It is time sell, prices are high, rates are low. List your home with us. TEXT/EMAIL JEFFREY BOWEN 781-201-9488 [email protected] chelsearealestate.com Catholic Schools Week Jan 31 - Feb 6 Special Section on Pages 6 - 8 Wednesday, January 27, 2021 City agrees to stop tree Walsh announces removal on new ZBA tracker Maverick Street after local By John Lynds ing Board of Appeal. Walsh said this new objections For the past decade East tool will increase access Boston has experienced to information related to a development boom that proposed projects seek- By John Lynds can be hard to keep track of ing relief from the ZBA. Second Round of COVID-19 vaccines administered at EBNHC. Left, EBNHC’s Michelle for the average resident. The tracker is designed for It was a small win for Hagerty receives her second Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at the health center last Tuesday Unless you have attend- anyone to quickly search local activists trying to in- afternoon. Right, EBNHC President and CEO Manny Lopes talks to the press after receiving ed one of several commu- for a specific appeal that crease East Boston’s tree his second vaccine. The Moderna vaccine is given in two doses 28 days apart. nity group meetings held has been submitted to the canopy to improve the each month in various ZBA, or to search for ap- health and quality of life parts of the neighborhood peals based on criteria such for residents. Second round of vaccines for EBNHC workers it has become increasingly as location or applicant, in At a recent tree removal By John Lynds erna vaccine on December Although few people in difficult to keep abreast of order to identify the status hearing, the City of Bos- 21 and then his second the clinical trials were ad- development projects hap- of the appeal. ton’s Parks Department Last Tuesday afternoon shot last week. mitted to the hospital, this pening in Eastie. “Increasing access to reviewed a developer’s healthcare workers from Based on evidence from happened less often in the This week Mayor Mar- the workings of municipal request to remove two the East Boston Neigh- clinical trials, the Moder- people who got the Mod- tin Walsh announced a government is important healthy street trees in front borhood Health Center na vaccine was 94.1 per- erna vaccine compared to new Zoning Board of Ap- for our residents to have of their building at 202 received their second dose cent effective at prevent- people who got the saline peal (ZBA) project tracker access to resources about Maverick Street. of the Moderna vaccine ing laboratory-confirmed placebo. that will allow residents to the city’s role in the devel- The builder had peti- for Covid-19. EBNHC COVID-19 illness in peo- Last week the Bak- gather information about opment and livelihood of tioned the city to remove medical staff received the ple who received two dos- er-Polito Administration ongoing projects. our residents,” said Walsh. the trees to accommodate first round of the Moderna es who had no evidence of announced that all resi- The new online tool that “The Zoning Board of Ap- two bay-windows extend- vaccine, which is given in being previously infected. dents in Phase One of the can be found at https:// peals’ online tracker will ing beyond the property two doses 28 days apart, in According to the CSC state vaccine distribution experience.arcgis.com/ increase our city’s transpar- line below. December. the vaccine appeared to plan are eligible to receive experience/c019ba9a25cb- ency and our residents’ un- After consideration, “I’m thankful to our have high effectiveness a COVID-19 vaccine, ef- 4f33bb6cdd2f69b543d4/ derstanding of our neigh- the city determined that vaccine team who have in clinical trials (efficacy) fective immediately. page/page_0/ fulfills the borhoods.” the developer should been focused on vaccinat- among people of diverse State residents eligible requirements set forth in have prioritized the exist- ing our staff as quickly and age, sex, race, and ethnic- for vaccine immediately Mayor Walsh’s Executive ing trees before locating See ZBA Page 5 efficiently as possible”, ity categories and among Order Relative to the Zon- such an impactful build- said EBNHC Vice Presi- persons with underlying See VACCINES Page 2 ing feature. With wide- dent of Human Resources medical conditions. Developer of proposed project near spread community oppo- Steven Snyder. “We are sition to the removal of still giving out first doses Wood Island launches online survey the old-growth trees, the and have just completed developers were instruct- our first week of second By John Lynds Already 35 residents ed to modify the building doses and are close to 75 have responded to the on- design so as not create a percent of our staff vac- The developer propos- line questionnaire. negative environmental cinated. Staff have been ing to construct a 180- “It’s currently an