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

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

KentXie said:
It's still going to be a dorm, with access managed by proctors and rooms managed by NU. NU do have off-campus properties that they own but nothing as large as this scale and there is no way that they will leave it as "rooming houses."

And yes, NU do have money to build the structure. NU was set the double to size of its Burlington campus but have not done anything to actually push the project forward. The money is still there and can be allocated to this dorm instead seeing how this project is more imminent. If NU has the fund to expand its Burlington Campus, then it has the money to build the dorm instead.
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Kente -- if NU wants to build a dorm with a private developer and some participation of the Y -- well that is there collective right and their BUSINESS

If you don't like it - come up with the funds to buy them out -- that is the only way that anyone outside of the deal should be able to do anything except to talk about the project

No one outside of the principals and the citizenry of Boston though their election of the Mayor and Council shoudl have any cotrol over the matter -- NIMBYs should try to elect the government that they think represents them and then let it function according to city, state and federal laws, City Charter, state and federal consitutions -- no special deals
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

The YMCA members also have a stake in the outcome and should have a voice. Not a veto, but a voice.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Ron -- of course as the Y is a party to the project

However -- so should the NU community (Faculty, Students, Staff, Alums) --- in both cases the affected members of the community are a bit like the body poliitic of the city and the respective overseeing / trustee boards should be aware of their members and other constituents concerns and issues -- in the right context
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Tuesday night marked another disappointment for supporters of making the Huntington Avenue YMCA an official Boston Landmark.

The Boston Landmarks Commission denied a second petition to consider upgrading the building's status to a Boston Landmark with state/regional significance. When the petition was first denied at the Commission’s May meeting, petitioners were told they could present new research and information to the Commission at a later date.

Source: http://southend.patch.com/articles/huntington-ymca-denied-landmark-status-a-second-time
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

whighlander said:
Kente -- if NU wants to build a dorm with a private developer and some participation of the Y -- well that is there collective right and their BUSINESS

If you don't like it - come up with the funds to buy them out -- that is the only way that anyone outside of the deal should be able to do anything except to talk about the project

No one outside of the principals and the citizenry of Boston though their election of the Mayor and Council shoudl have any cotrol over the matter -- NIMBYs should try to elect the government that they think represents them and then let it function according to city, state and federal laws, City Charter, state and federal consitutions -- no special deals
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And you're telling me this...why?
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

The Y isn't being forced against their will to sell off part of the building are they? From the articles I've read, the Y says they are going to use the money from the sale to renovate and improve the facilities they have to provide community services. It sounds like what's being lost is the gym. I was a member of the Y at one point and went to the gym there and it's no treasure. What is the real motive of the Y members who want to block the sale if in the long run it's going to hinder the ability of the Y to provide community services? I'm sorry, but it just sounds like reactionary people who fear change don't want to change gyms. I used to always see the same old guys hanging around the locker room at whatever hour of the day I went there, but never saw them actually use the gym. Are these the people complaining because they'll lose their hang out? Just wondering.

Seriously though, would the Y even be able to continue without the money from selling part of the building?
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

dshoost88 said:
IT'S A FREAKING RESIDENCE HALL!!! It will house students in a single, central location relative to campus as oppose to more of them dispersing to Mission Hill, the Fenway, South End, Back Bay, and Roxbury neighborhoods where meeting-after-meeting "geniuses" like you complain about how bad everyone/everything with potential is for this city.

You and your Save-The-Y mates have gotten so annoying over the past year, I feel like you're missing the point of this project. If this project fails to get off the ground because of your NIMBY-ism, then the Huntington YMCA will effectively be broke/forced to close down and ironically enough it will be the fault of "Save The Y" supporters that ultimately cause the foundation's own demise.

Think about that.
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Well said!!!
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

KentXie said:
And yes, NU do have money to build the structure. NU was set the double to size of its Burlington campus but have not done anything to actually push the project forward. The money is still there and can be allocated to this dorm instead seeing how this project is more imminent. If NU has the fund to expand its Burlington Campus, then it has the money to build the dorm instead.
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Northeastern did double the size of the Burlington campus with a private donation earmarked for that building.

http://www.northeastern.edu/news/stories/2011/09/kostas_institute.html
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Select "Portfolio" > "On the Boards" > "View Projects" > "GrandMarc at Northeastern" for some project renders...

http://www.dimellashaffer.com/
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Are those new?
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Set back so far from the street -- it should have been twice as tall!
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

vanshnookenraggen said:
Are those new?
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Only a couple of the shots are (pics 2 and 7), but for the most part they're more of the same.

