Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)
To answer your assertions:
-This project will not have any effect on the availability or prices of Apartments in the East Fenway neighborhood that I have resided in for 31 of the last 34 years. ! bedroom apartments are available on Westland Ave. for $2200 I am acquainted with 3 students who split this. The Greenhouse goes for about $2500. this 3 ways. Northeastern has come up in the market over the years. The demographic it attracts, much of which is international, is well off enough so that "pricing out" students is unlikely at best. I lived at 24 Haviland St. for more than 19 years. When I moved in Berklee kids ate Ramen. by the time I left in 2009 they had Merry Maids cleaning their apartments.
-Methinks that the Fenway's student population will be much larger in 5 years as the social opportunities for students created by sheer numbers will grow.
-Whatever effect this project has will be for about 3 years until the time that NU's required 2 years in the dorm is finished. Students will always want freedom and no-smoking, no-drinking in dorms will not cut it.
Obvious exaggeration is obvious. I have yet to hear about any off campus students being able to afford maids to clean their apartments. This no more than fearmongering.
Furthermore, the fact that currently many of my fellow students are being waitlisted for dorming is decisive proof that, while students will always want freedom, etc etc, there is obviously a sufficient demand of students that want to stay on campus but an insufficient supply of dorms is able to support that. My friend who was waitlisted and was kept on that list is now forced to move up to the Hills.
So drop that argument since it's been disproved countless time.
In addition, it seems like this housing problem is not only the fault of Northeastern, but the Colleges of Fenway and Berklees. If you want prices to come down, demand that all of the surrounding universities build dorms to house their students.
-"Apathy"? YMCA members in my social circle have been very vocal for at least the last 5 years about the deferred maintenance of the gym. The Y should have mounted a capital drive 10 years ago. Indeed 1998-99 saw the improvements of the new weight room and additional cardio equipment. At that point the Y was a healthy institution and the window of opportunity was open for an appeal to members. Do you know many Y members? Rest assured they have not been pleased by the Y's in/actions of this century. Indeed, many think that this neglect of the facilities was a stratagem to to make the property more attractive to NU from the get-go. the ineptitude of the Y is staggering.
Then run for a position within the Y. It's always easy to say it but when you are actually part of the company, it's a lot harder to achieve what you say. Regardless, if this is in fact true, then the blame goes to the Y, not Northeastern.
-Was there any competitive bidding? NU and the Y have not responded to questions about the "process" that made NU the sole suitor. Was there any other prospective buyer who would have been able to preserve the gym?
Is there a law that requires competitive bidding? If not, then the Y is not under obligation to do so and they may choose to partner with whoever they wish to.
-As mentioned the real losers in this charade will be the teens who are not full-fledged members and are not as of yet able to vote. Yes, I think that NU will be glad that prospective student's families will not see black teens on Huntington Ave.
I feel like this comment should merit a ban or brig from the forum for race baiting but again, black teens are constantly seen at Northeastern, especially at Forsyth because Northeastern runs city-wide programs for local students, especially minorities. Again drop this argument.
-The gym to be built will have 6 hoops rather than the 9 of the former gym.
I'm sorry for your loss. I know that feel, Marino has 6 hoops but during certain days and times, it is restricted to 4 or 2.
-The one good thing about the new plan is that their will be a recreational pool and a therapeutic pool. This is a true gain.
Funny how you criticized this a few posts ago. Why the sudden change of heart? Maybe people like you don't deserve to have a pool for complaining.
-What makes it certain that a new Y will be built at all?
Is this an argument?
-The YMCA has a large number of members over 30. It would be very uncomfortable for them to use the Marino Center. Yes, I do think that most of these folks will be accommodated by other gyms. The teen users will NOT be absorbed by markets.
The first part of this statement is entirely false. I've seen Y members (I know because they are significantly older than than the normal attendees) at the Marino. In fact, last year during the summer the gym was probably at 10% capacity. This year, I have to wait between 5-10 minutes for a benching station. My friend Anita (formerly a BU student) is from the Huntington Y and I ran into her at the Marino before.
We get it. You didn't graduate from NU and now you're a bitter alumnus. Point taken.
