City Hall Is Coming To South Boston

updated 10/2/17: The MBTA, MassDOT, National Parks, Eversource and the L St Power Plant will be joining Massport as special guests tonight. Whether you have questions/concerns about airplane noise, street conditions & parking, Northern Avenue Bridge, Track 61, developments, parks or public transportation, the South Boston Open House offers one stop shopping for the latest information.   

City Hall To Go invites you to the 2017 South Boston Open House hosted by Mayor Walsh with representatives from every City department including city programs and services, Massport and other special guests. The 2017 South Boston Open House will occur:

Monday, October 2

6 pm - 8 pm

Tynan Elementary School

650 E 4th St (between I & K)

accessible from bus route 9

If the opportunity to ask questions and share concerns isn't enough, there will be free food and ice cream, raffles and balloon animals. For more information, contact South Boston Liaison John Allison. 

Are You Ready To Vote?

updated 9/12/17: The South Boston Association of Non-Profits in conjunction with neighborhood associations of South Boston will be hosting a District 2 Candidates Forum on Sept 19th (details below).  

updated 9/11/17: The deadline to request an absentee ballot is September 25, 2017 at 12 pm. More details at Boston.gov. 

Boston's preliminary municipal election is Tuesday, September 26, 2017. On the ballot are four candidates for Mayor and seven candidates for District 2, which includes our South Boston neighborhood of Fort Point and the Seaport. View the complete list of certified candidates in ballot order. There is no preliminary election for City Councillors-At-Large.

Are you registered to vote? To verify that you are registered click here. The registration deadline for the preliminary municipal election is Wednesday, September 6, 2017. You can register online at the Secretary of State website. 

Candidate Forums

A Harbor Candidates Forum will occur at the BSA Space on September 12, 2017 from 5 pm - 7:30 pm. Boston Globe contributor Michael P. Ross will moderate a panel discussion on waterfront issues including development, design, water transportation, climate change, resilience, and equity with candidates from two of Boston’s Harbor districts (districts 1 & 2). Find out more and to R.S.V.P.. 

The South Boston Association of Non-Profits in conjunction with neighborhood associations of South Boston are hosting a District 2 Candidates Forum on Tuesday, September 19, 2017 from 6 pm - 8 pm at UP Academy located at 215 Dorchester St. The event is open to the public.

Election day is Tuesday, November 7, 2017. To vote on November 7th, you must be registered by October 18th. 

originally published 9.6.17

FPNA Fort Point Welcome Back Gathering Monday, Sept 25

Join the Fort Point Neighborhood Association
for a 

Welcome Back To Fort Point Gathering

MONDAY, September 25, 2017*
6 pm
Factory 63

63 Melcher St.

featuring

The Smoke Shop BBQ

Chef Andy Husbands

Brian Lesser, owner of Tavern Road

introducing

Wine Gallery - Spark Coffee

85 Seaport Blvd.

plus

GE Innovation Point Update

Peter Cavanaugh, General Electric 

&

What you missed over the Summer 

& need to know this Fall

with tasty bites by The Smoke Shop BBQ

*Please note new date of Monday, September 25th.

Boston Municipal Primary Election is September, 26, 2017

originally posted 9.13.17

District 2 (That's Us) One & Only South Boston Candidates Forum

South Boston Association of Non-Profits

together with the

South Boston Neighborhood Associations

are pleased to invite you to a

  

CANDIDATES FORUM

Tuesday, September 19^th

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

UP ACADEMY(formerly known as the Gavin)

215 Dorchester Street – South Boston

This is your opportunity to get to know all 7 candidates,

who would like to represent you as your next City Councilor!
 

Boston's Municipal Primary Election is Tuesday, September 26,

2017. The top two vote-getters will be on the ballot in November. 

originally posted 9.14.17

Related Post

A Weekend of Art, Music, Dance & Shopping

Have you explored the shops and restaurants along Broadway? This Saturday, September 16th from 11 am to 4 pm, the South Boston Chamber of Commerce brings the best of Southie together on East Broadway from L to I Streets. A hundred local merchants, artists and organizations are participating and special discounts are available. There will be live music, performances and activities for kids. Did we mention food? For more information, visit South Boston Street Festival.

