Allston Construction Mitigation Subcommittee meeting notes

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The Allston Construction Mitigation Subcommittee met on Monday, August 10, 2015 in the Honan Library.  A core group of neighbors attended, as did Steve Law of Boston Police District 14 and Ed LeFlore representing both Harvard University and Samuels & Associates.  There was no representation from the City of Boston or from Allston's elected officials.

 

The following issues were discussed:

 

North Harvard Street Resident Parking:   The subcommittee has collected three pages of signatures from North Harvard Street residents and reported that there has been no resistence to the effort, including from City Tails (formerly Bicycle Bill's), the only business on the street without a parking lot.  The subcommittee will continue to ask for signatures until 90 percent of the residents have been contacted.  The subcommittee expects to submit the petitions to City Hall in September or October.

 

Snow Farm:  The subcommittee complained that the Harvard-owned snow farm (located on the former Sears site) is filthy and that initial clean-up efforts had stalled.  LeFlore said that this work is outside his purview.  The work belongs to Harvard Real Estate.  He further said that since the cities of Boston and Cambridge have not removed the dirt and debris, it is Harvard's responsibility.  All the material on the site must be separated and taken to various landfills.  The subcommittee will follow-up with Annie Tomasini at Harvard Public Affairs.

 

Western Avenue Tree:  The sidewalk tree that was felled by last week's hail storm near the corner of Western Avenue and Hague Street must be dealt with by the City of Boston.  The tree has been lying in the road with caution tape around it.

 

Construction Worker Parking:  Neighbors reported that while Harvard's Webster Field has been nearly empty, Spurr Street and Western Avenue in front of Smith Field are full of construction workers' vehicles.  LeFlore reported that 250 parking passes were distributed in July to give workers access to Webster Field, which has been tarred and lined.

 

Continuum:  All the Western Avenue utility work in support of Continuum is complete, and the north building will be done at the end of August. 

 

Science:  The subcommittee once again discussed the fencing around the Science site once construction begins (no sooner than February 2016).  The fence will be plywood with decorative graphics facing the street.  The subcommittee inquired about using children's artwork from the Ed Portal or Gardner Pilot Academy.  LeFlore enthusiastically agreed, saying he had done the very same thing on other projects. When the construction is complete, the artwork is donated back to the school.  LeFlore will speak to Harvard about this option.

 

Rena Park:  Rena Park is proceeding, and LeFlore intends to be off of Oxford Street by next week.

 

Signage:  New signage will be put up to clarify the distinction between Windom Street and Rotterdam Street.

 

Charlesview:  The Charlesview site is being cleaned up.  In the Fall, utility work will begin to support the future Gateway project.

 

Next Meetings:

Wednesday, September 9, 2015, 6 p.m.

Monday, September 21, 2015, 6 p.m.