Also, there's no way this will be open in time for the Fall 2013 semester.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

whighlander said:
Kente -- if NU wants to build a dorm with a private developer and some participation of the Y -- well that is there collective right and their BUSINESS

If you don't like it - come up with the funds to buy them out -- that is the only way that anyone outside of the deal should be able to do anything except to talk about the project

No one outside of the principals and the citizenry of Boston though their election of the Mayor and Council shoudl have any cotrol over the matter -- NIMBYs should try to elect the government that they think represents them and then let it function according to city, state and federal laws, City Charter, state and federal consitutions -- no special deals
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This site is zoned for 98" and the proposed tower in 198" feet so the "dorm" does not meet existing requirements.

Furthermore, the BRA and the Boston Zoning Commission are one and the same body.

Finally, those most effected by the loss of this resource are teens and pre-teens who are too young to vote.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

joegenius said:
....Finally, those most effected by the loss of this resource are teens and pre-teens who are too young to vote.
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I concur ---"HUH!"

The reasons you don't vote as a teen or preteen beside lack of maturity:
1) you probably don't have much of clue of what is going on beyond your immediate backyard, school yard and / or playground
2) you probably don't work for a living -- if you are working its mostly for gratuitous products and services
3) you probably don't manage a household
4) you probably don't pay taxes (Federal, State or Local)

That is why society in its "infinite wisdom" has decided that you should express your opinions on such matters through talking with and to your parents and trying to influence them to represent your point of view -- to paraphrase Mark Twain

when I was about 16 my father was a dunce wrong about everything -- but by the time I was 21 i was amazed at how much the old man learned in just 5 years
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

joegenius said:
This site is zoned for 98" and the proposed tower in 198" feet so the "dorm" does not meet existing requirements.

Furthermore, the BRA and the Boston Zoning Commission are one and the same body.

Finally, those most effected by the loss of this resource are teens and pre-teens who are too young to vote.
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But their parents vote, where are they?

People need to realize, it's the YMCA that decided to remove the facilities, not Northeastern. NU will be building on vacant land. For the advocates it's just another chance to bash NU.

Zoning was set low to force developers to go through a hearing process to squeeze out neighborhood benefit, extortion.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

BostonObserver said:
But their parents vote, where are they?

People need to realize, it's the YMCA that decided to remove the facilities, not Northeastern. NU will be building on vacant land. For the advocates it's just another chance to bash NU.

Zoning was set low to force developers to go through a hearing process to squeeze out neighborhood benefit, extortion.
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Boston -- in essence it was a "fire sale" by the Y

The old Y as we had known it was going to go away -- either it would close completely or by selling off the space for NU to build the dorm it could re-focus what it had left in assets on its core mission

The Y like the Christian Science Church was just adapting to the 21st century --the big winners in the institution lottery: MFA, BSO, Universities -- who can attract heavy-weight donors are going to be in the driver's seat - all the rest are going to have to adapt, accommodate or disappear
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Boston-area YMCAs have discounted memberships for the new year!
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

BostonObserver said:
But their parents vote, where are they?

People need to realize, it's the YMCA that decided to remove the facilities, not Northeastern. NU will be building on vacant land. For the advocates it's just another chance to bash NU.

Zoning was set low to force developers to go through a hearing process to squeeze out neighborhood benefit, extortion.
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N.U. will not be building on vacant land! please go to savethebostony.com to see the artist's rendering of the "dorm".

Yes, the pre-teens who are served by the Y's programs will be the big losers here. Gee, do you think that Northeastern is broken up by having less African American and Latino kids around their students?
 
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Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

The Y will be having 2 meetings for members regarding the proposed demolition of the Huntington Ave. gym for a proposed Northeastern "dorm".

Tuesday, February 7 at 6 P.M.
Wednesday, February 8 at 7:30 P.M.

Savethebostony.com will be having a meeting at Bailis House, 352 mass. Ave, between St. Botolph St and Columbus Ave. on Sunday, February 19 at 4 P.M.

savethebostony.com
 
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