks/about/questionnaire.asp
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Impending A/B North Development & Transportation

There's a lot coming our way in the next several years. What did I miss? What are your thoughts on these projects?

A/B North Transportation and Development by harry_mattison

Harvard Jams Western Ave

11:00 on Saturday morning and Western Ave is jammed in both directions from North Harvard Street to the Western Ave Bridge. Way too many cars per minute are trying to enter the Harvard Business School parking lot.

State plans 2-year, $10m project to rebuild Cambridge Street bridge over I-90 in Allston - Allston Brighton - Your Town - Boston.com

State plans 2-year, $10m project to rebuild Cambridge Street bridge over I-90 in Allston - Allston Brighton - Your Town - Boston.com:

Construction is expected to begin this fall, though the exact timeline has not been finalized

Once complete, the bridge will include a 10-foot-wide sidewalk on one side, nine-foot-wide sidewalk on the other side and six-foot-wide bike lanes abutting each sidewalk, officials said.

Between the bike and traffic lanes will be a three-foot-wide buffer. Each of the four total traffic lanes will be 11 feet wide. A six-foot-wide median will divide the bridge’s travel lanes.

Instead of Central America, What about Allston?

A Harvard professor came to Allston to talk about the importance of the arts in Bogota, Colombia during the 1990's. Meanwhile, Harvard has shelved the plans it had a few years ago for Western Ave and other parts of North Allston to become an arts mecca. Questions about the role of public art in Harvard's $150 million, 325 unit apartment building that will start construction later this year get nothing better than weak responses like:

The proponent will work with Harvard, the City and the community to explore how public art can be incorporated into the project.

So kudos to Mr. Stenson for suggesting that Harvard think locally about the importance of the arts.

Sommer Highlights Cultural Agency at Allston Ed Portal | News | The Harvard Crimson:

"John J. Stenson Jr. of Brighton asked the first question after [Harvard Romance Languages and Literatures Professor Doris] Sommer wrapped up her lecture, demanding to see funding from the University to promote theater in Allston. 

“Never mind about Bogotá. What about right here?” Stenson said. “Put a play on here. That’s your challenge.”"

Harvard faculty feeling like Allston residents

There is plenty of decisions about Harvard's Allston expansion that should be driven by purely internal Harvard decision-making. I think there are also plenty of issues relating to the public realm along Western Av & North Harvard St and the too many blighted Harvard properties all over our neighborhood where some the community should have a role in the decision-making process. 

You can replace "faculty" with "Allston community" in this article and it all sounds pretty familiar

After New Email Search Revelations, Faculty Question Balance of Power | The Harvard Crimson:

"...faculty have not been consulted on a range of important decisions over the last year pertaining to the Government 1310 cheating case, the relocation of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences to Allston" 

"history professor Lisa M. McGirr said that the monthly meetings have become something of a “spectator sport” in which faculty watch as administrators break news about their decisions." 

"Asani agreed, saying he believes the Faculty Council—and Faculty meetings more broadly—are too closely controlled by administrators for professors to have a free and full discussion."

I wonder what this “multimodal transportation solution” will be

As SEAS Moves to Allston, Administrators Contemplate Schedule Changes | The Harvard Crimson:

"Computer science professor David C. Parkes, a co-chair of the Transportation Task Force alongside Executive Vice President Katie N. Lapp, wrote in an email that while the task force has not yet convened, it will eventually investigate a “multimodal transportation solution” to connect Cambridge and Allston."

Lesley University may propose renovating Smith Field in Allston in exchange for use of the site

Lesley University may propose renovating Smith Field in Allston in exchange for use of the site - Allston Brighton - Your Town - Boston.com:

Lesley University is gauging community interest in having it renovate the city-owned Smith Field in Allston and, in exchange, have permission to use the space for Lesley athletics

“Lesley’s main goal is to provide the best overall experience for our student-athletes, and state-of-the art facilities are key,” [Amanda McGregor, spokeswoman for the university] said.

Harvard-Allston Task Force Criticizes University for Not Providing Benefits | The Harvard Crimson

Harvard-Allston Task Force Criticizes University for Not Providing Benefits | The Harvard Crimson:

“[Barry’s Corner] is going to rise out of the Earth, and we’re going to have nothing to show for it,” task force chair and Allston resident Ray V. Mellone said.

After some discussion, task force members rallied around the idea of tying improvements of Smith Field, a park adjacent to the site of the planned development, to the development of Barry’s Corner.

BRA Chief Planner Kairos Shen said that the agency would explore language that could require a commitment from Harvard to renovate the field in order to receive BRA approval for the Barry’s Corner development. Shen and task force members agreed to try to come up with a provision by the time the project faces evaluation from the BRA.

