The 37 North Beacon Street proposal, cars or not, seems to have been junked for good at a Board of Appeal hearing on April 23. The board voted to deny without prejudice.
April 30, 2013
New construction, new candidates
Rob Consalvo, candidate for mayor, and Michelle Wu, candidate for at-large city council, will be speaking at the BAIA meeting this Thursday, May 2. Also on the agenda is a proposal for building two 3-family townhouses at 165 Everett Street and a request by Dunkin’ Donuts the closing hours at their 1955 Beacon Street, Cleveland Circle location. The meeting will be at 326 Washington Street, starting at 7PM.
April 28, 2013
One dead in Allston fire
Photo courtesy of BFD
A fire this morning at 87 Linden Street in Allston has left one person dead and 15 people injured. Six of the injured were firefighters, the others were residents of the house. The BFD arrived at the location at about 6:35AM.
City records list the owner as Anna Belakurova of the same address. Since she does not take the residential exemption, it is doubtful she lives there. The property is taxed as a two-family with an assessed value of $615,500. She purchased the property in January 2002 for $690,000. At the time she listed her address as 34 Westgate Road in West Roxbury.
January 2012 there was a fire across the street at 84 Linden that left a student with a brain injury when he escaped by jumping out a window.
April 18, 2013
Shooting near Fidelis Way
April 11, 2013
BC students charged with trashing Gerald Road apartment
Six BC seniors have been charged with trashing an apartment on Gerald Road in Brighton last month. In the course of their rampage they damaged a gas line attached to a basement dryer, resulting in a dangerous leak. One of the students confessed when a call reporting the leak to NStar was traced to him, according to a press release from the Suffolk County DA’s office. Each student has retained his own attorney. More details on Boston.com.
April 9, 2013
No parking allowed: City Hall garages 37 N. Beacon plan
Despite the overwrought adoration – “the talk of Boston” and “bold” and “stylish” – accorded to a plan to put an ugly building that disregarded recently redesigned zoning – the bromance is over. Today the proposal was abruptly yanked from the Board of Appeals agenda, despite the BRA’s previous approval. Seems the developer doesn’t have title to the property, or even a current agreement that will allow him to purchase, depending on approval.
April 9, 2013
Different name, same fights
The owners of the Tavern in the Square, former home of the Kells, found itself in the same position as their predecessor, explaining a series of violent incidents to the Licensing Board. Adam at Universal Hub has the details.
April 7, 2013
Accessorizing in Allston, and other tweets
“Plaid shirt, beard, winter hat, skinny jeans, a man purse. An excerpt from How to Accessorize like Every Dude in Allston.” @sarahiscrazy
“Homeless man just poked me, I am now one with the city.” @Maddiewashere
“When you walk into FroyoWorld Frozen Yogurt Lounge in Allston you feel like you are in Disneyland http://b.globe.com/17bLdWD” @BostonGlobe
April 7, 2013
Barry’s Corner development may include Smith Field improvements
Harvard University’s negotiations with the community continue, with task force members unhappy with the lack of a specific benefits package tied to the Barry’s Corner project. The task force consensus was that renovations to Smith Field be linked to approval of the development.
April 4, 2013
Former Minihane’s site proposed for housing and retail complex
The property at the corner of Washington and Parsons Streets in Brighton Center may be transformed into a complex that would incorporate the existing home at 10 Parsons. Except for that house, the bank and the old Minihane’s Florist building would be demolished. More details at Boston.com.
April 3, 2013
Fight club, female edition
Several disagreements ended in fights last week. Among them:
A dispute over something, perhaps the alleged theft of what one lady claimed was a $70,000 engagement ring, erupted outside the Brighton Brighton Beer Garden on Friday, March 29. The incident began when the two women were outside smoking, and the victim dropped the ring when she was took it off to show the other. Somehow it disappeared, leading to fisticuffs. The police arrived, spoke to both women and a witness/friend of the victim, and searched the suspect. The ring was not found, despite a search of the area by the police. Perhaps they weren’t looking too hard since the victim had directed a obscenity laced tirade at them.
Also on the 29th, an argument between two women over stolen drugs went from words to fists at 40 Atkins Street. After smacking the victim in the face multiple times, she fled but returned a short time later. By that time an ambulance had arrived to treat the victim, and officers were not inclined to let the suspect hunt around for her missing drugs and keys. Despite being told to call it a night and head home, she left only briefly and returned again. Again she was told to leave, again she departed but wasted little time before heading back toward the apartment. At that point she was arrested after screaming “I’m going to kill the f’ing bitch!” The booking process turned up two outstanding warrants, both for failure to perform jury duty. Probably just as well she wasn’t part of the jury pool.
Finally, officers broke up a twelve person brawl involving guys and at least one woman at 51 North Beacon Street at around 4AM on Saturday, March 30. Three were arrested and charged with affray.
