32 'PAGES Police Beat 3 A trio of Swedish citizens were ar­ rested this week after allegedly rip­ "ping down's memorialwreath'and ~erican flag in Brighton. A few days later, a Connecticut man and severat othet.S reportedly defaced street signs in Allston. ' €}J3/Ed 4,5 , Mayor Flynn shoutd give Cambo­ dians now overcrowded 01\ Carol Avenue.. in AUston preference for FRIDAY June 1, 1984 sJpts at .the' new FideJis Way Vol. 99, No. 22 35 CENTS DeveJoPfnenL.Get1tude Pineo on , past and, pr~t. A PAID CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER Falling on deaf ears In this emergency, 911 never answered By Richard Lorant You return home one day to find so­ meone lying unconscious. Your child has swallowed poison; your spouse has suffered a heart attack; a passing car has hit a strange~. The particulars are , unimportant-you. need help. You run to the phone and dial "911," a number l etched on your telephone and in your mind. No one answers. On Sunday, this nightmare came true on Wallingford Road. A man suffered an epileptic seizure on his steps. At least two neighbors tried to reach "911" and failed. contipued on page 6 How high is too high? The develoPer who plans apartments for Union Sq~are and city officials seem to disagree. - Allston On· the nse But are Union Sq. apartments too h.igh? By Joe Clements Allston-Brighton Community feasibility," he said. "Cutting it from Beautification Council. 12 stories to six stories would mean no A Boston developer's construction Still, Claremont officials are standing job." proposal for a 12-story, 178-unit apart­ by their plan. Vice-president Paul Paul Golden, president ofthe Allston ment complex in Allston's Union Cusson said Wednesday that the Civic Association, said he met with Square got mixed reviews this week building would be builtfar enough back Model Cafe owner George Anthony on from local city and civic leaders. The to keep it from dominating the rest of Tuesday night. Golden said that An­ idea, they say, is fine-the plan isn't. Union Square, and said that other thony, a partner in the development, "It definitely needs some more steps have also been taken to minimize told him that the land behind the cafe work," District 9 City Councilor Brian its impact. drops low enough to keep a 12-story These Presentation elementary school McLaughlin said Wednesday. "If it's "It's not designed to be a rectangular ~ building from dominating the others in pupils will return next year; 115 done right, it could have a positive im­ block of concrete that shoots up out of Union Square. students at its girl's high school won't. pact, but right now I have a lot ofpro­ the ground,". he said. "This is an L- Golden said he referred Anthony to blems with the design work they've shaped proposal with stepped-back cor- the Boston Redevelopment Authority, done there." ners...We feel we can make it work but invited the developers to the ':Brighton to The building is being proposed for a with 12 stories." ACA's open meeting on June 19th. two-acre lot behind the Model Cafe. Among the concerns are the impact of. A more important consideration, David Trietsch,'a BRA planner, said parking and traffic on nearby streets, Cusson said, is that radical downscal- he was aware of the Claremont pro­ lose school and the belief that rent prices would do ingwould jeopardize the development. posal. Despite Claremont's assurances, little to help low and moderate income "One story or two stories would not he said the height could pose a problem. Presentation will close tenants. The major concern expressed, make a difference one way or the oth?r, "We recognize that it's an area that its girl's .high school however, is the height of the building but when you talk about a substantial could use some investment, but we'll being planned by the firm, Claremont cut in size, it becomes a question of need to see some strongrationale as to Development Associates, Inc. > why it needs to be that high." he said. Officials at Brighton's Our Lady of the Presentation Academy confirmed "Putting rental housing in Union Responding to other concerns, Wednesday that the 42-year-old Square would be a tremendous boost to Cusso~ said parking would not be a Catholic girls' high school will soon be that area," said Michael McCormack, i problem because residents with closing its doors for good. The school, Allston-Brighton's At-Large City automobiles would be required to use Councilor. "But frankly, the size that (at $60 a month) the parking garage located in Oak Square had an enroll­ they're proposing is just too over­ ment of 115 this past year. planned for the