Fort Point Channel Landmarks June 2014 Hearing

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

Thursday, 12 June 2014

5:30 P.M.

Boston City Hall – Piemonte Room

After 5:30 p.m., enter and exit City Hall at the Dock Square entrance on Congress Street (across from Faneuil Hall).

Subject of the hearing will be applications for Certificates of Design Approval on the agenda below, review of architectural violations and such business as may come before the commission.

I. 5:30 PM DESIGN REVIEW HEARING

5:30 PM
Application 14.943 FPC 369 Congress Street (continued review)
Applicant: Channel Trust (owner): Exterior restoration of eight story reinforced concrete warehouse building

6:00 PM
Application 14.636 FPC 368 Congress Street (continued review)
Applicant: Norwich Partners (owner): Revisions to previously approved application for signage, awnings, and installation of louvers in window openings

6:15 PM
Application 14.1011 FPC 374 Congress Street (continued review)
Applicant: David Urbanos (tenant manager): Install patio, signage, lighting, etc.

6:30 PM
Application 13.1117 FPC 345 Congress Street (continued review)
Applicant: Pastoral Restaurant (tenant): Revisions to previously approved application to install storefront system

6:45 PM
Application 14.1234 FPC 9 Channel Center
Applicant: Berkeley Investments (owner): Rehabilitation of seven story warehouse for retail and office use, including masonry repair and repointing, replacement of windows, installation of storefront system, etc.

7:15 PM
Application 14.1236 FPC 27 Wormwood Street
Applicant: DIV Tower Point Property LLC (owner): Construct landscaped plaza with bus shelter, benches, and outdoor furniture

II. Administrative Review/Approval: 
Application 14.1228 FPC 281 Summer Street: Install plaque

PROJECTED ADJOURNMENT: 7:45 PM

Moving Massachusetts Forward

A Massachusetts Gubernatorial Candidates Forum on Transportation and Smart Growth will be held on:

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

6-8pm

Boston Public Library

Copley Square

700 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116

Find out where the Massachusetts Gubernatorial Candidates stand on issues of transportation and smart growth.

Register if you can attend. Seating is first come, first serve; but does not guarantee seats.

Send your great questions to ask the candidates by email to jamie(at)@livablestreets.info or tweet your question to @StreetsBoston #MovingMAForward.

Live streaming at Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance.

Hosted by Transportation for Massachusetts and Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance. Coordinated by LivableStreets Alliance with Kendall Square Association.

Climate Change Community Summit

The Greenovate Boston Community Summit is one-day event that’s all about empowering the Boston community to address climate change and help make Boston the greenest, most climate-prepared city in the U.S. 

Interact with World-Class Speakers and City Officials: World-class speakers and discussions with Cabinet-level city officials will open The Summit. You'll be able to give city leaders ideas and input in making your neighborhoods greener, more sustainable, and prepared for climate change. 

Collaborate with Community Leaders and Innovators: Afternoon Innovation Sessions put you in charge of the Summit's agenda! Hosted by community members and local businesses and organizations looking to solve a climate or sustainability challenge, the sessions will be proposed and voted on by community members like you at Enqaqe.GreenovateBoston.org.

Learn About Local Solutions: The Marketplace of Ideas will allow you to get to know leading businesses, institutions, and community groups. At the Marketplace, representatives from local organizations will exhibit products, services, and new ideas that are helping Boston neighborhoods address climate challenges.

Greenovate Awards: Honoring Sustainability Leaders: The Summit will conclude with the 8th Annual Greenovate Boston Awards, which recognize Boston's sustainability leaders helping to reach the City's goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. Mayor Walsh will describe the City's next steps for climate planning and action.

Join Mayor Walsh and Boston residents, businesses and community leaders on:

Saturday, May 31, 2014

10 am to 5 pm

Joseph B. Martin Conference Center (across from Boston Latin School)

Harvard Medical School

 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur Boston, MA 02115

For more information or to register, please visit Greenovate Boston.

originally published 5.14.2014

City Hall Comes To South Boston

Do you need to:

pay a parking ticket?

renew your parking permit?

request a birth certificate?

get a recycling bin sticker?

submit a request for service?

