Charlesview can be better

Last night’s meeting was packed!  It was great to see how many came out to be involved in their neighborhood’s future.  I was especially glad to see lots of Charlesview residents in attendance.

I thought Chris Hill of CBT Architects did a great job with what he was given to work with.  He really listened a year ago and integrated our key demands.  Most of the buildings near Holton St blend well with the surrounding neighborhood.  A small park was added.  A “greenway” to the river was added.  Retail space along Western Ave was added.

Here’s the problem:  The new park is quite small.  Although it was placed alongside the “path” to the river its not big enough to really be significant.  The buildings along Western Ave a still a little on the tall side and don’t offer enough retail space.

This isn’t Chris’ or Community Builder’s fault.  This is Harvard’s fault.  They’ve constrained the new Charlesview inside a small, fixed plot of land.  Some of the possible solutions seem obvious when looking at the site plan.

Harvard should give the property at 90 Antwerp St (1) to the Charlesview development effort

The inclusion of more land could be used to reduce density further and allow for more Western Ave retail space.  Frankly what else would Harvard do with this site since it will be surrounded on all sides by residential properties under the current plan?  Building on a comment made by Kevin McCrea this property should be rezoned residential once Brookline Machine moves out.

Furthermore this is an opportunity for Harvard to develop some of the Holton St corridor.

A large park could be introduced at 108 Holton.

This site would be central to the neighborhood for use by Charlesview and Allston-Brihgton residents to the North, East and West and future Harvard workers to the South.  I doubt that Charlesview has the means to develop such a park on their own, so this is an oppurtunity for Harvard to step up and make up for their failure at the Science Complex in a more significant way than Library Park.  And to state the obvious having a stable, green community to the North of their properties on Holton St and Lincoln St is in their best interests as well as ours.

Other comments:

• Chris also accommodated our demands for more parking and a more porous neighborhood.
• The economic integration in the new plan was questionable.  Home ownership units seemed to only be at perimeter while the rentals units were centrally grouped.  I’d like to see some more mixing in future plan updates.
• More home ownership units were added, but with more land more could be added.
• Kevin McCrea, candidate for Mayor, showed up and I found his comments empowering although I’m not ready to endorse anyone yet.
• Mark S. Ciommo, District 9 Councilor, showed up and made comments to try to bridge the schysin between A-B and Charlesview residents
• Alex Selvig, District 9 Councilor candidate, was on hand and demanded that Charlesview fix the current buildings
• Mayor Menino was not there, but is on the BRA website (2)
• Its unfortunate that this was the first real opportunity for Charlesview and A-B residents to discuss the issues at hand.  In general the Charlesview residents seemed to feel that A-B residents were acting as spoilers in their attempt to get better housing.  I think we have to listen to their concerns.  Although we are working in our and their best interests we have to prevent a stalemate with Harvard.  This serves no one except Harvard.  I support Jake’s efforts to have a meeting allowing Charlesview and A-B residents to meet without the BRA and the other players present.

(1) Although not listed as owned by Harvard on CityOfBoston.gov it is widely reported to be owned by Harvard http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/01/10/harvard_adds_to_its_land_holdings/

(2) Who is he welcoming?

Support Positive Change in our Neighborhood!

Community Artwork

Art is always controverial, but its better than mindless graffiti and blight.

Miles suggested flowers. Walsh suggested a skyline or clouds. Instead, in the weeks to come, the mural will fade to a blank wall.

…a blank wall that will become quickly blighted.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/08/21/allston_x_men_theme_mural_soon_must_fade_to_blank/

http://allston02134.blogspot.com/2009/08/say-goodbye-to-lincoln-st-mural.html

This is where I break from some of the long time residents and where I try to be more pragmatic for the good of the community.  Whether you love it or hate it, its an improvement and its removal will not help our community.

Support the new Corner Cafe coffee shop

A new not for profit cafe has opened near the corner of Western and North Harvard St were Stadium Convenience and more recently a Boston Housing Police substation were located.  During a walk to Harvard Square I noticed the new shop.  Walking over to investigate I found that it had just closed.  The workers there were nice enough to open up and let us buy some ice cream.  They also showed one of my friends their refrigerator packed with pastries from Finale.  Would a chain store reopen after hours or be staffed by such courtious people?  I think not (no comments about some of the staff at Bruegger’s at Shaw’s)

Important Charlesview meeting this Monday

We need to come together as a community and hammer home what the new Charlesview has to look like:

1. Better integration with the community

2. More public green space

3. More small retail space

4. Less density

The latest proposal in July is much better than the one proposed last year, but it can still be better yet.  We deserve better.

Repost:

Press Release:

August 24th: “Integration, Not Segregation!”
Community Rally and March for a better Charlesview Plan
Tell the BRA and Harvard “Enough is enough!” Preserve our Diversity, No
Segregation Between Rich and Working People!

Rally at 5:30 in Barry’s Corner (N. Harvard and Western Ave) at 5:30, walk
together to the 6:30 meeting about the Charlesview Plan at the Career
Recourse Center across from Brighton Mills McDonalds on Western Ave. We
will also hold a picket during the meeting.

After months of conversations with the community, the BRA, Harvard and the
Charlesview board have decided to ignore the overwhelming opinion of our
neighborhood and Charlesview tenants that the new Charlesview should
reflect the rest of North Allston/Brighton. We want to preserve our
diversity with a mixed income complex!

The BRA/Harvard/Charlesview Board’s Plan is to build a complex that will
house affluent tenants in market rate, waterfront housing, while sticking
the lower-income residents in a separate area by the Brighton Mills
parking lot.

This plan flies in the face of their own studies:
(Charlesview developers:) “Our experience has shown that, where the market
is ready, public housing residents, working poor families, and market rate
renters and owners, of different races, will live side by side in a high
quality housing development, with first-rate program supports, culturally
sensitive staff, and broadly appealing community activities.” This is a
publication by The Community Builders, the Charlesview Development Group,
titled “Resident Success in Economically Integrated, Socially Diverse
Housing”
http://www.tcbinc.org/what_we_do/resident_success/Ford_MIMR_Resident_…

(Harvard:) This blog post cites several Harvard studies about the
importance of integration and the damaging effects of economic
segregation.
http://allston02134.blogspot.com/2008/09/abnnfs-motivation-regarding-…

Commuter Rail Stop In Allston? Yes Please! Write a letter today!

However you may feel about parking in our ‘hood, the one thing that I think would clearly benefit everyone is a commuter rail stop on the tracks that already run right through our town. Now is the time to voice your support, prior to the Aug 7 deadline!

From Harry’s Blog:

If you want the train to stop for us, please write to Secretary James Aloisi by Friday August 7. All letters should be sent to:

Secretary James Aloisi
The Executive Office of Transportation
10 Park Plaza, Suite 3170
Boston, MA 02116

Read Harry’s full post here (with some great slides):

http://allston02134.blogspot.com/2009/08/send-your-support-for-ab-commuter-rail.html