Get In The Holiday Spirit

Medicine Wheel Vigil – Day With(Out) Art -World AIDS Day

Join over 250 visual artists and 100 performing artists who will mark the Day Without Art/World AIDS Day and the 25th Incarnation of the Medicine Wheel Vigil. The event starts the evening of Wednesday, November 30 through Thursday December 1, 2016 with a 24-hour vigil for the full 24 hours of Thursday, December 1, 2016.  This year Medicine Wheel will begin at City Hall Plaza at 10:45 pm on November 30, 2016 and process to the BCA Cyclorama. View participating visual artists and schedule of performers.

Julie's Family Learning Program Annual Event

Julie's Annual Event will be held on December 1, 2016 at Venezia Restaurant from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm.  This year's guest of honor is State Representative Nick Collins, a long time champion and advocate of Julie's, who will receive this year's Angel Award. Purchase tickets for this festive evening complete with a buffet dinner, silent auction and plenty of raffle baskets.

South Boston Christmas Stroll

On Thursday evening, December 1, 2016 Sip, Shop and Dine your way from East to West Broadway discovering special offers from local retailers, restaurants, and pop-ups. The East Broadway tree lighting is at 4 pm and Santa arrives around 5 pm. 

Light Up Seaport

Celebrate the most magical season of the year at the Seaport's first annual tree (and surrounding tree garden) lighting event on December 2nd from 6 pm to 8 pm. Enjoy live music from Andrew Smith, holiday treats, and giveaways! Light Up Seaport will take place on Seaport Common (85 Northern Avenue).

Mayor's Tree Lighting 
Mayor Walsh's annual tree lighting is Sunday, December 4th at the municipal lot located at 450 West Broadway. The fun starts at noon with ponies, balloon animals, Simon Says, refreshments, music, and more! 

26th Annual Christmas House Tour

Need holiday decorating tips? Look no further than the 26th annual Laboure Center Christmas House Tours on Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4, 2016.  Five homes are selected and decorated by a team of Boston professional design firms, and opened to the public by generous homeowners to raise money for the social services provided by Catholic Charities Labouré Center. 

Fort Point Year End Gathering

The Fort Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) invites neighbors to join them in celebration of Fort Point and in membership on Tuesday, December 6, 2016 from 6 pm - 8 pm in the Sky Lounge atop 315 on A. R.S.V.P. (required).  

Boston City Council Looks At Speed Limits, Transportation, Liquor Licenses, CPA & More

City Council President Michelle Wu publishes notes from Boston City Council meetings. The Boston City Council considered these items and more at their November  2 and November 16, 2016 meetings:

Appointments:

• Boston Conservation Commission: Mayor Walsh reappointed Michael Wilson, Joseph Orphant, and John P. Sullivan until November 2019
• Boston Groundwater Trust: Mayor Walsh reappointed Daniel Manning until November 2018
• City Council Central Staff: we voted to accept the hiring of Michelle Goldberg as new Senior Legislative Assistant, starting December 5, 2016

Speed Limits: Council voted to pass an amended version of Mayor Walsh’s order accepting the new local option for reduced default speed limits recently made available through the Municipal Modernization Bill. The Mayor’s language adopts Section 17C of the law, which gives the Transportation Commissioner the authority to reduce the new default speed limit when no signs are posted in thickly settled areas from 30 mph to 25mph. Councilor Zakim proposed an amendment, which the Council voted to include, that would also adopt Section 18B of the legislation, which gives the Commissioner the additional authority to establish special safety zones with a posted speed limit of 20 mph.

Contractor Safety: Mayor Walsh filed an ordinance to require applicants for building permits from the Inspectional Services Department, Fire Department, and Public Works Department to list their work safety histories and allow commissioners to deny or revoke permits due to safety concerns or OSHA violations. The matter was sent to the Government Operations Committee for a hearing.

Transportation Policy Briefing: Councilor LaMattina reported back that the first of our monthly transportation policy briefings was a success yesterday, starting with the topic of building a low-stress bicycle network in Boston. The goal of the series is to bring in policy experts to share thoughts and policy recommendations separate from any specific votes. Future sessions will focus on pedestrian safety, parking management, and more. You can watch the full presentation and panel discussion here. 

Liquor Licenses: Following this week's hearing, Council voted to pass an amended home rule petition requesting new liquor licenses for the South Bay development. Initially, Councilors Baker and Linehan sponsored the petition for both the South Bay development in Dorchester and the WS development in the Seaport, noting the need for licenses to attract anchor tenants to the developments. Government Operations Committee Chairman Councilor Flaherty recommended moving forward with South Bay’s licenses first and then consider WS at a later date, which Councilor Linehan agreed to. Councilor Pressley pointed out the overall goal is for Boston to have local control over its licenses, but that it was important not to hold up economic development in the meantime.

Community Preservation Committee: Councilors Flaherty and Campbell filed an ordinance to create the Community Preservation Committee, following the successful Community Preservation Act ballot referendum on Election Day. The Committee will consist of 5 members appointed by the Mayor and 4 appointed by the City Council, serving 3 year terms. The group would be responsible for recommending allocations of expenditures from the Community Preservation Fund. Projects must be related to the acquisition, creation, and preservation of open space, historic preservation, and affordable housing. The matter was sent to the Government Operations Committee for a hearing.

