Emergency stop-work order at 88 Lambert Avenue, Roxbury, MA02119

[Rodney Singleton]

Dear Mayor Walsh,                                                                                                     

We are writing to request an emergency stop-work order at 88 Lambert Avenue, Roxbury, MA 02119. This entire site, including the main house, the carriage building, and the garages was granted a “pending landmark” status by the Boston Landmark Commission (BLC). However, on January 13, 2021, Mr. Michael Winston, who resides at 88 Lambert Avenue, started demolition of the garages, which are an important character-defining element and were part of the landmarking effort on the property. This work continued all weekend long without weekend permits. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a Massachusetts state holiday, Mr. Winston continued demolition without a holiday permit. The Boston Police stopped the contractors from working without a permit for today. However, we need you to issue an emergency stop-work order to prevent further destruction of this property going forward. For Mr. Winston to undertake illegal work, to destroy a pending Civil Rights memorial, in Boston’s largest African-American neighborhood, on Martin Luther King Day itself, is unconscionable. At what point will this city awaken to the injustices suffered by its Black residents? How direct does the attack at core values and symbols of our community need to be before a city agency notices? If destruction of a pending landmark in our community has not garnered protection or attention, what will?

There are two reasons why the city should place an emergency stop-work order.

1.    BLC has not completed its study of the site. The Landmarks Commission has per legislation undertaken a major study of the property that is costing thousands of taxpayer dollars and consumed more than a year of time in order to complete the landmarking. The garages were to be covered in the report, and Mr. Winston is tearing them down before the report has even been finished. How can he know if there is importance there or not if the research has not even been completed; how can the public trust such decisions taken unilaterally and without complete information?

2.    The second reason is that Mr. Winston, and his development team, that includes Beth Whittaker, and Derric Small, did in fact misrepresent Mr. Winston as the owner of 88 Lambert Avenue, and used this misrepresentation to accelerate the development process and obtain permits. In fact, this was revealed when a FOIA request from the neighborhood itself, but when this was discovered the permits were not revoked even though it says clearly on the permit itself that any misrepresentation in obtaining it will invalidate it.

Are the rules meant for some of us to follow, and other to ignore?

There are 2,500 signatures on a petition that addresses these abuses that have occurred under your administration, under your watch. Our local leaders have been alerted to the situation and support what we are doing. We have gained support from our local political leaders, including Kim Janey, Chynah Tyler, Andrea Campbell, Sonia Chang-Diaz, Michelle Wu and Liz Malia to help us protect this important site.

The question then remains: Is your legacy to the Black community in this city to be that you didn’t listen to us, that you chose a job in Washington, while our community was left to be destroyed by a developer who attacked our landmark on MLK Day? If that is how you leave it, we will bring that legacy to follow you in DC or wherever you go. It is time to do what is right, Mr. Walsh, if you hope to have credibility in the good fights for labor.

 

Sincerely,

The Highland Park Neighborhood Henry Hampton Legacy Committee

CC:

Christopher Cook
Lynn Smiledge

Rosanne Foley

Councilor Kim Janey,

Representative Chynah Tyler,

Councilor Andrea Campbell,

Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz,

Councilor Michelle Wu

Representative Liz Malia

Councilor Kenzie Bok

[Michael Winston]

Dear Mayor Walsh,

There has been a lot of communication about my project from Rodney Singleton over the last several months. Much of it has taken an overtly personal tone, often castigating me and my wife for pursuing our right to develop our property. 

While he has repeatedly held himself out as a community representative, Mr. Singleton does not speak for the entire Highland Park community. This much is evidenced by the outcome of the last neighborhood vote taken on our proposed development of eight family units where the garages presently stand: 27 in favor and 33 opposed, with 4 abstaining. We have delayed our ZBA hearing twice to earn more support from our community. Our current ZBA hearing date is March 9th.

