June 5, 2014
Boston’s new commissioner of the Inspectional Services Department, William Walsh, will be speaking tonight at the Brighton Allston Improvement Association’s monthly meeting. The department has been under increased scrutiny after a series by the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team. For decades, ISD has resisted the efforts of mayors, commissioners, and multiple “blue-ribbon” panels charged with reforming it. The result is that Allston Brighton is full of overcrowded buildings, illegal apartments, and tenants living in unsafe conditions. Property deteriorates and there are no consequences for irresponsible owners.
The meeting will start at 7PM at the Brighton Elks, 326 Washington Street in Brighton Center. Full agenda here.
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on New ISD commissioner to speak tonight
December 10, 2013
The retaining wall in front of 15 Bellvista Road, Brighton collapsed last evening, forcing residents to relocate for at least the night. The Boston Fire Department posted a pic here. You can find some interesting history of the buildings in the comments at Universal Hub.
Posted in Brighton, Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Retaining wall collapses on Bellvista Road
July 9, 2013
The BAIA has a full agenda for tomorrow night, with two candidates for mayor, Charlotte Golar Richie and Mike Ross making their pitch, as well city council at-large hopeful Doug Wohn, along with an array of zoning and licensing issues. Among them: building a single-family home at 53 Gerrish Street; Domino’s request to allow deliveries until 3AM at their location on Washington Street near Lake Street; and an update on the development proposal for the former Circle Cinema site in Cleveland Circle. More detail here, stop by 326 Washington Street at 7PM tomorrow, meetings are open to everyone.
Posted in Allston, Brighton, Local Business, New Construction, Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Maybe someone can ask the mayoral candidates how they would handle this stuff
April 11, 2013
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.
Posted in BC, Brighton, Crime, Uncategorized |
Comments Off on BC students charged with trashing Gerald Road apartment
April 9, 2013
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.
Posted in Allston, Uncategorized, Union Square |
Comments Off on No parking allowed: City Hall garages 37 N. Beacon plan
April 2, 2013
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.
Posted in Brighton, Brighton Center, Liquor Licensing, Restaurants, Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Naked to get Thai makeover
March 28, 2013
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.
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Menino’s most important win
March 7, 2013
The job features challenges such as dealing with student parties in Allston, late-night craziness on Harvard Avenue, shootings in Dorchester, and break-ins everywhere. Plus your exploits get chronicled on the BPD website and various other media outlets in Greater Boston. Check out one of the information sessions.
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Crime fighters looking for new recruits
November 18, 2012
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on That’s my bike!
November 6, 2012
Voting used to involve entering a big, gray metal contraption at your polling place, closing the curtain and casting your votes by moving levers. The whole show concluded when you pulled an oversized lever, thus recording your selections and opening the curtain with a satisfying “thunk.” It was the sound of democracy. When the state flipped to paper ballots that changed. You stand at a table which is somewhat shielded from observation, mark the form, then feed it into something that looks unfortunately like a shredder. Election officials used to give you a folder that was supposed to provide privacy as you slipped the ballot in the black box recording device. This year, in Oak Square at least, you add your ballot in full view of the police officer or election official who is attending the machine. How about putting the secret back in ballot?
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Not so secret ballot
September 24, 2012
View Larger Map
The owner of this property at 10 Parsons Street, Brighton Center (it’s the last house on the right before Washington Street, next to the Sovereign Commerce Bank parking lot) wants to knock it down. His request is the subject of BRA hearing this evening.
Kandu Development purchased this property and the adjacent 423-425 Washington Street in January 2011 for $1.5 million. The property includes the former Minihane’s Florist building, the Sovereign Bank branch, and the parking lot.
Posted in Brighton, Neighborhood history, Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Soon to be demolished?
June 14, 2012
Local land sites, and plans for their development, will be on the Board of Appeals docket on Tuesday, June 19 at 9:30AM. David Walsh wants to put up a five-unit building at 5-5D Raymond Street, Allston. Looks like he is planning to add the apartments to the backyard. Talk about infill. Munir Faisal is looking to put up a single family home at 46 Gerrish Street, Brighton. He also wants permission to lop off a piece of land at 160 Bigelow and add it to said Gerrish Street property.
Let’s not forget this, the oddly named Charing Cross development at 1501 Commonwealth Avenue. Also up for approval of 55 units.
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Build baby build
May 30, 2012
Harry Mattison is promoting the initiative by CityRoots to redesign and replant the Everett Street slope south of the Pike.
View Larger Map
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Greening a bit of Allston
April 1, 2012
The Boston Police Department is looking for Allston Brighton recruits for its summer Junior Police Academy. It’s open to any child between 9 and 12 years old. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Sandri)
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Kiddie cops
March 24, 2012
The Brighton Allston Historical Society focuses on the past, and today they will make money by selling it. The annual Allston Brighton Flea Market is today from 10AM to 2PM at the Smith Senior Center, 20 Chestnut Hill Avenue, Brighton.
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Selling off the past
March 13, 2012
The ever-rising price of heating oil led me to check into switching to gas. Since I do not have service now, National Grid will have to run a line. The cost? $1900 for the first one hundred feet. So why do they charge only $1300 in Brookline, Arlington, Newton and Watertown? And Nstar will do it for free in Cambridge.
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on It ain’t cheap to join the grid
March 1, 2012
Thanks to Adam at Universal Hub, I saw that Common Ground on Harvard Avenue wants to extend its dancing, DJ and live performance hours to 2AM. The hearing is tomorrow, March 2 at 10AM in City Hall.
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Dance this mess around
February 28, 2012
Boston.com has a nice article on Maureen, who was known to many people as a long-time employee at Johnny D’s Fruit in Brighton Center.
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Maureen Driscoll remembered
February 24, 2012
The Brighton Allston Heritage Museum will hold a celebration of its five years of promoting and preserving local history this Saturday, February 25 from 2 to 3:30PM. The museum is located in the Smith Senior Center, 20 Chestnut Hill Avenue, Brighton Center and is well worth a look.
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Something old, something new
February 18, 2012
Bostonography created a map of local watering holes. Cross-reference it with this, and you can figure out a place to spend your last moments in the event of a nuclear strike.
Posted in Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Get drunk & die
