Neighborhood Concerns over Development Changes on St. George Street
What was once the long-vacant Bethel Tabernacle Pentecostal Church on St. George Street – known fondly by some locals as the “Jesus Saves Church” – was torn down in 2011, supposedly to make way for condominiums. But neighbors were surprised t South End Patch News
Categories: Arrests Tags: Changes, Concerns, Development, George, Neighborhood, Over, Street
Do You Want a Digital Billboard in Your Neighborhood?
Are you ready for digital billboards on state land across the commonwealth? The Department of Transportation wants the glowing house-sized signs on its property across the state, and the revenue they’ll bring to the state, according to the Boston Globe. Under the current deal signed with Clear Channel, the state would get a cut of each billboard’s revenue—either 25 percent or $ 90,000 per year, whichever is higher. But other states negotiated more lucrative deals. Current state law allows these digital billboards, but prohibits any animation. So you won’t see the latest Geico lizard ad or anything like that, but you may see a rotating set of images. It also requires the sign’s owner to set aside time for public service announcements. You may have passed one of these signs already. There are digital billboards in Foxborough, Medford, Stoneham and a few other locations. Former Governor Michael Dukakis is a vocal opponent of the digital billboards (and billboards in general). He was especially angry about the lack of siting oversight for local communities. “For the life of me, I don’t understand why we need these in the Commonwealth,” said Dukakis in an interview with the Globe. “The T is hell-bent on becoming the state’s primary visual polluter.” What do you think? Should Massachusetts allow more of these digital billboards? Do you find them distracting while you drive? Should the state negotiate for a bigger cut of the profits? Or should they be banned altogether? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. South End Patch
Categories: Arrests Tags: Billboard, Digital, Neighborhood, Want
PHOTOS: Neighborhood Cleanup Day at Harriet Tubman Park
Last weekend, several South End residents got together to spruce up Harriet Tubman Park, an annual cleanup that takes on special significance this year. This year marks the 100th Anniversary of Harriet Tubman’s death, a fact not lost on the volunteers who came out to spruce up the park. “There is special significance to cleaning up the park named after her, which also features the first statue honoring a woman on Boston-owned property,” said Scott Mabel of the Pilot Block Neighborhood Association. While several neighbors raked, swept, and weeded the park, others cleaned up the sidewalks and alley entrance areas, he said. About 15 people volunteered in all to clean up the park and some of the nearby alley areas. The park also features an interesting geo-cache, where more than 80 people have already logged their visits to the park. Mabel said he frequently sees visitors to the park posing with the statue and taking a second to reflect on Tubman’s historical significance. “I recently spoke to two construction workers who had finished their day early. They were posing in front of her statue on their way to visit the Marathon Memorial in Copley Sq.,” he said. “Then last night, I over-heard a woman telling a young child, ‘she worked on the underground railroad to help free the slaves’ as they walked past the park.” Do you frequent the park? Have you found the geocache? Are you glad to see volunteers helping to keep it nice? Tell us in the comments. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Week in Review: Trash Pilot Program, Crime Down in Neighborhood
The following were the top headlines on South End Patch from Feb. 25 to March 1, 2013: New Trash Pilot Program Starting March 1st Some South End neighborhoods will test a new program aimed at decreasing the amount of time trash spends on the curb waiting for pickup. K9strolls Dog Daycare Opens on Pembroke Street After running their business out of their home for four years, owners Daniel Avila and Jim Batty have opened a dog shop and play center on Pembroke Street. Crime Down Overall in South End Since Last Year Crime in the D-4 district is down by 10 percent overall according to the Boston Police Department. Details Shared on Albany Street Dual-Apartment Complex The project’s architects presented plans for the modified development at the Old Dover Neighborhood Association meeting on Tuesday night. Body Found Under I-93 Near South End Police are investigating a body found at the intersection of Albany Street and Travelers Street. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Things to Know in the South End Today, Feb. 6: Chester Sq. Neighborhood Association Talks Trees, Trash
