Allston Yards IAG Clarification
Anthony D'Isidoro
Hi Michael,
After careful consideration, I have decided not to sign on to the majority IAG letter and I am formally asking that the BPDA delay Board consideration of this project for the following reasons:
1) I believe the proponents can achieve 20% affordability from the beginning. Back loading affordability from an initial 13% to 17% after all four buildings are built, provides little guarantee that the commitment will be fulfilled (future economic conditions, project sale, PDA changes, etc.) A $2,000,000 Homeowner Fund would do little to bridge the gap plus the lack of details as to how the fund would be managed is problematic. If an impactful Homeowner Fund is agreed to, funds should be equally held by the Allston Brighton CDC and Brighton Marine.
2) Building C should not exceed 205 feet (Approved for New Balance Boutique Hotel).
3) The proponent should commit to a 50% rental and 50% condominium split for the residential component. 758 rental and 110 Home ownership units is unacceptable.
4) The proponent should commit to a percentage of affordable retail units to attract local small businesses.
5) There must be a detailed agreement between the proponents, MassDOT and the City has to how the $2.5 million is to be spend locally and how can the community guarantee compliance. The Stop & Shop project is not going to nor should it be asked to address problems on the Framingham Worcester Line. The Allston I90 project and MassDOT rail vision plan with state and federal funding should assume that responsibility unless the Commonwealth is prepared to ask every development project up and down the rail corridor to make a similar contribution. If the fund is not manageable, the $2.5 million should be added to the Homeowner Fund or targeted to another community need.
6) Issues revolving around the Allston Brighton TMA and governance and management of the Allston-Brighton shuttle should be resolved before a financial commitment is made.
7) The delta between project commitments and mitigation values appears to indicate minimal project commitments based on the size of the project. (eg. There is no guarantee that Allston Brighton will ever see any of the $3.3 million in DIP payments to the Neighborhood Housing Trust)
8) The majority IAG letter is well written and thought out, however it contains some aspirational commitments at the same time supporting Board approval. Being a PDA and only requiring Zoning Commission approval afterwards, the forum doesn't exist for the proponent to formally respond.
In summary approval by the BPDA Board significantly reduces the leverage our community would have in addressing what appears to be numerous generalities and provides maximum flexibility to the proponent going forward.
We know that appearance before the Board is simply a rubber stamp of approval and therefore a minimum of 30 additional days could be well spent in providing greater specificity and commitment to the Allston-Brighton community.
Tony
Hi Michael,
First of all I want to thank you for the very professional job you did taking over for Casey Hines and the patience and consideration shone to the IAG and general public.
I especially appreciate your outreach in working to schedule project events that did not conflict with other important community events and keeping us on the IAG as informed as possible.
In all due respect I am very confused regarding what I feel is the number one community need that the proponent had to address in this project, that of setting aside 20% of the total units as affordable. (868 X 20% = 173 + cash payment for .6)
The proponent has committed to 148 affordable units on site phased in. That leaves us with a delta of 25 units.
The proponent in their presentation acknowledged the need for owner occupied homeownership given we have one of the lowest rates in the city and yet out of 868 units, they have only committed to 110 condominium units of which 30% of them will be available to investors.
The statement read on behalf of Councilor Ciommo refers to the Allston Brighton Homeownership Fund ($4 million) that could create up to 200 new homeownership “opportunities”.
In your opening comments you state “To achieve more housing affordability which was a request of the neighborhood, the proponent has agreed to a $4 million homeownership fund. The ask of the neighborhood was to try to achieve 20%. If the $4 million does not achieve 20% the developer has agreed to guarantee 20% and throw more money into the homeownership fund.”
In the majority IAG letter which I did not sign it stated “With the 17% affordable housing commitment and the $3million dollar fund we have pretty much reached 20% affordability with a strong commitment to directly help residents of Allston-Brighton. The homeowner fund will give us the ability to provide grants to lower/middle-income buyers for down payment assistance, gap funding, and elderly/veteran home repairs directly to Allston Brighton residents.”
A $4 million Homeownership Fund that does all of the above as well as provide 25 additional affordable units off site in Inclusionary Development Policy Zone B?
