Bulfinch Crossing | Congress Street Garage | West End

Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

Beton Brut said:
If this is indeed true, am I alone in finding it both shameful and absurd?
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Actually, I've always been under the impression that is how all government action works.

The louder group x yells about cause y, the more likely the government will respond.
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

Which to a large extent is how things should be in a democracy.
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

^^Those who can afford the biggest microphone get the most say?
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

Perhaps I'm being naive, but aren't these smiling faces, and this city department in the business of making sure that taxpayers expectations (and their children's needs) are addressed proactively?

And to make sure we're all reading from the same script, I'm not at all adverse to seeing a school incorporated into Raymond's program for the Garage redevelopment project (even if the project doesn't incorporate city-owned land); further, there's nothing that I can see in the current proposal that would preclude a school being incorporated into the podium of the towers, much like this (stalled?) project in NYC. I do, however, strongly disagree with Mike Ross's tactics to strong-arm the developer to win his approval.

Ron Newman said:
Which to a large extent is how things should be in a democracy.
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I think there's a big difference between advocating for a change in public policy (i.e. a noise ordinance where a commercial district rubs against a residential area) or for the constant improvement of public amenities (i.e. cleaning and repairing parks and playgrounds) and petitioning for a capital project costing tens of millions of dollars.

Am I wrong to assume that the Boston School Department has a strategic plan to grow and improve our schools?
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

Ron Newman said:
Which to a large extent is how things should be in a democracy.
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I can think of innumerable situations in which an extremely loud or well funded group of activists do not represent the interests of the majority. If we're talking about how things "should be", I would prefer that our leaders take the vocal minority into account but govern with an eye toward the needs and rights of the wider community.
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

Ron Newman said:
Which to a large extent is how things should be in a democracy.
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Thank god we live in a republic with representatives who delegate power to administrative agencies to make determinations on this kind of thing, then.
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

Before we all start piling on Ron, consider that:

commuter guy said:
...there is already a K-8 Boston Public school in the N. End. The Eliot School.
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&

Ron Newman said:
...it's at capacity, which is why people are asking for an additional school.
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Planning a new school likely takes years. Is there a plan, for these neighborhoods, and others? What concerns me is that the parents who attended the last meeting may never benefit from a school built on the Raymond site -- their toddlers may be ready for high school by then.

And also consider this piece by Ted Landsmark. How far could $40-million go to build new or improve existing schools every year?
 
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Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

Beton Brut said:
Does anyone know the answer to these questions?



I'd really like to know.
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I would think the first step would be to look at the existing school(s) in the area - like the Eliot School - and see if it is at capacity and if there is a waiting list and how long. You would also look at the number of applicants for that school over a period of time, and then see how many of those have dropped off the waiting list and have not gone into any other public school. I don't know what kind of census data you could look at, other than birth records at local hospitals. Maybe you could look at the existing private schools in the area, and their enrollment numbers, and where those kids live. You have to find a way to measure demand.
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

I asked two questions of a close friend who teaches in the Boston system:

1. If a school is needed at this or any location, what tools does the City use to determine a course of action?
2. Is there a long-term strategic plan for capital projects, such as school construction and renovation?

His replies:
1. As far as tools, I think it's a magic eight ball. BPS proper has no say and I'm not sure what branch of government makes the call, (aside form the obvious muttering mayoral visage).
2. "Long term strategic plan?" BPS? Are you smoking crack?

I'm sorry to have taken this thread off topic...
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

A North End resident told me that the school is oversubscribed now. The situation is not helped, she suggested, by the fact that 50% of the seats go to students outside the neighborhood. (I'm not an expert on Boston busing, so I don't know if this is true.)
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

Why not close the existing north end school and make one larger, happier school at this location?
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

^ They're interesting, and sometimes lively. We've joked about the food: the developer has had a spread (coffee, finger-food, sandwiches) at his meetings, but don't expect the same trappings from the BRA.

In all seriousness, these meetings improve (no matter where they happen, or what's on the agenda) when more interested and well informed parties (like those who post here) attend. Be prepared to listen attentively (to folks you may not agree with), and be civil and honest in equal measure. Thoughtful questions and informed comments improve the process.
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

jass said:
Why not close the existing north end school and make one larger, happier school at this location?
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I'd rather see one larger, happier school in the North End, to accomodate the North End students. They could walk to school, rather than bus or risk their lives crossing the surface roads. Although, they would get the opportunity to play catch in the nice weather...
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

The only people I want to hear from about schools are parents and teachers.
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

The ENF for this project has been formally submitted to the office of environmental affairs.
Some interesting information regarding this 2.2 billion dollar project:

Total of five buildings ranging in height from 60 to 710 feet.

Total of 3.8 million sf of mixed use space.

2,000 parking spaces, the majority of which will be in above ground parking structures wrapped in retail and office space.

Net loss of only 300 parking spaces.

Transfer of 18,500 sf of excess sidewalk space from the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority to the City of Boston, who will then sell to developer.

Proposal includes air right component over NSTAR substation as well as reconstructing Police station A-1.

Parcel 1, the area east of Congress Street, will include two new buildings, totaling 400,000 square feet. The
buildings will be approximately 125 feet and 175 feet tall. While primarily residential, these buildings will also
house the Haymarket MBTA bus station and subway entrances, ground floor retail, and offices on lower floors. The
upper floors will be residential. One 20,000 square-foot level of underground parking for approximately 50 vehicles
is proposed for Parcel 1.
Three new interconnected buildings are proposed to be built on Parcel 2, the area west of Congress Street and east
of Bowker Street. At the base of Parcel 2 will be a five-story podium structure housing an aboveground parking
garage. The garage will be wrapped with a mix of retail, hotel, and office uses that will mask the parking garage
from view from all major streets. An approximately 555-foot Class A office tower and a 240-foot hotel will be built
on cup of the podium structure. At this preliminary stage, the hotel is estimated to have approximately 460 rooms.
The aboveground parking garage at the center of the podium building will accommodate approximately
181,000 square feet of aboveground parking (approximately 450 spaces).
An approximately 710-foot, Class A office tower is proposed for Parcel 3, the westernmost portion of the proposed
project, in order to concentrate density as far away from the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway as possible (see
Attachment 2h). Parcel 3 will provide approximately 269,000 square feet of aboveground parking on six levels, for
approximately 700 spaces. The tower will have retail on the ground floor and also house the District A-1 Police
Station which will occupy space on one or more of the lower floors. The remainder of the tower will be office
space.
A 300,000 square-foot underground parking garage on Parcels 2 and 3 will provide approximately 800 additional
parking spaces on two levels.
Attachment 2a shows a proposed site plan; 2b a plan of the podium level; and 2c a plan of a typical tower level.
Attachments 2d, 2e, 2f, and 2g depict computer renderings of the proposed project, including views that compare
existing with proposed conditions. Please note that the depiction of the buildings represents just the master planning
to date only. It should be used only as a means of studying the proposed preliminary massing and concepts for the
development and not be interpreted as depicting the details of the proposed buildings' architectural design.

http://www.mass.gov/envir/mepa/pdffiles/enfs/032509em/14383.pdf
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

What is 'excess sidewalk space' and where is it?
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

^^Yeah, since when is the Turnpike Auth. so flush with cash that they can just give away valuable real estate? They must be getting something out of this deal.
 
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