SEAS Affiliates Discuss Allston Campus Plans

SEAS Affiliates Discuss Allston Campus Plans | The Harvard Crimson:

"[Executive Dean for Administration G. Timothy] Bowman also said that he hoped the SEAS Allston campus would develop into a “college student hub” for students coming from the iLab and Harvard’s athletic facilities.

“We want it to be a destination that students, faculty, and the University community want to go to, even if they don’t have a class,” Bowman said."

I wonder what Dean Bowman thinks would make Western Ave a "college student hub"? Will the Allston community also want to go (or be invited to go) there? The previous plans for the Science Complex had Harvard-only amenities like a private rooftop restaurant & bar.

I bet the impending new Allston basketball arena just got a bit bigger & sooner

Harvard Men's Basketball Upsets New Mexico, 68-62, To Win First-Ever NCAA Tournament Game | The Harvard Crimson:

Dead woman found at Harvard's abandoned Allston rail yard

State Police investigating how New Hampshire woman's body wound up on train tracks in Allston | Universal Hub:

St. Patrick's Puppets in Allston & Brighton

Finnegan's Wake from The Vaudeville Puppets on Vimeo.

City proposes blocking Harvard from opening new buildings in Allston if school fails to meet terms for development

City proposes blocking Harvard from opening new buildings in Allston if school fails to meet terms for development - Allston Brighton - Your Town - Boston.com:

"The proposal would require Harvard to:

Start a community planning process this April to build its promised Rena Park and begin the first phase of the park’s construction in 2014; develop a comprehensive master plan for campus services, which would clarify that the 28 Travis St. relocation project is temporary; implement that campus services master plan within one year after the university opens its proposed science complex in Allston, which is scheduled to open in about five years; and to not run vehicular service between midnight and 6 a.m. at the 28 Travis St. site, Shen said.

If Harvard fails to comply with those conditions, the city would withhold occupancy permits for new buildings the university builds until the school is in compliance."

The A/B Kid Exodus

John Keith has done some nice work summarizing Boston's population changes by ages: Boston population changes over past two decades | Universal Hub

Here's the spreadsheet with data for all neighborhoods and the A/B data



Here's how the # of kids 14 & under has steadily dropped in the last 20 years
1990: 5,939 (8.5% of total)
2000: 5,536 (7.9% of total)
2010: 4,583 (6.1% of total)

More than 1/2 of Allston and Brighton residents are in their 20s

Like shopping in Allston

Huge Russian Parties coming to Linden Street?

The "Russian Benevolent Society" will be at the Zoning Board of Appeal on March 26 seeking to increase their capacity for a "restaurant / lounge with live entertainment" to 450 people with outdoor seating for 90.
http://www.cityofboston.gov/ons/pdfs/allstonbright.pdf

In 2011 they got permission to serve dinner and liquor Thursday through Sunday night. (Under the society's old club license, it could only open to serve meals and liquors for functions.) \
http://www.universalhub.com/2011/russian-social-club-allston-gets-permission-turn-p

In 2012 they got permission to serve dinner seven days a week. (The society, originally set up as a private club, had been open to the public Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m)
http://www.universalhub.com/2012/russians-would-much-rather-drink-liquor-food-lawye

I wonder what they will do in 2014?

How Harvard is reneging on its Rena Park promise

A concerned reader sent me an email this afternoon because he and his friends are confused by this excerpt from the "SLAM Brings Allston Debate into Harvard Yard" story in today's Harvard Crimson:

"Mattison said that Harvard had promised to place a three-acre park where Barry’s Corner meets the residential community, but that the University is now reneging on that promise."

Hopefully this makes it more clear...

merriam-webster.com defines "renege" as "to go back on a promise or commitment".

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Take a look at Rena Park near North Harvard Street in these Harvard plans from 2007 and 2008:

2008 Science Complex Cooperation Agreement (page 87)	2007 Harvard Draft Master Plan (page 46)
	"Adjacent to the Allston library on North Harvard Street will be the largest open space in Rena Park"

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Here is Harvard's 2012 plan (which does not include the phrase "Rena Park")

2012 Harvard Draft Master Plan
Barry's Corner 10 year plan (page 36)	Long-Term Open Space Plan (page B-7)

Notice how during the last 4 years Harvard lost the big piece of Rena Park near North Harvard Street, the Honan Library, and Mellone Park? There is a little tail of "Harvard Campus Landscape" extending to the east, but no "Public Open Space" where Harvard promised the largest open space in Rena Park.

Program for Our 2013 Policy Conference » Progressive Massachusetts

Check this out if you are interested in discussing health care, education, economic policy and more with some of the most influential and knowledgeable people around

Program for Our 2013 Policy Conference » Progressive Massachusetts:

Progressive Mass Policy Conference
March 24 – 8AM-5PM - Newton, MA
Lasell College - Nearest T-Stop: Riverside/Green Line