"Bastille Kitchen" Seeks 2 AM Liquor License for 49 Melcher St.

The Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services along with the owners of BastilleKitchen/Chalet invite the surrounding neighbors to a meeting to discuss a proposalto operate out of 49 Melcher Street. They are seeking a 2am liquor license.

Where: 300 A Street
When: March 5th
Time: 6:30pm

Questions/Concerns, contact:
Sean Regan
Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services
617-635-2680

BRA Approves 41-63 Melcher St. Project

The plan on the BRA's website:

49-63_Melcher_Street_PDAAmendment.pdf


Coverage in the Boston Business Journal:

The second-largest development to win BRA approval Thursday night involves another joint partnership, this time involving New York developers Archon Group and Goldman Properties , to develop a 74-unit rental apartment building at 41-63 Melcher St. in Boston’s Fort Point Channel neighborhood. The project is expected to cost $11 million and is an extension of the multiproperty development that Archon and Goldman have advanced in South Boston’s burgeoning commercial and residential district bordering the channel. Archon is the real estate arm of Goldman Sachs Co.


http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/real_estate/2011/04/bra-approves-136m-slate-of-projects.html

BRA Mtg on Melcher St. Project, Monday 1/10

From: "Kara, Kristin" <Kristin.Kara.bra@cityofboston.gov>

Date: January 4, 2011 5:14:17 PM EST

Subject: 319 A Street Rear and 49/51/63 Melcher Street

Good afternoon:

I wanted to give you a brief update on the 319 A Street Rear Project and the 49/51/63 Melcher Street Project.  On December 14, 2010, the BRA Board approved the 319 A Street Rear Project.  The 319 A Street Rear Project requires the approval of and a public hearing before the Boston Zoning Commission (BZC).  The BZC hearing regarding the 319 A Street Rear Project will take place at 9AM on January 19, 2011 and will be held on the 9^th floor of City Hall, in Room 900/BRA Board Room.  Everyone is welcome to attend and speak at the hearing.

A Notice of Project Change and a First Amended and Restated Development Plan for the 49/51/63 Melcher Street Project, which propose a phased approach to the 49/51/63 Melcher Street Project and residential use at 63 Melcher Street, were submitted yesterday.  Both submissions are available on the BRA’s website.  Here is the link to the Notice of Project Change:  http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/DevelopmentProjects/PipeDocs/49-63%20Melcher%20Street/NPC/49-63%20Melcher%20Street_NPC.pdf and here is the link to the First Amended and Restated Development Plan: http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/DevelopmentProjects/PipeDocs/49-63%20Melcher%20Street/PDAAmendment/49-63%20Melcher%20Street_PDAAmendment.pdf  

There is a required 45-day public comment period in connection with the Amended and Restated Development Plan.  The Notice of Project Change will also have a 45-day public comment period.  Both comment periods will end on February 17.  As a reminder, the BRA-hosted community meeting in connection with the proposed changes to the 49/51/63 Melcher Street Project is next Monday night, 1/10, 6:00pm-7:30pm, at Bargmann Hendrie + Archetype, Inc. (BH+A), 300 A Street (Conference Room, 1^st Floor). 

 

Police Seek Help Finding Robbery Suspect

COMMUNITY ALERT
BOSTON SEEK IDENTIFICATION OF UNARMED ROBBERY SUSPECT


On February 23, 2009 at 5:48pm officers responded to an unarmed robbery at the Metro Convenience Store locate at 253 Summer Street in South Boston. On arrival, officers ascertained that a white male, estimated to be in his forties, had placed a backpack on the counter and demanded that the cashier put "All of the stores money" in it. He also demanded the lottery machine money for which the cashier had no access to. Once the money was placed in the backpack, the thief fled the premises toward South Station. No weapon was shown.

Detectives are looking for an identification of the suspect. If anyone has information about this suspect you are strongly urged to please contact District C-6 Detective Peter Norton 617-343-4742. Community members who wish to remain anonymous can either call the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800- 494-TIPS or text the word ‘TIP’ to CRIME (27463). The Boston Police Department will stringently protect the identity of those who wish to aid police in an anonymous manner.






http://www.bpdnews.com/2009/03/community_alert_20.html

Zoning Hearing for 49-63 Melcher and Russia Wharf, 2/4/2009

There will be a zoning hearing on 2/4/2008 for the 49-63 Melcher St. project. Notes from the last BRA meeting (short version: there were no changes to the plan from the one last Spring which the neighborhood was strongly opposed to, except that $600k was allocated to give 20-40 artists studio space at 319 A St. for two years).