CITY HALL TO GO will be arriving:

Thursday, May 29, 2014 
9am - 11am
180 W 5th St
in conjunction with 
Mayor Walsh's Coffee Hour 9:30 -10:30 am
and the opening of Sweeney Playground

Boston residents are invited to speak directly with Mayor Walsh about open space and other needs in their neighborhoods through one-on-one discussions and an on-site suggestion box. Mayor Walsh looks forward to hearing how the City of Boston can improve upon local parks, public areas, and city services. This weather permitting event also celebrates the opening of Sweeney Playground.

Enjoy coffee and breakfast treats provided by Dunkin’ Donuts and fresh fruit from Whole Foods Market.  In addition, each family in attendance will receive a flowering plant grown in the city’s greenhouses as a gift from Mayor Walsh.  Residents at the event will also be eligible to win a raffle prize package including a Dunkin’ Donuts gift basket.      

In addition to City Hall To Go neighborhood visits, there is Citizens Connect , a mobile app anyone can use to alert the city to neighborhood issues such as potholes, damaged signs and graffiti. 

Follow @CityHallToGo or call 617-635-4500.

originally published 5.5.14

BRA Approves Three New South Boston Waterfront Projects

The Boston Redevelopment Authority Board approved:

Parcel K Creates Microunits, Office Incubator Space, Retail, and Hotel Uses in South Boston Waterfront

Total Project Cost: $230 million
Total SF: 480,243
Construction Jobs: 695
LEED: Silver

Last night the BRA approved the development of Parcel K in the South Boston Waterfront. The project site, located in the heart of Boston’s Innovation District, will redevelop surface parking lots into a 480,243 square foot, $230 million mixed-use development.

The completed project will house 304 housing units, including microunits and 40 affordable units; an approximately 247 room hotel; 11,592 square feet of incubator office space, and 17,748 square feet dedicated to a mix of restaurant and retail spaces. A three-floor, below-grade garage will supply 640 parking spaces. Public benefits include flex office space in line with Boston’s Innovation District initiative, new open spaces, and an improved pedestrian environment. Additionally, the developer has committed $200,000 for community-directed purposes, to be disbursed by the BRA.

The project developer is Conroy Development, and the project architect is Arrowstreet.

South Boston Mixed-Use Development Creates Housing Near Andrew Square

Total Project Cost: $8.5 million
Total SF: 49,900
Construction Jobs: 26

The BRA Board approved the development of 488 Dorchester Avenue near Andrew Square in South Boston. The project will redevelop a surface parking lot and two single-story warehouse buildings into a four-story, mixed-use building.

The completed project will include 33 residential condominium units, four of which will be affordable; 2,091 square feet of ground floor commercial/retail space; 33 garage parking spaces; and bicycle parking. Residents will have close access to the Andrew MBTA Red Line station and several MBTA bus routes.

R&B Investments, LLC is the project developer. Construction is estimated to begin in the third quarter of 2014.

Second Amendment to Pier 4 Project Creates Office Space in South Boston Waterfront Development Project

Total Project Cost: $150 million
Total SF: 378,755
Construction Jobs: 453
LEED: Certifiable

The BRA Board approved a Second Amendment to Planned Development Area (PDA) No. 64, located at Pier 4 in the South Boston Waterfront. The Second Amendment changes the use of a planned hotel and residential building to office.

The BRA Board approved the original PDA in 2005, and approved the First Amendment in 2012. The amended building represents 378,755 square feet of new development. Public benefits in the completed PDA will include a waterfront park, a waterfront plaza, a new segment of the Harborwalk, a 20,000 foot civic space, and cash contributions to support water transportation options.

The Pier 4 development team includes New England Development, LLC with Elkus Manfredi as the project architect.
  

source: Boston Redevelopment Authority 

Complimentary Bike Tune-ups For Fort Point Neighborhood

315 on A and Factory 63 in conjunction with My Bike presents complimentary bike tune ups for the residents and businesses in the Fort Point neighborhood.  

It's cycling season and time to get tuned up!

Bring your bike and your friends to this free event on:

Thursday, May 29^th 
6pm to 8pm
315 on A
Pastine Alley

Scoop The Poop!

Fort Point Neighborhood Monthly Meeting

Summer is coming. The timing is perfect for the new 100 Acres park to open and yes more restaurants! Come hear all about it plus valet parking for Melcher Street, and meet Boston City Councilor-At-Large Michelle Wu. 

