Hotel Project at 368 Congress St.

Berkeley Investments had previously been granted approval to develop 368 Congress St. into office space. They're looking to change this project into a 120 room hotel. Meeting is 11/4 and the comment period ends 11/15. If you have comments, even if you can't make the meeting, email them to Jay O'Rourke at: Jay.Rourke.BRA@CityofBoston.gov

The BRA will host a public meeting regarding
368 Congress St
Thursday, November 4th
6-7:30PM

The Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel
606 Congress Street, Boston

Project Proponent: Norwich Partners of Boston LLC

Project Description: 368 Congress Street (the “Proposed Project”) is an innovative and
environmentally sustainable extended-stay hotel project located in a painstakingly restored
historic structure in Boston’s Fort Point Channel landmark district. Ideally suited to the needs
of the city’s convention and innovation economies, the Proposed Project will help to continue
the transformation of the Fort Point district into a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood characterized
by architecturally significant structures and mixed-use projects that blend residential, hotel,
office, retail, restaurant and arts-related uses. The Proposed Project will modify a prior proposal submitted by Berkeley Investments to redevelop the property as a commercial office building
(the “Previously Approved Project”), which was approved by the BRA Board on April 1, 2008.
The Proposed Project contains approximately 103,000 square feet of gross floor area on six floors.
Its approximately 120 hotel rooms range in size from traditional single “studio” style units to
larger one-bedroom and suite-style rooms in order to provide a range of lodging opportunities.

Close of Comment Period: Monday, November 15, 2010

Jay Rourke, Boston Redevelopment Authority

One City Hall Square, 9th Fl, Boston, MA 02201
phone:
617.918.4317
fax:
617.742.7783
email:
Jay.Rourke.BRA@CityofBoston.gov

319 A Rear IAG Meeting Postponed

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Good afternoon:


Please be advised that the 319 A Street Rear Project Impact Advisory Group (“ IAG”) Meeting that was scheduled for Monday, October 25, 6:00PM - 7:30PM, has been postponed. An email will be sent out with the new meeting date and time.

Thank you.

Kristin Kara

Senior Project Manager
Boston Redevelopment Authority
One City Hall Square
Boston, MA 02201
Phone: 617-918-4263

Boston Harbor Sea Levels - Forum 11/9-10

From Dan Osterman:

Over the past few years the Fort Point Channel waters have risen, till now at high tide they regularly come within a few feet of the bottom of the Summer St. Bridge. When we have storm surges they crest the retaining wall and creep up to the level of the sidewalk on the Gillette parking lot. It's a problem for me as a property owner on A Street across from the Gillette parking lot and for all property owners on what is basically flat, former marshland. I am no climate scientist but from what I've seen over the past ten years this problem is not going to go away and we have to start planning for it now. This may be the next Big Dig for all I know, but it will surely be a problem for Boston and sooner rather than later.

-Dan

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Boston Harbor Sea Level Rise Forum- 9-10 November 2010
http://www.tbha.org/



The Boston Harbor Association invites you to the first "Boston Harbor Sea Level Rise Forum" on the evening of 9 November and the morning of 10 November 2010 through lunch.  The Forum will be one of the most informative and stimulating forums on this timely issue, and will debut maps showing potential impacts of sea level rise and climate change in Boston Harbor. We are pleased that Gina McCarthy, Assistant Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Princeton University Professor Guy Nordenson, who coordinated the Museum of Modern Art's 2010 exhibition, "Rising Currents: Projects for New York's Waterfront," will be keynote speakers.

Tuesday, 9 November, 6:00-7:30 p.m, reception to follow
New England Aquarium IMAX Theatre, Boston
Keynote Speaker:   Gina McCarthy, Assistant Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Boston Harbor Sea Level Rise Mapping:  Dr. Ellen Douglas, UMass Boston, and Dr. Paul Kirshen, Battelle Institute
Open Mike Session:  questions and comments from the public.