On the same morning will also be a zoning hearing for Russia Wharf.

---
The Zoning Commission of the City of Boston hereby gives notice, in accordance with Chapter 665 of the Acts of 1956, as amended, that a public hearing will be held on:

February 4, 2009, 9:30 AM
Room 900, Ninth Floor
Boston City Hall

in connection with a petition for approval of the Development Plan for 49, 51 and 63 Melcher Street within Planned Development Area No. 69, The 100 Acres, Boston, filed by the Boston Redevelopment Authority on behalf of W2005 BWH II Realty LLC.

The Development Plan calls for the substantial rehabilitation of the three existing buildings located at 49, 51 and 63 Melcher Street, which are bound by Melcher Street to the north, Necco Court to the south, A Street to the east, and Necco Street to the west, into one, combined office building.

A copy of the petition, the Development Plan and a map of the area involved may be viewed at the office of the Zoning Commission, Room 953C, Boston City Hall, between 9 AM and 5 PM any day except Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.



---

The Zoning Commission of the City of Boston hereby gives notice, in accordance with Chapter 665 of the Acts of 1956, as amended, that a public hearing will be held on:



February 4, 2009, 9:00 AM
Room 900, Ninth Floor
Boston City Hall

in connection with a petition for approval of the First Amendment to the Development Plan for Planned Development Area No. 66, Russia Wharf Redevelopment Project, filed by the Boston Redevelopment Authority on behalf of BP Russia Wharf, LLC.

The Amendment amends the Development Plan for Planned Development Area No. 66, Russia Wharf Redevelopment Project (the “Original PDA”) to provide for a change of use in floors two through seven of the Graphic Arts/Tufts Building from up to 150 units of residential uses to office uses. The Russia Wharf Redevelopment Project will now include approximately 854,000 square feet of floor area, including approximately 698,000 to 709,500 square feet of office space, approximately 92,000 square feet of residential space, which will include a maximum of 65 residential units, approximately 52,500 to 64,000 square feet of retail/restaurant/civic space, and approximately 5,000 square feet of artist work space.

A copy of the petition, the Development Plan and a map of the area involved may be viewed at the office of the Zoning Commission, Room 953C, Boston City Hall, between 9 AM and 5 PM any day except Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.

BRA Meeting on Fort Point Plan

The Boston Redevelopment Authority will host a community meeting to give an
update on the 100 Acres Master Plan Area and the South Boston Municipal Harbor Plan
Amendment:

Monday, January 26th, 2009
6:30 PM
Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
Room 101
415 Summer Street, South Boston


A community meeting will be held to discuss the current planning and development projects in the 100 Acres Master Plan Area. The meeting will include an updates on the 100 Acres Master Plan Area, the South Boston Municipal Harbor Plan Amendment (Gillette), design of the Melcher Street project, and proposed redevelopment of Rear 319 A Street.

If you have any questions regarding the meeting, please contact:

Richard McGuinness: 617.918.4323
Richard.McGuinness.BRA@cityofboston.gov

Globe Article on Melcher and Summer Projects

Development deal moves ahead
Some fighting warehouse plan
URL: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/12/07/development_deal_moves_ahead?mode=PF

By Christina Pazzanese, Globe Correspondent | December 7, 2008

Despite widespread opposition from many in the Fort Point Channel neighborhood, the Boston Redevelopment Authority's board of directors voted 5-0 on Thursday to approve plans by developers Archon Group and Lincoln Properties to renovate and expand historic warehouses at 49/51/63 Melcher St. and 316-322 Summer St. for use as office buildings.

Just three years ago, developers and the city planning officials touted the buildings as part of a comprehensive revitalization effort that would transform the once run-down industrial area into a lively neighborhood with new housing, shops and restaurants, and parks.

In a tense and sometimes confrontational community meeting held last Monday night, dozens of artists and other Fort Point residents took the developers and the BRA's chief planner, Kairos Shen, to task for plans that involve evicting more than 70 artists and arts-related small businesses from two warehouses to make way for more office space.