Also the proponent never disclosed that the 10.6 acres would be subdivided into four lots with four separate LLCs which is an additional concern about back loading the affordable units and when asked about it by a board member on both of these issues, the proponent really didn’t answer the questions.
I agree with Councilor Ciommo that permits should be delayed until the details of the homeownership fund are worked out. A draft proposal of the Homeownership Fund as well as the Cooperation Agreement should be presented at a public meeting of the IAG which would enable group discussion.
I look forward to your response.
Tony
P.S.
I have bcc'd the IAG. Please forward your response to them under separate cover.
Michael Sinatra, Project Manager
Boston Planning and Development Agency
Boston City Hall
1 City Hall Square
Boston, MA 02201
RE: Allston Yards
Dear Mr. Michael Sinatra,
This letter is in response to the proposed project Allston Yards from the majority members of the IAG. At this time we feel this project should move forward. The developer has listened and addressed the community concerns on height, density, connectivity, traffic, transportation, and affordability.
The height and density was addressed by:
- Reducing the office density by 25,000 SF and the residential density by 30 units
- Reducing the height of Building D by 30 feet and the height of Building B by 10 feet, while also reducing the Building B podium
- Eliminating a floor of parking in Building B to discourage single occupancy vehicle trips by office tenants
This project still has building sections that exceed the Guest Street study. We can support that as it is important to allow for some diversity in scale in order not to build a wall of buildings that will bounce the noise back to the other side of the Pike affecting the North Brighton/Allston community.
The connectivity, traffic and transportation was addressed by:
- New bus stops for the 64 bus
- $2,500,000 transit subsidy commitment to the MBTA targeted to increase capacity of commuter rail and improve the 64 Bus route. The Project will work to include an annual monitoring requirement by the MBTA in the Section 61 Finding and have these results shared with the IAG.
- Transit Signal Priority at 3 intersections
- New, unified street grid with Complete Streets bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure
- Enhanced Guest & Everett Street intersection
- Enhanced Guest & Arthur Street intersection
- A $1,200,000 shuttle and shuttle services funding commitment and the project will commit to fund the shuttle operations after the initial 10-year commitment on an ongoing basis through tenant fees.
- The Project will include restrictions in tenant leases prohibiting tenants from seeking resident parking stickers to protect parking in the neighborhood.
- Eliminated a floor of parking in Building B to discourage single occupancy vehicle trips by office tenants
- Introduced an enhanced Kiss & Ride to supplement the existing Kiss & Ride while also committing to fund and implement the Braintree Street connection if and when needed.
We still strongly urge the developer and the city of Boston to continue to push the State/MBTA for the implementation of a fast track. The fast track would greatly improve transportation for the community as a whole and truly connect Allston/Brighton to downtown Boston. The train stop was built as a center platform to accommodate a fast track.
The affordability and stability was addressed by:
- 17% on-site affordable housing commitment, which includes 35 units of workforce housing
- $4,000,000 Allston Brighton Homeowner Fund to increase housing affordability, accessibility and stability in the Allston Brighton neighborhood to be held by the Brighton Marine. All funds are to be awarded to the qualified residents and no money should be used to pay any salaries or programing.
- The Project will commit the first $1,250,000 to the Allston Brighton Homeowner Fund at the time of its first building permit (as soon as mid-2020). The second permit $1,250,000 and third/fourth building permit will commit $1,500,000 to the fund. Total of $4,000,000.
- Committed to at least 70% of the ownership units being restricted, of record, for owner-occupancy
- Commitment to no short term leases with a one year minimum term
With the 17% affordable housing commitment and the $4million dollar fund we have reached 20% affordability with a strong commitment to directly help residents of Allston-Brighton. The homeowner fund will give us the ability to provide grants to lower/middle-income buyers for down payment assistance, gap funding, and elderly/veteran home repairs directly to Allston Brighton residents.We acknowledge that the structure and guidelines for the Allston Brighton Homeowner Fund need to be determined, but do not feel it should be a reason to delay this project. The IAG calls for four meetings to be held by the IAG with the developer and housing advocates to format the best structure for the fund. All meetings are opened to the public. The four meetings should be completed by March 15, 2020 and the IAG will confirm the guidelines. The developer agrees no permit shall be issued prior to the guidelines being determined and that they will be added to the cooperation agreement.
