Abbey Group Aims High (18 Stories, Community Center) at 1282 Boylston P by Joyce Foster Manage the Property
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September WWW.FeNWAYNeWS.org 2011 Free SERVING THE FENWAY, KENMORE SQUARE, UPPER BACK BAY, PRUDENTIAL, LONGWOOD AREA & MISSION HILL SINCE 1974 VOLUME 37, NUMBER 9 SEPTEMBER 3-29 , 2011 Irene Wallops the Park and Parked Cars Trees bore the brunt of Hurricane Irene’s sweep through town on August 28, with several falling in the Fens, including a willow (left) on the Boylston path in the Victory Gardens, and another clocking a car parked on Jersey Street. DCR crews arrived in the gardens the next morning to clear debris. PHOTO: MIKE MENNONNO HASE C PHOTO: STEVE WOLF PHOTO: STEVE Abbey Group Aims High (18 Stories, Community Center) at 1282 Boylston P BY JOYCE FOSTER manage the property. At the first of U An artist’s view RO G hen the Abbey Group two community meetings in August, Y shows the Abbey Group’s proposal unveiled plans for inclusion Bill Keravuori, Abbey’s senior vice ABBE HE of a community center in a president, made it clear that Abbey T for the former BY did not propose to program the D McDonald’s site mixed-use building it hopes to E Wbuild on the former McDonald’s site at 1282 space, which might hold meetings, D at 1282 Boylston. Boylston Street, the enthusiastic response—a classes, and performances. That mixture of joy and disbelief—confirmed that job, he said, would fall to the NER COTT, PROVI housing on site, a a year-long community dialogue with Abbey community, and residents will need U R had borne fruit. to come together to talk about the B somewhat more AGE: costly way of After years of frustrated advocacy by best way to determine the events and M I Fenway residents, Abbey has stepped up services that might be housed in the meeting the City’s to offer prime ground-floor space, attached new center. inclusionary to a café, exclusively for the use of Fenway Keravuori emphasized that zoning residents—space that would otherwise produce the space would function as a requirement than revenue for Abbey, which will own and resource for the whole community, contributing to not a facility for one organization. the City’s housing Informal conversations have fund. On-site COmmENTS DUE SEPTEMBER 6 already begun in the neighborhood about of office space on floors 2-4 , first-floor retail affordability adds to the neighborhood’s Send comments on the proposal a community-wide vision of services and space, and underground parking for 295 cars. economic diversity, which took a hit in April for 1282 Boylston—including programs that would engage a wide range of This will be the third Fenway project for Ab- with the withdrawal of protections for 173 your thoughts on the community Fenway residents, and assuming the project bey, after development of the Landmark Cen- apartments in the East Fens owned by First center—to John M. FitzGerald, Boston receives BRA approval, possibly this fall, ter in the old Sears building and the Landmark Realty Management. The project will include Redevelopment Authority, One City that effort will certainly move into high gear. Square apartments on Peterborough Street. planted roofs and other measures that Abbey Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201, 617- Those approvals will follow a public comment On other issues, the project received both believes will qualify it for LEED silver, 918-4267. Or e-mail your comments to period that closes on September 6 (see box). roses and brickbats at the meetings held on a widely used measure of environmental [email protected]. The new project will rise along Boylston August 2 and 24. Roses included praise for a friendliness for new construction. with 210 residential units, 99,000 square feet commitment to provide 10 per cent affordable On the brickbat side, Abbey seeks zoning relief from the height restriction that applies to the site now (one of the building’s two towers will rise to 178 feet, 28 feet above the zoning limit). Residents voiced Did Nonprofit’s Officers Break the Law—and Line Own concerns about the shadows that would cast on the north side of Boylston in winter and Pockets—by Renting Affordable Units at Market Rates? on the Fens in late afternoon throughout the BY JON Ball and in 2008 obtained a $956,000 mortgage on address. Haney did not return a phone call for year. The new building will extend from enants at one of the last single- the property. But according to tenant Sarah clarification by this reporter. As of press time, Jersey Street to the Baseball Tavern, with room-occupancy (SRO) buildings Wenig, “We sure didn’t see $900 thousand of The Fenway News was unable to find any a new drive running off Boylston designed in Boston are organizing against repairs.” Instead, in December 2009, Nuestra other affordable housing developed by MPC. to discourage