Allston Construction Mitigation Subcommittee 1/6 Notes

[Priscilla Anderson]

The Allston Construction Mitigation Subcommittee met on Tuesday January 6, 2025. Notes are below.

Future meetings:

Tuesday February 2, 2026  Zoom registration

Tuesday March 2, 2026 Zoom registration

Tuesday April 7, 2026 Zoom registration

Chaired by Harvard Allston Task Force (HATF) member Ed Kotomori, this subcommittee invites developer construction mitigation and community relations staff, Boston Police Department District 14, local and state elected officials and their representatives, and local North Allston neighbors, to discuss construction and safety issues in the neighborhood. All are welcome to attend and contribute.

Notes 1/6/2026

Police report Sgt. Edward McMahon D14 community service

Year-end crime stats 2024/2025

All crime went down in 2025 (from 2024) except auto thefts and commercial burglaries

Auto thefts 81 in 2024 / 83 in 2025

Commercial burlagris 25 / 33 (construction sites tools/equipment being stolen)

Robberies 39 / 23

Larceny Motor Vehicles (things stolen out of unlocked cars) 176 / 90

Other larcenies: packages, shoplifting, personal belongings stolen: 685 / 597

2024 1086 / 976

violent 173 / 155

property crime 913 / 821

Cameras are helping detectives identify suspects; doorbell cameras, store cameras

Arrests are reducing criminals on the street

12/2 to 1/16 crime stats: 

1 car break-in

4 auto thefts (cars running, unattended)

3 residential buglaries, 1 arrest made

Larceny 1 arrest

1 Domestic assault 1 arrest

29 Hopedale St: resident bought an item on Facebook Marketplace to be delivered by the seller, resident gave the seller the money and the seller fled without handing over the item

Commstat meeting in December: main issue: trying to slow down cars throughout neighborhood (especially Everett St)

Harvard Construction: Ed LeFlore

Enterprise Research Campus

Western Ave Road paving bumped out until spring; temporary striping will be placed soon and will have to suffice until March when they can do the full paving

All ERC buildings have Occupancy Permits

Garage will have occupancy permit this week or next

ERC completed for the most part

Future Phase B location is getting cleaned up (trailers removed etc.)

Life Sciences tenant has not moved in yet; will need a lot of time to outfit it to their needs

Streets in ERC likely to stay private, not b e turned over to the City

Multi-use path through ERC may open to the public in spring 2026

Roadway construction leading to Almay St being taken over by Harvard now that the Tishman Speyer construction is winding down

American Repertory Theater 

Interior view shows mostly wood interior; stage/balconies also wood

Buildings without completed envelope are all covered against winter weather

Targeted completion/opening Fall 2026

Elected Officials reports

Mayor Wu's office, Allston-Brighton neighborhood liaison Jennifer Roberts, jennifer...@boston.gov

No update on Windom/Amboy street alterations yet; will report on any developments when they happen

State MassDOT work will be done on Cambridge St bridge over the Mass Pike (Franklin St to Lincoln St), will have westbound right-lane closures for 10 months: Saturday 1/10/2026 through October 2026; will have impacts on 66 and 64 buses, 

D14 will have more presence on Everett St.

46th annual unsheltered people census on January 22nd Register to Volunteer

Jen will connect with Kenya Thompson about the James Roberts Park renewal

Mark Handley wants Harvard to invest in parks projects in North Allston

Neighbor concern: with bridge construction, will have additional traffic on Hopedale, need traffic calming at entrance to James Roberts Park

Neighbor concern: sidewalk repair on Windom St just SW of the intersection of Hopedale 

https://allstonia.com/2026/01/04/heres-ten-allston-developments-you-should-watch-in-2026/

Flu/COVID vaccination clinic: Saturday, January 10th, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Josephine A. Fiorentino Community Center, 123 Antwerp St., Brighton, MA 02135

State Rep. Mike Moran's Office, Ben Tocchi, 617.834.0803 Benjami...@mahouse.gov

State office was effectively closed last week; budget season is getting started

City Councilor Liz Breadon's Office, Matt Costas, matthew...@boston.gov

State Rep. Kevin Honan's office, Alex Camarena, Alejandro...@mahouse.gov

Other Reports

Tony Disidoro, Allston Civic Association
Neighbor question: will ART offer discounts to Allston neighbors?

ART will likely offer tours/incentives/perks related to ART programming

ERC will be having an opening celebration of hotel and Treehouse soon

Cafe will be going into the Treehouse

Latest Health Commission report: waste-water analysis shows Allston-Brighton numbers are very high

Allston/Brighton COVID/flu free vaccine clinic Saturday 10am-2pm

Neighbor report: whooping cough and shingles vaccines may also be recommended for seniors

250 Everett St project has permits and will start soon

Harvard Ave Post Office construction moving ahead