Over in the South End, over 200 artists are celebrating the 31st annual South End Fall Open Studios. The event takes place September 16 - September 17, 2017 from 11 am - 6 pm.  Visit artist work studios and galleries representing local and international artists. On the way over, be sure to check out the murals in the Underground beneath the expressway.

Don't forget to dance. Let Dance Boston, part of the Celebrity Series of Boston, continues through September 17th  at Dewey Square. For complete live dance and music line up visit Let's Dance Boston

Boston City Council Looks At Appointments, Commissions, DACA, Extreme Weather & More

City Council President Michelle Wu publishes notes from Boston City Council meetings. The Boston City Council considered the following items and more at their September 13, 2017 meeting:

Appointments: Mayor Walsh made the following appointments:

• Richard DePiano, Temporary First Assistant Collector-Treasurer and Anthony Dello Iacono, Temporary Second Assistant Collector-Treasurer, for a period of 60 days
• Board of Appeal: we confirmed the following people
  • Anthony Pisano, Bruce Bickerstaff, Eugene Kelly, reappointed until July 2018
  • Kerry Walsh Logue reappointed until November 2019
  • Tyrone Kindell, Jr., reappointed until October 2018
  •  Mark Fortune, reappointed until June 2018
  • Mark Erlich, reappointed until September 2019
• Zoning Commission: we voted to confirm David Marr, Jill Hatton, and Elliot Guerreroasas members until May 2020

Boston Boards and Commissions Home Rule Petition: The Council voted to follow Councilor Flaherty’s recommendation to pass the Mayor’s Home-Rule Petition that would help the Administration fill more board and commission seats. The legislation would allow the Mayor to appoint members to vacant or expired seats on certain city boards and commissions if the relevant nominating entity fails to submit names for the Mayor’s consideration within 90 days after being notified of a vacancy or expiration of a member’s term. The proposed legislation was amended to include a Council confirmation requirement for all boards and commissions, as well as a residency requirement for nominees. A full list of the city boards and commissions to which this would apply can be found here.

City Response to Extreme Weather Events: Councilor O’Malley called for a hearing to examine the City’s responsiveness to extreme weather events, as they are likely to increase in frequency as climate change continues. The goal is to provide a public opportunity to evaluate the City of Boston’s preparation, physical protective infrastructure, and local response for preparing and reacting to a catastrophic weather event. The matter was assigned to the Committee on Environment & Sustainability for a hearing.

Right to Charge Ordinance: I filed an ordinance on the “right to charge” for Electric Vehicle owners. This ordinance would codify the rights and responsibilities of residents of Boston who wish to install electric vehicle charging stations on their properties and barring condo or homeowners associations from banning or unreasonably burdening the owner doing so. As I mentioned, this in no way is meant to hold back our advocacy for complete streets and improving other modes of transportation such as cycling, walking, and public transit. We need to make it possible for car owners who are looking to switch to electric vehicles to access the necessary infrastructure to reduce their emissions in this way. The matter was assigned to the Government Operations Committee for a hearing.

Resolution on DACA: The Council unanimously adopted Councilor Jackson’s resolution opposing the Trump Administration’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Boston has a long history as a home to immigrants from hundreds of different countries, and the thousands of DACA recipients living and working in Boston currently. The U.S. Congress has six months to come up with a legislative solution before the Administration fully revokes DACA. Several Councilors spoke eloquently on the importance of protecting these youth who have known no other country as home, and who are our coworkers, friends, students, family and neighbors.
 
NOTE: Our next two Council meetings will also be held in Fanueil Hall, but due to scheduling conflicts they will not be held on the usual Wednesday. Our next meeting will be 12:00pm on Tuesday September 19^th.