"You lied to us. You have not kept one promise to the community," said artist Claudia Ravaschiere, a former president of Fort Point Arts Community. Ravaschiere blasted representations made by executives from Archon and Goldman Properties since first purchasing 17 buildings in Fort Point back in 2005. "To you, it's just real estate, but to us, it's a neighborhood," she said.

Though both properties are zoned for a mix of commercial and residential uses, developers say the current real estate market will only support office space. Archon's John Matteson defended his firm's efforts, saying the company has upgraded a number of mostly-vacant buildings and filled them with commercial tenants who are bringing much-needed foot traffic to the area.

Both projects will be subject to further design review by the BRA to scale back the height of planned rooftop additions and still need approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals before moving forward, said Susan Elsbree, the BRA's director of communications.

Critics say the city's support for these plans abandons core principles of the BRA's 100 Acres Master Plan that pledged to bring equal amounts of housing, retail and other businesses and office space to the area. Adding more offices doesn't improve the quality of life for residents and pushes still more artists out of the neighborhood, they said.

"This is a situation of the BRA supporting the developers and not supporting the community," said resident Valerie Burns, who serves on the city's study committee considering whether to designate Fort Point as a landmark district. .

"Fort Point is the back office of the Financial District. That's how they see it," said resident Steve Hollinger, cofounder of Seaport Alliance for a Neighborhood Design (SAND). He accused the BRA of "reselling variances" to developers who buy buildings in the area, obtain the city's permission to add valuable roof-top additions and other special zoning expansions that provide little public benefit and are often done over the objections of residents, and then unload the properties for a hefty profit.

Hollinger said developers are hiding behind the current economic crisis to avoid creating more housing because it's more profitable to build office space.

Shen conceded the projects fall short of the goal of creating more housing in Fort Point but said the BRA was asked by Mayor Thomas M. Menino to review all stalled building projects with 'burdensome' residential restrictions. "The Mayor wants to see these projects move forward," he said.

At only 50,000 square feet, Shen added, the Melcher Street project is small and will generate $500,000 in linkage payments to the city to go toward creating parks and other open spaces in Fort Point sometime in the future.

Lincoln Properties will contribute $340,000 and spend another $680,000 to upgrade 319 A St. to accommodate displaced artists. Shen conceded local parks are not likely to be built any time soon since the city must wait until more buildings are developed to have enough money to start work on them.

Heidi Burbidge, the BRA's senior project manager for the Artist Space Initiative, said about 72 artists, plus some additional arts-related businesses, face eviction from 337 Summer St. and the front portion of 319 A St.

Under a plan hatched a few weeks ago, Burbidge said, all are eligible to move into the rear portion of 319 A St., though she estimated probably only about 40 or so will take up the relocation offer since some had already moved out before the city stepped in, fearing the worst.

In late 2007, Archon terminated the tenancy of artists and small businesses in the Melcher Street buildings. Nearly two years ago, artists in 327 Summer St. were evicted, said Burbidge.

Though less than ideal, the short-term deal was the best the city could come up with, said Shen. "Two years is better than nothing at all." Studios will be rented at $9 per square foot, a rate comparable to what most are now paying, he added.

Shen said the city plans to eventually acquire 327 Summer St. from Archon and convert it into permanent live/work space for artists but conceded that project wouldn't be ready by the time leases for the artists expire in two years because the city doesn't have the money available yet.

BRA Board Approvals on Melcher and Summer Projects

In spite of significant concerns from residents expressed last Spring and at the recent community meeting, the BRA Board unanimously approved motions on the 49-63 Melcher and 316-322 Summer projects at their board meeting. The specific items were:


Request authorization to approve a Development Plan for 49, 51, 63 Melcher Street within Planned Development Area No. 69, South Boston/The 100 Acres, consisting of office and retail space; to issue a Scoping Determination waiving further review of the Article 80 process; to issue a Certification of Compliance and a Certification of Consistency upon successful completion of the Article 80 process; to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding; and to petition the Zoning Commission for approval of the proposed PDA Plan.

Request authorization to issue a Determination waiving further review of the Article 80 process for the construction of office, retail and restaurant space located at 316-322 Summer Street; to issue a Certificate of Compliance upon successful completion of the Article 80 process; to enter into a Development Impact Project Agreement; and to recommend approval with proviso, subject to design review, to the Board of Appeal for the various variances and conditional uses within the M-4 South Boston IPOD, Fort Point Waterfront, Groundwater Conservation Overlay District.

