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COVERING THE FENWAY, AUDUBON CIRCLE, KENMORE SQUARE, UPPER BACK BAY, PRUDENTIAL, LONGWOOD, AND MISSION HILL SINCE 1974 • VOLUME 47, NUMBER 2 • JANUARY 29 - FEBRUARY 26, 2021 FCDC Looks Set to Develop 72 Burbank Project BY ALISON PULTINAS original 32, and all will be income-restricted $1.8 million. The presentation EMBARC RENDERING COURTESY OF THE BPDA he small parking lot at 72 Burbank in perpetuity for households at or below 60 to the Trust estimated the total Street in the East Fens—owned by percent of the area median income (AMI). development cost as $15,117,028. Forest Properties (also known as The reduction in units translated into more Burbank Terrace is also Parkside Tower LLC)—could see units of larger dimensions. The unit mix is in line for low-income tax- a construction start this year. It would be now 8 studios, 7 one-bedroom apartments, credit funding from the state’s T and 12 two-bedrooms. Forest had proposed Department of Housing and Fenway CDC’s version of a proposal already approved for compact apartments. The CDC 13 studios, 12 one-bedrooms, and 7 two- Community Development and Forest Properties signed a purchase-and- bedrooms. (DHCD) winter competition. sale agreement in December; final transactions However, some aspects of the project Although applications were due are expected later this year. have not changed. The units will remain January 21, the CDC won approval When Attorney Marc LaCasse presented rentals and are still undersized, officially in November 2020 through the Forest Properties’ original plan to the Zoning meeting the BPDA’s special compact-living department’s pre-application Board of Appeal on June 25, 2019, the project, standards. The same architectural firm, process. Suneeth St. John from almost universally criticized in the neighbor- Embarc, has updated the previous design Fenway CDC declined to share hood, won support from Shanice Pimentel of but kept a 600-square-foot community room the specific amount requested the Mayor’s Office and Nick Carter from Dis- and a bike-storage room. The CDC also will from DHCD. “We are waiting to trict 8 Councilor Josh Zakim’s office. keep the promise of five years of Bluebikes clarify the protocol with respect At the ZBA meeting, only one membership as a free benefit for all residents. to publicizing our funding request person—Daniel Epstein, a trustee at 54-56 The entitlements from the previous with DHCD before awards are Burbank—raised objections. A memorandum approvals all carry over to the CDC, so made, the process being highly of agreement had been negotiated with the although a new round of public comments was competitive and all,” he said. CDC about access to nearby alleys. It included solicited, no votes are needed from the ZBA According to historic maps, a provision banning rental of the proposed or the BPDA. the parcel at 72 Burbank has apartments to undergraduates and a promise The CDC submitted an application in never been built on, an unusual to stabilize rents for two longtime tenants of DND’s fall 2020 funding round to secure condition in the neighborhood. another Forest property on Clearway Street. money from both the Community Preservation In response to a question about However, in 2020, the CDC took on the Act fund and the Neighborhood Housing Trust possible archaeological findings, challenge of adding more affordable housing (NHT), with a total request of $2,800,00. Joe Bagley, the City of Boston to the East Fens. It began negotiations with When the Community Preservation archaeologist, said that based Forest to acquire the parcel at 72, next door Committee met on December 7, its members on his review of the maps, Embarc Studio’s rendering of the CDC’s to the CDC’s offices at 70, and opened a approved a preliminary endorsement of the location (as well as any Burbank Terrace project at 72 Burbank Street. discussion with Boston’s Department of DND’s recommended $1 million allocation undeveloped parcels near the Neighborhood Development (DND) about for the project, one of only three developments Muddy River) is sensitive for financing. to secure CPA housing funds (the bulk of preserved native Massachusett archaeological soil testing shows extensive urban fill. Bagley So, what has changed since Forest affordable-housing grants go directly to city sites, given its proximity to the Muddy said that would make it very difficult for digs received its ZBA approval in June 2019? programs managed by DND). Likewise, River and Back Bay. However Suneeth John, conducted by volunteers. The CDC plan includes 27 units, not the the NHT on December 17 voted to approve FCDC’s director of real estate, says subsurface Alison Pultinas lives in Mission Hill PHOTOS: STEVE WOLFPHOTOS: STEVE Pushed Out of Kenmore, Post Office Finds A Home in Audubon Circle A new post office will open soon at 508 Park Dr. in Audubon Circle. It replaces the branch on Deerfield Street in Kenmore Square, which closed in June 2019 as Related Beal cleared parcels for its redevelopment project, now under construction (below). Despite multiple attempts, The Fenway News was unable to get the Postal Service to provide the branch’s opening date.
AT CHARLESGATE, GETTING THAT SINKING FEELING On Jan. 17, a large sinkhole appeared on the east bank of the Muddy River CIVIC AGENDA right by the “Grove”—the brick patio- • TUE, FEB. 9, 6-9PM > Remote public type area between Charlesgate East meeting for 601 Newbury St. This will and the river at Beacon Street. By the be the only public meeting for the 19th, the hole measured roughly 5 feet project; registration required. Visit across and 8 feet deep, with water www.bostonplans.org/news-calendar/ visible in the lower right corner when calendar/2021/02/09/601-newbury- facing the river. DCR quickly enclosed street-public-meeting for details and the area with tape and barriers. to register. Unlike the sinkhole that appeared • FRI, FEB. 19 > Deadline for comments last year at Ronan Park—most likely on 601 Newbury St. project. Submit by an old well—this one sits on filled mail, or email to michael.a.sinatra@ land, and staffers at the Emerald boston.gov, or through www. Necklace Conservancy suspect it bostonplans.org/projects/ resulted from water undermining soil development-projects/601-newbury- as it ran through a flaw in structures street#comment_Form underground. DCR removed water from the sinkhole on the 25th and will continue to investigate. CORONAVIRUS VACCINATION AT FENWAY PARK! SEE P2 PHOTO: THE EMERALD NECKLACE CONSERVANCY 2 | FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2021
ARTS ACADEMY TAKES SHAPE ON IPSWICH Residents Continue PHOTO: PATRICK O’CONNOR Fight For The 55 Bus ore than a dozen West PHOTO: ALISON PULTINAS ALISON PHOTO: Fens residents, other Fenway neighbors, Robert Kordenbrock of the MFenway Community Center, and David Reedy of Fenway Health took the time to record two-minute comments opposing elimination of the 55 bus route for the Jan. 11 meeting of the MBTA’s Fiscal Management and Control Board. Many argued that it made no sense to cut the service to save money when Congress had just included money for transit agencies in the emergency relief funding it approved in late December. According to WBUR, the bill included $14 billion for mass transit agencies. A common theme of the messages was the importance of the bus connection for West Fens residents, especially seniors. The future home of the Boston Arts Academy—Boston’s only public high school for the performing and visual arts—has begun to assume a recognizable shape Kathleen McBride called the route “a as the $125 million reconstruction project on Ipswich Street continues. Boston lifeline to Back Bay and downtown.” As Public Schools projects that the building will be completed by January 2022. The some stated, even if it was necessary to state-of-the-art facility will include dedicated rehearsal and performance spaces, reduce the number of trips, eliminating gallery space, studios for music, visual arts, and fashion design, academic the service completely would be unfair classrooms, recreation areas, kitchens, and student commons. and hit elderly riders especially hard. Signage on the bus route, which FENWAY PARK OPENS FOR VACCINATIONS no longer runs to Park Street as it once Starting Mon., Feb. 1, Fenway Park will become a vaccination site, did during working hours, has been ultimately serving thousands of people Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm. Managed inconsistent. Since September, the by CIC Health, the clinic will have a set-up similar to the one used last route has ended at Copley Square, yet all bus signs remain present fall for early voting. You’ll need a reservation (slots will be released on downtown, like this one on Tremont Street at the Boston Common. a weekly basis) which you can make at www.cic-health.com/vaccines. Turn to page 4 for residents’ letters to the board about plans to The user-friendly site also spells out eligibility, required identification, eliminate the 55. and anything else you need to know. NU’s Fitzgerald Studies Building Equity into Climate Action BY KELLY GARRITY is often the largest or second largest In her recent research, Fitzgerald and pollution have a voice by including lhough the past decade has cause of emissions in cities. One of her looked at how cities were including a 10 representatives from frontline com- seen around a 1 percent annual main recommendations for cities is to focus on equity in their climate action munities on the city’s environmental rise in global carbon dioxide shift public