Regrettably, Mr. Singleton’s extensive personal attacks have detracted from our repeated good faith attempts to engage with the community on remaining concerns around affordability and how best to honor Henry Hampton’s legacy.  Our community meetings and Listserve are no longer a safe space for discussion and dissent on the topic of this project. Indeed, recent community meetings and email exchanges have been a hotbed for misinformation and unjustified disruption.

In response to an inquiry initiated by Mr. Singleton on Tuesday, ISD issued a temporary stop work order while it conducted a review of the Boston Landmark Commission’s decision to approve the project last year.  The temporary stop work order was lifted yesterday following a legal review and our prompt payment of a fine that was levied on Monday. Here is an excerpt from Commissioner Dion Irish’s recent correspondence regarding Mr. Singleton’s concerns, noting that the demolition permit was correctly issued:

“I have reviewed the application materials and conferred with the Law Department and Boston Landmark Commission (BLC) regarding Mr. Singleton's concerns.   This issue of whether the applicant had authority to sign on behalf of the owners was raised at the time the application was submitted to BLC.  Landmarks subsequently requested additional correspondence from the applicant, a licensed architect who had been retained by the owners.  The Law Department reviewed the correspondence along with the attestation in the Landmark's Application (Section IV) and determined that the application was appropriately before the Commision and that the letters resolved any outstanding questions regarding owner consent or signatory authority.  

We have also reviewed the Demolition Delay application provisions set forth in Article 85-6.1 of the Zoning Code and it appears that requirements were satisfied.  The construction permits related to this project remain in the ZBA pipeline, however the demolition permit for the garage was correctly issued, therefore the stop work order will be lifted once the fine for working on Monday without approval is paid.”

I am also attaching our Landmark’s Approval here for reference.  

The Change.org petition Mr. Singleton created is based on dramatic mischaracterizations and was circulated to an audience far beyond the borders of our city and state. We are never going to tear down Henry Hampton's home - it’s a privilege to be actively restoring it and calling it home ourselves. We are committed to preserving his legacy on the property and we are confident we can do so meanfinguly without the garages. 

I’ve lived in the Boston area since I graduated from Northeastern, and I’m proud to have met my wife here and to be raising our daughter in such a vibrant and diverse community. In pursuing development at our home at 88 Lambert Ave, we are simply trying to make the best use of the property, both for the benefit of my family and for the community at large. Both of these priorities are important.

I invite you to visit the property and join me for a discussion so that I can bring you up to speed on the project.

Respectfully,

Michael Winston

88 Lambert Ave

P.S. When I served on your Spark Council in 2017-2018, we spoke about the challenge of neighborhood groups representing a subset of residents and perspectives. Highland Park, like many other neighborhood groups, is facing this very challenge. Despite the unfortunate pain our decision to demolish these garages has caused, I am hopeful we will repair relations and work together to build a stronger community organization with wider representation of the voices in Highland Park. My family is proud of our proposal to create more family housing in Roxbury so that others can join us and call this wonderful corner of Boston home.

[Rodney Singleton]

Thank you Mark, Evan, Luther, Donal, Bob, Ena, Jen, all our beloved neighbors, elected officials and preservation advocates.

Michael,

Some years back when we first moved into our home on Cedar Street, our neighbors' shared fence in our back yard was in need of replacement. At the time, I was a naive homeowner, and went through the process of getting a building permit to take down the old fence and put up a new fence. I remember it costing me all of $17 dollars. But the more important thing I remember is how badly I was treated when trying to follow the rules for this very simple task.

In 2006, we had our roof replaced. This was a big job and it needed to be done on the entire marble block, from Thornton Street to Hawthorne Street. Historic Boston Inc. holds a lean on the historic facade of the building. That lean allows them to dictate the end product of the work, down to the paint: very expensive!

The mansard and dormer roofs, dormers and cornices all needed extensive work, which required a building permit, where there never seemed to be an issue with, when I inquired. I was told to just display the permit in the front window.

My perspective is that the experience of the monied, white developer to go down to 1010 Mass Ave. and get a building permit was very different than mine. And all I wanted to do was tear down a fence and put up a new one.  

