The interior of St. Gabriel’s church, which closed in July 2007, is in tough shape, based on these photos. There appears to be a lot of water damage. The property had been owned by St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, but I am not sure if the sale of the hospital to the for-profit Steward Healthcare System included the church, monastery and long-closed school.
April 2, 2012
Puppy love
Chloe, who disappeared from Ringer Park back in February, was re-united with her owner about a week later. A woman from Brookline was able to take custody of the lost canine and contact the owner. I have been meaning to post this happy ending for a while, thanks to Abigail Furey for the update.
April 2, 2012
Before and after
The owner of 60-62 Dunboy Street will be up before the Board of Appeal on April 10 to legalize the expansion of living space into the basement. This request is also going to be discussed Thursday at the BAIA. This is how the house looked before construction:
This is how it looks now.
Obviously a bit more was going on than just adding some basement living space, but the work is complete and it is pretty much a moot question. There was a “For Sale” sign in front, but that is now gone and the units may be on the rental market.
April 1, 2012
Will there be a red carpet?
You thought there was enough drama in the streets of Allston already? The developers of 9-23 Griggs Street are offering a theater as one of the amenities. Residents will also benefit from the usual fitness center and roof deck. Mount Vernon Company, the developer, has also been acquiring some other property in the area, most recently 83 rental apartments at 74-86 Brainerd Road. And this Thursday they will be at the Brighton Allston Improvement Association to talk about a proposal for 79 units at 66 Brainerd Road. They have a lot going on in a small sliver along the Brookline border, it will be interesting to see what else they want to do.
April 1, 2012
Kiddie cops
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)
April 1, 2012
Patron passes out on table
Tuesday the Licensing Board will hear what some local watering holes have to say in response to the following:
Tavern in the Square in Allston was hit with a charge of serving a 64-ounce pitcher of beer to only one person. This is violates the law that limits one person from being given more that two drinks at a time, and is also basically unenforceable by bar staff.
Around the corner on Harvard Avenue, Wonder Bar got nabbed for an employee on patron assault and serving a minor.
And Myong Dong, a Korean restaurant and bar also on Harvard Avenue, will have to explain why they served so much booze to a patron he passed out on the table. The place was also cited for overcrowding. Well, obviously, if the place was that packed, the table was the only place to sleep it off.
March 31, 2012
Buildings and brakes
The BAIA has a full roster of items for their meeting on Thursday, April 4, including updates on a proposal to build a two-family and a three-family at 45-47 Murdock Street, Brighton. Meineke will be talking about their plans to add a bay to their garage at 11 Faneuil Street, Brighton. All this and more will be discussed at 7:30PM at the Elks, 326 Washington Street in Brighton Center.
March 30, 2012
Student loans, worldwide protests and local bars
“Noise from the Underground” is offering what may be a once in a lifetime chance to experience the art, music and “youthful consciousness” that animate the basements of Allston.
The website proclaims that the subterranean hipster-fest will be “drawing influences from music, advertisements, and the social and political issues we all face, from student loans and worldwide protests to occupying local bars on a nightly basis…”
Jeez, I was going to some of these watering holes in high school. Didn’t know I was part of an occupation. But this sounds like it could be a blast. Hit their site for info on how to attend.
March 29, 2012
Maybe the coyote was looking for a turkey dinner
Last night I encountered a coyote. This afternoon, three turkeys took a stroll through my yard.
March 29, 2012
We love our landlord
The owner of Stone Hearth Pizza, which opened on Western Avenue last November, really likes his landlord, Harvard University. Meanwhile, some Allston residents aren’t happy with the university’s refusal to provide any plans at all for the Charlesview Apartments site it owns. The buildings will be cleared once residents can move into the relocated, and expanded, complex under construction by the Western Ave. Star Market/Shaws. What residents would like to see is an arts and cultural center, originally proposed in 2007, but Harvard is being cagey about that, too.
March 29, 2012
Board delivers a decision for Domino’s
The Allston Domino’s Pizza will be allowed to make deliveries until 3AM. The hearing was held this morning.
March 29, 2012
Punk ball
The scene at Ringer Park last Sunday. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the image to get a sense what was happening. Is this related to Calvin Ball?
March 29, 2012
Coyote town
I spotted a coyote at 10:30 last night on Dunboy Street, near the intersection of Hardwick near Oak Square.
March 29, 2012
Keep starving drunks off the road
Adam at Universal Hub has a report on the Allston Domino’s bid to deliver pizzas until 3 in the morning.
March 28, 2012
New Balance pics
The WGBH video screen overlooking the Mass. Pike will be vying for attention with the New Balance sneaker-shaped headquarters. Boston.com has a slide show of renderings and site plans.
March 28, 2012
T: filling that Charlie card is gonna cost you more
The MBTA has opted to lean on higher prices rather than service cuts to close its $160 million deficit. Bus rides will go from $1.25 to $1.50, trips on the subway from $1.70 to $2, and a combined monthly pass would jump from $59 to $70. There will be some service reductions, but none that will affect Allston Brighton. The 64, 501 and 503 were spared. The MBTA board must still must approve this plan, but that is almost certain. The drama over T funding is not over, though, and next year’s legislative session looks to be an important one for T users.
March 24, 2012
Sneakers and a whole lot more
An office building in the shape of a shoe will be one of the highlights of New Balance’s plan for its fourteen acres along Guest Street, adjacent to the Mass. Pike. (Globe article may be behind paywall). The company filed its plan with the city earlier this week. Other elements include a 175-room hotel, a sports facility open to the public that might include venues for track and ice hockey, and additional office space. Restaurants and retail will be weaved into different parts of the project. What this all adds up to is 1.4 million square feet of building in structures ranging from roughly nine to twenty stories.
How will people get there? Some of them will drive and leave their car in one of the 1750 parking spaces. Other than that, the plan is vague. A commuter rail stop is mentioned, but in a context of listing all the obstacles to it. Which leaves the bus. Routes 64 and 86 stop at the site but neither runs that frequently. New Balance currently provides shuttle vans to Harvard Square and Kenmore Square during rush hour and is the quickest way to connect to the subway.
When is this going to happen? Spring 2013 is projected for the start of construction. Lots of questions to ask, details to be discussed, many meetings sure to follow.
March 24, 2012
Selling off the past
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.
March 24, 2012
BPS school assignment hearing
The student assignment process for Boston’s public schools will be the topic at a meeting the school department is holding this morning at 11. It will be held at the Jackson Mann School in Union Square. A new plan is being devised, and they want to hear from parents.
Visit their website, www.bostonpublicschools.org/choice, for more information and to send feedback online.