MBTA Privatization: Council voted unanimously to adopt Councilor Campbell’s resolution requesting a transparent briefing from the Baker Administration on plans regarding privatization of the MBTA and Keolis’ decision to redeploy trains away from Boston residents. As highlighted by the Boston Globe, Keolis regularly cancels service on the Fairmount Line to substitute for lines in suburban communities without adequate notification to Fairmount riders, leaving residents without access to public transit. The resolution further notes that privatized transit is profit-oriented and would put service second.

Bonus: City Council President Wu wrote an op-ed for the Boston Globe this week reacting to the recent election and urging more participation in local government. The work that we do (including the above) becomes more important now than ever, and we need your partnership and engagement! Read it here.

For complete notes on Boston City Council meetings, visit MichelleForBoston.com or sign up to receive these notes automatically each week by email. 

Lighting To Transform Fort Point Channel & Congress St. Bridge

The Boston Society of Architects (BSA) Placemaking Series presents Lighting To Transform The Fort Point Channel Into A Dynamic Destination on November 7, 2016 at 6 pm. Please visit the BSA for details and to register for this free event. 

It Takes A Village To Light A City: Illumnination as Public Policy will be presented at the ABX conference November 17, 2016 at 8 am. 

The Boston Planning and Development Agency (fka BRA) announced that the Congress Street Bridge Lighting RFP will be reissued on November 2nd at 9 am. The BDPA is in conjunction with the Fort Point Channel Operations Board are seeking services of a consultant or consultant team with demonstrated excellence in integrating lighting design in urban environments to design the lighting plan.  The budget for the design and implementation of a lighting plan is $470,000. A site visit is planned for Wednesday, November 9 at 10:30 am at Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum. 
Responses to the RFP must be returned, no later than 12:00 PM on Thursday, December 1, 2016, to the BPDA offices:

Attn: Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary

One City Hall Square, Room 910,

Boston, MA 02201-1007

Questions regarding the RFP can be directed to Erikk Hokenson, Project Manager, at 617.918.4267 or via email.

originally posted 11.1.16

City Council Calls For Helipad Hearing

State and local officials have been actively identifying locations to place a helipad in the City of Boston. Recent media reports indicate potential helipad locations in South Boston with two locations in Fort Point: close to General Electric's new headquarters or on a barge in the Channel.

Councillor Michael Flaherty has called for a public hearing to discuss building a commercial helipad in Boston. The creation of a helipad or heliport would increase air traffic in our neighborhood, and impact noise and vibrations, air pollution, public safety concerns, future residential housing opportunities, and activation of the watersheet and HarborWalk. Fort Point residents and neighbors are strongly encouraged to attend:

Boston Helipad Hearing
Wednesday, November 16, 2016

6 pm

BCEC (415 Summer St)
Room 204 A & B

Corporate helicopter usage ended in the City of Boston in 1999 with the construction of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC). Plans to build a helipad at the Marine Industrial Park were halted in 2008 after strong neighborhood opposition. 

Written comments may be submitted in advance by email to the Committee of Parks, Recreation and Transportation liaison Juan Aurelio Lopez (juan.lopez@boston.gov) and will be made available to all City Councillors. Written comments may be part of public record. If you have never given public comment at a City Council hearing, please arrive five minutes early to sign up to speak. 

Representatives from the Department of Economic Development, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Boston Planning & Development Agency and other interested parties will be invited to participate. City Council President Michelle Wu will chair the hearing. 

originally posted 11.3.16

Impromptu Community Potluck

Gather with your neighbors this Friday, November 11, 2016 at 6 pm at Wormwood Park (Wormwood & A Streets) for an Impromptu Community Potluck. Bring food and refreshments to share, chairs and whatever possible. Dress warmly for a brisk 45 degrees. This is a free event open to the public. All are welcome.

Fort Point Channel Landmarks November 2016 Meeting

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

Thursday, 10 November 2016

6:15 PM (new time)

Boston City Hall – Piemonte Room (5th Floor)

After 5:30 pm, 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.

I. REVIEW and RATIFICATION OF OCTOBER 13, 2016 MINUTES

II. DESIGN REVIEW

6:30 PM

17.389 FPC 35 Channel Center Street, Apt. 501

Applicant: Kyle Sheffield, LDa Architecture & Interiors (Architect)

Proposed Work: Replace a roof deck, replace the wrought iron railing with a glass railing, and install a wood privacy screen.

6:45 PM

17.389 FPC 9 Channel Center Street

Applicant: Dan McGrath, Berkeley Investments, Inc. (Applicant)

Proposed Work: Install two light fixtures adjacent to the entryway, install tenant signage on the left side and building signage on the right side of the entryway.

7:00 PM Continuance from 10/2016

17.382 FPC 5 & 6 Necco Court

Applicant: Todd Dundon, Gensler (Architect)

Proposed Work: Response to Commission’s request on new window opening details on the south and west façades; modifications to the opacity of the glass enclosure; and interior renderings of the glass enclosure.

FORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT COMMISSION

David Berarducci, Susan Goganian, John Karoff, Lynn Smiledge, Michele Yeeles

Alternates: Thomas Rodde, Vacancy