FPNA February Gathering Features Councilor Flynn, SPARK, Lydia Polaski, Sally's Apizza & More

 You are invited to a

virtual

Neighborhood Gathering

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

6 pm to 8 pm

Register

featuring

Our C-6 Community Officers 

update on St. Patrick's/Evacuation Day Parade

Our District 2 City Councilor 
Ed Flynn

SPARK Boston

Aidan McDonough, Director

News from Our South Boston Liaison

 Lydia Polaski

introducing

Sally's APizza

30 Thomson Place

requesting an all alcohol liquor license

plus

Neighborhood Updates

 If you have any questions, comments or updates, please submit them by end of day, Monday, Feb. 24th to FPNA.

Melcher Street Traffic Advisory This Saturday February 22nd

On Saturday, February 22, 2025, Melcher St from Necco toward A Street will temporarily be closed until approximately 1pm due to crane work at 51 Melcher.  A lane will remain open on Melcher from A Street to Summer Street. During this time inbound traffic from Summer Street will be detoured to Necco Street, turning left turn on Necco Court (Garage Access) to A Street. 

Pizza, Parks, Conversations & Cocoa

updated 2/14/25 with 244 - 284 A Street Open Space Meeting #3 presentation.

February 6th: Sally’s APizza Proposal Abutters Meeting at 6pm. Open to all neighbors. Restaurant location: 30 Thomson Place. View Abutters Meeting recording.

February 7th:  City Councilor-At-Large Henry Santana Office Hours from 9am to 10am at t the Cannonball Cafe, 383 Dorchester St. 

February 11th: 244 - 284 A Street Open Space Meeting #3 at 6pm hosted by the City of Boston Parks and Recreation and Related Beal to review further refined design updates on the amphitheater within the waterfront Fort Point Park and Harborwalk. View Presentation.

February 13th: Fort Point Landmarks February 2025 Public Meeting at 6pm.

February 19th: Cocoa with City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune at 9am at the Cannonball Cafe, 383 Dorchester St. Come hear about what's happening and share questions, concerns and ideas about our neighborhood and city. Enjoy a free cocoa. 

originally published 02.03.24

Fort Point Landmarks February 2025 Public Meeting

updated 2/13/25 with application presentations.

THE FORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT COMMISSION
will hold a public hearing on:

Thursday, February 13, 2025
6:00 PM

This hearing will be held virtually and NOT in person. 

You can participate in this hearing by going to the Zoom meeting link 

or by calling 929-436-2866 and entering meeting id 955 0057 3484# You can also submit written comments or questions to FortPointLDC@boston.

I.  DESIGN REVIEW HEARING

APP # 25.0466 FPC  332 CONGRESS STREET 

Applicant: Daniel Brennan

Proposed Work: Replace single entry door; Replace two fixed windows with accordion style operable windows; Paint pilasters, portion of cornice, and entry doors; Install (3) three sconce light fixtures; Install blade sign at far left pilaster; Install individual letter signage affixed to an LED raceway Center on two windows; install vinyl window decals at entry door. Continued from the 12/12/24 Public Hearing. 

APP # 25.0521 FPC         259-267 SUMMER STREET 

Applicant: Adam Burns

Proposed Work: Selective updates to the southern façade, replacing one column of masonry window infills with historic windows spanning floors 1-8; replace one column of louvers on floors 2-8. Remove the infill of three at-grade windows and replace them with historic windows. Continued from the 1/23/25 Public Hearing. 

APP # 25.0531 FPC 266 SUMMER STREET Moved to Administrative Review
Applicant: Erik Minneart
Proposed Work: Installation of two new 16" round 
non-illuminated blade signs; Installation of decal on building entry door.

II.  Administrative Review

APP # 25.0573 FPC 5 NECCO STREET: Installation of storefront and blade signage for Backyard Fitness that includes halo lit channel letters and logo; Installation of "Coming Soon" vinyl decals for existing storefront entrance to be removed at the end of April 2025 (removed by applicant).

APP # 25.0531 FPC 266 SUMMER STREET Installation of two new 16" round non-illuminated blade signs; Installation of decal on building entry door (moved from design review by staff).

