GrandMarc Residence Hall (YMCA) @ Northeastern U | 291 St. Botolph Street | Fenway

Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

From the article the main issue seems to be the fact that they work out there. Well WOW might be cheaper than a YMCA membership and you can socialize there too. Keep in mind what the C stands for, its not like this place (granted in theory not actuality) is ment for everymember is this comunity. I have no problem with Y's, I learned how to swim in one, but if they can't pay the bills, have been deferring on repairs, and are forced to sell well then thats what happens. And if the demand is truelly that strong for another gym to open, then one will.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Private fitness centers don't have basketball courts for kids, which is one of the things cited in the article. The delay is a reasonable response to the members' objections. It lasts only 90 days and should give the YMCA enough time to address the issues that are being raised.

(And YMCAs, despite their historic name, don't serve Christians to the exclusion of others.)
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Disagree, they couldn't afford to continue opperation. Whats there to discuss? Private gyms do sometimes offer Bball courts, I know BSC's do. I don't think there are that many kids in this area, and they will have to get their bball fix somewhere else or maybe join a team. This is like factory workers protesting a plant closure.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

The majority of the kids that I would see using the Huntington Y are from Roxbury (crime/drug deterrent) and they can just use the Roxbury Y.

Anyone have stats?
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Or they could go out and play at a basketball court like I did as a kid since there was no YMCA in Charlestown. (There's a Boy's and Girl's Club which I occasionally went).
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Private fitness centers don't have basketball courts for kids, which is one of the things cited in the article. The delay is a reasonable response to the members' objections. It lasts only 90 days and should give the YMCA enough time to address the issues that are being raised.

That would be a logical step if it was the purpose of the Landmarks Commission to decide whether or not they have a legitimate beef. It's not its purpose; it's supposed to make these decisions based on the merits of the building, not the people in the building. They've over-reached.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

If the YMCA building is on the National Register of Historic Places as the article stated, then the Landmarks Commission is doing what it should do.

The city can issue such an order only once, and only for 90 days.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Private fitness centers don't have basketball courts for kids, which is one of the things cited in the article. The delay is a reasonable response to the members' objections. It lasts only 90 days and should give the YMCA enough time to address the issues that are being raised.

(And YMCAs, despite their historic name, don't serve Christians to the exclusion of others.)

That's part of why they've re-branded over time with YMCA, and now simply "the Y." I'm a member of the West Roxbury Y, and I can vouch that it plays a very positive community role. The question of funding is problematic, though. If the Y as presently constituted can't afford the cost of maintaining its facilities and programs, who can or should be responsible?
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

There are parts of the country where they are bringing the Y back to it's religious roots.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Oh boy, here comes the shadow argument again.
NU plan for dorm faces new roadblock
Historic panel sees an ?adverse effect?

By Akilah Johnson
Globe Staff / March 23, 2011

Northeastern University faces a new and significant roadblock in its efforts to construct a 17-story dormitory behind the century-old Huntington Avenue YMCA.

Tweet Yahoo! Buzz ShareThis The Massachusetts Historical Commission said that demolishing the YMCA?s gymnasium to construct the $75 million building would have ?an adverse effect?? on the YMCA, the neighboring New England Conservatory of Music, and nearby historic districts, including the South End Landmark District and Lower Roxbury Historic District.

?The size and scale of the new construction overwhelms the historic YMCA building and thus alters the setting of the historic property,?? the commission said in a March 14 letter. The commission said it fears that the dormitory will block sunlight and overshadow an area of two- to five-story buildings constructed in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The commission suggested NU consider other locations, or low-rise buildings.

Before the project can move forward, it must receive approval from the historical commission, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, and the Boston Landmarks Commission.

The Landmarks Commission this month ordered the university to delay any construction until early June, and demonstrate that they considered other possible sites. And the BRA said it plans to review the issues raised by the historical commission, but that it supports NU?s efforts to house more students in dormitories. NU has promised to add 1,800 student beds on campus, as part of an effort to reduce the impact of students on residential neighborhoods.

?The city and the [Boston Redevelopment Authority] are supportive of Northeastern University?s solution to fulfill its commitment to the city,?? authority spokeswoman Susan Elsbree said in a statement. ?These new dormitories will help ease the burden on the neighborhood?s housing stock, and working families in our city.??

Northeastern says it is operating on a tight deadline. Construction would have to begin this summer for the dorm, which would house 720 undergraduates, to open in August 2013.

?They are under tremendous pressure to build because we are losing many of our neighborhoods to what?s become kind of an off-campus campus,?? said City Councilor Michael Ross.

John Tobin, a former city councilor who is now Northeastern?s vice president of city and community relations, said all of the historical commission?s concerns will be addressed.

?The team is on them right now,?? Tobin said, adding that he?s not worried about the dormitory?s effect on the surrounding area. ?This design, and the building, has been shown multiple times. It?s a really good-looking building, and it fits nicely there.??

The first phase of the university?s efforts to keep its student housing pledge went into effect last year with the opening of International Village, a 1,200-bed residence hall at Tremont Street and Melnea Cass Boulevard.

The YMCA project has been altered since it was first disclosed. In October, Northeastern, the YMCA of Greater Boston, and Phoenix Property Co. agreed that Phoenix would purchase two of three sections of the YMCA?s headquarters on Huntington Avenue for about $21.5 million. But Tobin said Friday that Northeastern will now buy the YMCA?s Hastings Wing, for about $10 million, while Phoenix will buy the other section.

The Hastings Wing already houses four floors of Northeastern classrooms and student housing and several nonprofit tenants.

The YMCA will continue to own part of the building and keep its headquarters there. The Y plans to use the money from the sale to renovate the building.

