Why Busing May Not Die

;Jl Community Newspaper Company ·· www.townonline.com/ allstonbrighton JANUARY 26 - FEBRUARY 1, 1999 Vol. 3, No. 41 • 80 Pages • Two Sections 50¢ City unveils library design Cofnmunity gets first look at Allston branch plan this week By Debra Goldstein present design plans for the new Allston astic Menino. "When do you start?" TAB Staff Writer Branch Public Library at a community The due date for construction bids is set he Allston library is finally more meeting this Thursday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. for June. That would mean demolition than a dream and a promise. Architects presented the model and could begin as early as late spring, and the T Architects from Machado and floor plan to Mayor Thomas Menino for construction groundbreaking by late sum Silvetti Associates Inc. and members of the first time last week. mer or early fall. Architects wll unwJI the dalan f!l the new Allston Branch the Community Advisory Committee will "It's really nice stuff," said an enthusi- l..IJrsy ... 'llnndly. LIBRARY,page 21 Why bUsing may not die Dai*e plus to build nve new 9Chools In Boston, students at public scboofi such as Brighton's W.imhip School may still be based across toW1L By Linda Rosencrance While many agree that the mayor addressed two of Despite plans to build and Agnes Peil/et Boston's most pressing and related issues in his Jan. new schools, Boston TAB Staff Writers 11 speech - affordable housing and the need for ayor Thomas Menino's promise to build five neighborhood schools - they say the school proposal still has a long way to new neighborhood schools was merely one is long on ideas and short on specifics. go before neighborhood Mline in his annual State of the City address, Even though the mayor. wants to build five new but it has since taken on a life of its own - and it is a schools in Boston and said that he hopes to move the schooling can return line one city councilor believes may have even been a city closer to a return to neighborhood schools, his mistake on Menino's part. SCHOOI.S,page 30 Attention students "A SECTION WORTH EMPLOYING" __ __:_ __ _ see classifieds Join-"· - · - ·- ·-·-·-·- the·-·-·-·- All-Star-·-·-·- seeArt contest mformatwn.TeQm.! wide Page 2 The Allstmt-8rlghton TAB, January 26 - February I, 1999 www.townonline.com/allstonbrighton Saturday, January 30th Tailgate from 12-3pm at our Sprint PCS Centers $33 Off Any * Dual Band Phone Enter to Win: An Authentic Autographed Drew Bledsoe Jersey. Free Food, Fun and Prizes. / Test your Knowledge with NFL Trivia to win great prizes! Sprint PCS Centers • 420 Boylston Street '40 Franklin Street 9 Sylvan Street ~·~s11rintY · . Sprint PCS® Boston, MA 02116 Boston, MA 02110 Peabody, MA 01960 y 617-747-1300 617-747-1350 978-573-3500 VISit panic~ting Sprint PCS Centers for olflCial contest rules. Copyright 1999 Sprint Specirum LP., all rights restfVed. Sprint and the diamond logo are registered trademar1<s of Sprint ColTVTlunications Company LP., used under license. Sprint PCS and Sprint Personal Communication Services are trademar1<s and service mar1<s of Sprint ColTVTlunlcalions Cofrciany L.P. used under license. Sprint PCS is the official PCS provider of the NFL. • NFl, NFL Shield and S14M" Bowl are registered lrademar1<s of the National Footbal League. Offer valid only 1/30/99 from 12-3pm. Behind the byline ... Name: Mark Gabrenya Occupation: Art Director Interests: Hilting, camping, cross-country skiing, kayaking - anything to be outdoors, especially with my kids. Recent memorable books read: "Bad Land# by Jonathan Raban, "'The Color of Wate~ by James McBride and "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer. Next up: "'The Poisonwood BibleH by Barbara Kingsolver. On work: The best part of being a newspaper designer is the variety of stories I get to work on; everything from photo essays to investigative pieces. I enjoy the freedom to create a look that captures and holds a readers' attention. I'm fortunate to have a talented staff, which includes photographers, desiffiiers and an illustrator, with whom to collaborate. The best ideas come when we work together. On deadlines: Having been a publication designer for 19 years, deadlines are a way of life. 1n spite of all the late nights, I still enjoy coming to work to face the challenge of new stories every day. Personality on every page r COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER I COMPANY www.townonline.com www.townonline.com/allstonbrighton January 26 - February l, 1999 The Allston-Brighton TAB, page 3 Residents mull New Balance plan Office complex gamers community support, but questions linger abq.ut traffic By Debra Goldstein TAB Staff Writer lans are moving forward to build two office buildings and a manufacturing P plant to house the world headquarters of New Balance in Brighton, as well as other businesses. If the project stays on schedule, the development could be operational by the end of the year 2000. ~' Since the company first announced