Michael, please look at the documents attached. You signed the application of appropriateness as the owner of 88 Lambert Ave. without owner co-signatures (your mother and father). The document clearly states that you cannot do that or it is invalidated. You then got owner signatory permission 7 months later.

Michael, do you understand the city of Boston breaking its rules so you could submit documentation 7 months after the fact is the height of PRIVILEGED treatment?! My experience as a black man living in Boston for almost 60 years and trying to repair my neighbors fence tells me that I could never get away with what you got away with. But you did!  Or perhaps process matters for just a few!

To be fair, you should have had to start all over. This includes paying the application fee of $5,000. That was my second point to Mayor Walsh.

But my first point to Mayor Walsh was one that deeply wounds me and our community: demolition of the garages before the BLC study of 88 is complete.

In his first term, Mayor Walsh held a series meeting on race. I remember the first meeting, because before the whole city to see and hear he came out and said it: Boston has not resolved its issues regarding race. From Mayor Collins to Menino, I'd never heard this from a Boston mayor. Bold to say the least. But Blackstonians were like, finally!

Many would say, all the turmoil around demolition of the garages at 88 Lambert Avenue in Roxbury proves Boston's issues regarding race are still with us. Like I've said before, why isn't Black life, culture, history and achievement honored and respected the same way we honor and respect white life, culture, history and achievement? 

Yes it's true the Bond home was where Hampton lived. And even if the connection the garages had to Hampton's life and the Blackside production of Eyes on the Prize are vague at best, these character defining traits are uniquely Hampton's and not Richard Bond's, because Bond was dead long before the garages were built.

Yet after the one physical piece of evidence that can be linked to Black greatness on the property is bulldozed into the ground to make way for a condo project, all we'll have left is the Bond house, the carriage house and a condominium project. Those character-defining traits of just the Black man, life, history, culture, and a dream unfulfilled will have been whitewashed away.

Ironically, that's white supremacy, bias and privilege Hampton fought to address with his work, which is why all of this is so emotionally hard. And Michael, you think you and your family are victims and being attacked?! Please don't!!! 

We're all better off because of a Civil Rights dream that Hampton helped along. To many, that makes Hampton a more historically consequential figure, as well as the garages that are emblematic of our collective struggle and achievement.    

In the final analysis, looking at 8 condo units, are our neighbors empowered to be engaged members of society, because they are encouraged by seeing themselves as stewards of a legacy to which they have contributed? Many say no!

Michael, please know that the city of Boston gave you permission to take a wrecking ball to a dream for everybody, and you had a choice not to.

Regretfully,

-Rodney 

      

On Thu, Jan 21, 2021 at 11:08 AM Mark Schafer <msme...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thank you, Luther and Evan.

We agree with all that the two of you have said.

Mark Schafer and Marjorie Salvodon

13 Highland Ave. #3

Roxbury, MA

On Thu, Jan 21, 2021 at 9:35 AM Evan Smith <hemingw...@gmail.com> wrote:

 White privilege:  

-You buy a 2 million dollar house in a black neighborhood, which you knew was historically significant and landmarked prior to purchase

-You try to profit off it by building luxury condos that require community input on zoning variances

-You fake that you care about the community's REASONABLE input(No one ever said you couldn't build your project) for almost 3 years and make no changes to your plans to address concerns 

-You run over the community's primary concerns with an excavator on MLK Jr. Day.

-When the community holds you accountable you say you were personally attacked by a black community leader who has served his community with nothing but the utmost honor and dignity for 20 years+. 

That's not hyperbole, those are just the facts of this situation. This isn't a personal attack on you Michael, this is just how you have handled this. One white man to another, you should think about it, you don't understand the context you are in. I stand by our community members in solidarity. 

Evan Smith

48 Lambert Ave

Roxbury, MA

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Evan Smith

48 Lambert Ave #3
Roxbury, MA 02119

hemingw...@gmail.com
617-894-7419

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[Daniel Hudon]

Indeed, well said, Jen, thanks for setting the record straight. 