transportation, including plans. She found that five cities— justice committee. emissions, policies put in place buses and taxis, from diesel to electric Austin, Baltimore, Cleveland, Portland, Boston has a distance to go Ato limit the spread of coronavirus have power. In light of this, Fitzgerald and Providence—stood out from the when it comes to participation and resulted in a substantial decrease in has argued that the next economic- rest when it came to ensuring equity engagement of residents from low- emissions around the world. According recovery package ought to include and community participation in the income communities, Fitzgerald said. to some estimates, the decrease is subsidies for electric vehicles. creation of climate action plans. “I hear from frontline community as great as 7 percent. During this The pandemic has also brought “Those are five cities that organizations, a lot of them, that the time, scientists and scholars like into sharp relief the need to consider relatively recently updated their city does come and hold meetings, but Northeastern professor of urban and equity in climate action. Scientists climate action plans, and in the course it's really to tell them what [the city public policy Joan Fitzgerald have been have found that climate change of doing so said ‘we’re going to focus is] planning on doing...as opposed to researching ways cities can continue has compounded the impacts of on equity,’” said Fitzgerald. “What I did getting their input before doing it.” to keep emissions down, even after coronavirus, especially in communities was look at, What does that mean, and When it comes to the future of they return to the “new normal.” In a of color and low-income communities, how do they talk about equity?” climate action in the city and globally, June post on Fast Company, Fitzgerald both of which often bear the brunt of Fitzgerald found that of these Fitzgerald said she is optimistic, but discussed some of the findings from the impacts of climate change. cities, Providence and Austin were at acknowledged that there is a long way her recent book, Greenovation: Urban “It became so apparent that the the front of the pack. to go. Leadership on Climate Change. frontline communities were the most “What I found in that study is that “I’m very encouraged by the “Greenhouse gas emissions impacted,” said Fitzgerald, later adding, Providence and Austin had gone the Biden administration and the people he dropped 17 percent at the height of “They're the frontline workers who furthest in engaging residents of front- has appointed, from John Kerry down,” the coronavirus crisis, but in order have to go to work, who have to get on line communities in the planning pro- she said, but later noted that “even the to harness that, major changes will the T, or public transit in other cities, cess. Residents were highly engaged in Paris Agreement doesn’t get us where need to be enacted,” Fitzgerald wrote. and expose themselves, and because establishing goals and priorities,” said we need to go by 2050…All we can do is “One of the most significant ways to of the environmental pollution of their Fitzgerald. In the case of Providence, plug away at it at the level of the city, accomplish that is by electrifying the neighborhoods, they are more likely the city involved residents in the goal- of the state, of the nation, and hope we two primary types of vehicles on city to have preconditions such as asthma setting and implementation of the plan get there.” streets: cars and buses.” or diabetes that make them more as well. Providence also ensured that Kelly Garrity is a journalism Transportation, Fitzgerald argues, susceptible to COVID when they get it.” those most affected by climate change student at Northeastern University.
Mind the Gap? Harvard Does, And Builds a Bridge Harvard Medical School’s Countway Library of Medicine PHOTO: ALISON PULTINAS PHOTO: officially opened its new Huntington Avenue doors on January 6, completing a project begun in 2019. The landscaped plaza and entrance replace a driveway, loading dock, and awkward staircase. The new design has widened the sidewalk and added a ramp to connect to the courtyard and Shattuck Street. In a Harvard Medical School news post last year, Library Director Elaine Martin said that the decision to move the main entrance to Huntington Avenue builds a literal, as well as figurative, bridge between the library and the greater Longwood community. She said the gesture will help to break down the walls of the medical school and show that the library is welcoming. FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2021 | 3
KENDI LOOKS AT RACIST HISTORY, DATA IN ZINN MEMORIAL LECTURE BY RUTH KHOWAIS This year’s lecture took the form exists and that racism is a problem. I’m A lot of past research has been based in oward Zinn was a beloved civil of a conversation with Nina Silber, a BU personally pushing for immediate equality. racism, Kendi explained. He cited eugenics rights and social activist and professor of American history and expert on We need to think about passing policies that research and tied it into the COVID-19 a faculty member in Boston the Civil War and women’s history. can eliminate voter suppression, that can pandemic. Kendi said that there is a University’s political science “Howard Zinn is one of the reasons why eliminate police violence, that can eliminate misconception that COVID is an equalizer. department for 24 years. Zinn was known as I decided to come to BU,” Kendi told the the racial wealth gap, that can eliminate People ask, “What’s wrong with those black H audience at the beginning of the event, “to be educational resource disparities.” people? They are dying from COVID twice a hero of the political left, a professor who inspired his students, and the author of the able to walk on the same campus and think Silber asked Kendi if collecting data as much, instead of asking the question, best-selling A People’s History of the United in the places he did and to activate people in was important. Kendi said data is critical, what’s wrong with the policies?” States. the way that he did.” because over the years, data has been “I’m sure you know from your work The Howard Zinn Memorial lecture Kendi also told the audience that misinterpreted and policies have been on the Civil War that slaveholders wanted series was initiated after his death in 2010. he wanted to come to Boston because he formulated based on racist interpretations people to do nothing,” Kendi said to Silber, Each year, the series features a top-notch admired the abolitionists who were active of data. As an example, when compared referring to her latest book, This War Ain’t speaker who embodies Zinn’s progressive here during the early 1800s, especially to white people, black people are twice as Over: Fighting the Civil War in New Deal values. William Lloyd Garrison. Kendi said that likely to be unemployed. Does that mean America. “So, we are either challenging The 2020 lecture, on Dec. 7, was no some of those who recognized that slavery that something is wrong with the black racism by striving to be antiracist or we exception, although it was hosted over Zoom. was wrong called for gradual emancipation, workers or is it due to racist policies? He are upholding racism, whether through It featured Ibram X. Kendi, the Andrew but William Lloyd Garrison called for also gave as an example the belief that more doing nothing or by actively pursuing racist W. Mellon professor in the humanities at “immediate emancipation.” Kendi said that homicides occur in black areas. Kendi said policies. So, there is no neutrality in the Boston University, founding director of BU’s he takes his cue from Garrison. that if you interpret this as “black people struggle against racism.” Center for Antiracist Research, and the au- “Once you know something is wrong,” commit more homicides,” then you would “If you do nothing,” he said, “racial thor of the best seller How to Be An Antira- said Kendi, “you need to do something about find the same figures in upper- and middle- inequality persists.” cist. The lecture attracted 2,600 attendees. it. There is an awareness now that racism class black neighborhoods, and you do not. Ruth Khowais lives in the West Fens.
BPL Adds Trove of Boston Photos to Wikimedia Commons To mark Wikipedia’s 20th anniversary, the Boston Public Library added a small fraction of its digital photo collection—some 8,000 images—to the site’s free image collection at Wikimedia Commons. The randomness of the 3 BPL images gives the collection lots of charm—and they are very random, from fusty views of European cities to small Boston businesses in the 1940s and ’50s. One sizeable segment represents the work of Leon H. Abdalian, who shot weddings, family gatherings, and nature scenes. A few images from our distribution area appear here. 2
Clockwise from lower See all the BPL images at https://commons. left: 1/ A 1955 photo by wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Media_ Abdalian shows Stage contributed_by_Boston_Public_Library Beauty Salon at 1024 Beacon Street in Audubon Circle—occupied today by the Wine Press. 2/ 4 Traffic fills Kenmore Square in 1920 (some 1 things never change) in a view east from above the intersection of Comm. Ave. (far left), Beacon, and Brookline Ave. 3/ Fans filled the stands at the old Huntington Avenue Ground—now Northeastern’s main quad—for the first World Series (Boston vs. Pittsburgh), played in 1903. 4/ A contingent of girls passes in front of Mission Church as part of an unidentified parade on Mission Hill in 1921.