Upcoming Hearings/Working Sessions (Watch at www.cityofboston.gov/citycouncil/live.asp)

• Thursday, 09/14 at 1:30PM, Docket #0199 policy briefing related to a key topic in early education & childcare, specifically transitions from early education to kindergarten. (Healthy Women Families & Communities) [Piemonte room, 5^th Floor City Hall]
• Tuesday, 10/03 at 2:00PM, hearing on an order authorizing the City of Boston to adopt Community Choice Energy (Environment and Sustainability) [Ianella Chamber, 5^th Floor City Hall]

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

Fort Point Landmarks September 2017 Meeting

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

Thursday, September 14, 2017

6:00 PM

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.from Faneuil Hall).

DISCUSSION ITEM

Amending Section 8.0 Recommendations of the Fort Point Channel Landmark District Study Report. specifically regarding commissioner nominations.

DESIGN REVIEW

18.095 HPC 47 Farnsworth Street

Applicant: Jean-Claude Tetreault, Trillium Brewing

Proposed Work: Modify openings. construct a roof deck and bulkhead. and install signage.

18.267 FPC 253 Summer Street

Applicant: Kevin Burke. Burke + Design

Proposed Work: Install signage ("253") on the Melcher Street. Summer Street, and channel fagades.

18.269 FPC 253 Summer Street

Applicant: Michael McGowan, Bergmeyer Associates. Inc

Proposed Work: Relocate a Harborwalk sign and install wall-painted signage ("Lolita") on the Harborwalk and channel facades. and an illuminated metal sign panel at the rear facade.

18.268 FPC 253 Summer Street

Applicant: Stephen McDermott, CBI Consulting. Inc.

Proposed Work: Modify a loading bay opening at the rear facade; install metal plates within the former window openings in the Harborwalk (channel facade) and general masonry repairs to all facades including repointing,

replacing deteriorated face brick in-kind, and repairing cracks in the stone and brick faces using an injection grout mortar.

I8.087 FPC 5l Sleeper Street

Applicant: Lee Cooper, Hopsters Brewing Company

Proposed Work: installing paired aluminum and glass doors and transom with applied logos and "51" on the glazing; replacing an exhaust duct with a flush rimless grille; installing a signband with halo-lit logo and lettering ("Hopsters Brewing Co.") on two facades; installing hop finials on the existing patio railing and lighting on the brick piers.

III. ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW/APPROVAL: In order to expedite the review process. the commission has delegated the approval of certain work items, such as those involving ordinary maintenance and repair. restoration or replacement. or which otherwise have a minimal impact on a building's appearance. to commission staff pending ratification at its monthly public hearing. Having been identified as meeting these eligibility criteria and all applicable guidelines, the following applications will be approved at this hearing:

PROJECTS COMPLIANT WITH DISTRICT STANDARDS & CRITERIA

18.016 FPC 21 Wormwood Street: 

Replace sixteen non-historic light fixtures on various secondary facades with new black LED fixtures.

REVIEW and RATIFICATION OF August 10,2017 and August 24,,2017 MINUTES

V. STAFF UPDATES

PROJECTED ADJOURNMENT: 9:00 PM

FORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT COMMISSION

David Berarducci, Susan Goganian, John Karofl Lynn Smiledge, Vacancy

Altemates: Thomas Rodde, Vacancy

originally published 9.5.17

BPDA Releases South Boston Waterfront Neighborhood Profile

The Research Division of the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) released a neighborhood profile of the South Boston Waterfront in July 2017 based largely on 2015 and 2016 demographic and economic development statistics. The BPDA aligns Fort Point with the South Boston Waterfront. 

How far have we come in the 21st century?

The population grew by 104% and occupied housing units grew by 101% from 2000 to 2015.

Payroll jobs in the South Boston Waterfront grew by 15% from 2011 to 2014.

From 2000 to 2015, the share of South Boston Waterfront female residents ages 16 and older, and participating in the labor force, grew from 69% to 79%.

South Boston Waterfront is still predominantly White, but after 2000 it became somewhat more diverse: the percentage of Asian residents increased from 5% to 10%.