April 3, 2013
With parking or not, 37 North Beacon plan still alive?
Is the 37 North Beacon development a done deal? I haven’t been able to confirm this, but there is talk that proponent Sebastian Mariscal’s option on the property has expired. A new developer may be in the mix. Either way, this site needs a better designed building that is less dense. The city’s Guest Street planning area, which encompasses this site and big swath of the neighborhood, calls for guidelines for height and size that this proposal ignores.
April 2, 2013
Naked to get Thai makeover
The Bangkok Bistro wants to move to the site that Naked Pizza occupied for a few months and has been empty since early last year, except for a short stint as Elizabeth Warren’s local campaign office. Right now the restaurant operates in Cleveland Circle, the proposed location is 344 Washington Street in Brighton Center.
Other than that, it looks to be one of the quieter meetings at the BAIA this Thursday, with only a presentation from the Allton Brighton Community Development Corp. and the monthly report from the BPD. More meeting details here.
ADDITION: I omitted that at-large city councilor and possible mayoral candidate Felix Arroyo will also be speaking at the meeting.
March 31, 2013
Cleveland Circle Hotel/Condo project revised again
Plans for a hotel, apartment and retail complex on the site of the long-closed Circle Cinema site have been altered once more in an attempt to win approval for the going-on-two-years effort, according to Boston.com. Since the property spills into Brookline, both municipalities get a say. The BRA is hosting a meeting this Wednesday, April 3 at the Hamilton School, corner of Chestnut Hill Ave. and Strathmore Road.
March 28, 2013
Menino’s most important win
The most important election Tom Menino ever won was capturing the office of City Council president in 1993. Later that year, he gained the mayor’s office when Ray Flynn resigned to become the US ambassador to the Vatican. It put him in a strong position for the special election that he won later that year. Of the twelve other councilors then serving, only Charles Yancey remains on the council. No doubt he is writing a congratulatory resolution saluting hizzoner right now. Jim Kelly, Dapper O’Neil, Bruce Bolling and Tony Crayton have passed on, while others are now retired, serve in other government postions or work in the private sector. Maura Hennigan ended up as Clerk Magistrate of Suffolk Superior Court after losing badly to Menino in 2005. Bob Travaglini progressed to president of the Massachusetts Senate. Rosaria Salerno settled in as city clerk after coming up short in her bid to become mayor in the same election that removed “acting” from Menino’s title. She is now retired.
March 26, 2013
Two more robberies with knives as weapons
There were two robberies involving knives in Allston last week, one successful, one not. Both occurred shortly after 1AM on Thursday, March 21. In the first, near the corner of Glenville Avenue and Harvard Avenue, two men, one white, the other race unknown, made off with the victim’s mobile phone and wallet. The second incident, in the vicinity of the corner of Linden Street and Commonwealth Avenue, was foiled when the victim ran from the three men who were threatening him. One had first asked for a light, but followed up with “Give me everything you got.” After fleeing to the Linden Superette, he met the responding police and gave his report.
March 26, 2013
Russian restaurant hearing delayed
The plans for a 450-seat Russian restaurant at 14-20 Linden Street are on hold for now, at least until the owners meet with Allston Civic Association and the BPD. The Zoning Board of Appeal deferred yesterday’s schedule hearing to May 7, according to Adam at UH.
This expansion almost certainly would require approval from the Licensing Board.
March 24, 2013
95 years old, but who’s counting?
Alice Mills, a long-time volunteer at all three local branch libraries, will be honored by the Friends of the Faneuil Branch in recognition of her dedication and to mark her 95th birthday. For many years, she coordinated ESL learning groups, which she referred to as “Friendly Conversations,” and continues this work at the Honan Allston branch. Her career ranged from a stitcher (and union leader) in a shoe factory to administrative assistant at Children’s Hospital and BU. The party is Tuesday, March 26 from 6:30 to 8PM, all invited.
March 24, 2013
“I don’t want to hurt you, give me everything you got”
A 20-year old student had a knife held to his throat after being knocked to the ground near 21 Quint Avenue, Allston on Monday, March 18 around 7PM. After threatening him with the knife, the two thieves made off with his wallet and iPhone. The suspects were described as two white Hispanic males, both 18-22 years old, one being around 5’9″.
March 24, 2013
BPD take a breather from BU parties, break up BC bash
Taking their cue from the partying habits of BU students on Ashford and Pratt Streets in Allston, well over one hundred BC undergrads crammed themselves into the basement and backyard of 16 Gerald Road, Brighton on the evening of March 16. Police responded to a noise complaint and ended up seizing a couple of beer kegs. The crowd made a fast exit once they realized the BPD has arrived. The 2-family house is owned by Richard Cohen, who lists that as his address although he does not get the owner-occupant tax exemption.