Wednesday, 10 November, 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m., lunch provided
John Joseph Moakley Courthouse, Boston
Opening Comments: Mayor Thomas M. Menino
Keynote Speaker:  Guy Nordenson, Co-author, "On the Water/ Palisade Bay", and Coordinator, "Rising Currents: Projects for New York's Waterfront" exhibition
Boston Harbor Sea Level Rise Mapping:  Dr. Ellen Douglas, UMass Boston
Responses: Tom Kinton, Massport
David Begelfer, NAIOP
Hubert Murray, Partners HealthCare
Leo Robinson, Chelsea City Council
Rick Dimino, A Better City (moderator)
Open Mike Session:  questions and comments from the public
Wrap-up Session:    Kairos Shen, City of Boston's Chief Planner

The Forum is free and open to the public, reservations required.  To register, please click on the links below:

9 Nov.: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=9jx8b8cab&oeidk=a07e31xi4sr60823d0b

10 Nov.:  http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=9jx8b8cab&oeidk=a07e31z7je016c30762

319 A Rear IAG Meeting, 10/25

Please be advised that there will be a 319 A Street Rear Project Impact Advisory Group (“ IAG”) Meeting on Monday, October 25, 6:00PM - 7:30PM, at ADD Inc, which is located at 311 Summer Street.  Please enter from Summer Street.  The purpose of the meeting is to update the IAG on the 319 A Street Rear Project.

Thank you. 

Regards,

Kristin

Kristin Kara

Senior Project Manager

Boston Redevelopment Authority

One City Hall Square

Boston, MA 02201

Phone: 617-918-4263

Opening Tonight: Seasons

Daniel O'Connor and Dan Osterman invite you to a show of their work at the Larry Plitt Gallery at Fort Point Framers. The show is called "Seasons" because we paint them- but it's also about moods, changes and influences.  The show will be up for one month and there's a reception this evening:


Seasons, Opening Reception
Thursday, 10/14, 5-7 pm,
Fort Point Framers, 300 Summer St., Suite M4

Fort Point Open Studios This Weekend

FPAC Fall Open Studios
Friday Preview: 10.15:  4-7pm
Saturday and Sunday 10.16 & 10.17
11am-6pm

Explore more than 150 artists’ studios in Fort Point’s historic warehouse buildings. See amazing public art, visit galleries, ask questions. Stroll, ponder and browse. Savor the experience. And buy original art from the people who make it.

FREE TO THE PUBLIC
FREE PARKING

Links:

• Open_studios_map.pdf 
• List of Participating Artists

Martin Donnell at Bob's Your Uncle

For this weekend's FPAC Open Studios, Bob's Your Uncle, will be hosting the first solo show of Marting Donnell.


Martin Donnell has worked as a designer in the athletic footwear and toy industries for over 20 years. In his artwork, he uses recycled soda cans and images to explore themes of American culture and consumerism, and it’s influences on our world.

There's an opening reception Friday, 10/15, from 6-8pm.

Residential Parking Permits

According to an article in the globe, South Boston now has more residential parking permits than any other section of Boston.  And there are now five neighborhoods that have fewer than 500 permits.


Total # of Permits by neighborhood:

Neighborhood	April 21, 2006	Jan. 10, 2008	Sept. 24, 2010	2006 - 2010 change
South Boston	12,942	13,301	16,193	3,251
Allston-Brighton	13,460	12,722	12,502	-958
South End	9,560	9,785	11,925	2,365
East Boston	7,179	6,964	8,727	1,548
Charlestown	7,267	7,341	8,587	1,320
Back Bay	6,265	7,106	5,545	-720
North End	3,579	3,438	4,163	584
Beacon Hill	3,583	2,749	3,276	-307
Jamaica Plain	2,673	2,354	2,947	274
Fenway-Kenmore	3,921	5,056	2,809	-1,112
Dorchester	996	1,854	2,374	1,378
Mission Hill	1,904	1,540	1,871	-33
Chinatown	701	691	784	83
West Roxbury	510	462	578	68
Roxbury	493	437	536	43
Bay Village	510	548	467	-43
Roslindale	340	425	313	-27
Leather District	145	178	220	75
West End	n/a	n/a	138	138
Hyde Park	22	35	61	39

Weekend in the Channel

Lots to do this weekend in the neighborhood! Hope you’ve cleared your busy schedules for some fun:

21st Annual Harpoon Octoberfest
Beer, Food and Music –Rain or Shine!
http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/

Boston Local Food Festival
“A delicious outdoor celebration of the many benefits of local food.”
Saturday 11AM to 5 PM
Outside the Children’s Museum (Beer tasting at The Daily Catch starting at 12PM)
http://bostonlocalfoodfestival.com/

Fort Point Theatre Channel: 8th Exclamation Point!
MASKS
Informal Performances, Readings, & Viewings of New Works
Saturday, 7 PM
FREE
12 Farnsworth Street
http://www.fortpointtheatrechannel.org

South Boston Yoga's Grand Opening
Free Yoga this weekend
36 W Broadway.
http://www.southbostonyoga.net/

And just over the bridge…

First Friday Open studios in the South End
450 Harrison Ave.
http://www.sowaartistsguild.com/calendar.html