The preferred redesign plan for Joyce Playground will be chosen this Saturday, March 11 at a 3 PM community meeting at the park. If the weather turns more March-like, the gathering will adjourn to the District 14 police station. Boston.com story here, and a previous post here.
March 7, 2012
Another Harvard vs. Allston dispute
Harvard wants the school’s Allston Education Portal, which provides educational services for about one hundred local children as well as programming for adults, to stay where it is. Neighbors would rather it be moved to allow for a better overall use of the site. McDonald’s was able to rebuild their Western Avenue restaurant pretty fast, Harvard ought to be able to move their center into another location without too much disruption.
March 5, 2012
Local kids can summer in Maine
The Harvard Allston Partnership announced $100,000 worth of grants to local organizations, including the West End House Summer Camp.
March 4, 2012
Weekend Twitter round-up
Tweets from #Allston:
Jessica Keefe @JessKeefe
House party. Sofa on the front lawn. It’s covered in glitter. #allston
Retweeted by Allston Rat City
Derek Veile @DerekVeile
I’ve been seeing empty bud light platinum bottles all over Allston. Guess I’m not the only one who has discovered this great invention
Elana Lockshin @lonnilock127
@JCP_96 church!!! The nuns were so good ! #jaykay this place in allston
swillyswills (Shane Williams) http://twitter.com/swillyswills
woke up to this beautiful face @ Allston, MA http://t.co/EUta7u3K
Editorial comment: Swilly, if you woke up to this, your night was worse than you thought.
Allston Rat City
mrdirkadirka: A drunk girl just peed on her friend’s leg in the bushes near my apartment…and I’m not the slightest bit surprised. Just another Saturday night shit show
Drunk girls are the biggest problem facing us in today’s society.
Allston Rat City
coma-pony: 88 Gardner Street: Do y’all know how to use a stove?! This is at least the 3rd time I’ve seen firetrucks outside of your place….
March 4, 2012
Shocked, shocked: drunks in a bar on NYE
Brighton Beer Garden is up for a violation hearing this Tuesday, March 6 at 10 AM in City Hall. Seems they had a hell of a New Year’s party, with officers finding lots of tipsy patrons thanks to an open bar. Neither is allowed, this is Boston, thank you.
March 3, 2012
Where else would they put it?
Nstar is going to rebuild the transformer on Electric Avenue, starting next week, according to the Hobart Park Neighborhood Association.
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March 3, 2012
Don’t give them an inch
Every five years, Massachusetts town and city officials are required to go for a walk. Specifically, they have to make sure that the markers that designate town lines are in place. Adam at Universal Hub has a neat photo of a marker being checked out on the Newton/Boston line, a map that includes the Bigelow Street are circa 1896, and a link to more photos. Nowadays we rely on things like overnight parking restrictions and resident parking to know what side of the border we are on.
March 2, 2012
McDonald Land
Harvard may take its time with all the property it owns, but not McDonald’s. The rebuilt, slightly relocated fast-food emporium on Western Avenue is already open, with the official festivities happening tomorrow, March 3 at 10AM.
March 2, 2012
Defunct nursing home site may get housing
The BRA will hold a meeting to discuss a condo proposal for 1501 Commonwealth Avenue, Brighton on Thursday, March 7. The property came into the city’s hands when the Provident Nursing home failed to pay its property taxes. Located on the service road just past Warren Street as you head outbound, the site has been the focus of an on-again, off-again process since 2007. The current plan is for 55 units with an equal number of parking spaces in a four-story building. The development team is listed as the Brighton Partnership for Community Reinvestment. Stop by the R.E. Hawes Medical Building, Brighton Marine Health Center, 77 Warren St., 3rd Floor, Conference Room #1 , Brighton between 5:30 and 7:30PM.
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March 1, 2012
Dance this mess around
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.
March 1, 2012
What’s that smell?