Citing Dredging, CPA Group Stiffs Conservancy on Bridge Funding BY ALISON PULTINAS proposals would receive full or partial with a major starting point at Evans Brodek said afterwards that the ACE t its Jan 25 meeting, the Com- funding only if the committee members Way Park, where the only signalized had not raised this concern on her munity Preservation Com- advocated for them. Approximately pedestrian crossing on the Fenway weekly walkthroughs. She said that mittee yielded a discouraging $2 million not already allocated was between Brookline and Westland dredging at this location should be outcome for the Emerald Neck- available. The bridge proposal had avenues leads to the location of the finished by the summer, the river banks Alace Conservancy (ENC): It didn’t even received favorable comments from former bridge, removed in the 1980s. would not be regraded, the topography consider ENC’s application for funding some members at previous meetings ENC had asked for $750,000 and would not change, and an expected for a new bridge across the Muddy and seemed to meet most committee would match that and raise more with historic review for the bridge could take River in the Back Bay Fens. It was even criteria, including equity, resiliency, a capital campaign. However, what months. more disappointing for the Mission Hill critical need. happened at the meeting was startling. CPA committee expects essential residents, who have hoped for decades City Councilor Kenzie Bok, the Before the discussion began, Thadine completion of projects within two to see the Evans Way Bridge rebuilt. Community Alliance of Mission Hill, and Brown, a CPA staffer, announced that years after funding is received, On Jan. 25, the committee took up the Mission Hill Health Movement were the Boston Parks Department had although there can be extenuating requests for open space and historic all supportive. Elena Saporta and Joann vetoed approval because of the Army circumstances. In its three years, the preservation funding previously vetted Robinson, consultants for ENC, had Corps of Engineers’ ongong dredging, committee has never funded an open by CPA staff and “recommended for a prepared a thorough proposal focused still two years from completion. space project in Mission Hill. future round.” In other words, these 19 on the concept of a cultural loop walk ENC Director Karen Mauney- Alison Pultinas lives in Mission Hill. 4 | FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2021
Residents Write the MBTA to Save the 55 Bus Last summer, the MBTA announced service cuts on the system-wide cuts it proposed to make as it tries 55 bus route between the West Fens and Park Street. to close a funding gap caused by a drastic drop in The proposed cuts included reduced hours, the end ridership during the pandemic. Many Fenway residents of service to Park Street, and potential elimination of submitted letters ahead of hearing. Here The Fenway the entire route in 2021. In January the MBTA’s Fiscal News publishes several of those letters making a case Serving the Fenway, Kenmore Square, and Management Control Board held hearings about for saving the bus. Audubon Circle, upper Back Bay, lower Roxbury, Prudential, Mission Hill, and Longwood since 1974 FENWAY NEWS ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mary Ann Brogan • Steve Chase Helen Cox • Mandy Kapica • Ruth Khowais ‘The only public transit option within our neighborhood’ Alison Pultinas • Steve Wolf s a West Fenway afternoons on weekdays. In walk of transit, bikeshare, and with emerging vaccines, that resident, I am addition, many elderly, low- carshare. However, this needs we can turn the corner on EDITOR: Kelsey Bruun writing to strongly income, and disabled residents to account for the fact that this pandemic in mid-2021, DESIGN/PRODUCTION MANAGER: Steve Wolf urge you to in the Fenway relied on the many elderly and/or disabled it makes no sense to propose WRITERS: Alison Barnet, Mary Ann Brogan, continue the 55 bus service 55 bus to go shopping, get to residents are unable to walk eliminating a necessary Will Brownsberger, Helen Cox, Tracey Cusick, onA a reduced basis during and the library, attend events, etc. for 10 minutes, or would need service at that time. Especially José da Silva, Taylor Driscoll, John Engstrom, after the pandemic, rather As for myself, I injured a leg longer than 10 minutes to walk considering that the RIDE Stan Everett, Lisa Fay, Marie Fukuda, Elizabeth than eliminate it altogether in muscle earlier this year, and to the subway lines, let alone is so incredibly unreliable Gillis, Katherine Greenough, Steve Harnish, Parker James, Shraddha Kakade, Ruth Spring or Summer 2021. for a few weeks while it was ride a bike or afford carshare, (and has been for many years, Khowais, Shirley Kressel, Kristen Lauerman, While the ridership healing (and painful to walk), I which increases pollution and from what I have heard from Joanne McKenna, Jiancheng Mo, Letta Neely, numbers are part of the story, was grateful to be able to catch congestion. Also note that the people who have tried using Susan Povak, Michael Prentky, Camille Platt, it is a complete story only the 55 bus a block away to get Kenmore and Hynes stations it), it is unconscionable for the Alison Pultinas, Mallory Rohrig, Matti Kniva when you also fully consider to work downtown. are more than a 10-minute MBTA to propose completely Spencer, Susannah Sudborough, Mat Thall, the people affected, their For many Fenway walk away (even from the eliminating the 55 bus. Our Chris Viveiros, Steve Wolf physical and mental health, residents, the 55 bus is truly nearest edge of West Fenway) community would be best PHOTOGRAPHERS: Steve Chase, Patrick and their overall quality of life. the only public transit option for the average walker, and served by the MBTA proposing O’Connor, Matti Kniva Spencer, Steve Wolf Prior to the pandemic, within our neighborhood. The Hynes Station is not handicap- ways to have the 55 bus run CALENDAR: Ruth Khowais, Alison Pultinas, Steve Wolf many Fenway residents relied City of Boston’s Go Boston accessible. Therefore, the 55 on a reduced basis for the on the 55 bus, as evidenced 2030 plan aspires to expand bus is foundational for our immediate future. PROOFREADERS: Mary Ann Brogan, Steve Chase, Ruth Khowais, Alison Pultinas by the standing-room-only access so that every Bostonian neighborhood’s quality of life. LESLIE POND, WEST FENS Janet Malone buses in the mornings and late will be within a 10-minute Given the real possibility, BUSINESS MANAGER: DISTRIBUTION: Della Gelzer, Aqilla Manna, Lauren Dewey Platt, Reggie Wynn
The Fenway News is published monthly by the Fenway News Association, Inc., ‘We believe eliminating the #55 bus, even as a temporary a community-owned corporation dedicated to community journalism. If you would like to measure, will guarantee its permanent demise.’ volunteer to write, edit, photograph, lay out, enway Civic Association stop; moreover, the #55 route approved in the West Fenway but to the successful traffic distribute, or sell advertising on commission, (FCA) is the Fenway’s has been relied on to provide alone, all of which anticipate management of permitted please contact us at oldest all-volunteer regular and efficient transit to #55 bus service as part of development. This lends the The Fenway News, PO Box 230277, Astor Station neighborhood the nearest library and other transportation plan filings: additional point that such Boston, MA 02123 organization that accepts no services; these resources were Fenway Center Phase 1 and service elimination will be [email protected] publicF or developer funds. developed with the bus line 2, 60 Kilmarnock Street, performed at a time when www.fenwaynews.org Formed in 1961, our mission in mind. The availability of 201 Brookline Avenue, demand will undeniably is to promote a vital and a local bus service that pro- Fenway Theatre, 1252-1270 increase as these projects are SUBSCRIPTIONS $30/YEAR livable neighborhood. We vides accessible alternatives Boylston Street, and 1241 completed. ($20 FOR LIMITED INCOME) ©2019 FENWAY NEWS ASSOCIATION, INC. appreciate your leadership to seniors, especially when Boylston.