II. RATIFICATION OF 1/23/25 PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES

II.  STAFF UPDATES

IV. PROJECTED ADJOURNMENT: 7:30 PM

FORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT COMMISSION

Members: David Berarducci, Susan Goganian, Thomas Rodde , Vacancy, Vacancy

Alternates: Vacancy, Raber Umphenour

originally published 02.10.25

BU's Metrobridge Initiative on Cities Program Releases Gillette Site Existing Conditions Analysis

The Fort Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) in collaboration with the West Broadway Neighborhood Association has partnered with Boston University first via their Metrobridge Initiative on Cities Program to support the community as we prepare to engage the City of Boston and Procter & Gamble in discussions about the redevelopment of the 31-acre Gillette manufacturing site in our neighborhood

The first phase focused on documenting the existing conditions of the redevelopment site and collecting preliminary data from a range of sources, including neighbors at last November's Help Shape The Future Of The Neighborhood event. View the Existing Conditions Analysis of the Gillette Redevelopment Site report from BU's Urban Research Methods graduate students.

We are now building upon this foundation with a BU Capstone project aimed at generating ideas for the site’s future.

                      

Gillette Redevelopment Project Recap               

• FPNA hosts the Gillette Reimagine team in Feb. 2024
• Gillette hosts community tours and workshops in March, Sept & Oct. 2024
• Gillette files Letter of Intent in August 2024
• Gillette plans to file a Planned Development Area (PDA) Master Plan in the Spring 2025, which will kick off public meetings with the community and Impact Advisory Group.  The PDA Master Plan will look at programming, open space, massing, transportation, resiliency, and housing
  

You Are Invited To FPNA's 2025 Kickoff Neighborhood Gathering Jan 28th

updated 1/30/25 with link to the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services  South Boston Liaison's presentation.

updated 1/29/25: with links to Congress St., Sleeper St. and A St. presentation and the Northern Avenue Bridge Advisory and the  Northern Avenue Bridge Superstructure Removal Project Notification Form.

You are invited to

an in person 

2025 Neighborhood Gathering Kickoff

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

6 pm to 8 pm

Advance Registration Required for admittance

Boston Children's Museum* 

308 Congress St (business entrance)

5th floor conference room 

In person or Online Viewing Only

featuring

An Update from the City of Boston Streets Team

on

Congress Street, Sleeper St and A Street 

sidewalk and street reconstruction to start in 2025

&

a One Way Option for Sleeper Street 

with

South Boston ONS Update 

introducing

Revival Cafe + Kitchen

15 Necco Street

plus

Neighborhood Updates & Latest News

Gillette Redevelopment

Northern Avenue Bridge Advisory & Northern Avenue Bridge PNF

Verizon Storage Yard 

346 D Street

*Please note that our 2025 Kickoff Gathering will take place in person at the Boston Children's Museum. Online is viewing and listening only. 

If you have any questions, comments or updates, please submit them by end of day, Monday, Jan. 27th to FPNA.

Fort Point Landmarks January 2025 Public Meeting

Updated 1/13/25: The Fort Point Channel Landmark District Commission's January meeting date is rescheduled to Jan 23rd after the original Jan 9th meeting had to be cancelled due to a lack of quorum. Zoom link is updated below.

THE FORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT COMMISSION
will hold a public hearing on:

Thursday, January 23, 2025
6:00 PM

This hearing will be held virtually and NOT in person. 

You can participate in this hearing by going to the Zoom meeting link 

or by calling 929-436-2866 and entering meeting id 954 0455 8097# You can also submit written comments or questions to FortPointLDC@boston.

I.  DESIGN REVIEW HEARING

APP # 25.0466 FPC  332 CONGRESS STREET 

Applicant: Daniel Brennan 

Proposed Work: Replace single entry door with (2) two 36” wide wood/glass doors; Replace two fixed windows with accordion style operable windows; Paint pilasters, portion of cornice, and entry doors; Install (3) three sconce light fixtures; Install blade sign at far left pilaster; Install individual letter signage affixed to an LED raceway Center on two windows; install vinyl window decals at entry door. Continued from the 12/12/24 Public Hearing.