Other important items also addressed:
- A one acre community green will be built with first phase of this project. The one acre will have a permanent restriction on development via easement of public rights to the city of Boston. They coordinate programing with parks and continually maintain the Community Green, at a cost of at least $100,000 annually. The park will also have free wifi and dedicated dog park area.
- A 10,000sq ft community room will be built. This will be an arts and community room that will be customized for the end user by the developer. A visioning survey with interested stakeholders will be held to determine programing, equipment purchasing and types of build outs, etc.. Parking will also be available for the community room users.
- $160,000 to be provided to the Parks Department be allocated to Ringer Park, not Penniman Park. The Project will coordinate with the Parks Department to have Parks allocate the funds to Ringer Park in coordination with the Master Plan being finalized for such park.
- $1,000,000 Community Benefit Fund to be allocated by the IAG yearly in increments of $100,000 yearly. The IAG will review applications and select. Proceeds limited to organizations/grants/scholarships that benefit Allston/Brighton residents.
- Rat baiting during construction be performed above and beyond existing requirements. The Project will exceed these requirements and reach out surrounding residents to bait properties
- The developer agrees that they will not seek to construct any kind of Bill Board on the property.
At this time we support this project and ask the BPDA to move forward with the approval process. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Anabela Gomes
John Bligh
Bernadette Lally
Daniel Daly
Colin Akerly
John Cusack
Rosie Hanlon
Peter Leis
Andrea Howard
Anthony D'Isidoro
Sent: Monday, December 16, 2019 11:59 PM
To: Anthony D'Isidoro <anthony...@msn.com>
Subject: Allston Yards IAG Clarification
Anthony D'Isidoro
Hello Everyone,
If you oppose the Allston Yards (Stop & Shop) project, you have another opportunity to express your comments, this time to the Boston Zoning Commission who must formally approve the zoning changes (Planned Development Area) that will enable the project to move forward.
Your email contact is Jeffrey...@Boston.Gov and you should submit no later than Monday, January 6, 2020.
if you would like to express your comments in person the hearing will take place on Wednesday, January 8, 2020 at 10:00 am in Room 900, 9th floor, Boston City Hall.
Below, I have attached the agenda item as well as the email thread that includes the final IAG letter as well as my emails detailing why I couldn't sign on in approval.
Please feel free to incorporate any or all items in your own personal discussion points.
Tony
Map Amendment Application No. 723
Master Plan for Planned Development Area No. 127, Allston Yards Development
Plans for Buildings A, B, C and D within Planned Development Area No. 127
Said map amendment would add the designation "D," indicating a Planned Development overlay area to approximately 10.6 acres of land bounded generally by the Massachusetts Turnpike and the Boston Landing commuter rail station to the north; the Everett Street bridge and Everett Street to the east; Arthur Street and the Boston Landing project to the west; and the Boston Volvo Village dealership and a mix of other uses that front on North Beacon Street to the south.
Said Master Plan would allow for the development of four (4) buildings: Building A, Building B, Building C and Building D and will include up to 868 rental and homeownership units; approximately 352,000 square feet of office and research uses; approximately 67,000 square feet of grocery use; approximately 50,000 square feet of retail/entertainment/restaurant/service uses and will include approximately 10,000 square feet of community space.
Building A will include up to 176 residential units; 87,200 square feet of gross floor area for a new Stop & Shop and other retail, entertainment, restaurant or service space; will contain approximately 250,000 square feet of gross floor area and will have a maximum building height of 85 feet and will contain up to 300 off street parking spaces.
Building B will contain approximately 373,500 square feet of gross floor area including but not limited to office and research uses with retail, entertainment, restaurant and/or service uses; will also include approximately 10,000 square feet of community and/or arts space and up to 550 off sheet parking spaces and will have a maximum building height of 188 feet.
Building C will contain approximately 342,000 square feet of gross floor area including but not limited to residential units, retail, entertainment restaurant and/or service uses; will also include up to 200 off street parking spaces and will have a maximum building height of up to 232 feet.
Building D will contain approximately 266,000 square feet of gross floor area including but not limited to residential units, retail, entertainment, restaurant and/or service uses; will also include up to 150 off sheet parking
spaces and will have a maximum building height of up to 167 feet.