Your Ad here! Picture it! Page 1! Above the fold TOP BILLING BOOK NOW! MONTHLY RATES! JANUARY 9, 2020 BOOK YOUR POST IT Call Your Advertising Rep TTHEHE BBEEACONACON HHILLILL TTIMESIMES (781)485-0588 THERE ARE NO TIMES LIKE THESE TIMES Taking the Oath City Council welcomes four new members; elects Kim Janey as council president By Lauren Bennett of office for the first time. Mayor Marty Walsh walked Four new members of the the councilors through the oath at Boston City Council were sworn in the ceremony, and then delivered at Faneuil Hall on Monday, join- a speech. “This has certainly been ing their nine returning colleagues a momentous election in the City to create a historic council that is of Boston,” Walsh said. “This majority female and majority peo- will be the most diverse council ple of color. District Councilors in history.” He expressed his faith Kenzie Bok, Ricardo Arroyo, Liz in the councilors and praised their Breadon, and At-Large Councilor past successes. Julia Mejia—the first-ever Latina “I’m excited to have you and on the council—all took the oath (OATH Pg. 6) Longtime mail carrier to step down at month’s end By Dan Murphy 23 years and began her regular route 17 years ago, which includes A longtime fixture of Beacon Louisburg Square and Mt. Vernon, Photo by Seth Daniel Hill won’t be around as much after Willow and Acorn streets, as well With Gov. Charlie Baker giving a standing ovation, Mayor Martin Walsh exits the stage at Symphony Hall in Jan. 31, when Nancy O’Hearn as various side streets. the Back Bay on Tuesday night, Jan. 7, after his annual State of the City Address. Mayor Walsh delivered a retires from her post as a mail car- “I know all the little in and 20-minute oration that touched on new initiatives in housing, education and transportation. rier in the neighborhood. outs and the historical facts about O’Hearn has worked for the Beacon Hill you pick up along the U.S. Postal Service for the past Walsh delivers State of the City address (CARRIER Pg. 5) Promises investment in education, transportation, and housing By Lauren Bennett accomplished over the past year, their dreams come true. and how it can continue moving Yohan Almonte from Mattapan Mayor Marty Walsh gave his forward. was formerly homeless and ended annual State of the City address at For the first time, Mayor Walsh up in jail, but he said that Mayor Symphony Hall on Jan. 7, where highlighted resident success stories Walsh’s Operation Exit program he made many promises in terms ahead of his speech. Four individ- “changed my life.” The Operation of affordable housing, educa- uals were invited to the stage to Exit program allows Boston’s pop- tion, and transportation. He also share their stories and how Mayor ulation most vulnerable to gun looked back at what the City has Walsh’s programs have helped (ADDRESS Pg. 7) Beacon Hill Civic Association Community Corner Why Support So, why support our nonprofit ty, engage residents civically and organization? preserve the historic fabric in this the BHCA? Take a look outside and you’ll very special and unique neighbor- find the answer. Since 1922, hood that we all call home. By Suzanne Besser, past-president the BHCA has been affirming We were formed after commu- the integrity of Beacon Hill and nity leaders in the early 1920s suc- Year after year, the Beacon Hill ensuring its future as a livable and cessfully resisted the city’s intent Civic Association turns to the attractive residential community. to remove the bricks from our community, asking contributions We’d like to keep doing it. A self-portrait that adorned Nancy O’Hearn’s Christmas card from this to its Annual Appeal. We strive to build communi- (BHCA, Pg. 5) year. 2 PAGE 2 THE BEACON HILL TIMES JANUARY 9, 2020 BHAC approves several signs, denies energy panels on Lime St. By Lauren Bennett replace it with a new railing. For “to help preserve them as they’re proposal. lettering the height of the deck, the propos- in rough shape,” he said. He said A member of the Beacon Hill The Beacon Hill Architectural al was to “deconstruct the area that the concern lies within the 104 Mount Vernon St. (11A Civic Association said that she Commission met for its month- from the rear of the house to the fragility of the panels, and without West Cedar) would like to see the signs match ly meeting on Dec. 19, with a edge of the garage and rebuilt it,” something to protect them, they A proposal to restore leaded the existing ones on the building, LaCasse said. He added that the full agenda after cancelling its will continue to deteriorate and glass on side lights and transom as they are all roughly the same deck will