Daniel

Daniel Hudon, Ph.D. 

twitter: @daniel_hudon

web: danielhudon.com

Sign up for my newsletter at danielhudon.com/about 

See my new book: Brief Eulogies for Lost Animals: An Extinction Reader, available at http://penandanvil.com/brief-eulogies/

On Thu, Jan 21, 2021 at 5:48 PM dhart27 <dha...@comcast.net> wrote:

Well said Jen, the Hart house hold is in complete  agreement with you email.

Deb Hart

Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S9+, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable smartphone

-------- Original message --------

From: Jennifer Rose-Wood <jenro...@hotmail.com>

Date: 1/21/21 3:15 PM (GMT-05:00)

To: Marty Walsh <ma...@cityofboston.gov>, Michael Winston <michael...@me.com>

Cc: Kim Janey <KIM....@boston.gov>, Samuel Hurtado <samuel....@boston.gov>, christop...@boston.gov, lynn.s...@cityofboston.gov, Rosanne Foley <rosann...@boston.gov>, Rodney Singleton <rodne...@gmail.com>, "B...@BOSTON.GOV" <B...@boston.gov>, Chynah Tyler <Chynah...@mahouse.gov>, Andrea Campbell <ANDREA....@boston.gov>, Annissa Essaibi-George <A.E.G...@boston.gov>, "michael.f.flaherty" <michael.f...@boston.gov>, Lydia Edwards <LYDIA....@boston.gov>, Ed Flynn <ED.F...@boston.gov>, Priscilla Bok <KENZI...@boston.gov>, "Raynor, Maia (SEN)" <Maia....@masenate.gov>, "Chang-Diaz, Sonia (SEN)" <Sonia.Ch...@state.ma.us>, "Malia, Liz - Rep. (HOU)" <liz....@mahouse.gov>, "Poston, Liana (HOU)" <liana....@mahouse.gov>, "michelle.wu" <miche...@boston.gov>, Brianna Millor <brianna...@boston.gov>, Greg Galer <gga...@bostonpreservation.org>, Alison Frazee <afr...@bostonpreservation.org>, Yawu Miller <ya...@hotmail.com>, tim....@globe.com, saraya_wi...@wgbh.org, AugustineMonica Investigative <cle...@augustinemonica.com>, Blackstonian Blackstonian <blacksto...@gmail.com>, liz.b...@boston.gov, Michael Cannizzo <Michael....@boston.gov>, Historic Boston <ka...@historicboston.org>, jl...@masshist.org, Chinatown CLT <Chinat...@gmail.com>, dleo...@bpl.org, ARCH...@boston.gov, JULIA...@boston.gov, boardofd...@naicob.org, lr...@madison-park.org, Byron Rushing <byronr...@icloud.com>, Marcia Butman <roxbury...@gmail.com>, Roxbury Path Forward <roxburypa...@gmail.com>, Reclaim Roxbury <reclaim...@gmail.com>, nshe...@revolutionaryspaces.org, Kathleen vonJena <kathleen...@boston.gov>, Tito Jackson <tito4...@gmail.com>, Christine Poff <christi...@boston.gov>, RICARDO...@boston.gov, FRANK...@boston.gov, Brian Golden <Brian....@boston.gov>, Dana Whiteside <dana.wh...@boston.gov>, Dianne Wilkerson <newda...@gmail.com>, "Faulk Rufus j." <rufus...@hotmail.com>, "Holmes, Russell -Rep (HOU)" <Russell...@mahouse.gov>, "Ash, Jay (SEA)" <Jay...@state.ma.us>, Joshua McFadden <Joshua....@boston.gov>, Joy Depina <joy.d...@cityofboston.gov>, "Joyce T. Linehan" <joyce....@boston.gov>, Kaira Fox <kair...@boston.gov>, Professor James Jennings <jah...@comcast.net>, Sheila...@cityofboston.gov, Tony Herriquez <votefo...@gmail.com>, "Williams, Keith" <keith.w...@cityofboston.gov>, brian.p.m...@boston.gov, "constituen...@state.ma.us" <constituen...@massmail.state.ma.us>, Internal Comments <feed...@goodfoodmarkets.com>, john....@boston.gov, lillia...@state.ma.us, matthew...@cityofboston.gov, urbanrenewal <UrbanR...@boston.gov>, John Feuerbach <john.fe...@boston.gov>, Joseph Backer <joseph...@boston.gov>, John Dalzell <john.d...@boston.gov>, "Gavin, Beth" <BGavi...@cityofboston.gov>, Tanisha Sullivan <naacpbosto...@gmail.com>, KARILYN....@boston.gov, Jessica Thomas <jessica...@boston.gov>, Joseph Cornish <Joseph....@boston.gov>, Gabriela Amore <gabriel...@boston.gov>, Stephen Jerome <stevej...@gmail.com>, liz walker <lizzw...@msn.com>, Jule Pattison-Gordon <jule.patti...@outlook.com>, Meghan Irons <MIr...@globe.com>, Martin Desmarais <martinjd...@gmail.com>, Charles Clemons <touchf...@yahoo.com>, matthew....@globe.com, Highland Park Neighborhood Watch <highland-park-ne...@googlegroups.com>, Highlandparkboston <highlandp...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: Emergency stop-work order at 88 Lambert Avenue, Roxbury, MA02119