eye impact. thrilled to receive the unit, mixed-use devel- sore,” wrote one resident. “We are pleased the vaccine, especially those opment on the corner of “It’s also very hard to Parks Department rec- treating COVID patients Bennington and Bremen cross the street near that ognizes the importance day in and day out.” Streets near the Wood Is- intersection with the dan- of our old-growth trees The Health Center’s land MBTA station has gerous highway. It feels and hope that this sends a Infectious Disease Direc- released an online survey very unsafe to walk near message to developers as tor and Adult Medicine to get feedback from res- there at night. Day Square they plan their projects.” Doctor, Dr. Jaime Gal- idents on what they would needs some more retail said Lara Caralis of Ea- legos-Salazar, MD was the like to see happen at the stores, trees, and a clean gle Hill Beautification. EBNHC public safety personnel also received the second site. place for people to congre- first person in Massachu- Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine last week at the Health Center. “As an Environmental setts to receive the Mod- The survey, which gate. Hoping a project like Justice community, de- can be found at https:// this will give more access velopers could actually do courbanize.com/proj- to the square, prevent gar- something positive for the ects/355bennington/ bage build up and become neighborhood by setting Davis Companies/EBNHC development plan may comments?ordering=-cre- a welcoming part of Eagle their buildings back from ated&topic=Communi- Hill.” the sidewalk to allow for look a lot different at next community meeting ty%20Benefits, asks res- Another resident wrote idents what amenities, the old industrial site is landscaping or installing the development, which BPDA in February there By John Lynds benefits, changes, addi- currently a dump, “So green walls and roofs in abuts the Mary Ellen will be some major chang- tions, retail space uses and anything nice would be an their design.” In October the Davis Welch Greenway. While es based on community improvements that can be improvement. Would want Among the local groups Companies filed a Letter Friends of the Mary Ellen feedback. made in Day Square to speaking out against the of Intent with the Boston Welch Greenway mem- “I’m here tonight to let make it more user friendly. tree removal were Moth- Planning and Develop- bers feared the seven-sto- you know we were con- See WOOD ISLAND Page 2 See TREES Page 2 ment Agency (BPDA) in ry buildings would cast a tinuing to work with the calling for the construc- portion of the bright and city,” said Perez. “The tion of 471 units of hous- sunny greenway into dark- feedback we’ve gotten fo- THINKING OF ing on a series of parking ness. Others argued that cuses on the affordability, SELLING YOUR lots owned by East Bos- the project did not include unit count and unit make- HOUSE??? ton Neighborhood Health enough affordability. up. The goal would be to Call for an Center (EBNHC) on the However, at the Gove file the PNF between mid "Absolutely FREE two streets. Street Citizens Associ- to the end of February and Market Analysis" At several East Boston ation (GSCA) meeting then be able to present 617-461 4238 virtual community group Monday, Davis Compa- the changes based on the www.unitedbrokersworld.com meetings residents and nies’ Natasha Perez hinted recommendation from the community leaders ex- that before her company community and the city.” A developer wants to put 190 units of housing on this site pressed their opposition submits the Project Notifi- Perez said the Davis on Bennington Street near Wood Island MBTA station. The to the size and scope of cation Form (PNF) to the project team recently posted an online questionnaire to See DAVIS Page 2 get feedback from residents on the project. EAST BOSTON CENTRAL CATHOLIC SCHOOL 69 London Street, East Boston, MA 02128 * 617-567-7456 Rediscover Excellence Pre-K through Grade 8 Apply now at www.EBCCS.org Preparing children for our changing world For the latest news in East Boston that you need to know, check eastietimes.com Page 2 THE EAST BOSTON TIMES-FREE PRESS Wednesday, January 27, 2021 Wood Island // CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Trees// CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 a nice cafe, clean gro- sory parking, and ameni- ing and construct the new ers Out Front (MOF), Tree cery store, nice greenery ties and services for build- six-story building. Eastie, Eastie Farm, AIR / walkways and continued ing residents. The rental The Boston Zoning Inc., Eagle Hill Beautifi- architecture to improve housing project includes Board of Appeals recently cation, Friends of Belle the look and feel of Day 82 parking spaces and the rejected a similar large- Island Marsh, NOAH and Square.” 7,000 square foot retail scale project on Bremen Speak for the Trees.