its intent to build a modem office complex in Brighton last June, BV Development has reg ularly consulted with community members on the project's design. Residents at last week's Allston Civic Association meeting were supportive of the plan, but also pep pered the developers with questions about how the development will escalate traffic in Members of the Conunonwealth Tenants ~tion have waited eight years for the city to reopen this playground. what is considered an already congested sec tion of Brighton. While past discussions have focused on the height and mass of the buildings proposed, both the developers' and residents' minds Eight years later, tenants still were on transportation and traffic last week. The 1,500 employees who would commute to and from the completed complex are expected to increase traffic in the area. waiting for new playground On a scale of A to F, the city of Boston gives the Market Street area an "F' for its department, to authorize a meet attention to it so it's being over that the playground be replaced. effectiveness at streamlining traffic through ing with residents to discuss looked" - adjacent to the There was not much of a its intersections. Vanasse Hangen Brustlin options for a new playground. Commonwealth Housing response, Glynn said. Inc., a traffic and environmental consulting "I think (the protest] made an Development on Fidelis Way in Playground committee orga firm, has proposed plans that would upgrade 11'1!11iti!ns at imprmion," said Wilyne Ofynn, Brighton. Play equipment, nizers "didn't feel [their appeal] the area to a "C" rating while taking into Commonwealth a community organizer with the including swings and slides, was was taken seriously," he said. account the increase in traffic generated by Commonwealth Tenants removed in 1991 when land But that could change, the new office building. That "C" rating Development Association, the organization that scaping was done by the Boston depending on the outcome of the would be considered very good for an urban represents residents of the Housing Authority. neighborhood meetings, the cost setting, according to company officials. By Katharine Dunn Commonwealth Housing Although there are two other of new play equipment and the "Our goal is to create a better traffic sys tem, a safer traffic system," said Robert Kaye TAB Correspondent Development. ''We proved we playgrounds within the housing amount of money th~ city can esidents at Brighton's can be difficult [and that we have development, they are deteriorat allocate to such a project. of VHB. After conducting a traffic~tudy on Commonwealth to] hold public offices account ing and have few pieces of A new place space would like adjoining streets, developers proposed R Housing Development, able, because the children are equipment, said Tmkney, a par ly cost between $4,000 and installing a new traffic signal at the comer of who have been waiting eight holding us accountable." ent and volunteer member of the $5,000, Glynn said. Guest and Market streets and synchronizing years for the city to make good Two days after the protest, playground committee at the McLaughlin said the capital the signals along the length of Market Street on its promise to replace their Brian McLaughlin, head of the Commonwealth Tenants budget for the Parks Department in Brighton. · playground, wiU get their chance planning division in the Parks Association. will be set by the end of the "Conditions along Market are going to be to meet with the Boston Parks Department, said he would orga Safety is anttther issue. month, determining - at least better as a result of this," Kaye said. Department to discuss a plan to nize a neighborhood meeting Overlook Paci< is ideal for a partially - the future of the While the proposal was received as a reinstall their missing swings with residents. playground, she said, because playground. promising concept, residents voiced concerns and slides. ''Instead of playing against "as parents, we can sit [there] If it is unable get the money NEW.BALANCE, page 6 Earlier this month, a dozen [the Boston Housing Authority and monitor our children." from the city, Glynn said the residents - anned with colorful and the Commonwealth Tenants Tinkney said this is not possible Commonwealth Tenants drawings of play equipment Association], we should be able in the other parks. Association would be willing to made by local children - to work together," he said. This reduction in play space take on fund-raising initiatives. The Allston-Brighton TAB's story protested outside the Parks McLaughlin made no promis worries members of the But ideally, residents hope the ''Lobbying in Mika's memory" [Jan. 19- Department to get the city to cre es about whether the plans to Commonwealth Tenants city will find the Brighton pad< 25] contained incorrect infonnation about ate a new playground at replace the play area will go Association, who say nearly half worthy' ot refurbishing .

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