?It?s an opportunity for us to make a reinvestment of this building,?? said Kelley Rice, spokeswoman for the YMCA of Greater Boston. ?We want to deliver to the community a contemporary facility that?s more welcoming.??

Rice said the main building?s facade and the architectural detail on the Hastings Wing will remain, and so will the huge YMCA sign.

But many Y members have voiced opposition to the plans. More than 1,000 of the organization?s 2,700 members signed a petition opposing the dorm project to prevent Phoenix Co. from buying the St. Botolph wing and turning it into dorms for Northeastern.

?This is much more than a gym,?? said Calvin Arey, the organizer of the petition drive and a member of the YMCA for 15 years. Arey praised the diversity of the YMCA?s membership and its success at fostering relationships.

?Some of my friends who are members of the Y were brought there as kids by their parents,?? he said. ?I?ve made lifelong friends there.??

Ross said he understands the YMCA members? concerns, but thinks the project can succeed.

?The plan,?? he said, ?will not sacrifice the majority of the services that the YMCA offers.??

Akilah Johnson can be reached at ajohnson@globe.com.

http://www.boston.com/news/educatio...panel_frowns_on_nu_dorm_plans/?p1=Local_Links

Seriously, fuck Boston and some of its people.

Community: "Hey we want your students out of our neighborhoods."

NU: "Okay then, we will build another dorm on our campus to resolve that problem. It will house 1800 students."

Community: "No, you will cast eternal darkness upon ancient buildings. Tell you what, why don't you build little by littlle by building low-rises."

NU: "By doing so, we would need to expand into the neighborhood because our campus don't have enough room to build tiny dorms and would require years to obtain new property and approval."

Community: "No it must be built on campus and it must been done as soon as possible."

NU: "But we can't do both. We can only do one-

Community: "No"

NU: "But if you want our students on campus we have to build high-

Community: "NO"

NU: "Or allow us to expand-

Community: "No, no, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO, HEEHAW, HEEHAW, HEEHAW."
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Complaining about shadows on parks was bad enough. But shadows on buildings? Now I've seen everything.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Careful, it could change the migration paths of endangered birds, too, with all that height. OH THE HORROR OF 17 STORIES OF NU WRATH.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

If 1000 of 2700 YMCA members are objecting, the plans need to be revised. That's a lot of internal dissent.

Doesn't Northeastern still have a lot of parking lots on the other side of the railroad where a dorm could be built?
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

If 1000 of 2700 YMCA members are objecting, the plans need to be revised. That's a lot of internal dissent.

Doesn't Northeastern still have a lot of parking lots on the other side of the railroad where a dorm could be built?

Northeastern needs parking for students and faculties. Unless you propose that they build a dorm tower on top of a massive parking garage. You would also have to contend with the community there who already shot down a proposed stadium.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

this really takes the cake. I've been here over 20 years as a business owner and its just getting impossible to do anything. when I read this this morning it was just further validation of the decision I made last year...I'm moving myself and my business to NY. There is real estate development happening there, the people embrace living in a city as meaning that you actually live in a city. I'm done.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Lucky, I think you'll be disappointed with the development climate in NY too. Sure, more projects seem to happen there at a faster clip, but I think that's more a function of specuative demand and concentration of capital than anything else. On the ground it's a nimbytastic mess to rival Boston's - see for example the issue of bike lanes. NY City Hall acts with autonomy BRA-style, and in addition, borough government and ultra-local pols always want their share. Nothing from the state government can ever be counted on to be supportive, timely, or clean... I know it may seem counterintuitive looking at the results, but looking at the process I would say that Boston has an equal if not better development climate than NY right now.

Also, this project under discussion will get built. There's always this sort of ritualistic kabuki dramatics that must take place.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Northeastern is next to a Green Line stop, an Orange Line stop, and a commuter rail stop. It also has plenty of garages. There is no reason for it to have any surface parking lots at all.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Northeastern is next to a Green Line stop, an Orange Line stop, and a commuter rail stop. It also has plenty of garages. There is no reason for it to have any surface parking lots at all.

Ron Newman. I like your posts and all but please get out of the delusion that just because there is public transit that people will not need/use cars.

If you have ever been to the surface lot near Ruggles, you will know that the parking lot is always 100% filled. Students drive to classes because it's more convenient, especially during the winter when you would have to wait for a bus to get to the train to get to class (like I did during my freshman year living in Charlestown). It's also faster. It takes me 45 minutes using public transit but only 15 minutes by car to get to Northeastern. Students that live on campus (mainly out of states) park their cars here because its more convenient for them to drive to clubs and bars without having to constantly transfer from the E line, to the B line or whatever lines to get anywhere. Many faculties come from Northern Mass. Sure it is served by the commuter rail there but having to wait for the train and transfer onto the Orange Line (or Green) is inconvenient not to mention a waste of time if the Orange Line (or Green) is late when they go home that it causes them to miss their train at North Station and having to wait another hour to catch the next train.

Also due to NEU, co-op program, many students work at location that requires a car to get to. I won't be surprised if at least 1/3 of students on co-op need to use their car to get to work. Those are more attractive because there are less competition and tend to pay more.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

But Northeastern also has plenty of garages. Why does it need surface lots?
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

I dont expect NY to be "easy", but the barriers to the construction and operation of the business I operate are dramatically lower in NY. In NY there are areas of the city that are welcoming and courting a business like mine, while in Boston the zoning and neighborhood groups make it next to impossible to consider moving or expanding my operation.

Look, there are things about Boston I will miss and there are also a-holes in NY. But there is no question that in considering where I will be able to execute concepts and build a future I've realized that Boston has become hostile while in NY there are places that see what I do as having value, instead of just being a nuisance to complain about.
 

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