* Two other large- Our board understands and work for the state during contrasted to a Green Line scale developments will the hard decisions facing the T. challenging times. As civic service with pressure from advance in the near future. Notwithstanding, we ask that “Comforting the afflicted and volunteers, we understand the Fenway Park venues, should This list excludes ongoing the MBTA retain the #55 bus, afflicting the comfortable.” extreme challenges posed to be a primary consideration institutional development even with a reduced schedule, The founders of The Fenway News adopted our community, city, and state when weighing cuts. planning by local universities so that it can continue to serve this motto to express their mission of that have been exacerbated by 2. Restoring service under the and the Longwood Medical our seniors and meet the de- exposing and opposing the dangers the the pandemic. Our board is proposed plan is unlikely: Area. The work of the city’s mand of a growing community, neighborhood faced in the early 1970s— rampant arson, predatory landlords, among the vast MBTA ridership The ability to estimate Transportation Department, with the hope that we can con- now working remotely and we Mass DOT, and regional and a destructive urban renewal plan. If demand for a service that is tinue conversations with you, the original motto no longer fits today’s understand the detrimental cut during Forging Ahead is planners have permitted our representatives, and the Fenway, we remain committed to its spirit impacts to the transit system not detailed in the plan, and projects based on trip community about how to best of identifying problems and making our that have ensued. there is no assurance of the generation and ridership serve our transportation needs neighborhood a better and safer place to live. We are writing to request return of services once they figures which rely on the in the future. your reconsideration of are discontinued. We believe #55 bus. Removing this TIMOTHY HORN, PRESIDENT, FENWAY CIVIC ASSOCIATION elimination of the #55 bus line, that eliminating the #55 bus, line poses an extreme > FREQUENCY < a vital connection for Fenway even as a temporary measure, challenge not only to MATTHEW BROOKS, VICE The Fenway News remains online-only for PRESIDENT, FCA residents, in the MBTA’s will guarantee its permanent future project planning, the duration of the pandemic. Our next Forging Ahead plan. Although demise. issue will appear on Friday, February 26. we appreciate the work the 3. Independent analysis finds > DEADLINE < MBTA has undertaken to retain The deadline for letters, news items, 85 percent of its bus services, no budgetary justification ‘I am a frequent rider, even The MBTAs and ads for our next issue is we represent the 15 percent for the plan: Advisory Board submitted during the pandemic...’ Friday, February 19. that are now facing complete its report with a statement am writing to ask you shopping. There are bus stops elimination of our bus line. that significant differences in to reconsider removing conveniently located right For a community of 40,000+ projected deficits negate the the 55 bus. As many at the Fenway Community residents representing a part need to slash transit service. residents have told you, Center, near Fenway Health, of the city that has been a Importantly, reduction of this bus is essential to our and near the supermarket. When you’re significant driver of tax revenue services at a time when Ineighborhood. We have many It may be slow right now, for the state, we feel such COVID-19 vaccines are elderly and disabled residents but during the Red Sox season, treatment is highly unfair. locked out, likely to result in increased with mobility issues. With which will be returning within Our comments: ridership will pose hardship no bus, they would have to a year or two, thousands of 1. Elimination impacts highly to citizens returning to take the unreliable RIDE or sports fans and concert-goers call us. vulnerable populations: The workplaces and other walk for 15 minutes to get to flood our neighborhood. In West Fenway is host to a large activities. Kenmore or Fenway station, an addition, the Red Sox are Mass Ave Lock senior constituency includ- impossible task for many. Even continuing to develop the area, 4. Current Fenway ing St. Cecilia House and the then, the Green Line is not as which includes building a huge 125 St. Botolph St. development anticipates Peterborough Senior Center. handicapped-accessible as the concert hall. Will all these #55 services: In the Fenway’s These community members bus which can lower the step. people be driving or will they 617-247-9779 recent planning, close to cannot walk 1⁄4 mile to the I am a frequent rider take public transportation 1,820,000 square feet of Family-owned and -operated. nearest train or commuter of the 55, even during the (which Fenway Park says they development has been 40 years and counting. pandemic. Like many Fenway encourage)? Without the 55 residents, I own a car but leave bus, the public transportation Lockouts Master Key Systems it parked, unless I am going out options for Red Sox fans and High-Security Key Systems ‘Do not cut the 55 bus. of Boston, and take the T. The concert-goers will be very Mailbox Keys Keys Made by Code 55 takes folks to the library, limited. LISA FAY, WEST FENS Door Closers Deadbolts We need it.’ medical appointments, and RUTH KHOWAIS, WEST FENS FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2021 | 5 Huntington Launches Full Theater Renovation RENDERING COURESY OF BRUNER/COTT BY ALISON PULTINAS he Huntington Theatre Company (HTC) has moved ahead with its construction project at 264 Huntington Ave. Construction is set to begin in Tlate January/early February. The plans include an addition to the rear west wing, interior demolition and renovation, new roofs, and an enlarged front terrace. All fixed theatre seating will be replaced, but other historic elements will be salvaged. The public first saw the project five years ago during the City’s review process for a high-rise tower next door. As readers might remember, when Boston University sold the theatre and the adjacent buildings to a real estate investment firm in 2016, the City helped negotiate an agreement by the developer to sell the theatre building to the company for $1. Then HTC began a fundraising campaign for the work needed to maintain the building and make the planned improvements. The renovation and restoration Above, a rendering of the BPDA’s web page. The tower design will produce an accessible entrance at the renovated theater included a two-story connection to the street level and, potentially, a digital facade and entry at 264 future east wing lobby and an ameni- billboard on the center façade. The Huntington Ave. Left, ties space for the theatre. latest plan includes a single-story inscription above The In November, HTC applied for a glass-and-metal-panel curtain wall arcade entry at 264 Community Preservation Act historic above the historic arcade entrance next Huntington Ave. preservation grant, but the prognosis to the Riviera Apartments. The arcade does not look hopeful. At the CPA entry will be fully rebuilt in order to committee’s January review of historic- create the accessible entrance. The BOSTON UNIVERSITY COURTESY OF PHOTO preservation applications, the theatre’s historic limestone panel above the proposal did not receive a high rating, doorway, which says “Jewett Repertory although members called it a fantastic Theatre Company Fund Inc.,” will be project. restored. CPA staff said the request for The building application filed with $500,000 represented only a small the City’s Inspectional Services Division Engineer, Amy Cording, reminded the tanks under the sidewalk. part of the funding needed for the estimates costs at more than $20 HTC consultants that digital billboards Temple Gill, HTC’s public affairs renovation, and the nonprofit had million. Shawmut Construction is the also require a public review process. director, didn’t have news to share a considerable amount left to raise. contractor and Bruner/Cott is the lead The buildings on the block sit about QMG/Toll Brothers’ 34-story tow- So,it recommended that HTC come architect. on wood pilings, with the MBTA Green er, now approved, which would replace back in a future round when it has At Public Improvement Line Arborway tunnel and Huntington the vacant buildings next door. That gotten closer to its goal. However, Commission hearings in December Avenue underpass nearby, making project won approval in 2017 and has at the Jan. 25 meeting Gill made a (required because of excavation work excavation a complicated venture here. a new BPDA project manager, Nupoor plea for reconsideration because the under the sidewalk), the City’s Chief HTC will install stormwater-retention Monani, but is listed as “inactive” on opportunity to work on the building while the theatre is shut down for