building's two bottom enro~ent powering for that site." floors. He said informal studies have Declining over the past "I think development there is a good shown there would be little impact on few years figured·in on the decision, ac­ thing, but it's ridiculous to think of traffic, especially since entrance and ex­ cording to Monsignor John A. placing a 12-story building in an area itways would be directed away from Broderick. Rev. Broderick said that that's surrounded by buildings that at . Union Square and onto Clevemont and deteriorating equipment and escalating costs were other contributing factors. the most are three stories high," agreed Hano Streets. Brian Gibbons, president of the continued on page 10 continued on page 7 PAGE 2 THE ITEM June 1, 1984 NEWSBRIEFS Gardner said the city housing depart­ Restraining order given ment ignored his numerous requests to to Allston developer force the changes. He said an inspector occassionally visited the site, but each Calling conditions at an Allston con­ time reported that "work is in pro­ struction site "extremely hazardous," gress." a Boston Housing Court Judge has "I take that to mean that they are given developers until Monday to cor­ trying to do something about it, which rect the situation or face court action. justisn't tI:ue," Gardner said. "The site The project is a 22-unit tOW)1house is extremely dangerous-the action of development being constructed behind the court sort of confirms that...I'm a row of apartment buildings at the cor­ outraged that the building department ner of AUston and Kelton Streets. would let something like this go on for Among the changes ordered are: erec­ eight weeks." tion of a four-foot fence around the pro­ ject's perimeter; grading or elimination In the restraining order, the court ., \ said that a "considerable"quantity of of a large mound of dirt at the rear of ~ill it go or will it grow? Jerry Rappap~rt says it's the latter. the site; and removal of dirt and debris dirt and boulders" on the Allston from the adjoining Allston Street Work begins agmn at 2000 Comm. Ave. site Street sidewalk had created a hazard sidewalk. for passersby. A 40-foot-plus mound of dirt inside the site was another concern. The action by Judge Patrick King After years of litigation and other "ripped off the public" when he ac­ came after abutting resident Robert complications, work has begun on a quired the land from the city for "The dirt and stone (on the mound) Gardner filed civil action against pro­ controversial 16-story luxury apart­ $66,000. Galvin said it cost the city is loose and is in danger of collapsing," ject trustee Michael Perry. Gardner, a ment building at 2000 Commonwealth $1.5 million when it assumed the it reads. "The construction site poses local tenant activist acting for himself Avenue in Brighton. liabilities for the developer whose an attractivenuisance as far as children and several neighbors, claimed that the The building, being developed by building collapsed. are -concerned." ' site was accessible to children and was Boston realtor Jerome Rapppaport at Regardless, Rappaport said Thurs­ The order further states that Perry a health hazard. the same site where four men died day that work is progressing on the must appear in court this Monday on Following a hearing May 25 and an when a building collapsed over a site. He said he has the necessary per­ a motion to grant a permanent injunc­ on-site inspection by Judge King, the decade ago, has been opposed by mits, and that it will take 18 months tion. Gardner said no fence has yet been temporary restraining order was neighborhood groups and state Rep. to complete the project. erected. and that only a little of thedirt issued. It mandated that Perry was William Galvin (D-AUston-Brighton). "It is an extremely well-designed has been moved from the sidewalk. "refrained from failing to perform" the Galvin has failed on two legislative at­ building," he said. "We believe it will According to a housing court official, above changes. tempts to get the land turned over by be one of the most prestigious in the failure to comply with the judge's order eminent domain to the Metropolitan city when finished, and we feel it will ''I'm very happy with the court," could result in a fine or jail term_ District Commission, but he said do a lot to add stability to the area." Perry could not be reached for com­ Gardner said Wednesday. ''I'm just Wednesday the bill has been rein­ Rappaport said the 186 apartments displeased that I had to take this action ment, and his attorney, Peter Yellin, troduced and he is hopeful it will pass.