New Bar and Restaurant for Long Warf

I've always thought Long Wharf was way more vibrant than Rowes. The location of the latter is too deep into the Financial District for the non-work crowd to wander off onto, whereas Long Wharf captures some of the tourists wandering off the Freedom Trail or away from the Aquarium. In addition, Rowes scares people away by feeling like an exclusive, private space. That same intimacy that statler praises can make one feel like one doesn't belong without an expensive suit. I can imagine some people have been deterred from walking through the arch when the American flag is replaced with the hotel's, and one of the expensive display cars that's sometimes parked there betrays the space for what it is: an elaborate porte-cochere for those that belong inside, rather than a gateway welcoming all.

Boston needs more all season spaces!! No more warm weather venues!!
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Something like the glassed-in space at the Moakley Federal Courthouse (without all the attendant security) or the water-facing galleries of the ICA (without the cost of a ticket) would be nice...
 
Rowes Wharf is quite busy on summer weeknights when there is either live music or a movie playing outdoors.
 
If it takes programming, it's not the space that's drawing people.
 
Why does every square foot of Boston have to be full of people engaged in some kind of "activity"? Can't we introverts have some quiet, relatively peaceful space to call our own? I really don't see anything wrong with Long Wharf the way it is now; a few more barriers to deter skateboarders would be perfect!
 
I think skateboarders are great for cities. I was always mesmerized by the skateboarders in the Govt Center area; doesn't that count as street life?

(Full disclosure: I'm super jealous of the California sk8r kids I see all the time and wish I had been one in another life.)
 
Skateboarders are great as long as they don't damage things of historic value (like Trinity Church or the BPL)
 
I guess I'm the only old fart here who likes a bit of peace and quiet without the pounding and distraction of skateboards next to me. Nothing against the sport....there ought to be places for them to practice without pedestrians having to fear run-ins. I don't see how black, greasy markings on stone edges, benches, and stairs is not called "damage."
 
I've always found CC Park to be pretty peaceful and quite.

I guess we just see it differently. I think Boston has too many quite and peaceful places and not enough lively and interesting ones. Boston seems to have strange desire to suburbanize itself more and more with each passing year. I like it when we move in the opposite direction.

I do agree with you about skateboarders. I don't really mind them if they aren't being destructive to the property around them. A few bad apples and all that...
 
I guess we just see it differently. I think Boston has too many quite and peaceful places and not enough lively and interesting ones. Boston seems to have strange desire to suburbanize itself more and more with each passing year.
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Indeed.

I like it when we move in the opposite direction.
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When was the last time this happened?
 
I hope they changed the design and move the outdoor seating inland a bit but I hope this gets the go ahead.

Local Residents File Legal Challenge to Proposed Long Wharf Restaurant
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
In a legal filing to the Massachusetts Superior Court, a group of ten North End/Waterfront residents have turned to the courts to challenge to a proposed restaurant at the end of Long Wharf. The issues raised by the residents include excessive noise, damage to public open space and parkland and impairment of scenic quality on the wharf.

In 2007, the Boston Redevelopment Authority announced a lease to ?Doc?s Long Wharf,? for an enclosed 4,655 square-foot waterfront restaurant with outdoor cafe tables. The BRA was granted a license by the State?s Department of Environmental Protection under Chapter 91 laws. The DEP subsequently denied an appeal by the resident group on January 15, 2010, clearing the way for the proposed restaurant although it is unclear if ?Doc?s? is still the intended operator. The BRA and DEP are expected to respond to the legal challenge in the next 30 days before the court hears oral arguments on the case.

?The park at issue is located at the seaward (eastern) end of Long Wharf ? extensively used by residents and visitors to enjoy marine sights and sounds and for other passive-recreation purposes,? per the legal memo. ?It is unique among the wharves and parks in the downtown/waterfront area in the combination it provides of expansive harbor views - surrounded on three sides by water - and a spacious, quiet public space in which to enjoy them.?

Proposed structure to be expanded for new restaurant.The ten residents, as plaintiffs, say the BRA-owned space on Long Wharf is ?public waterfront parkland? and therefore protected by State law Article 97 which states that ?agencies shall not change the control or use of any right or interest in Article 97 land? without approval by the State Legislature. In addition to Article 97, they cite ?errors of law? in the DEP decision regarding the protection of views of the water, compliance with the Municipal Harbor Plan, the water-dependent use zone, and the proper public purpose requirement.

The plaintiffs are listed in the legal memo as Sanjoy Mahajan, Victor Brogna, Stephanie Hogue, David Kubiak, Mary McGee, Anne M. Pistorio, Thomas Schiavoni, Pasqua Scibelli, Robert Skole and Patricia Thiboutot. The majority of the plaintiffs are officers and/or committee chairs of the North End/Waterfront Residents? Association (NEWRA).
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http://www.northendwaterfront.com/h...e-legal-challenge-to-proposed-long-wharf.html
 
Sunday, May 1, 2011
The Licensing Board will hear from Doc?s Long Wharf on Tuesday, May 3rd regarding the non-use of its alcohol license as of March 30, 2011. Alcohol licenses expire after a non-use period of usually one year. Doc?s was intending to lease the location from the Boston Redevelopment Authority that owns the property. However, ten North End residents filed a lawsuit to oppose the restaurant at the end of Long Wharf. Hearings have concluded, although the court has yet to make a determination on the case. Shown below is the agenda for Tuesday?s meeting. Doc?s is listed as item #3.
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http://www.northendwaterfront.com/h...onsider-non-use-violation-by-docs-long-w.html
 
In a nutshell, this project represents what is wrong with Boston under Menino. A plan to turn an underutilized brick pavillion into a vibrant waterfront restaurant (in a city that has precious few) languishes for more than five years because of NIMBYism and a city government that dares not offend the "community". Pathetic.
 
What "community" objected to this? Harbor Towers?
 
To me, the most amazing part of this story is that this project was first proposed in 2006 and was slated to open over the Memorial Day weekend, 2008!! Who the hell pays the lawyer's fees for these people??
 
Once again, some people here jump on the bash Menino, bash the BRA bandwagon, yada, yada, --and never bother to spend three minutes doing a little research before they speak.

http://www.northendwaterfront.com/home/tag/docs-long-wharf

The city was a defendant along with Docs against the 10 NIMBYs who are named in the above URL.

The BRA said in their filing that ?there are no facts alleged in the Complaint which demonstrate Plaintiffs are aggrieved ? Further, there is no private right of action under Article 97 and a request for declaratory judgment under M.G.L. ch 231A is not an independent statutory basis for standing.?

The ten residents, as plaintiffs, claim the BRA-owned space on Long Wharf is ?public waterfront parkland? and therefore protected by State law Article 97 which states that ?agencies shall not change the control or use of any right or interest in Article 97 land? without approval by the State Legislature. In addition to Article 97, they cite ?errors of law? in the DEP decision regarding the protection of views of the water, compliance with the Municipal Harbor Plan, the water-dependent use zone, and the proper public purpose requirement. Potential issues raised by the residents include excessive noise, damage to public open space/parkland and impairment of scenic quality on the wharf.


The plaintiffs are listed in the legal memo as Sanjoy Mahajan, Victor Brogna, Stephanie Hogue, David Kubiak, Mary McGee, Anne M. Pistorio, Thomas Schiavoni, Pasqua Scibelli, Robert Skole and Patricia Thiboutot.
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The majority of the plaintiffs are officers and/or committee chairs of the North End/Waterfront Residents? Association (NEWRA).
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Also see:
http://www.newra.org/
 
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