Re: Russia Wharf
Artists channel anger
Russia Wharf changes draw fire
By Thomas Grillo
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Harbor advocates and Fort Point artists say proposed changes at Russia Wharf will limit access to the waterfront building and may even violate state law.
Boston Properties, owner of the $500 million development under construction near the Children?s Museum, has asked the state Department of Environmental Protection for approval to move its multimedia center to the second level. DEP approval is required because the state?s Chapter 91 statute mandates public access to waterfront properties.
?I have raised lots of questions,? said Vivien Li, executive director of the Boston Harbor Association. ?Boston Properties has moved the water transportation waiting area to accommodate a larger restaurant and they moved some public uses to the second floor. Everything is supposed to be on the ground floor.?
In January, the Boston Redevelopment Authority approved changes for the mixed-use project along the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The 31-story tower would now feature 65 condominiums, office space and up to 17 units of artist/work space.
But Fort Point artists say they don?t want private spaces. They prefer the previous plan, which allowed for gallery space on the first floor.
?We never asked for artist work-only space,? said Paul Bernstein, president of Fort Point Arts Community. ?Workspaces would help a few people, but a gallery would serve the community.?
Another artist asked, ?How do private studios create a public destination??
Michael Cantalupa, senior vice president at Boston Properties, said the plan will increase the publicly accessible space by more than 40 percent.
?We believe these are positive enchancements and will create an active and vibrant space,? he said. ?And if there?s any need to clarify for the public, we are more than happy to meet with anyone at any time.?
The BRA?s Richard McGuiness said the city supports the changes because the latest revisions accommodate multiple uses for the site.
A DEP spokesman said the comment period is open until April 3. A decision is expected later this spring.
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