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

6 pm - 8 pm

Factory 63

63 Melcher St (A and Melcher)

6:00 pm General Meeting

with presentations by

Spin Valet

Valet Parking Proposal

Bastille Kitchen & Blue Dragon

Richard McGuiness, Boston Redevelopment Authority
New 100 Acres Park on A opening June 2014

and introducing

Bon Me

Coming to Restaurant Row (Congress St.)

7:00 pm Featured Guest

CITY COUNCILLOR-AT-LARGE MICHELLE WU

All Fort Point residents and businesses are invited to attend.

Bilingual Theatre Classes For Kids in Fort Point

This summer (June or July), Fort Point Theatre Channel is considering offering ¡Teatro for Kids!, a Spanish/English bilingual theatre class in Fort Point for kids in the 4- to 7-years-old age range. Activities will include improvisation games, reenacting classic children's stories, and mask-making to bring characters to life! The class will expose kids to theatre skills in a relaxed bilingual setting. It will be 90 minutes long. All levels of Spanish welcome, from beginner to bilingual. Students can enroll for either four weeks or six weeks, with one afternoon class a week. For more information or to tell us your kids will be interested, please email Jaime Carrillo, Jaime(at)fortpointtc.org.

Thomas J. Butler Freight Corridor and Memorial Park Community Meeting

Massport will present an overview of the Thomas J. Butler Freight Corridor and Memorial Park, a 2/3 mile dedicated haul road to remove Conley Terminal container truck traffic from First Street and portions of Summer Street. A new 4.5 acre community park will be built along East First Street as part of the project.

Monday, May 19, 6:30 pm

Tynan Community Center
650 E. 4th Street South Boston, MA 02127

Contact Anthony Guerriero in Office of Community Relations, Massport, at 617 568 3711.

For more information read Patrick Rosso's Boston.com article, Massport's dedicated freight corridor and green space project moves forward 

Make Fort Point Shine This Sunday

After last weekend's inspiring FPAC Spring Open Studios, we invite you to create your own artistic vision by joining the Fort Point Neighborhood Association's tenth annual Fort Point Boston Shines. Boston Shines is a community-wide volunteer program to plant, sweep, and rake our way into spring. The event originally scheduled by the City for the Saturday of Open Studios, will take place:

Fort Point Boston Shines

Sunday, May 18th

10 am - 3 pm

Wormwood Park (A St & Wormwood St)

After Party at Wormwood Park starting at 5 pm.

Meet at Wormwood Park for coffee and pastries. Tools, rakes, trowels, gardening gloves, and a free t-shirt provided by the City of Boston. Green thumb not required!

We will be continuing the planting started by fifty enthusiastic volunteers from local Fort Point businesses who had fun designing their own tree garden circles and street panels along the fence last Friday. We are thankful for their tremendous efforts; however, there are still tree circle gardens and street panels to plant.

After digging in the dirt, you will be rewarded by an After Party in Wormwood Park at 5 pm. Volunteers and their families are welcome to attend. Food and refreshments are generously donated by Barrington Coffee, Barlow's Restaurant, Pastoral, Sagarino's and Southie Liquors.

Sign up to be part of the Fort Point Neighborhood Team.

Together let's make Fort Point Shine!

Rob Reeps Retrospective At FPAC Gallery

The FPAC Gallery 

presents

"A Fine Line" 

a selection of paintings by the late Rob Reeps (1951-2013)

The reception will be held on May 16th from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. 

Show extended through July 26, 2014!  

Tanguedia by Rob Reeps, 1990

Rob was one of the original members of the Artist Building at 300 Summer Street.  He lived and worked there from 1995 until his death in 2013 after a long struggle with mental illness.

All of the paintings are acrylic on canvas, and were created between 1973 and 2011. The paintings have a common theme of space, time, and place.  Rob loved the natural beauty of the lakes and oceans that were the subject of most of his work; showing their organic beauty in contrast to man's destruction of them by pollution and neglect.  His use of particle collision tracks, clouds, measuring devices, dialog boxes (with references to sight, sound, thought, etc) show the relationship of humans to our planet and the universe.  In his later work, Rob used what he called "energy signatures" to create backgrounds for his chosen imagery.

