Fwd: Allston Construction Mitigation Subcommittee 6/2/2026

[Priscilla Anderson]

The Allston Construction Mitigation Subcommittee met on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Notes are below.

Future meetings:

Tuesday July 7, 2026 Zoom registration

Tuesday August 4, 2026 Zoom registration

Tuesday September 1, 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.

Police report, Officer Christine Marini, BPD D14 community service, christin...@pd.boston.gov

• 2 break-ins, Antwerp St, through open window with use of folding chair in the yard; Riverdale Airbnb, air-conditioner pushed through
• Attempted break-in on Donnybrook
• Car breaks: over half were from unlocked cars
• Lester alleged car jacking, from a Snap Chat sale
• Panda Fest traffic was really bad: estimates were too low
• Blue gel pens are difficult to remove, so use them for writing checks
• Neighbor concern: late night drinking in the parking lot behind the library
• Important to call 911 for these incidents to establish a call history (justifies sending a police car to monitor)

Windom St neighbor's property sidewalk damage

The City doesn't understand the location; two responses have said it's Harvard property, but it's a private homeowner, and the sidewalk is city responsibility

Harvard Construction: Ed LeFlore

General:

Stadium renovation: concrete maintenance ongoing but the renovation project in the IMP is not yet started

Enterprise Research Campus:

Allston Way Green space is open

Bike and bus lanes are being striped out

Working on streetscaping towards Almay St

There will be a new mockup on Rotterdam for the academic building project in Cambridge

Neighbor feedback: website for the ERC is dynamic and full of events and information

Neighbor feedback: ERC hotel and restaurant parking: currently valet only and requires an app (inconvenient); will regular garage parking be available in the future?

114 Western Ave:

Will have a couple of cranes doing a rooftop replacement

Drainage work at HBS around Kresge parking lot

NASDEP work to cross Storrow Drive to Charles River is in public realm for permitting process; once permitted, more community conversation will take place 

American Repertory Theater:

Ivy Lane is very busy over the next few weeks/months with theater equipment deliveries etc.

Working on the exterior now

Mural: weather dependent, painting the walls white to prep, 

Neighbor question: Outdoor track facility under renovation: is there a new use involved, or is it just repair?

Residential building:

occupancy August/September, graduate students

Elected Officials Reports

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

FIFA info session

FIFA fan fest 6/12-27 on City Hall Plaza: https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://bostonfwc26.com/fifa-fan-festival/___.YXAzOmNzbGNvbnN1bHRpbmc6YTpvOjhmNjkwOGI4MDYzNzM5YjI2NWU0NDQ1NDhiOWRhNzc4Ojc6ZWJiZDpmNjkyODBmNmQ5MzYzMWI4M2E3MThhMDUxNGM1MmM3MWIzYjk2NmNkMjhkYmE2NzM0NmRiODAxMDM0OGQ1NDMyOnQ6VDpG

Business Index for visitors includes ERC/Allston restaurants etc

Gardner Pilot Academy Friendship Feast, fundraiser, Friday 6/5, 5:30-7:30pm: link to poster

Compost distribution on 6/24, 3-6pm, 315 Western Ave., Brighton MA 02135

There is a new children's librarian at Honan Allston Library

September 12, 2026: Honan Allston Library anniversary party

Allston-Brighton little league: irresponsible pet owners not cleaning up after their dogs using Smith Park so kids couldn't play on the field this past weekend

Office hours Friday at 2pm at In-House Cafe

Community Preservation Act next meet-and-greet at St. Luke's on 6/15; they provide funding for repairing/restoring historic architecture: https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://www.boston.gov/calendar/allston-brighton-meet-and-greet-allston-abbey___.YXAzOmNzbGNvbnN1bHRpbmc6YTpvOjhmNjkwOGI4MDYzNzM5YjI2NWU0NDQ1NDhiOWRhNzc4Ojc6NDNmMzowYTJjYmQyMzg1OWM5ZjA0Y2VhYWQxNzkwMzU2NDNmYmI0NmU4MDI4MmZkYjQ3MGZiNGE0ZGE0NThlZDMxYWYzOnQ6VDpG

State Rep. Mike Moran's Office, Ben Tocchi, 617-834-0803, Benjami...@mahouse.gov

DCR is hiring lifeguards for beaches and pools $22-25 per hour, will train

DCR has too many open projects; change in commissioner, difficulty in receiving timely information; money is being spent, so they are working on it

Leo Birmingham Parkway phase 1 should be finishing in the next month

Fanueil Pool (bear IHOP) 

Most banks and credit unions offer online bill payment and also can send checks through the bank

Customer refunds from electric utility companies: disagreement on how to send those refunds; generation fee will be going up, so they want to hold onto the refund and then distribute it during higher use time. Generation rate is going up: increased reliance on gas without sufficient pipelines; continued price increase of petroleum products due to middle east; we have two nuclear power plants in New England that cover 25% 

City Councilor Liz Breadon's Office, Alexand...@boston.gov

Dog owners vs little league at Smith Park, trying to increase animal control patrol

Bike lane and street safety, cars going the wrong way down one-way streets, working with BPD D-14

In the height of budget season, 

Traffic calming project with speed humps has been discontinued: 311 calls, start a petition with neighbors on the street, that will help Breadon's office to advocate

Tony D'Isidoro, Allston Civic Association

Request for moving large planters at Continuum since they are not maintaining them

Pollinator plants organization might be interested in them

City has planted a lot of trees in Allston/Brighton

Could Harvard replace trees that used to be between the Grove and the ArtLab?

Open Mike Night on Thursday 6:30pm at Smith Park in the amphitheater: https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://www.boston.gov/calendar/open-mic-allstonbrighton___.YXAzOmNzbGNvbnN1bHRpbmc6YTpvOjhmNjkwOGI4MDYzNzM5YjI2NWU0NDQ1NDhiOWRhNzc4Ojc6MzgxMjo4MzBkNWQxZThlMjQ0ZTk1ZjliMWNmYjAwZTgyOTUxYzc4Mjk4YzcwNjgwOTUwOGZiYmJjMWU0NDQ3NGEzZjg1OnQ6VDpG