Dear Mayor Walsh and incoming interim Mayor, Council President Janey,

As a member of the Honoring Henry Hampton subcommittee, neighbor of 88 Lambert, and friend of Rodney Singleton, as well someone committed to fighting gentrification and defending this historically Black neighborhood, I cannot let Mr Winston's letter stand as truth.

> Regrettably, Mr. Singleton’s extensive personal attacks have detracted from our repeated good faith attempts to engage with the community on remaining concerns around affordability and how best to honor Henry Hampton’s legacy.

There are multiple untruths in this statement:  

1) Rodney Singleton has never personally attacked Mr Winston.  He is one of the most respectful and civil people in the neighborhood, truly a model civic leader.  I doubt Mr Winston could produce one piece of evidence to substantiate this absurd claim.  Note, eloquent disagreement does not equal personal attack.

2) Mr Winston has not engaged in "good faith attempts to engage with the community... around affordability."   None of the proposed condos in his original proposal were affordable, and none of them are now.  That has never changed.  That is not good faith engagement, that is bad faith obstructionism.

3) Mr Winston has refused to consider any other proposal besides luxury condos on the site.  When asked to extend his timeline before going before the BRA so that the community could weigh in on "how best to honor Hampton's legacy," or even start the design process over from scratch, Mr Winston refused to consider either option.    Again, there is nothing good faith about this.

> Our community meetings and Listserve are no longer a safe space for discussion and dissent on the topic of this project.

4) I would again ask Mr Winston to produce evidence to substantiate this claim.  Highland Park's Neighborhood Coalition meetings are some of the most well-attended and diverse in the city.  Diversity of opinions is a healthy sign of the dissent that Mr Winston claims to value.   Yet, as Ena Fox and Evan Smith confirm in their emails, it is a simple fact that Mr Winston has never significantly altered his original plan despite over two years of neighborhood input.   I wonder if by "safe discussion" Mr Winston actually means "forced agreement"?  

> In pursuing development at our home at 88 Lambert Ave, we are simply trying to make the best use of the property, both for the benefit of my family and for the community at large.

5)  I do not understand who it is Mr Winston imagines as his "community at large."  Based on the nature of his proposal and public statements he has made in meetings, it seems that the "community" Mr Winston envisions consist of a group of people who closely resemble Mr Winston himself and agree with his views, not the racially, intellectually, and economically diverse group of people who live right here.

Please make note of these corrections.   

Respectfully,

Jen Rose-Wood

The Honoring Henry Hampton Subcommittee

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