IN ARTS & MORE JC s.. lO a: n! ~II ~21 i] Community Newspaper Company • www.townonline.com/ allstonbrighton FEBRUARY 2 - 8, 1999 Vol. 3, No. 42 • 72 Pages • Two Sections 50¢ Clearing the way Historic study ,, approved Aberdeen advocates declare victory in fight to create new district By Debra Goldstein TAB Staff Writer istoric buildings in Brighton's Aberdeen neighbomood just Hgot a guardian angel: the Boston Landmarlcs Commission. The commission voted last week to accept a petition from residents to study whether Aberdeen could be designated as an architectural con­ servation district It would take between three and seven years for the designation to become reality. Hit happens, the city would recognize the distinctive character of the neighborllood - located near Cleveland Circle between Beacon Street and Commonwealth Avenue - and pro­ vide municipal guidelines to protect Kem Gurley ....die lldew1llk on Foeter Street in Brighton~ Thursday. its historic architecture. ''It's the first step for further study," ABERDEEN, page 18 The Golden era b_egins Area's newest state representative settles into his new role By Jeff Ousbonu! building with your ones outside the build­ DUI Comsondenl ing," he said. "We've gotten an extraordi­ tale House Room 437 doesn't look "He's a talented, sharp, young nary number of con~tituent calls already, and like a place hospitable to legislation. man, and will be a worthy most have been job requests. That tells you S Filled with long tables, telephones that a low unemployment rate tells you very alelF' freshman representatives search­ opponent to anyone who little about people's security with the jobs -., in vain, to print out press releases, the decides to challenge him." they have." room looks more like a phone-bank at a Those calls tell you something a state repre­ WGBH fund drive. sentative's job, too: abstract political princi­ PIUperly understood, it's a place where the Ward 21 DefTIQCratic ples often take a back seat to the phrase, '1'11 dllrming, polished metoric of campaigning Committee Chairman Charlie Doyle see what I can do." But that's not to say that comes to die. It's also the new work-day principles never matter. home cX Allston's Brian Golden, who last "A constituent from Parsons Street called to mondl took over the office as Allston­ encourage me to sponsor legislation from Brian Golden has been making the rounds IL'l Brighton's newest state representative. aide to the current Speaker of the House, Parents United for Child Care, which would Allston-Brighton's newest state representative. '1 think I've been able to skip that early Thomas Finneran (D-Mattapan}, which means expand the state's role in providing day-care period where your expectations are confound­ he knows where all the State House bath­ services," says Golden. "It worlced out nicely out four other candidates for the 18th Suffolk ed," said Golden, a Democrat. "I've been here rooms and emergency exits are located. It also because I had just signed on before I got the seat, which covers parts of Allston, Brighton before. I know how things grind to a very means he knows a little something about the call." and Brookline, and was considered an upset · slow advancing mechanism. It can boggle way things worlc up here. Golden has spent much of his first few . winner by many observers because one of your mind." "You've got to learn quickly how to bal­ weeks on the job tidying up the loose ends his opponents - Brighton's Michael Moran Golden spent the late 1980s as a legislative ance your duties inside the [State House] that follow a competitive campaign. He beat GOLDEN, page 21 attention students Join the All-Star • SEE CONTEST A T. I WoRKING _"A _sE_cTI_oN_wo_RTH_EM~~~~~~ INFORMATION INSIDE rt I ea m . • www.townonline.com/allstonbrighton man n atelier anniversary s a I e thursd~ fe.bruaRj 4 · frida':I f.bnNRj s 40-80% off 10-7 10-6 a I m o s t salurda':I ~Rj b 10-6 everything! 7~ 40% oH ""ITl(!Archilndista! des19ner of feel good clothing for women e~ 1684 massachusetts ave., cambridge, ma 1691 Mass. 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TAI, page 3 Library design plan Pajama party draws mixed reviews Community members praise "It's not going to tum into a brick colo­ nial," said Project Manager Matt Oudens. die interior, but some have Love added, "I think when you don't pre­ sent a building that is brick. people are sur­ questions about the facade prised and don't like it. "I'm convinced that if the building was By Debra Goldstein built as it is, every one of the people in this TAB Staff Writer room would love it," he added. he proposed design for Allston's Love said the building's exterior shape new public library drew equal retlected decisions made to maximize func­ amounts of admiration and trepi­ tionality and exposure to light inside the T dation as it was unveiled last library, and that it was aifficult to get a feel week to the public. for the scale and texture of the building from While community members said they love drawings and models. the light-filled, open design of the library's "We studied the building from the inside interior, some were taken aback by a facade out and the outside in," said Love. that includes the use slate shingles, wood As designed, the b"uilding would cover panels and a sloped roof. 20,000 square feet. Library patrons entering "This building has ugly building syn­ the building through the front door would drome," called out one audience member. A see the circulation desk nestled in a light­ hand vote showed that about half of the audi­ filled, elongated room, referred to as the ence members agreed with that reaction. "information super room." The tloors But the other half were thrilled with the throughout the building would be made of design, many of whom are neighbors of the wood and natural cork, and thousands of McNamara Cement Plant at 308 North books will be tucked in wooden bookcases. Harvard St., where the library will be built. As for what will fill those shelves, a total "I think it's great," said Allston resident of 50,000 items will make up the children's, Kathy Hill. Kathy Goodwin, another Allston adult, young adult and literacy collection. resident, said, "maybe something like this There will also be 1,000 oobks on tape, 800 will get the kids back to the library." compact discs, 700 videos, 85 periodical Project Architect Tim Love said he was subscriptions and 15 newspaper subscrip­ not surprised by the mixed reviews drawn by tions in the library. the skerches and model designed by his finn, Some of the building's other amenities Machado and Silvetti Associates Inc. include a meeting hall with seating for 140 "We want a building that is strong and people. The meeting hall can also be used as striking," said Love. "You want people to a polling site or be divided into two unequal have a strong reaction." size meeting rooms. There will also be a sep­ Many of the community members who are arate IS-person conference room in another opposed to the design suggested that brick, part of the library, and a study room with molding and scrollwork be added to the exte- seating for four people. rior. Separate adult and children's reading areas .................. Mlltinaoo wouJd each have two glass walls that look the design, and they would take the sugges­ out into courtyards and direct access gardens. tions and comments made by community One of the courtyards is designated as the Brighton the bear accompanied eighth-grader Vicki Tolman (right) and her daRnate Ddlbie O'Leary to pajama day at St. Columbkille's School, as part of Catholic Scbooh Week festivities. members at the 1m.>eting into consideration as children's courtyard garden, and was built Jhey consider changes. LIBRARY, page 17 Fire leaves a dozen residents homeless Conection A story about the Commonwealth. Tenants Early-morning Colbome in a first-tloor bedroom and took about 90 ing extra air bottles to supplement the half­ Associatioo's crusade for a new playground minutes to extinguish, said Fire Department hour of air individual firefighters were [''Eight years later, tenants still waiting for new Road blaze injures two spokesperson Steve MacDonald. "' already carrying, and a truck with spot­ playground, Jan. 2<>-Feb. I] incorrectly spelled Damage to the building was estimated at lights to keep the site well-lit. the name of tenant activist Regina Pinkney.