THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY SERVING BACK BAY - SOUTH END - FENWAY - KENMORE State holds public hearing for Shattuck Campus proposal By Lauren Bennett portive housing that contributes positively to health outcomes, On April 13, a public hearing and contributes to the supply of was hosted by the state’s Division supportive housing in the region. of Capital Asset Management DCAMM project manager and Maintenance (DCAMM) to Loryn Sheffner explained some present the project proposal for of these goals further at the the Shattuck Hospital campus on public hearing, saying that they Morton St. in Jamaica Plain, and include a “minimum” of 75 to to allow for public comment on 100 supportive housing units, the proposal. as well as “integrated health ser- The Shattuck Hospital plans vices including both services cur- to move to the Newtown Pavil- rently offered on the site and new ion in the South End in 2024, types of services/programs cited and throughout a several year in the Vision Plan,” according to process, the community has been With “activity” going on in the background, Newmarket Business Association Director Sue Sullivan said this a slide presented. week at a press conference that she and some others in the community no longer support the re-opening of outspoken about what should be The state is also looking at the Comfort Station on Atkinson Street. This butts up against a call by neighbors in Worcester Square and done with the campus site. The “other allowable public health Blackstone/Franklin to re-open the Station as soon as possible. Sullivan said it has become an open air drug proposed plan includes turning uses pursuant to deed restric- market, and a troubling situation is becoming normalized. the existing 13 acre campus into tion,” the slide stated. an area for supportive housing, Sheffner said that the team integrative health care, and other anticipates a “phased redevelop- Businesses, some community members services. ment” of the site. Many residents and organi- “This project only pertains to say ‘no’ to Comfort Station in South End zations have said they would the Morton St. site,” she said, and Roxbury residents made a Worcester Square and Black- like to see the existing Shattuck and addressed the suggested use Situation cannot be public call to City officials not stone/Franklin, who had called site be returned to parkland for of the MBTA Arborway Yard normalized, leaders say to reopen the Comfort Station for the City to immediately Franklin Park and have suggest- for these services that has been on Atkinson Street and to make re-open the Comfort Station on ed that these services be sited at brought up several times in the By Seth Daniel a drastic change to the “open air Atkinson Street last week. The the MBTA’s Arborway bus yard community. While a smattering of individ- drug market” that exists in the butting of heads comes also as instead, while others expressed “Our discussions with the uals appeared to be using intra- area. many areas of the South End that they feel these services are MBTA have indicated that this venous drugs on the sidewalk, a That call came in direct oppo- that have been inundated with needed as soon as possible and is not an option at this time, and group of business owners from sition to leaders in other parts agree with the plan as proposed. we are moving ahead with this Newmarket and some South End of the South End, most notably As previously reported by the project at this site,” she said. (COMFORT STATION, Pg. 11) In a Request for Proposals Sun, the state has four goals for (RFP) for the site, DCAMM the proposed project, including: “will include all of these ele- •Provide stable health care ments” of the proposal, “includ- Five of six mayoral candidates take and housing options for under- ing team qualifications,” Sheff- served populations, including the ner said, and will look at things chronically homeless; like “responsiveness to the pro- Nomination Papers on Day 1 •Provide integrated, ‘per- gram and design goals, financial Early poll shows half of late on Tuesday was not returned. included Michael Bianchi of son-centered’ behavioral and feasibility,” and the schedule for voters undecided, Wu The Boston Election Depart- Brighton; Robert Cappucci of physical health care and housing implementation. ment showed that 11 people had East Boston; Joao DePina of systems; “The RFP will seek a single with highest favorability taken out papers for the mayoral Dorchester; Roy Owens Sr. of •Provide substance use dis- master developer,” she said— campaign, including the declared Roxbury; Richard Spagnuolo of order (SUD) and mental health which could either be a sole By Seth Daniel candidates John Barros, Council- the North End; and Patrick Wil- services that play a critical role in developer or a partnership—“to Five of the six declared candi- or Andrea Campbell, Councilor liams of Dorchester. regional public health and treat- propose a redevelopment plan dates for Mayor of Boston took Annissa Essaibi George, State Candidates for mayor and ment systems; out their Nomination Papers on Rep. Jon Santiago, and Council- City Council have until May 11 (SHATTUCK CAMPUS, Pg. 5) •Provide safe, stable and sup- the first day of their availabil- or Michelle Wu. to get their Nomination Papers, ity, April 13, with only Acting Janey is the only other major though many do it on the very Mayor Kim Janey still not yet candidate that has declared, but first day, and must file them by SUMMER IN THE CITY taking papers. the only one as of Wednesday the end of business on May 18. GUIDE - PAGE 8 An inquiry to her campaign morning not to take out papers. Others taking out papers (NOMINATION PAPERS, Pg. 10) PAGE 2 THE BOSTON SUN APRIL 15, 2021 editorial NUMB TO THE NUMBERS GUEST OP-ED With just about all of the states now reopening their economies, the conventional wisdom among most Americans is that the worst Mask wearing in America days of the coronavirus are behind us. Dr. Glenn Mollette socialize may ask that you wear I’ve spoken in churches and Yet the reality is that hundreds of Americans continue to die and a mask. Of course, you are free to groups where people would tens of thousands more are contracting the disease each and every Like most everyone else, I’m to not patronize those businesses, come up and shake my hand and day. tired of wearing a mask. forsake religious assembly and then say, “Well, I’ve been sick, This past Monday, April 12, for example, the New York Times Every time I go to the grocery, not hang out with certain people. but I came anyway.” They acted -- which gets its data from Johns Hopkins University -- reported that a restaurant, church, or work I You are free to go maskless like they should have received a 476 Americans died from the virus and that there were 72,286 new have to put on a mask. Not long if you want to. However, you trophy for coming and contam- cases on that day. ago, if we wore a mask into a aren’t free to be in someone inating everyone. In reality, their bank or convenience store, the else’s face without a mask if actions were inconsiderate of Admittedly, these numbers pale in comparison to the 3000 Amer- attendants would be alarmed they don’t want you there with- everyone else’s health. icans who were dying and the 300,000 new cases that were being and call 911. Today if we don’t out one. There are many plac- State governments may reported each day at the pandemic’s height this past winter. wear one, we are in trouble and es where you aren’t allowed to remove mask mandates. How- But even these lower daily figures still are huge, rivaling the num- not welcomed. smoke. There are some business- ever, keep in mind that busi- bers that were in evidence last spring and summer. A lot of people have died from es that will not allow your pet. ness owners still have the right Yet despite the ongoing tragedies of friends and family members Covid-19 and thus I understand They have the freedom to refuse to require masks. Churches still across the country who are succumbing to the pandemic, there has masks are important in this pan- you service and you have the have the right to require masks. been a complacency developing among most Americans about the demic era. I don’t want a disease. freedom to go somewhere else. You don’t have to let anyone in virus. I have had two Pfizer shots and This is America. your home without a mask if you I wear a mask most every place We’ve all been to the funeral choose. To be sure, all of us are suffering from virus fatigue, attributable I go. home around sick people. A dear We have freedom in America to the quarantining, restrictions, and omnipresent fear of catching the Is it our American, God given friend of mine eulogized a funer- to make choices - all of us. disease. right to take off our masks? al in late November. Two peo- Glenn Mollette is the publish- In addition, with the vaccine rollout proceeding ahead of projec- While we are free to take off our ple were in attendance who had er of Newburgh Press, Liberty tions, most of us believe that the worst is behind us. masks, others are free to ask us Covid-19.