Herald Article on BRA Meeting

Fort Point residents reject developers’ office plans
By Thomas Grillo | Tuesday, December 2, 2008

The city’s chief planner and a pair of developers faced an angry crowd in Fort Point last night as a proposal to turn five vacant buildings into offices was rejected by the neighborhood.

In an emotionally charged session, a standing room only crowd criticized the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and the Archon Group for abandoning a decade of planning to create a mixed-use district.

“You lied to us,” said artist Claudia Ravaschiere to the Archon representative. “You talked about doing residential, but you have not kept one promise to this community. To you it’s just real estate, but to us this is our home.”

During the tense meeting, Kairos Shen from the BRA floated a compromise that would allow four-dozen artists to keep their leases in the South Boston district until 2010. In return, Lincoln Property Co. can turn a pair of vacant warehouses at 316-322 Summer St. into office space and Archon could proceed with an office project at 49-63 Melcher St.

But residents, including many artists, said the proposal was a bad deal for the city.

“For the BRA to offer this deal to artists who are losing their space at the 11th hour is cynical and divisive,” said Steven Hollinger, a member of the Seaport Alliance for Neighborhood Design.

John Matteson, Archon’s regional director, defended his firm’s actions saying they acquired 17 commercial buildings where the average occupancy rate was about 25 percent. Following major renovations and leasing, the improved properties were later sold, he said.

Valerie Burns, a longtime Fort Point resident, said both projects are unchanged from previous community meetings. “The neighborhood was absolutely unified in opposing these projects and now you come back to us with the same project only with a commitment of a temporary relocation for a small number of artists,” she said. “This is a case of the BRA supporting the developer over the wishes of the neighborhood.”

Shen said he thought the plan that would save some artists workspace for two years and get a pair of projects moving was worthy of discussion. But he acknowledged the mistrust between the parties.

“I know our plan is flawed,” said Shen. “But I still think it’s a good plan.”
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/business/real_estate/view.bg?articleid=1136213

Notes From Last Night's BRA Meeting on

Summary:

• Representatives from the proposed 316-322 Summer St. and 49/51/63 Melcher St. projects presented overviews of the projects. In spite of both projects receiving very strong criticism from the neighborhood last Spring, both were unchanged.
  
• Residents reiterated concerns over both projects as well as the lack of residential development, artist housing and work spaces, open spaces, and general progress towards the vision of a mixed-use neighborhood.
• FPAC approached the Mayor and the BRA a couple of weeks ago trying to get something for the artists loosing their leases in those buildings. As a response to this, the BRA has been working with Archon to get $600k allocated to create studio space for a small group (20-40?) of arists in 319 A St. rear for two years. The $600k will come out of linkage money and will pay for the conversion.

My rough, incomplete notes (if you have corrections/additions, mail them to me at: fpna@dewdrops.net):

---
BRA Community Meeting
316-322 Summer St. and 49/51/63 Melcher st.
12/1/2008

Kairos Shen, Chief Planner, BRA, spoke first. He said that the city has been working with Archon to secure 319 A St. rear to relocate artists displaced from the Archon space to that building for 2 years at rents of $9 / square foot. And, hopefully, they will be able to get Archon to extend leases of those artists for their existing space until 319 is built out.

The BRA has been talking to Archon about deeding a building to the city a la the Midway Studios project. 327 Summer St. is the building they're looking at (~47K sqft or about 40 units). Linkage payments from the district would be used to pay for the buildout.

On Thursday, there's a public BRA hearing on 316-322 Summer and 49/51/63 Melcher. He recognizes that at the last public meeting, there were significant community concerns about a number of issues with the project.

Kairos also said that talks had begun in doing the engineering work behind the streets and open spaces for the 100 Acres plan.

The team for 49/51/63 Melcher St. then spoke and presented the same project shown last Spring, which is still office space with first floor retail and involves a large rooftop addition and a filling in of the notches of the building on Necco St. My notes from the Spring meeting are in this post.

The team for 316-322 Summer St. then presented their project which was also unchanged since last Spring and, like the Melcher St. project, is office space with a significant rooftop addition.