The FPAC Gallery is located at 300 Summer Street Boston, MA 02210.

originally published 5.5.14

Blue Dragon Community Meeting

A community meeting will be held to discuss Blue Dragon's request to extend their operating hours as it pertains to their liquor license on:

Thursday, May 15, 2014

7pm

315 on A Street, 20th Floor

Currently Blue Dragon is open Monday - Saturday from 11:30am - 1:00am with the kitchen closing at midnight. Sunday the restaurant is closed. Blue Dragon opened in February 2013. 

originally published 4.24.14.

Art Double Header Thursday, May 8th

Atlantic Wharf Mother's Day Pop-Up Sale

Start the day off shopping for Mom at the Atlantic Wharf Mother's Day Pop-Up Sale from 11 am - 3 pm on Thursday, May 8, 2014 hosted by Friends of Fort Point Channel, Fort Point Arts  Community and Atlantic Wharf

Shop from local vendors including Coyote Painting Walls, floral lab, Hilary Law Textile Design, Nicole Aquillano, & Wendy Bergman. There’s no doubt your loved one will be happy!

Atlantic Wharf’s Waterfront Square is located at 290 Congress Street, 1st floor.

"Spoonful: A Show of Spoons" At Templeton General

Continue your shopping extravaganza at Templeton General where you are invited to an evening filled with artists, drinks, snacks, and spoons from 5 pm - 8 pm on May 8th. 

"Spoonful" features twelve artists' take on the humble spoon. 

Stop in and say hello, have a drink, and feel free to change the record! Also open during the Fort Point Spring Open Studios May 9th - May 11th.

Templeton General (formerly Front) is located at 25 Channel Center Street.

Fort Point Channel Landmarks May 2014 Hearing

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

Thursday, 8 May 2014

5:30 P.M.

Boston City Hall – Room 709

After 5:30 p.m., enter and exit City Hall at the Dock Square entrance on Congress Street (across from Faneuil Hall).

Subject of the hearing will be applications for Certificates of Design Approval on the agenda below, review of architectural violations and such business as may come before the commission, in accordance with Ch. 772 of the Acts of 1975, as amended. Applications are available for review during normal business hours at the office of the Environment Department. Applicants or their representatives are required to attend, unless indicated otherwise below. Sign-language interpreters are available upon request.

I. 5:30 PM VIOLATIONS HEARING

II. 5:45 PM DESIGN REVIEW HEARING
5:45 PM
Application 14.997 FPC 308 Congress Street [Boston Children’s Museum]
Applicant: Boston Children’s Museum (owner): Install three temporary banners on elevator shaft

6:00 PM
Application 14.1004 FPC 49 Melcher Street
Applicant: Ed Spinney (sign contractor): Install banners, signage, and awnings

6:15 PM
Application 14.1011 FPC 374 Congress Street
Applicant: David Urbanos (tenant manager): Install patio, marquee, signage, etc.

6:30 PM
Application 14.1029 FPC 1-2 Seaport Boulevard
Applicant: Charles Reid, MS Boston Block H, LLC (owner): Construction of two buildings and a landscaped plaza on vacant parcel at northern terminus of Farnsworth and Sleeper Streets

PROJECTED ADJOURNMENT: 6:45 PM

South Boston Waterfront Transportation Public Meeting

The city of Boston, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Massport and MassDOT request the community's participation in developing a sustainable transportation plan that defines and prioritizes transportation system investments needed over the next two decades in the South Boston Waterfront. 

South Boston Waterfront Sustainable Transportation Plan

Community Meeting

May 7, 2014

6 PM

Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Room 160

As we know a great deal of development has occurred and is in the works since the last comprehensive study in 2000. The South Boston Waterfront Sustainable Transportation Plan is charged with developing a plan for the future with the following goals:

Improve access and mobility for all
Support economic growth and vitality
Reinforce sustainable policies and programs
Enhance the public realm
Contribute environmental and health benefits
Invest smartly for the future

The project is being managed by A Better City on behalf of the sponsoring agencies, and is scheduled to be complete with plan recommendations by December 2014. Project details are available at the South Boston Waterfront Mobility website.

 Updated May 6, 2014. Originally published April 7, 2014

Roche Brothers Now Delivers to Fort Point

Wellesley-based grocer Roche Bros. has typically only offered food delivery to homes within 10 miles of one of the chain’s participating stores. But on Monday, May 5, that’s going to change: Roche will start delivering groceries to a shopping list of Boston neighborhoods for the first time — Beacon Hill, the North End, Fenway, the Back Bay, the South End and South Boston. 