PHOTO: PULTINAS ALISON the pandemic has expedited HTC’s REMEMBERING A schedule. The Huntington Theatre building MISSION HILL HERO is not a designated Boston landmark, On January 9, the twelfth anniversary although perhaps in the future there of his death, fellow firefighters and the could be a petition. The 1925 building family of Lt. Kevin Kelley laid bouquets has a significant history: it was home to and a wreath at a memorial bench the Jewett Players, the first nonprofit outside Mission Park on Huntington repertory drama group in the United Avenue. The bench and plaque mark States. A Massachusetts Historical the site where Boston Fire Dept. ladder Commission staff review is also truck crashed after its brakes failed as expected for the renovation project it descended Parker Hill Avenue. Despite������� ��������������������–��������������� because of historic tax credit funding. the imminent danger, Kelley had the A 2018 survey noted the building’s presence of mind to sound the truck’s �����������������������������������������������������������dŚĞ&ĞŶǁĂLJ>ŝƚƚůĞ&ƌĞĞ>ŝďƌĂƌLJǁŝůů almost continuous use as a performing air horn to warn pedestrians at the ďĞůŽĐĂƚĞĚĂƚϯϭƵƌďĂŶŬ^ƚƌĞĞƚ͕ŽƵƚƐŝĚĞŽĨƵƌďĂŶŬ'ĂƌĚĞŶƐƉĂƌƚŵĞŶƚƐĂŶĚŶĞdžƚƚŽ^LJŵƉŚŽŶLJ arts venue and how much of the bottom of the hill, likely saving severalŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ WĂƌŬ͘dŚĞůŝƚƚůĞůŝďƌĂƌLJǁŝůůďĞŝŶƐƚĂůůĞĚŝŶƚŚĞƐƉƌŝŶŐŽĨϮϬϮϭ͕ǁŚĞŶŝƚǁŝůůďĞĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ original 1925 features remain. Gill was lives. The truck crashed through this ƚŽĞǀĞƌLJŽŶĞƚŽƵƐĞ͕ĞdžĐŚĂŶŐĞŬƐĨƌĞĞůLJĂŶĚƐŚĂƌĞǁŝƚŚƚŚĞŶĞŝŐŚďŽƌŚŽŽĚ͘ excited to announce that certain of the wall and into a building in Mission Park. building’s historic elements, such as the &ĞŶǁĂLJŝƐůŽŽŬŝŶŐĨŽƌĂŶĂƌƚŝƐƚŽƌƐŵĂůůŐƌŽƵƉŽĨĂƌƚŝƐƚƐƚŽĚĞƐŝŐŶĂŶĚƉĂŝŶƚƚŚĞůŝƚƚůĞůŝďƌĂƌLJΖƐ arcade’s light fixtures, will be retained ĞdžƚĞƌŝŽƌ͘������������������������������������������������� but moved to new settings ������������������������� Alison Pultinas lives in Mission Hill. WƌĞĨĞƌĞŶĐĞĨŽƌĂƌƚŝƐƚƐǁŚŽůŝǀĞ͕ǁŽƌŬ͕ŽƌƐƚƵĚLJŝŶƚŚĞ&ĞŶǁĂLJEĞŝŐŚďŽƌŚŽŽĚ͘ ƌƚŝƐƚƐǁŝůůƌĞĐĞŝǀĞĂƐƚŝƉĞŶĚĨŽƌƚŚĞŝƌǁŽƌŬ͘ UPDATE: FENWAY NEWS dŚĞůŝƚƚůĞůŝďƌĂƌLJƐƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĞǁŝůůĐŽŵĞĂƐƐĞŵďůĞĚ FUNDRAISER ͘ ŽƐƚŽĨƉĂŝŶƚŝŶŐŵĂƚĞƌŝĂůƐǁŝůůďĞĐŽǀĞƌĞĚďLJ&ĞŶǁĂLJ͘CALL FOR ARTISTS! First, we’ve been blown������������������������������������� away by the response � to our funding campaign, which includes many donations Fenway CDC is looking for an artist or group of artists DĂĚĞŽĨƉŝŶĞǁŽŽĚĂŶĚƉůLJǁŽŽĚǁŝƚŚĂ that have come outside of theǁĂƚĞƌƉƌŽŽĨŵĞƚĂůƌŽŽĨ GoFundMe page. to design the exterior of a Little Free Library to be installed at 31 Burbank Street in the East Fens. On January 25 we announced a newtĞŝŐŚƐϰϬ matchingůďƐ͘ grant from džƚĞƌŝŽƌĚŝŵĞŶƐŝŽŶƐ͗ϮϮ͘ϱΗƚĂůůdžϭϰ͘ϱΗĚĞĞƉdž a generous supporter. That has alreadyϭϳΗǁŝĚĞ;ZŽŽĨŽǀĞƌŚĂŶŐƐϭΗŽŶĂůůƐŝĚĞƐŽĨ brought in close to WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: $1,800 (on top of the many earlier contributions).ƚŚĞůŝďƌĂƌLJͿ These new • Stipend provided contributions will be matched ƚƚĂĐŚĞƐƚŽĂƉŽƐƚĨŽƌŝŶƐƚĂůůĂƚŝŽŶ dollar for dollar. • Preference for artists who live, work, or study in the Fenway Thank you for your generous�������������������������������� support as we work�� to retire our debt and begin re-imagining our web presence to • The structure comes assembled; the CDC will pay EĂŵĞ͕ ŵĂŝůΘƌƚŝƐƚĂĐŬŐƌŽƵŶĚ for paint and supplies bring it fully into the digital age. YƵĞƐƚŝŽŶ͗tŚLJǁŽƵůĚLJŽƵůŝŬĞƚŽĚĞƐŝŐŶΘƉĂŝŶƚƚŚĞ&ĞŶǁĂLJ>ŝƚƚůĞ&ƌĞĞ>ŝďƌĂƌLJ͍• Application deadline: Friday, February 26 ŽŶĐĞƉƚ^ŬĞƚĐŚΘĞƐĐƌŝƉƚŝŽŶ We still plan to return to print later WW>z, Z this year. Meanwhile, please read us online at www.fenwaynews.org and follow Visit bit.ly/3qYhRIw or scan the QR code (and like us) �������������������������������������������on Facebook. � for details or to apply. Questions? Write /ĨLJŽƵŚĂǀĞĂŶLJƋƵĞƐƚŝŽŶƐ͕ƉůĞĂƐĞĐŽŶƚĂĐƚDĂĚĞůŝŶĞ>ĞĞ͕WƌŽũĞĐƚŽŽƌĚŝŶĂƚŽƌĂƚMadeline Lee, project coordinator, at
ŵůĞĞΛĨĞŶǁĂLJĐĚĐ͘ŽƌŐ͘tĞĐĂŶΖƚǁĂŝƚƚŽƐĞĞLJŽƵƌƐƵďŵŝƐƐŝŽŶƐ͊ [email protected]. 6 | FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2021
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT A LOT HAPPENED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SINCE THE LAST ISSUE, INCLUDING... T Lowers the Boom on the #55, Beefs Up Ruggles Station Local media will fall all over themselves covering Fenway Park’s opening The winter schedule for the beleaguered 55 bus route, released December 21, eliminated on Feb. 1 as a vaccination site (see page 2). All that attention may obscure weekday trips after 8:45pm. The T still plans to cut all service in March. According to Dan Mueller of the T’s community liaison team, the FMCB received several hundred the fact that the Reggie Lewis Center—equally convenient for many comments on route 43, which runs on Tremont Street. Also slated for elimination in the readers—will also host clinics beginning that same week, but “Forging Ahead” plan, the comments rescued it. The Fenway’s 55 didn’t get anywhere near with a key difference: It will only serve Boston residents, that many letters. Transit advocates have argued that instead of eliminating the 55, the meaning you might have an easier time securing a spot. T should carefully consider its role as part of that network-wide evaluation. The MBTA Check this link for days and times, which weren’t posted has stopped distributing paper schedules for bus routes, but it posts PDFs online, and they still list the route as “Jersey & Queensberry to Park St. Station.” Bus stops downtown IC MI at press time. a Great Rembrandt’s Ghost! Breaking also haven’t changed their signs. A multimillion-dollar third commuter rail platform at glass on a door before sunrise on a Saturday, a man Ruggles Station, funded with federal money, has reached a major milestone. According tossed a package into the Gardner Museum then fled. to Lisa Battiston of the T’s communications office, the platform is structurally complete, Y First responders suspected a bomb until a bomb-sniffing although the contractor continues to work on a punch list of remaining items that include dog cleared it. Four days later, according to the Globe, BPD and US security cameras, fire alarms, electronic signage, and wayfinding signs. She said the agency marshals arrested a Randolph man in Braintreee, who’s also wanted in anticipates that the platform will be ready for final inspection later this winter. connection with a robbery at a Newbury Street art gallery. a This time- MFA Reopens Under Loosened COVID Rules for Some Businesses lapse footage of Northeastern’s Matthews Arena being turned into a polling The MFA will reopen on Feb. 3 as Boston returns to Step One of Phase Three of the State’s station for last November’s election might seem a bit long in the tooth. But (somewhat confusing) reopening system. The City hit the pause button in December as if you love time-lapse as much as ICYMI does, sit back and enjoy it. b cases mushroomed, but this brings it back in line with the rest of the state. Museums, gyms, and movie theaters can reopen at 25 percent capacity, as currently mandated by the state. Reservations for timed-entry tickets opened for members on Jan. 28 and for the he Globe launched patio. Like Straughter, she worries about general public on Jan. 29. “Project Takeout” this staff who depend on their jobs to support Year-Over-Year Vacancy Jumps in Area Neighborhoods Tmonth to encourage families (and feel like family to her). readers to order more When the restaurant reopens at the end In December, the website Boston Pads released data on vacancy rates in 2019 and meals from neighborhood of January, takeout and gift certificates 2020. Students and professionals working remotely have opted to leave the city during restaurants in hopes of will represent its main sources of income the pandemic, with a significant impact on vacancy rates. The 2019 vacancy rate near helping them survive the until warmer weather