Brookline City Hall

J

Joe_Schmoe

Active Member
Joined
May 25, 2006
Messages
374
Reaction score
0
Can someone explain to me how Brookline City Hall went from:

gs_511.jpg


To:

city_hall_19641.jpg


Was there a fire in the old one or did they just go insane like the rest of Boston in the 60s and decide they needed something modern? It would be hilarious if it weren't so tragic.
 
I don't know the answer, but ... it's Brookline Town Hall. (People who live in towns tend to be very picky about this.)
 
^that's funny. I was about to say the same thing! We'd certainly save money by centralizing and consolidating municipal services with Boston.
 
If Boston gathered an army and invaded, we would so beat the crap out of Brookline :twisted:
 
Ahh but we have a parking ban, so you can't park your tanks and humvees here.
 
Sweethearts ...

No, my friends, that's the wrong direction.

Brookline should NOT be part of Boston.

Neither should Hyde Park, Roslindale and West Roxbury.

Or Dorchester, East Boston, and Jamaica Plain.

Or Allston and Brighton.

Or South Boston.

Boston should be North End, South End, West End, Waterfront, The Fenway, and maybe (maybe) Charlestown, for old times' sake.

Roxbury can decide for themselves if they want to stick with us.

The other neighborhoods share pretty much nothing in common with the downtown neighborhoods.

Well, except for the fact that the downtown neighborhoods cover all the outer-neighborhoods' expenses, from schools to street cleanings to snow plowings to police officers to firefighters, etc.
 
Brookline is closely connected to Kenmore Square, Allston Village, JP, and Brighton. The only place that isn't is South Brookline, where all the money is.
 
Re: Sweethearts ...

IMAngry said:
No, my friends, that's the wrong direction.

Brookline should NOT be part of Boston.

Neither should Hyde Park, Roslindale and West Roxbury.

Or Dorchester, East Boston, and Jamaica Plain.

Or Allston and Brighton.

Or South Boston.

Boston should be North End, South End, West End, Waterfront, The Fenway, and maybe (maybe) Charlestown, for old times' sake.

Roxbury can decide for themselves if they want to stick with us.

The other neighborhoods share pretty much nothing in common with the downtown neighborhoods.

Well, except for the fact that the downtown neighborhoods cover all the outer-neighborhoods' expenses, from schools to street cleanings to snow plowings to police officers to firefighters, etc.
Click to expand...

That doesn't really make any sense. You want all the neighborhoods to be as alike as possible? Should Queens and Manhattan be different cities?
 
Maybe!

Well, why are Queens & Manhattan part of New York City? They share very little except proximity.

I'd suggest they share a Mayor, but little else. Each Deputy Mayor controls a borough, right?

Without the property taxes of the Back Bay, Beacon Hill and South End (etc.), this city would be broke.

It's more than just about money, though. It's about needs and wants. The needs of a parent in Roslindale aren't the same as the needs of a parent in Back Bay. Why do they share the same government, then?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Re: Maybe!

IMAngry said:
It's more than just about money, though. It's about needs and wants. The needs of a parent in Roslindale aren't the same as the needs of a parent in Back Bay. Why do they share the same government, then?
Click to expand...

Because there always has to be a line drawn.

Why does Patrick govern western mass? Springfield and Boston are extremely different, yet they fall under the same state. Dont forget NYC and the rest of the state.

I think bigger is better. You reduce redundant positions and beaurocracy.
 
btw-I wonder if there are any surviving municipal buildings in the various neighborhoods before they were annexed?
 
bowesst said:
Maybe every neighborhood should be its own city.
Click to expand...

Perhaps...Independence seemed to work out well for Cambridge, Somerville and Brookline while annexation was a disaster for Dorchester and Roxbury. Until recently you could also put the South End, Charlestown and JP in the disaster catagory.
 
South End was always part of Boston.

Brookline started as part of Boston but separated in 1705. (The town seal still says "Muddy River A Part of Boston Founded 1630".) It rejected re-annexation by referendum in 1873, the same day that neighboring Brighton voted for it. Brookline either voluntarily gave up its Charles River shoreline, or was forced to give it up, to connect Brighton to Boston. (Anyone know for sure?)
 
Re: Maybe!

IMAngry said:
The people in Hyde Park, Roslindale, West Roxbury, East Boston, South Boston, etc., get a free ride.
Click to expand...

Eh, I think West Roxbury probably covers most of its own expenses. Low crime rate + high property value + high median income = a high tax income & low expenditure area for the city.
Besides I think most neighborhoods, even the South End, etc are probably subsidized to some extent by the taxes from financial district.
 
Ron Newman said:
South End was always part of Boston.
Click to expand...

No it wasn't, everything south of NE Medical Center and most of the Back Bay were part of Roxbury until it was annexed. Modern day Copley Square was once Roxbury.
 
Brookline is its own institution/cult. We would never accept annexation.

But I'm still wondering about the history of the former town hall. Anybody have any more info?
 
blade_bltz said:
Brookline is its own institution/cult. We would never accept annexation.

But I'm still wondering about the history of the former town hall. Anybody have any more info?
Click to expand...

Where was the old town hall located? On the same site as the 'new' one?
 
Nopee

Nopee ...

Besides I think most neighborhoods, even the South End, etc are probably subsidized to some extent by the taxes from financial district.
Click to expand...

Residential property taxes far outweigh commercial property taxes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top