APP # 25.0521 FPC 259-267 SUMMER STREET 

Applicant: Adam Burns

Proposed Work: As part of the larger office-to-residential conversion project, the proposed scope of work includes selective updates to the southern façade, replacing one column of masonry window infills with historic windows spanning floors 1-8 and one column of louvers with Juliet balconies onfloors 2-8. The applicant will also remove the infill of three at-grade windows and replace them with historic windows. Additional work includes constructing a roof deck and extending the existing headhouse to provide secondary rooftop egress, both designed to remain non-visible from Summer and Melcher Streets. Lastly, rooftop mechanicals will be replaced with updated infrastructure, designed and confirmed to be non-visible from surrounding streets.

II. RATIFICATION OF 12/12/24 PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES

II.  STAFF UPDATES

IV. PROJECTED ADJOURNMENT: 7:30 PM

FORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT COMMISSION

Members: David Berarducci, Susan Goganian, Vacancy, Vacancy, Vacancy
Alternates: Thomas Rodde, Raber Umphenour 

Originally published 12/23/24

Boston Public Schools Recommends Closure of Excel High School

A message from Lydia Poleski, our South Boston liaison regarding the the Boston Public Schools (BPS) recommendation to close Excel High School. 

Yesterday, BPS shared recommendations for select closures and mergers impacting a total of 6 schools including Excel, identified through a rigorous, transparent, data-driven, process: 

• This includes 2 high school closures, 1 elementary school closure, 1 merger of two elementary schools, and the conversion of 1 high school from a degree-granting school into a program.

• These recommendations will be presented to the Boston School Committee on January 22, 2025. We expect the School Committee to vote on these proposals in March/April 2025.

Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper recently shared that the current Excel High School building is in need of capital investments, which the district plans to make after the 2025-2026 school year with the vision of bringing an anchor high school back to the neighborhood. 

What does this mean for our neighborhood and students? The vision is to have a fully enrolled high school in the next few years that will be sought out by students and families and delivers the High Quality Student Experience, including early college and career pathways, robust academic programming and a range of extracurriculars–all important pieces in building a strong school community. Excel’s current building has excellent potential and a beautiful WWI memorial in the lobby, which will be preserved alongside the modernization work throughout the learning spaces allowing us to develop programming that best serves our students.

How will this closure impact current Excel High School students in South Boston?

• Current 12th graders who are eligible to graduate will graduate in 2025, and current 11th graders will transition to 12th grade and then will be eligible to graduate next year. BPS will cap new enrollment at 9th grade starting in Fall 2025.

• Though the building is in poor condition, it shows great potential to support a high-quality student experience. The building is currently being scoped for a decarbonization project through Renew Boston Trust. We are committed to maintaining an anchor high school in South Boston.

The Long-Term Facilities Plan is available for community members to review. BPS has evaluated all schools in the District based on the public Decision-Making Data Framework. The data framework is described here, and all data is publicly available here. 

If you have any additional questions, please reach out to Boston Public Schools for further information at BPS Helpline at 617-635-8873 or capitalplanning@bostonpublicschools.org.

In the New Year Become The Help Until Help Arrives - Postponed!

update 12/31/24: Due to a limited number of registrations, we will be cancelling this training and look forward to scheduling a new training later in 2025. 

FPNA is partnering up with the City’s Office of Emergency Management to provide free hybrid emergency skill-based training for neighborhood residents. 

With the fresh start of a new year, you'll learn skills that can be used to respond to life-threatening emergency situations until emergency responders arrive. The classes will teach CPR, techniques to stop serious bleeding and basic life saving procedures as well as how to administer Narcan.

There will be two training sessions: the first session is virtual on January 6, 2025 and then you can select one of the two in-person sessions offered on January 7th or January 14th held in the CRISPR lobby at 105 W First Street. All sessions run from 6pm to 8:30pm and are open to South Boston residents 18 years old or older on a first come, first serve basis.

 

originally published 12/323/24

Happenings About The Neighborhood This Week

updated 12/30/24 the Abutters meeting recording for Revival Cafe + Kitchen.