returns. Northeastern University ballooned from 0.75 percent to 9.57 percent in 2020, an 1,176% lean months between now and the spring, In a subsequent article Globe increase. The Back Bay rate rose from 0.99 percent to 6.08 percent, a 515% jump. In Mission when outdoor dining can resume. staffers profiled community-friendly Hill, the rate climbed from 1.09 percent to 6.48 percent—a 494.5 percent increase. Fenway/ Food writer Devra First set the places they love, with culture columnist Kenmore’s rate went from 1.58 percent to 8.17 percent, an increase of 417.09 percent. context with a page 1 story describing Jeneé Osterheldt pitching Darryl’s Corner MassArt And City Team Up to Award Racial Justice Arts Grants how pandemic-fighting capacity limits Bar & Kitchen on Columbus near Mass have devastated restaurants, forcing Ave., where Neighborhood Combo Meal In December, MassArt and the City of Boston awarded $250,000 in grants through the thousands of layoffs and dozens of means “eating big on a budget.” Radical Imagination for Racial Justice program t 16 artists who identify as African, Latinx, closings. First pleaded with readers Asian, Arab, Native American, Black, indigenous, or a person of color. The artist work to order takeout during the next APPETIZERS in media spanning audiovisual storytelling, game design, and more. All applicants were three months and to buy direct from • Audubon Circle’s Cafe Landwer asked to allocate at least 20 percent of their grant budget toward their personal well-being. restaurants rather than using delivery takes part in a citywide “Taste of On January 22, MassArt hosted a virtual reception for the artists, chosen from more than apps like Uber Eat, whose fees eat into Israel” celebration through Feb. 2 300 applicants. In other MassArt news, a poll of USA Today readers ranked the MassArt already-thin profit margins. “Order with a half-dozen dishes showcasing Art Museum #5 in a list of ten best new attractions in the country. The newly remodeled takeout,” she wrote. “If you can afford it, typical Israeli foods—which sound museum opened in February, right before the first wave of pandemic shutdowns. it’s your civic duty.” a lot like the restaurant’s everyday, Fire Displaces Charlesgate East Residents First profiled two area stalwarts: Mediterranean-inspired menu. Jewish Soleil in Nubian Square and Taberna Arts Collaborative, the festival sponsor, A mid-December fire at 64 Charlesgate East resulted in $250,000 of damages. Residents of de Haro in Audubon Circle. At Soleil, has details. the 36-unit building evacuated safely but couldn’t immediately return to their homes. “Chef Cheryl Straughter serve generous • In late December, Time Out Market Arts Academy Commissions Art for New Building breakfasts, Southern specialties, and Boston joined the long list of Boston In mid-January, the City announced that MASARY Studios has won a commission delicious wood-planked salmon.” As she restaurants—many in the Fenway— for interior artwork at the new Boston Arts Academy building under construction on struggles to keep paying nine employees taking a... time out until spring. The Ipswich Street. Simon Donovan and Ben Olmstead will create exterior artwork, and both in the face of a precipitous drop in food hall has officially closed for the creators will see their work installed in 2022. The interior art has a budget of $300,000; business, takeout orders and gift cards season and won’t offer outdoor dining the exterior-art budget comes in at $200,000. All applicants had to build their proposals offer a meagre lifeline that she hopes will or takeout service. around BAA’s four guiding principles: community with social responsibility; diversity with help her limp through to spring. • Boston Restaurant Talk confirms a respect; passion with balance; and vision with integrity. See page 3 for a photo of progress First found a similar story at report we carried last fall: Cafe Maiko, on the school’s construction. Taberna de Haro, “the kind of place part of a Hawa’ii-based chain, will open everyone loves: unpretentious, reliable, a in the former laundromat at the corner Spring Semester Begins at Berklee cornerstone of the neighborhood.” Chef- of Jersey and Queensbury streets in the Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory resumed classes for the spring semester owner Deborah Hansen hopes she can West Fens. The cafe will serve matcha- hold on until April, when she’ll reopen her on Jan. 25 with a hybrid model. At Berklee, more than 200 small ensembles will take inspired drinks and food. place in person, across many different musical styles. Faculty, staff, and students coming to the Boston campus will need to attest via a mobile application that they don’t have any symptoms related to COVID-19. The school will require all community members to undergo testing prior to starting work or attending classes; they will continue to be tested twice weekly through the spring semester. Berklee has leased rooms at the Hynes TRASH & RECYLCING Convention Center spacious enough to accommodate up to 16 students under physical- PICK-UP SCHEDULE distancing protocols. All other rooms at Berklee will be populated in accordance with recommended safety guidelines. Berklee requires all community members to wear masks • BACK BAY: Monday and Thursday that cover the nose and mouth at all times. • FENWAY: Tuesday and Friday DCR Parking Proposal Lands With a Thud at Landmarks Hearing • MISSION HILL: Tuesday and Friday On Jan. 26, a Boston Landmarks Commission review of the state Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) proposal to add 15 parking kiosks along The Fenway and Park Drive received a large number of comments from residents and elected officials— all unfavorable. Jeffrey Harris of DCR’s Office of Cultural Resources presented the DCR proposal at the virtual hearing. The commission denied the proposal without prejudice, meaning DCR can come back with a revised plan. BLC’s purview only covers aesthetics and the visual impact of the five-foot-high metal pay stations installed on concrete pads We Believe That Everyone on the strips of lawn bordering the parkways. Residents described encroachment of new Deserves Access To development on the park, stressing a corresponding need for visual relief, and highlighting DCR’s neglect of the landscaping along the parkways. “Can we even call it an Olmsted High-Quality, Affordable park anymore?” asked Steve Wolf. “You folks can draw the line when no one else can.” City Health Care. Councilor Kenzie Bok’s message, read by aide Kennedy Avery, spoke of the monetization of public space. David Beraducci of the BLC’s design subcommittee said the proposal was “vastly undercooked” and that it was not clear who the beneficiary was. Beraducci was Has your employment situation recently changed? impressed by the passion of the neighbors and appalled that DCR had not held a targeted Are you currently uninsured? meeting for Fenway residents, only regional meetings in the fall. If you live in MA, we can help you enroll in insurance. Proposed New Fenway Music Venue Wants Liquor License We can also talk to you about our sliding fee schedule. On Jan. 27, the City of Boston Licensing Board, led by Kathleen Joyce, heard a request to Call us at 617.927.6000. No one is denied care based transfer the liquor license of the closed Pizzeria Uno in the Buckminster Hotel to a new on ability to pay. venture at Samuels & Associates’ Boylston West property on Van Ness Street. Rockwood Music Hall would be a small venue of 1,847 square feet. Attorney Joe Hanley represented owner Ken Rockwood, calling him a musical legend on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, FENWAY HEALTH | 1340 Boylston Street | Boston, MA 02215 where he has owned a club for 15 years. Hanley predicted no impact on the Fenway
617.267.0900 | fenwayhealth.org COMM-641 residential neighborhood, as this venue will operate in the core of the commercial district, located in the building that houses Target. Rockwood expects build-out to take six to eight months and could open by the end of the year. FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2021 | 7