drivers from using the alley what they perceive as a threat sold the 15-unit property to the Massachusetts At the time of the purchase, MPC also behind the building to exit onto Jersey Street. Tto affordability at their 277 Marlborough Preservation Corporation (MPC), which entered into a two-year agreement with Abutters from Peterborough Street pressed Street residence. Citing a questionable real obtained a $1,350,000 mortgage to finance the Nuestra and the city’s Department of Neigh- Abbey aggressively at the meeting on the 24th estate deal and the transaction. “So one day, borhood Development, the stated purpose of to block all access to the alley or install a gate current owner’s we found a flier under our which was to ensure “occupancy by Low In- to limit it. apparent violation doors, telling us the new come Households.” There has apparently been Other concerns were the speed with of an affordable- owner was Massachusetts no mechanism in place to monitor compliance which the entire project is proceeding. There housing agreement, Preservation Corporation, since MPC purchased the property, although will be no more opportunities for community they have formed which nobody had the agreement required MPC to report regu- input after the comment period closes on the Marlborough ever heard of,” Wenig larly to Nuestra, which would enforce the September 6. Street Tenants’ continued. requirements. Although the agreement expires Copies of the Project Notification Association (MSTA) According to filings this December, at least two units have already Form—the developer’s report on visual, traf- and enlisted support with the state, MPC been advertised on Craigslist and rented at fic, and environmental impact—are available from City Councilor incorporated only two market rates, and Haney’s brother, Will, is at the Boston Public Library; the offices of the Michael Ross. months prior to the now a resident. It appears that Nuestra has Fenway Community Development Corpora- 277 transaction, claiming as taken no steps to force MPC to comply with tion (now at 70 Burbank Street); or on request Marlborough was its purpose “To expand the low-income restriction it signed. from the project manager, John Fitzgerald, at one of several affordable housing Several tenants acknowledged the help 617-918-4267. It can also be downloaded from properties acquired opportunities for low- Ross has given them, including his referring the BRA website at http://bit.ly/nsA2g1 by Boston Aging income… or very-low- them to City Life–Vida Urbana (CL-VU), Joyce Foster lives in the East Fens Concerns in the income persons…and which organizes people threatened with mid-1970s to house people with disabilities….” displacement. In a June 23 letter to Haney, seniors then being Tom Tidlund (left) and Patrick O’Malley MPC officers include the tenant association, working with CL-VU displaced by the on the steps of their endangered Matthew Haney, as organizer Dominic DeSiata, requested a Back Bay’s initial residence, 277 Marlborough Street. president and treasurer, meeting to discuss the future of the building, wave of gentrification. In 2004, the group— and directors Robert Emmeluth and Robert and to request extension of the agreement. Vote by then known as Boston Aging Concerns- Henner, all of whom list home addresses as But according to DeSiata, Haney declined Young and Old United, or BAC-YOU—was 66 Charles Street, Suite 215—apparently a to meet, instead calling tenants individually floundering financially and merged with the mailbox room at the rear of the Charles Street and telling them there would be no change in nonprofit Nuestra Communidad Development Market. According to a member of the legal their status. But DeSiata says there is more to September 27 Corporation, which took over the properties. staff at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s consider than just the current tenants. “Even PRELIM. ELECTION Nuestra itself soon ran into fiscal troubles office, state statutes require a residential DOUBLE DEALING on page 2 > CITY COUNCIL/DIST. 7 2 | FENWAY NEWS | septEmbEr 2011 PHOTO: MATTI Rain Doesn’t Stop 29th National Night Out K BY MATTI KNiva SPENCER computer and ESL classes. NIVA S On Tuesday, August 2, residents of The event, planned by this writer, PEN the West Fens celebrated National Night working with Peterborough Housing and C ER Out (NNO) for the 29th time. Sponsored Operation P.E.A.C.E. staff, allowed the by Wingate Management and Operation community to come together as one. Various P.E.A.C.E., and held at the Seventh-Day organizations staffed informational tables, Adventist Church, the event allowed residents and a D.J. provided music. There were face to take over a section of the city to make painting and a moonwalk for kids. Shaw’s it safe for everyone...which is the theme contriubuted a huge cake and West Fens of NNO.