The BPD News reports that there was a home invasion using the latest weapon of choice, a BB-gun, last night. The police responded to a 10PM report of shots being fired at 1982 Commonwealth Avenue, Brighton. Officers detected strong scent of marijuana in the apartment. You don’t have to be detective to figure this one out. This small condo complex is right next to the tower at 2000 Comm. Ave. It was always a very nice set of buildings, with a garden courtyard and access to the reservoir. Hope they aren’t growing something else there nowadays.
March 1, 2012
Barry’s Corner update
Harvard will include two members of the Harvard-Allston Task Force in the committee that will compile a short-list of potential developers for Barry’s Corner, according to the Harvard Crimson. Harry Mattison has more thoughts, and a nifty outline of the property, in his blog.
March 1, 2012
Stadium seating
New Balance has big plans for its property along Guest Street, adjacent to the Massachusetts Turnpike. A track and field facility and a hockey arena are part of the project, along with other fitness-related activities and a hotel. On the other side of the Pike, the Skating Club of Boston intends to relocate to a new, three-rink complex on Lincoln Street, one of them a two thousand seat performance venue. Boston University is adding a playing field on Gardner Street, Allston that will have room for one thousand spectators.
So how is everyone going to get there? The New Balance/Skating Club area is poorly served by public transit, essentially buses that get stuck in the stop and go traffic along Western Avenue. There will soon be 242 new apartments next to the Shaw’s. BU’s playing field in a bit farther away, but will still add to traffic. Harvard Stadium is right around the corner, and you have to throw BC’s football field into the mix.
We need a commuter rail station. The MBTA does not want to talk about this. At all. Understandably, given they are are having major budget problems. But the neighborhood needs to bring this up, again and again. Demand they start studying it. Where will a station be built, how it will connect to buses, will it have parking. These proposals represent major economic growth that should be debated, encouraged, and supported. But not unless there is a comprehensive approach.
Since the Turnpike was built, public transit in Allston Brighton has deteriorated. We lost the three rail stations (Allston, Brighton and Faneuil) to accommodate suburban commuters on the highway, then lost our last direct connection to downtown, the A-line trolley. The state is going to get a lot of revenue from this development. Some of it needs be used to build a better transit system, here.
February 29, 2012
Bally Total Fitness, totally gone
The Bally Total Fitness health club that was located on Guest Street, next to WGBH and opposite the New Balance headquarters and housed in the same building as the New Balance outlet store, has closed. The sign on the door said they lost their lease. No word on a future tenant.
February 28, 2012
Bang bang
Boston police arrested a man around 8:30 Sunday morning on Harvard Avenue for assault by means of a dangerous weapon after receiving reports from two witnesses that he had a handgun, and had aimed it at taxis. The weapon turned out to be a large BB handgun. I didn’t know that they existed.
February 28, 2012
Missing
Boston College student Franco Garcia has been missing since Wednesday, February 22 when he left MaryAnn’s, a Cleveland Circle bar. A resident of West Newton, he has not been heard from since. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Newton Police Department at 617-796-2100.
February 28, 2012
Former McNamara Funeral Home, Black & Decker development plans
The Brighton Allston Improvement Association will hear presentations on proposals for both sites at their meeting this Thursday, March 1 at 7 PM at the Elks Lodge, 326 Washington Street, Brighton Center. These and other issues will be considered.
February 28, 2012
Maureen Driscoll remembered
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.
February 28, 2012
Speedway update
The Boston Herald has the latest on the state’s plans for the former MDC police station. More here. They want an “unconventional” developer for the site. Does this mean someone with lots of tattoos and piercings? Or is this just a euphemism for “highest bidder, no matter how ridiculous the proposal”?
February 28, 2012
Those mystery zoning hearings
The most interesting one is for 154-162A Brighton Avenue in Allston. The building owner is Blanchard’s, but I from what I gather this is to allow the Brighton Music Hall, formerly Harper’s Ferry, to expand their capacity from 340 people to 476. This will also require permission from the Boston Licensing Board and the Boston Licensing Division.
For the rest of what’s going on in Room 801 this week, click here