12/16: 244-284 A St at 12pm for the remaining five (5) Chapter 91 Waterways Licenses in accordance with the Consolidated Written Determination, for the construction of the Channelside West Development Area including a residential building (G4), a commercial/mixed-use building (G5), associated Fort Point Channel Park, Waterfront Open Space, and below-grade parking garage in and on Filled Commonwealth Tidelands. Enter 24-WWAR-0107-APP, 24-WWAR-0108-APP, 24-WWAR-0109APP, 24-WWAR-0111-APP, and 24-WWAR-0114-AP in the record id field of the EEA Portal. View West Development Area presentation.  Comment Deadline: January 6, 2025

12/16: 244-284 A Street Public Meeting at 6pm will cover the same information as the 12pm public meeting. View West Development Area presentation. Comment Deadline: January 6, 2025

12/17: Representative David Biele’s Toy 🧸 Drive 🚘 for Southie children, from #NeighborsToNeighbors. Please donate a toy if you can and enjoy some holiday cheer at Amhreins (40 W Broadway) from 5:30pm to 7pm

12/18: Abutters Meeting for Revival Cafe + Kitchen at 7:30pm. The applicant is requesting a Common Victualler License to operate at 15 Necco St. The cafe will be adjacent to the Community Work Lounge. All are welcome to attend. View meeting recording.

As a reminder, Wormwood Park is closed for repairs. The weather caused some delays. We are waiting a revised opening date.  View details. 

Chapter 91 & Article 80 About The Neighborhood

updated 12.26.24: with 244 - 284 A Street East Development area and West Development area presentations.

CHAPTER 91 PUBLIC MEETINGS as posted in the MEPA Monitor

• 12/5: One Harbor Shore Drive, Fan Pier Parcel H, Public Meeting at 6pm In accordance with Consolidated Written Determination (CWD) W02-0404-N issued 11/21/02 for the construction and maintenance of a 14-story mixed-use building (and a one-story mechanical penthouse) to be constructed above an existing previously authorized 3-level underground parking facility (License No. 13634). The proposed building will include residential, lobby, retail, restaurant/café, and civic/cultural space on the ground floor, dedicated civic/cultural space on the 2nd floor, and residential uses on floors 3 through 14; and completion of remaining public realm improvements within the Fan Pier Development. The project will be the final building to be licensed under the CWD.  Enter 24-WWAR-0104-APP in the record id field of the EEA Portal. Public Comment Deadline:  January 8, 2025.  

• 12/10: 244-284 A Street, Fort Point Channel, Public Meeting at 2pm for three (3) Chapter 91 Waterways Licenses in accordance with the Consolidated Written Determination (CWD) No. 23-WW16-0001-APP issued on April 25, 2024 for the construction of the Channelside East Development Area including a R&D/Lab Office building (G6), Necco Street Park, and Necco Street Extension in and on Filled Commonwealth Tidelands. Enter 24-WWAR-0110-APP, 24-WWAR-0112-APP, and 24-WWAR0113-APP in the EEA Portal. View East Development Area hearing presentation. Public Comment Deadline: January 6, 2025

• 12/10: 244-284 A Street, Fort Point Channel, Public Meeting at 6pm will cover the same information as the 2pm public meeting.  View East Development Area presentation. Public Comment Deadline: January 6, 2025

• 12/16: 244-284 A St at 12pm for the remaining five (5) Chapter 91 Waterways Licenses in accordance with the Consolidated Written Determination, for the construction of the Channelside West Development Area including a residential building (G4), a commercial/mixed-use building (G5), associated Fort Point Channel Park, Waterfront Open Space, and below-grade parking garage in and on Filled Commonwealth Tidelands. Enter 24-WWAR-0107-APP, 24-WWAR-0108-APP, 24-WWAR-0109APP, 24-WWAR-0111-APP, and 24-WWAR-0114-AP in the record id field of the EEA Portal. View West Development Area presentation.  Public Comment Deadline: January 6, 2025. 

• 12/16: 244-284 A Street Public Meeting at 6pm will cover the same information as the 12pm public meeting. View West Development Area presentation. Public Comment Deadline: January 6, 2025

ARTICLE 80
12/15: Action Plan to Improve Boston’s Development Review Process (Article 80) comments and survey deadline. Help shape the future of community engagement and development project mitigation. 

originally published 12.5.24

Wormwood Park Closure For Repairs Starting Monday

Attention Wormwood Park Visitors 

Wormwood Park (Wormwood & A Streets) will be closed starting Monday, December 16th for 7-10 days while USPS replaces pavers on the pathway. 

Please make alternative plans during the park closure. Have you visited A Street Park (between Richards & W. 1st Streets) or Binford Park (Channel end of Binford Street)?