be lowered to the “exact November meeting. Among the list “we may lose them altogether.” and restoring and repainting dimensions and a square shape. of items heard were proposals for same height as the previous deck Senior Preservation Planner the existing door at 104 Mount Other signs on the building are replacement windows, light fix- from 2016.” A mockup of the Nick Armata said that the Vernon St. has already been com- for dressboston, Agostino Salon, tures, and signs. It was announced deck was requested, he continued. Commission guidelines do not pleted, as the applicant’s painter and Cynthia Driscoll interiors. at the beginning of the hearing Abutter Linda Johnson said allow these panels to be installed thought it was approved under The proposed Kodomo sign is that there would be a hard cutoff that “this has been a long-standing over the stained glass, and the administrative review, the appli- rectangular. at 8 p.m., but the Commission issue,” and that permits were not installation of the panels will cre- cant said. Armata disagreed, saying that continued to hear some applica- followed. She said there are con- ate a “microclimate” that would Armata said the painter did tions after that. cerns about the garage being ille- actually further deteriorate the contact him about this. “We have “different variations in signs gives gal, and in this case, it’s “hard to stained glass. “It just wouldn’t be evidence of the historic color and more character to Charles St.” 60 Chestnut Street trust that this will follow through appropriate,” Armata said. wanted to point out that this color The application was approved Attorney Marc LaCasse pro- as it wasn’t in the past.” The applicant said that the glass was approved by this Commission as submitted, with the provisos posed three remediation items for The Commission ultimate- would still be able to breathe with for another Beacon Hill home we that there is no additional window approval by the Commission for ly voted to remand to staff the the panels installed, but Armata owned and is still the same color,” signage and the applicant must a project at 60 Chestnut St.: the details regarding the visibility of argued that “it just wouldn’t look the applicant said. The applicant take the sign with her if she moves location for a condenser, a planter, the HVAC units, and everything right according to the guidelines.” provided photos of the door prior locations. and the height of the deck. else was approved as submitted. Armata suggested that the panels to being painted Benjamin Moore LaCasse said that the proposed could be installed on the inside as Grand Entrance Red, as the pho- 137 Charles St. condenser would not be visible 12 Lime St. an alternative. tos showed evidence around the At 137 Charles St., which is to behind the existing planter box The proposal at 12 Lime St. Martha McNamara, Martha lock and on the hinge that the become Luxor Hair Studio, the that will remain, and the condens- was to install five new energy pan- McNamara, Director of the New door was once painted this color. proponent proposed to install a els on the outside of the stained ers are not visible from the public England Arts and Architecture “This is a color which is present wall sign, a blade sign, and win- glass windows at the front-facade way. The new condenser is 27 Program at Wellesley College, said in the neighborhood,” the appli- dow decals. inches tall, and the current ones main entry. that the guidelines don’t allow cant said. The proponent said the the are 33 inches tall. The project proponent proposed these types of panels because they The Commission voted to blade sign would be replaced LaCasse also proposed to to install these panels between the are “necessarily highly reflective approve the proposal as presented. in-kind, and the proposed wall remove the planter wall and security and stained glass panels and detract from the aesthetic sign is 14 inches by 7 feet. On the purpose and original intent. Even 70 Charles St. windows, he proposed white vinyl if you’re going to seal it up,” At 70 Charles St., the owner of lettering, and on the door, a logo, she told the applicant, “a micro- Kodomo Boston, presented a pro- climate will cause the glass to posal to install a wall sign, blade as well as operating hours. deteriorate at a more rapid rate.” sign, and window decals for her The signs were proposed to be She said it would not happen if new location in Beacon Hill. made from metal. “We do prefer storm windows were installed on The sign is an existing sign from wood in the district, but there’s no the inside because it is a more cli- her closed store in Chestnut Hill.