Pandemic Confessions of A Veteran Operaphile BY JOHN ENGSTROM time music director James Levine (American) were designed for a gargantuan venue the of the Carmelites,” set in Revolutionary s the pandemic grinds on and on and and current music director Yannick Nezet- size of a Roman colosseum that seats 4,000. France, Mattila stole the show as a cranky but most of us remain hunkered down Seguin (French-Canadian), along with such Certainly the home entertainment declining Mother Superior who dies on stage. in our abodes, we naturally look for celebrated maestros as Valery Gergiev approach is a far cry from the thrill of French soprano, actress, and comedienne activities and/or projects that will 1) (Russian), Thomas Adès (English) and Esa- being in that plush, red-and-gold hall with Natalie Dessay gave triumphant, unforgettable relieve boredom; 2) entertain us; 3) Peka Salonen (Finnish). If your computer has chandeliers that ascend ethereally to the performances in Donizetti’s tragic Lucia Ateach us something new and exciting; good sound quality, you can luxuriate in the ceiling when the show is about to begin. di Lammermoor and comic La Fille du and 4) keep body and soul together. My “fix” beautiful sound and enormous range of the People who don’t like opera or attend only Régiment. in these dangerous and difficult times is all Met orchestra, which during the Levine era occasionally say that the Met is obscenely The Met being a repertory theater, singers of those things. It’s free of charge, physically blossomed into one of the world’s greatest. opulent. Most people can’t afford the steep must be versatile in many different styles and safe, and available to anyone with a computer. The languages sung in performances at prices of “premium” seats, but the company languages. African American bass-baritone I refer to the Metropolitan Opera’s the Met (and other has managed to keep Eric Owens made strong impressions in operas stupendous and unprecedented stream of international opera some prices at a as unlike each other as Doctor Atomic, Elek- its opera productions, one every night. theaters) encompass Many of the soloists are level of affordability, tra,” Wagner’s Ring, and half the title role of Operaphiles around the world can rejoice, English, Italian, meaning the Porgy and Bess. New faces added fresh color even here in Fenway, where the Met’s “high French, Russian, superstars of opera... as relatively cheap seats to the scenery: there were three occasions to definition” screenings of their seasons at the Czech, and German. in the Family Circle savor the artistry of English counter-tenor Regal Cinema were seen by sold-out audiences Translations into well as an army of less and the venerable Iestyn Davies, who gave hilariously nuanced of opera lovers, many of them seniors. If it was English, German familiar musical artists policy of selling performances in Ades’ jarring operas The a long opera, they brought sandwiches and and other languages standing-room and Tempest and The Exterminating Angel, as well salads into the theater. These are people who appear on a small with illustrious careers canceled tickets as Handel’s black comedy Agrippina. love opera but can’t make it to Lincoln Center. screen embedded across the globe on the day of the Before the streaming series I had never But as we are all painfully aware, once in the back of every performance. seen Dvořák’s lovely fairy-tale opera Rusalka; the coronavirus took root and spread, an seat in the house, enabling greater linguistic While the home computer format doesn’t now I’ve seen it, or its video incarnation, invisible ax fell on all public entertainment, understanding. So far, the Met streams have hold a candle to the panoramic vastness of the twice, in two different productions of equal from restaurants to theaters. And that left the lacked titles, which is both good and bad. actual Met, it has some advantages over seeing merit starring Renée Fleming and a more Met as exposed and vulnerable as any cultural Good in that you can experience each work the operas in the hall. The detailed close-up recent showing with Latvian soprano Kristine institution now in shutdown because of the directly in the original languages and feel the views of principal singers and members of the Opolais. I’ve also seen works that I somehow health crisis. music’s emotional subtext. Bad is when you enormous Met chorus (who are actors as well missed or passed over during the last 40 years, The Metropolitan, which started taping can’t fathom the plot and characterizations. as singers) are magnificent and moving. The like Donizetti’s Lucia, Les Pêcheurs de Perles its performances in the 1980s and showing To get a detailed idea of the story, go to close-up shots give an extra layer of intimacy by Bizet, Satyagraha and Akhnaten by Philip them on TV in color with subtitles, has a roster Wikipedia opera synopses and composer to works that are intimate to begin with (La Glass and Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard of “house” composers second to none. The profiles. The streams from the Met can be Traviata, La Bohème). Strauss. Met’s seasonal repertoire—both eclectic and accessed through the company’s website and Many of the soloists we can see in Okay, “Opera at the Home Computer” vast—embraces operas by Mozart, Gluck, on Facebook. this series are superstars of opera (Russian probably wasn’t what Handel, Verdi, and Wag- Beethoven, Berlioz, Verdi, Bellini, Rossini, You could complain that sitting in front soprano Anna Netrebko, German tenor ner were thinking of when they wrote their Wagner, Zandonai, Janacek, Gershwin, (John) of a computer for three to five hours (the Jonas Kaufmann, American soprano Renée masterpieces. They also were not anticipating Adams, (Thomas) Adès, (Kaija) Saariaho, running times of Berlioz’ Virgilian epic The Fleming) as well as an army of less familiar a world pandemic that would turn theaters and Mussorgsky, Dvorak, (Richard) Strauss, Trojans and Wagner’s mystical think piece musical artists with illustrious careers across opera houses everywhere into empty shells. Shostakovich, Weill, Britten, Glass, and “Parsifal are five hours) is not only boring, the globe. These soloists remind us forcibly The Met’s streaming series enables access to probably others that I don’t remember. it bastardizes the operas by shrinking them that opera is a form of theater. Finnish soprano works of theatrical and musical genius in some Conductors who have led famous visually on the screen and “interpreting” Karita Mattila created a hair-raising “Salome” of the finest performances ever recorded with- performances at the Met—and are featured them for the camera with close-ups and other with live nudity (that was decorously edited out leaving our zones of safety. in the streams—include the company’s long- cinematic devices. Further, these productions out by the video producers). In “Dialogues John Engstrom lives in the West Fens. With Online Weaving Class, MassArt Student Adds Mission Hill Fans BY ALISON PULTINAS to reach out. It ended up being a wonderful oe Cronin, a MassArt senior majoring experience, and I love that I have more friends in in art education with minors in fibers the Mission Hill community.” and sustainability, taught a free online She plans to teach natural dyeing this Z PHOTO: LYDIA PENA weaving class in four sessions this fall. It spring, where students will learn a brief history served as her semester project for Prof. Adriana of natural dyes, prepare skeins of yarn, scour Katzew’s “Creating Community” community. and mordant yarn, and create dye baths using To find students, Cronin left resealable turmeric, avocado pits and skins, red cabbage, plastic bags with loom kits and a card with and/or pomegranate skins. The dates haven’t contact info in public places in Mission Hill, been scheduled yet, but the first class will most Jamaica Plain, and Dorchester. Mission Hill likely take place later this month. Potential resident Nancy Ahmadifar found one on a participants can email her at zmcronin@ bench at Kevin Fitzgerald Park, then helped massart.edu. Since the dyeing class won’t be recruit more participants through the Friends part of a college assignment, Cronin will charge of the Parker Hill Library. each participant $10. “It was a bit of an experiment to gather Alison Pultinas lives in Mission Hill. participants,” Cronin said, “but that was also part of the fun...I was interested to see who Lydia Pena completed multiple weaving would be interested and take the initiative projects, left, for Zoe Cronin’s online class.