The community then asked questions. The concerns raised included:

• The BRA is putting the artists who would get space at 319 A in a tough position (essentially buying their support for the development project... and buying it cheaply). Some residents called it cynical and divisive of the BRA to do this. Kairos responded that he made it clear to everyone that no one was asking them to automatically support the project. He also said that he had not initiated the talks. A month and half ago, he had assumed that a solution wouldn't be found to the artist leases, but that FPAC had initiated the talks at the 11th hour through the mayor and the BRA and that that is why the BRA explored it this late in the game.
  
  
• The Summer St. project was granted a rooftop addition as part of a residential project. The addition is worth many millions of dollars ($18 million was thrown out; the developer said it was a lot less.. probably $4 million). Now that it's office space, they should not automatically still get to keep it.
  
  
• The Melcher St. project is the first under the 100 Acres plan and it's setting a bad precedent by allowing the plan's development to be front-loaded with additions and office space build-outs happening first and residential, civic, and open spaces being put off (which jeopardizes their happening at all).
  
  
• A representative from Studio Soto (which was evicted from Melcher St in the past year) asked to be included in the lease negotiations. Archon said they'd look into it, but the leases would first go to those with existing space.
  
  
• A representative from them electrical workers union voiced his support for doing the project for the jobs it would create.
  
  
• A common theme expressed by a number of residents was that people are angry that while, large visions of a mixed-use neighborhood have presented by the BRA and developers like Goldman, the reality has been that the development has been mainly office space with some retail, there has been little progress on open spaces, and that 100s of artists and local businesses have been forced out of the neighborhood. People are tired of seeing developers get favorable concessions from the BRA and little progress being made towards the building of a real neighborhood.
  

Herald on FPAC's Negotiations with Archon

Reminder: The BRA's public meeting is this Monday, 6:30 PM at 44 Thompson Place and the BRA will vote on the measure at their meeting on Wednesday - See this post for full details.


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Fort Point artists wary of office pact
By Thomas Grillo | Tuesday, November 25, 2008

A plan to turn five vacant Fort Point buildings into offices could face opposition from the neighborhood when it’s unveiled next week.

The Boston Redevelopment Authority is brokering a compromise that would allow 56 artists to keep their leases in the South Boston district until 2010 and give developers approval for 400,000 square feet of office space, city officials confirmed. Artists at two locations face eviction Nov. 30.

Under the terms of the deal, the artists would get a temporary reprieve while Lincoln Property Co. gets a green light to turn a pair of vacant warehouses at 316-322 Summer St. into office space with a rooftop addition. Additionally, Archon Group could proceed with an office project at 49-63 Melcher St.

But some Fort Point residents say the plan falls short of promises for a mix of residential, commercial and park spaces.

“How is that fair?” said one artist who declined to be identified. “The developers get permanent added value for their properties and the artists get a 24-month lease extension.”

Cheryl Forte, a Fort Point Arts Community board member, praised Mayor Thomas M. Menino for negotiating on behalf of the artists. But in an e-mail, she said her group is concerned about the pairing of artist lease extensions with the approval of two developments.

Kairos Shen, the BRA’s chief planner, said the administration is still committed to the 100-acre master plan issued in 1999 that promised “a vibrant 24-hour, mixed-use neighborhood anchored by 11 acres of new open space and 6 million square feet of development, with at least one-third as housing.”

“I understand there are people who feel that residential should be built first, but the market no longer supports housing,” he said.

A BRA hearing on the projects is set for Dec. 1.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1134718

Meetings for Melcher and Summer St. Projects

The BRA is holding a meeting a week from Monday on the Melcher and Summer St. projects which go before the board for approval that Wednesday. These projects caused large numbers of artists and small businesses to be pushed out of the neighborhood and created dead blocks in the neighborhood where there once was a lot of activity and now is empty buildings (I still miss hearing music shows while past Studio Soto on Melcher). FPAC has been talking with city officials about getting spaces for artists who were evicted and is holding a meeting on this Monday evening:

Monday, November 24th
6:30 PM
12 Farnsworth St. (next to Flour)
FPAC community meeting for all interested Fort Point residents to discuss these issues.




