Tim McHale
MEMO
To: BPDA – Lauren Shurtleff, Joe Blankenship, Matt Martin, Mark McGonagle
CC: Director Arthur Jemison, Nupoor Monani
Re: Western Ave. Corridor Study Comments
Thank you for the opportunity to present these comments on the Study, prior to the 7-28-22 public meeting. I apologize I can not make the meeting.
The scope of the Study is large, and I credit the BPDA with sticking to it. It’s been a moving target. And while these comments may point to the incompleteness of the Study, they are not meant to diminish the terrific progress made. My aim is to see these comments resolved before the final draft of the Study is issued.
1. The original goals of the Study were to rezone and incorporate the great work of planning studies that preceded it. It is my sense that the development projects that have surfaced are driving the zoning. Planning is not.
2. Comprehensive planning at the following areas needs refining: Barry’s Corner, Holton Corridor, a new Arts District, a core Public Realm, housing goals, traffic study that addresses the 6000+ trips/day, all while the current intersections they’ll traverse have a failing grade.
3. Per the original goals, the BPDA stated that the increased zoning would allow greater community benefits. We don’t see evidence of this in the NEXUS or 176 Lincoln projects. Before zoning is codified, the benefits could be identified and/or memorialized.
4. It is time that the information cultivated to date is put down on paper as a progress master plan/study. Let the community digest everything in one piece.
5. We have communicated that the Study should generate a transformational idea/benefit. One developer would not be responsible but rather the proponents of the TEN mega projects in our neighborhood should be brought together to discuss the urban planning concepts and develop a holistic approach. Does the BPDA have a "big" idea? How about an arts and cultural district?
6. Lab space, the project of choice by developers, will absorb all the current housing and drive-up prices. A formula needs to be codified that connects square footages of lab space to housing built by that developer. This formula should reflect the housing goals of unit type and AMI.
7. Lab space stresses established communities. Deeper study is required to identify these concerns and rectify before approvals are granted.
8. We will need thousands of units to offset the huge home ownership deficit and affordable goals. Land should be dedicated NOW before it’s too late. Developers are getting approvals and building on the scarce land that will prohibit housing to be developed for fifty years at least.
9. Create an arts and entertainment district. Developers are receiving millions of square feet to feed their objectives. The residents should have the arts to feed their souls.
10. With the I-90 project back on track, a regional transportation plan should be developed. The way it is shaping up, we will get modest improvements, build out all the land and be left with a subpar transportation system. The City planning agency has to take the lead on this.
11. A foundational decision must be made. Are we to be a neighborhood of office parks or a neighborhood with an amazing public realm, town center concept with a few scattered office centers surrounding us?
12. Are we a neighborhood that brings in people or cars?
13. Are we coordinating our transportation plan with DCR’s plan to put Soldiers Field Road on a diet?
14. What is the status of the SFR pedestrian crossings? Two of them have been approved for nine years, while a few more are being envisioned. Developers should be mandated to build these out as part of their projects.
15. The City needs to resolve the Salt Yard and move it to a new location. This would generate amazing results of a public realm, connection to the River and affordable housing on the site.
16. The Study could initiate the following:
· A ped/bike connection from the eastern point of Western Ave to the River. It should be done as part of the ERC.
· A pedestrian/bike bridge over the Mass Pike at Everett St.
· All architecture proposed must be of high standard.
· A bike way along Lincoln St., using the fallow strip of land.
· A Lincoln St. sound barrier to the neighborhood from the Mass Pike.
· All streets in Holton Corridor should be aligned east/west. Affordable housing could be targeted for this area.
· A Telford St. Promenade to the new bridge over SFR, bring the River visually into the neighborhood. Is a bridge necessary if SFR is one lane?
· Assess/design all green space by the City and Harvard and connect them to provide a new “armature” of open space and pocket parks in the community.
· Regulate all sidewalks to the design standard of what was shown at 180 Western proposed development, i.e. a walking lane, a landscape lane, a patio lane.
· Require step downs at all buildings that front both sides of Western Ave. Make the pedestrian scale more prominent.
17. Residents are still uneasy with the heights proposed by the Study. The early concept was to make the buildings undulate in height, creating interest and not making a cookie cutter appearance of roof tops. The size of the proposed heights by area do not lend themselves to this concept. Keep the heights significantly lower on the South side of Western to allow sunlight onto the street.
18. Harvard, as partner to this Study, could be asked to buy two parcels to maximize the planning and development with in the Study area – 1) the Gulf Station at Barry’s Corner, and 2) the Public Storage building next to their 176 Lincoln St. development. The former would create a wonderful public realm at Barry's and the latter could be re-purposed to bring in thousands of artists and musicians being displaced by the Sound Museum going defunct for a new lab.
19. Residents have been outspoken about the Study allowing the development of the neighborhood akin to Assembly, Kendall, and the Seaport. The City knows that these developments are not ideal and replicating them is not in our best interest.
20. When is the projected time to issue a working draft of the Study?
We have an unprecedented opportunity to bring an amazing planning and development process to North Allston and Brighton. Completing the study is on the horizon. It will shape our quality of life into the next century. Can we pursue these ideals with enormous vision and decision?
Thank you very much. Respectfully submitted, Tim McHale