This new service is being launched in anticipation of Roche’s own brick-and-mortar foothold in the downtown — a Roche store that will open next year in the redevelopment of the Filene’s block at Washington and Summer streets.

http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/mass_roundup/2014/05/roche-bros-takes-aim-at-peapod-in-boston-with.html 

http://shop.rochebros.com/ 

City Council Hearing On Permitting and Licensing Process

Tonight is the last opportunity to share your ideas and experiences with the permitting process. This will be an official City Council Hearing and an opportunity to speak about the permitting and licensing process on the record. The hearing will be held on Monday, May 5, 2014 at at 6:00PM at Hibernian Hall, 184 Dudley Street. If you have any interest, please don't hesitate to contact Henry Cohen in Councilor Wu's office at 617-635-3115 or by email at Henry.Cohen(at)boston.gov.

If you would like to share your experiences on the record, but are unable to attend the hearing or would rather submit your thoughts via email, please email the Councilor at Michelle.Wu (at)Boston.gov or call her office at 617-635-3115.

Related post on small business neighborhood meeting.

Fort Point Spring Open Studios, 2014

Nicole Aquillano, Cityscape Bowl

Pick up a map and explore the studios of more than 75 artists working in all media. Talk with artists in their studios and discover new works and treasured favorites. See Fort Point’s art galleries. and find public art installations throughout the neighborhood, and in the Fort Point Channel.

Explore Boston’s changing Fort Point and see the unique waterfront warehouse district that is home to one of New England’s largest arts communities.

In addition to the more than 75 artists studios and galleries which will be open, Fort Point Open Studios features a series of special events, including:

• artists’s demos
• performance
• public art
• hands-on activities for all ages
• Member’s Group Show at the FPAC Gallery

FPAC's Spring Open Studios
Friday May 9th, 4-7pm
Saturday and Sunday May 10 &11, 12-5pmFree to the public and free parking!

Tropical Fort Point, Peter Agoos
(photo by Sylvia Stagg-Giuliano)

Exclamation Point! 12: Bohemians, a Fort Point Theatre Channel event with the theme of bohemia and bohemians, will be presented during Fort Point Arts Community's Spring Open Studios.  The project will center on a revue-style program performed after Fort Point artists close their studios for the evening.

Bohemians
Curated by Nick Thorkelson
5:30pm, May 10-11, 2014
Art Under The Stairs, lower level Midway Channel Gallery
15 Channel Center St
Fort Point, Boston

http://www.fortpointtheatrechannel.org/ep12-bohemians

Homeland Security Exercises Taking Place at BCEC

The City of Boston will be conducting Homeland Security exercises this weekend.  The BCEC, located at 415 Summer Street, will be part of the exercise.  A portion of that training will take place on Saturday, May 3 at the BCEC, with a host of law enforcement and first responders converging on the South Parking Lot along Cypher Street starting at around 5 p.m.

The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center's official message to the neighborhood is as follows:

This weekend the MCCA welcomes Urban Shield Boston to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Urban Shield Boston is a major public safety exercise that will take place throughout the region involving law enforcement and first responders in various training scenarios. A portion of that training will take place Saturday, May 3 at the BCEC, with a host of law enforcement and first responders converging on the South Parking Lot by Cypher Street starting at around 5 p.m.

If you are near the BCEC and see this, do not be alarmed. The South Parking Lot behind the BCEC will serve as a major staging area, and portions of the BCEC’s Hall C and the loading docks will be used to conduct the exercise. Most of these areas will be closed off to the public and only select MCCA staff will have access. Again, this is a highly organized training exercise and there is no need for alarm.

Fort Point Yard Sale Newly Expanded

Newly expanded Fort Point Yard Sale will cover the entire length of Channel Center Street in Boston, MA 02210. 

Come buy some treasures from amongst a huge collection of sports equipment, vintage, books CDS, DVDS,  electronics, vintage and current clothing, children's toys, children's gear, luggage, handbags, furniture, household items, jewelry, tools, art, fabric and the list goes on....

Fort Point Yard Sale
Saturday, May 3, 2014
9:30am - 4:00pm
Rain date: Sunday, May 4, 2014

updated May 1, 2014