Boston Redevelopment Authority will host a public meeting regarding 49/51/63 Melcher St & 316-322 Summer St

Monday, December 1st
6:30-8PM
44 Thompson Place, First Floor Conference Room


Project Proponent: W2005 BWH II Realty, LLC and Lincoln Summer Street Venture LLC

Project Description: Update on the 49/51/63 Melcher Street Project and the 316-322 Summer Street Project

If you have any questions, please contact:
Kristin Kara
phone: 617.918.4263
email: Kristin.Kara.bra@CityofBoston.gov

Jay Rourke
phone: 617.918.4317
email: Jay.Rourke.bra@CityofBoston.gov

SAND's Response to Melcher St Project

Steve Hollinger from SAND (a community group voicing a public vision for the development of Fort Point as a vibrant, urban neighborhood) wrote a great response to the BRA's stance on the Melcher St project which I wanted to highlight. To be clear, the FPNA doesn't necessarily agree with the BRA's interpretations and most members have great concerns about the project overall, but I believe it's important to post as much information directly from the sources as possible and let residents make up their own minds. In that spirit, here's Steve's response to the BRA's stance on the 49-63 Melcher St project:


---
Whether the BRA representative stated "a variance is not needed" for a building addition on top of a historic building instead of Archon/Goldman's assertions "as of right" is a distinction without a difference, since our ears had never heard either of these positions before.

That was the first time in Fort Point's 100+ year history that anyone (even seasoned community members who participated on the BRA's Fort Point Advisory Committee in the 100-Acre planning process) had ever heard that additions on top of historic buildings would be allowable without the due process we were accustomed to over the past ten years.

As for consistency, the BRA's statements are entirely inconsistent with what we were told during the 100-Acre process. We were ensured that the PDA would capture ALL of the elements of the 100-Acre plan including public realm components, and that the PDA would ensure that the 100-Acre process would unfold incrementally -- not phased according to the whims of the market.

We were never told about future "cooperation agreements" and other agreements that would somehow have to be retroactively tied back to the height and density captured in the PDA to ensure development of critical greenspace, civic space and cultural space along with commercial projects. Unfortunately, that is what we are hearing today, while the developers capture valuable height and density "as of right" without the need for zoning variances.

The 100 Acre PDA has effectively replaced the former zoning, and the developers have begun reaping the rewards without fulfilling the promise of the residential devlopment, the parks and civic spaces expressed in the 100-Acre plan.

On a more technical level, our (limited) conversations regarding rooftop additions during the 100-Acres process didn't discuss or support the aggregation of square footage across three buildings, as proposed by Archon/Goldman. And, although I'm not a lawyer, in my reading of the PDA, it makes no allowances for aggregation of building square footage.

The wind studies are troubling because they displayed a willingness to see the project swiftly approved. The current articulation of historic light wells on Necco Court are among the most beautiful in the neighborhood, and surely moderate windflow. Of course, it’s impossible for us to argue with a wind "expert" when we question the premise of a stark block-long façade of newly infilled masonry behind Melcher Street. Approximately 79 historic windows on Necco Court will be filled in. This is a stunningly mediocre bit of architecture -- as was pointed out during the community meeting by one of Fort Point's renown urban planners.

These few details suggest why it is important for the BRA’s statements put into the context of the past decade of planning -- not absent the experience many in Fort Point have shared in expressing an “urban neighborhood vision”. We can’t be expected to respond to blog pages on every site, so I’d recommend a visit to www.bostonseaport.com.

Thanks for the opportunity to weigh in.

Steve Hollinger

BRA Clarification on Melcher St. Project

FPNA has been working with the BRA to get responses to some of the concerns and questions raised by residents over the 49-63 Melcher St. Project (Project details available on the Project Page on the BRA's site).

"As of Right"
At the meeting Tony Goldman and his architect said a number of times that their project as "as of right". I contacted Kristin Kara, the Project Manager from the BRA, and she was very helpful and clarified the BRA's position.

She said that while Goldman had called the project "as of right", those weren't her words and it's not how she would describe things, as this is part of a PDA rather than part of the zoning process. She said a more accurate way to put it is that the BRA considers the project consistent with the 100 Acres PDA (a PDA, or Planned Development Area, is a section of the city, like Fort Point, where the BRA has put aside normal zoning rules and instead imposed special guidelines just for this district). I asked specifically about the way the plan deals with its additional height and infill and she said the BRA considers both consistent with the PDA.

There remains an open question of how the BRA is going to make progress on the overall objectives for the neighborhood, like open space and a critical mass of residential development, will be achieved. This was raised to the the BRA's new Director, John Palmieri, by FPNA and other neighborhood groups at a meeting with him two weeks ago and the BRA is looking at ways to have the elements of the plan the community is excited for concurrent with those favorable to developers' bottom lines. This was part of the reason the comment period for the project was extended.