1. Weather: The National Weather Service is predicting a chance of snow showers before 9 a.m. then a gradual clearing, with a high of 39 degrees. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. 2. Chester Square Neighborhood Meeting: For the residents of the Chester Sq. area, there’s a meeting tonight at 7 p.m. at the Harriet Tubman House at United South End Settlements (566 Columbus Ave.) On the agenda is information and planning for an Arbor Day event in April, trash issues and information for new residents. See here for more information. 3. Brewers Helping Neighbors: Coming up on Thursday is a special event at the United South End Settlements, (566 Columbus Ave.) Join friends, colleagues, and neighbors for this year’s Brewers Helping Neighbors, which will feature a Mardi Gras theme with live music, ten local brewers, and four Your $ 40 ticket supports the work of United South End Settlements – direct services and community advocacy for the South End and Lower Roxbury. See here for more information. 4. Taste of the South End: Tickets are now on sale for the upcoming Taste of the South End, which benefits the AIDS Action Committee of MA. For $ 100, you can experience unlimited food and wine sampling from Boston’s best kitchens. For slightly more, you can experience Taste of the South End as a VIP, gaining early entry to the tasting room and enjoying special VIP benefits. The event takes place on March 5th from 7- 9:30 p.m. at the The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts (539 Tremont St.) See here for more details. 5. Taylor Street Update: In case you’ve been following along, the Landmarks Commission reviewed the demolition at 8-10 Taylor Street on Tuesday night and determined that the stop work order would be lifted, and the demolished east wall of the property would need to be rebuilt up to preservation standards. The owners will also need to appear before the Landmarks Commission again next month with updated plans for the east wall. You can read the full story here. Things you can do every day on South End Patch: Share your news with the rest of the community. Click here to add an announcement. Add your events to our events calendar. Click here to sign up for breaking news updates. Want up-to-the-minute news? Click here to follow us on Facebook or Twitter. Share your thoughts on your community in a blog. Click here to get started. South End Patch
Taylor Street Wooden House Renovations Blocked by Neighborhood
When Ramy Rizkalla bought his new home on Taylor Street, he knew it’d be a long road to renovation. That’s because the home, which he originally believed was built in the mid-1800s with original ornamentation and features and would be heavily protected by city agencies. That was before he found out most of what you see on the home today was built in the 1970s. “None of the windows, none of the ornamentation, none of the mouldings, none of it is original,” Rizkalla said. “All of that was added in the 70s and 80s.” And therein lies the solution — and the problem. The renovations, which were approved over an 18-month process through the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the Boston Landmarks Commission, and the South End Historical Society, were blocked this week due to neighborhood concerns. “That’s one of the biggest problems – there really is a substantial misunderstanding of what people are looking at, and what is truly historic,” Rizkalla said. “We have all the necessary approvals but I think there’s been a need for clarification.” Until the situation is resolved, the site will stay as a façade and a hole in the ground, a far cry from the owner’s original intentions. “I saw a tremendous amount of potential of what could be done,” Rizkalla said, who said the biggest reason for the full renovation of the property was his interest in contributing to the streetscape in Boston. “We really are great appreciators of architecture, and the opportunity to continue to integrate contemporary architectures with historic neighborhoods was so alluring to us,” he said. Renovation PlansThe original property is split into two properties, 8 Taylor St. and 10 Taylor St. 8 Taylor St. is the existing home and 10 Taylor St. is a parking space. According to Scott Slarsky, the project’s architect, the idea of the project is to make the home into a single family house, expanding from 2400 square feet to 3400 square feet, and preserve the only historically significant piece of the home, the house’s north elevation, he said. “It will be a gorgeous project,” Slarksy said. “The completed building will be the first wooden house built in the South End since 1899.” As for the new parts of the house, Slarsky said the new façade that will face Washington Park was closely researched and planned. “We worked really closely with the South End Landmarks Commission to have the rhythm and proportions of South End buildings,” he said. Next StepsRizkalla and Slarksy are now again working with the Landmarks Commission and the Boston Redevelopment authority to clarify the constructon plan to the neighborhood and continue construction on […]
Categories: Arrests Tags: Blocked, house, Neighborhood, Renovations, Street, Taylor, Wooden