YOUNG ARTISTS COLLABORATE ON NEW MFA SCULPTURE BPL LAUNCHES READING CHALLENGE BY KELSEY BRUUN • June: An Award-Winning Book s the pandemic drags on and • July: An LGBTQ+ Author Boston residents remain cooped up • August: A Book in Translation PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MFA in their homes, the Boston Public • September: A Staff Pick Library wants readers throughout • October: A Story Under 100 Pages the city to participate in “Reading • November: An Author Born Outside Together.”A the United States In the challenge, each month has • December: A Book About the Future a distinct theme, and participants are • Bonus: A Book Recommended by a asked to read a book tied to the theme. Reading Together Participant The library offers recommended book Patrons can track their progress lists for the monthly themes for adults, on the Beanstack app or website at teens, and children at bpl.org/yearlong. bostonbpl.beanstack.org, under the Following January’s theme, “A Book BPL’s Reading Together program. They About the Past,” subsequent themes will can also track their progress using one of the BPL’s Reading Together Planning to visit the newly reopened MFA? Take in its annual student-artist-led include: bookmarks, which will be handed out to exhibition, Community Arts Initiative: Exchange Codes, on view through April 11. • February: A Debut Author patrons through the BPL To Go program. Led by artist Sarah Pollman, young artists from around Boston contributed to • March: An #OwnVoices Book Kelsey Bruun is the editor of The a large-scale, joint sculptural relief. It traces global pathways of exchange for • April: A Book with Pictures Fenway News artists’ goods, services and ideas, charting a linked history of a material past. All • May: An Author of Color timed-entry tickets include access to the work. 8 | FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2021
CALENDAR
Ongoing with KAJI ASO offers a purifying ceremony involved/how-to-help/volunteer-and- Visit www.mfa.org/event/community- for the year 2021. Join Kaji Aso to find out attend-events/find-local-events-and- celebrations/lunar-new-year?event=3265 • BSO NOW series of newly recorded about Mame-makiFebruary and hurl virtual beans to opportunities/ma-nature-connects- for streaming information. 7–8pm. concerts. View Boston Symphony chase away oni! 7pm. Join the ceremony via: webinar-series/. The Nature Connects Orchestra video performances free for Thu, 2/18 http://bit.ly/KajiAsoBean series features leading scientists and 24 hours; for additional access, donate a environmental experts on the topics of DRAWING TOGETHER WITH THE MASSART minimum of $100. www.bso.org/brands/ Sat, 2/6 tackling climate change, protecting land ART MUSEUM. Join MAAM and MassArt bso/features/bso-now.aspx TIGER STYLE. Squabbling siblings Albert and water, and providing food and water Studio Foundation professor Edward • THE MAGIC OF HANDEL will be available and Jennifer Chen reached the pinnacle sustainably. Monovich for an artmaking experience that free, with a suggested donation of $10, of academic achievement. But as adults, • DRAWING TOGETHER WITH THE blurs the boundaries between observational through the Handel and Haydn Society they’re epic failures. This comedy examines MASSART ART MUSEUM. Join MAAM drawing and performance art. This session website at handelandhaydn.org/ race, parenting, and success with wit and and MassArt Studio Foundation professor will feature a live model flowing between a streaming-concerts/. Every piece will be sharp humor. Listen to the GBH (89.7 FM) Loretta Park and artist Maya Anderson series of poses set to music examining the performed on the period instruments for broadcast of this 2016 Huntington Theatre for a free virtual collage workshop, which theme of transformation. 6:30pm. Register which Handel composed. production at 6pm. will explore simple and improvisational at https://maam.massart.edu/event/ Tuesdays & Thursdays Thu, 2/11 collaging techniques while listening to drawing-together-18. music. 6:30pm. Register at https://maam. LIFEBOAT FOOD PANTRY. 4-6pm. Free, NATURE CONSERVANCY • A webinar by the massart.edu/event/collage-workshop-2. fresh food available to Boston residents MASSACHUSETTS will feature Karen Fri, 2/12 @ THE CENTER with food insecurity; sign up at bit.ly/ Mauney-Brodek, president of The lifeboatbostonregistration. Boston Temple Due to the pandemic, the Fenway Com- Emerald Necklace Conservancy, who will Join the MFA to celebrate LUNAR NEW 7th-Day Adventist Church at 105 Jersey munity Center continues to host virtual discuss how the Conservancy works to YEAR and ring in the Year of the Ox! Lunar Street. activities. Find links for everything at maintain and restore Emerald Necklace New Year is celebrated across Asia and fenwaycommunitycenter.org. Mon, 2/1 and how the global pandemic has altered around the world. This year, the holiday • Mondays, 11am: ENGLISH LANGUAGE the Conservancy’s efforts. 12–1pm. marks the Year of the Ox. The celebration LEARNERS. Practice your speaking Bean Celebration Setsubu/Mame-Maki Register at www.nature.org/en-us/get- will feature a Chinese lion dance and and listening skills in this free demonstration by Gund Kwok Asian American English class. COMMUNITY Women’s Lion and Dragon Dance Troupe; • Wednesdays/Thursdays, 8pm: highlights from the MFA’s 2020 Lunar New meetings GAME NIGHT. Play Drawful and other Year celebration; a Spotlight Talk from online games suitable for all ages. WED, FEB 3 Wentworth Institute of or (617) 504-7709 with any questions. Feier Ying, research associate, Art of Asia; • Thursday, 6pm: ARTS & CRAFTS. Technology VIRTUAL TASK FORCE TUE, FEB 9 and a Spotlight Talk from Nancy Berliner, Virtual public meeting, 6–8pm. Have fun making a variety of easy MEETING. 6–8pm. The task force discusses Wu Tung Senior Curator of Chinese Art. The BPDA hosts a public meeting on crafts in a supportive group. Craft the proposed two-year renewal of 601 NEWBURY the application for the materials are available free while Wentworth institutional master plan. Use ST. PROJECT under the agency’s Small supplies last to those who register www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/ Project Review process. The meeting will CDC LOOKING FOR ARTISTS WN_uaSG9NIHTv6rWy-eZgV3Yw or call in advance. include a presentation by the proponent Tackle a small design project with high • Fridays, 11am: SENIOR TRIVIA NIGHT. (833) 568-8864 and enter meeting ID 161 followed by a Q&A and comments. Use 242 9115 to join. Contact Edward Carmody visibility: the Fenway CDC wants an Test your knowledge of old-school www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/ artist to design the exterior of a Little pop culture. Use Zoom or a plain old at [email protected] or (617) WN_uAOsyEInR1uO84WkZPbTPg or call 918-4422 with any questions. Free Library it will install this spring phone to join. Each week’s highest (833) 568-8864 and enter meeting ID 161 in the East Fens. The job includes a scorer wins a $20 grocery store gift WED, FEB 3 The final meeting on the 018 9112 to join. Contact Michael Sinatra stipend and material costs. Complete a card. MISSION HILL PLAYGROUND REDESIGN . at [email protected] or (617) simple application and submit it by Fri- • Fridays, 6pm: VIRTUAL 5K. Take little 6–7:30pm. The meeting will show two 918-4280 with any questions. Comments on day, Feb. 26. Apply at bit.ly/3qYhRIw. steps to improve your wellness with possible final designs for the park design. the project are due Fri., Feb 19, and you can For full details or questions, write Mad- support of a senior from Northeast- Use bit.ly/MHPx3 to join. Contact Abigail submit them via Sinatra’s email. eline Lee at [email protected]. ern’s Health Science Program. Chatfield at [email protected]
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