Wind
There were also a number of residents concerned about wind in the street behind the building (Necco Ct). A wind study was done, though it was qualitative, not quantitative, as there weren't significant wind changes expected. Kristin put me in touch with someone from the BRA who has more expertise with wind studies. The wind expert looked through the study and posed some questions to Frank Durgin, the engineer who performed the study. She felt the study was appropriate and well done, and she was very confident that there wouldn't be significant changes given the direction of the wind and the current levels. One point she made was that, on Necco Court, the wind currently swirls in the voids in the building. After the in-fills are put in, the wind should go up and over the building (in part because of the design of the tops of the additions) which should reduce the wind on the street level.

While these are not the only concerns residents raised, I appreciate the BRA getting back to us and clarifying their position on these items.

Notes from 49/51/63 Melcher St Meeting

The meeting 49/51/63 Melcher St. on Thursday was one of the more hostile community meetings I've been to. Residents spoke out loud and clear that they were unhappy both with the project as well as the larger development process for the neighborhood.

Tony Goldman of Goldman Properties was there and took the stance that he can do the project as-of-rights (ie, without getting any additional approval from the city or BRA), so he was not interested in any concessions or changes. This was a point of a contention during the meeting. FPNA has contacted the BRA to confirm this.

The full plan is available on the BRA's website:
49/51/63 Melcher PNF Page

Concerns raised by residents there included:

-The district is already 85% office and the 100 Acres plan calls for 1/3 each of residential, retail, and office space. Does this makes it impossible to have 33% residential ? Even if not, the neighborhood has a ton of catching up to do.

-Residents were displeased that developers seemed to be picking the elements from the 100 Acres plan that benefited them, and ignoring the elements that didn't. They would like to see greenspaces and residential projects built alongside the office towers, not many years.

-There was disagreement that the rooftop additions are as-of-right and don't require a variance. Kristin Kara, who moderated and represented the BRA, said that "my understanding is that a variance is not needed... the BRA believes that this project does not require a variance."

-Contractors for previous Goldman projects have caused problems, including parking in lots they don't own and working outside of the approved work hours.

-Goldman's commitment to the city and the neighborhood was questioned. They bought 17 properties, got the plan approved, and then sold off many of them. In addition, with this project alone, 91 artists were evicted and many local businesses, creating a deadzone in the heart of the neighborhood where there used be a very vibrant block with public performances and active businesses.

-Kristin Kara said that the BRA is interested in having community benefits for every development project and would seek them for this project, however, there were none at this time. Concern was raised that the comment period ends in two weeks, which means the public is being shut out of this part of the process.

-There was a lot of disapproval of the additions on the back of the building. Residents felt that the existing nooks are interesting and would make great pocket parks. It will also mean the loss of those historic facades and footprints. And, very pragmatically, that street is currently a quiet street that pedestrians prefer to walk on as it's sheltered from the wind; making the building one large rectangle will make it a wind tunnel and very unattractive, large block.

-This is one of the two tallest buildings in all of Fort Point. People asked why there was a need to do a rooftop addition ? It's less than 5% of the total square footage, but is a significant change to an historic building.

-91 artists were displaced by Goldman and a number of art galleries. The loss of neighborhood institutions like Studio Soto has had a real impact on the neighborhood. And there are no artist or art spaces in this or any of Goldman's development projects, at all.

Meeting for Archon's Melcher St. Project, 3/13/2008

The Archon Group, L.P. and Goldman Properties Inc., is proposing to substantially rehabilitate the three existing buildings located at 49, 51, and 63 Melcher Street into one, combined office building. There's a community meeting to discuss the project:


Community Meeting
Thursday, March 13th
6:30 PM
51 Melcher St.


The Proposed Project involves approximately 37,000 square feet of infill development, an approximately 11,500 square foot, one-story rooftop addition to 51 Melcher Street, as well as repairs to the facades, new windows and a new roof. The three existing buildings total approximately 173,000 square feet. After the addition and infill are complete, the Proposed Project will include approximately 221,500 square feet, 33,000 square feet of which will be retail space on the ground-floor and the remaining 188,500 square feet will be office space.

Parking for the Proposed Project will be provided at the neighboring Necco Street Garage, which is owned by an affiliate of the Proponent.