The foreign born share of the population grew from 12% in 2000 to 18% in 2015.

The percentage of South Boston Waterfront residents aged 25 and over and with a Bachelor’s degree rose from 44% to 79% between 2000 and 2015.

What is in our future?

South Boston Waterfront’s growth is poised to continue, with 4,137 new units of housing approved between 2010 and 2016.*4   Out of the 4,137 new units, 250 are affordable units. 

Who are we?

South Boston Waterfront had 2,862 residents in 2015, less than 1% of Boston’s population*1

South Boston Waterfront grew by 104% from 2000 to 2015, much faster than the city’s growth of 10% over the same time period.

Age Distribution
Only 4% of South Boston Waterfront residents are children, compared to 16% in Boston as a whole.
The 25-34 age group represents 39% of South Boston’s Waterfront population, compared to 23% for Boston as a whole. 
The 35-64 age group represents 38% of  South Boston’s Waterfront population, compared to 34% for Boston as a whole.

Diversity
About a fifth of South Boston Waterfront’s population is foreign born, compared to the 27% share of Boston.
In 2015, the share of non-Hispanic White residents was 84%, much higher than the city share of 46%.

Jobs
South Boston Waterfront had 27,577 jobs in 2014, most of which were in the Business and Financial sectors*2
South Boston Waterfront has almost 15 payroll jobs per resident worker, and 4.9% of the city’s payroll jobs.

Labor Force
South Boston Waterfront’s labor force had 2,307 people in 2015, less than 1% of the city’s resident labor force.
77% of South Boston Waterfront residents ages 16 and older participated in the labor force, a higher rate than the 68% for Boston.
The top occupations for South Boston Waterfront residents in 2015: Management, Business and Financial Services, and Administrative Support.

Education
In 2015, only 1% of South Boston Waterfront residents were enrolled in college or university, a much lower enrollment rate than the city (17%).
About 79% of South Boston Waterfront residents ages 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree, higher than Boston’s 45%.

Income
The median household income in South Boston Waterfront in 2015 was $111,518, doubling the Boston median of $55,777.

Download the profile. Contact BPDA's Research Division with any questions.

Note: Demographic data are for the Census-tract approximations of the South Boston Waterfront. Source: (1) U.S. Census Bureau, 1950-2010 Decennial Census and 2011-2015 American Community Survey, (2) OnTheMap Application and LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics, 2014, (3) City of Boston assessing data FY 2016, (4) Boston Planning and Development Agency Board Memos.

Filming At Menton on Monday

IFP Productions is currently in production on a romantic comedy film project. They will be filming at Menton Restaurant on Monday, September 11th, from 12 pm-12 am. Most of the shooting will take place inside the restaurant with a quick scene on the street outside of the restaurant. 

In order to facilitate filming, IFR Productions requires parking for production vehicles starting Monday at 7 am through 2 am. The streets impacted are:

• Congress St from Sleeper St to Thomson Pl on both sides
• Congress St from Boston Wharf Rd to E. Service Rd on both sides
• 4 resident parking spaces on A Street closest to Congress St starting at 8am
• 3 spaces on Summer St at the A St bridge.
• 6 residential  spaces on Melcher St.

IFR Productions and their small crew apologize in advance for any inconvenience caused by their filming and will do everything possible to minimize the impact of their activities in the neighborhood. Residents and patrons will be able to access their homes and businesses at any time, but may be asked to wait for a few minutes during actual filming. If you have particular concerns (scheduled deliveries,construction, accessibility needs, etc.), please contact Sydney Sherrell, Assistant Location Manager, via email or at 860-299-3626.

Art Abounds Around Fort Point Friday & Saturday

With the start of Fall is the return of multiple art openings and events in the neighborhood. Starting Friday night, September 8, 2017, the Gallery at 249A, the Midway Gallery and the Distillery Gallery offer you a variety of art to dazzle the senses. On Saturday, September 9, 2017, the Underground at Ink Block is unveiling 150,000 sf of mural walls by local and international artists. Here is what you need to know to start planing your art adventure now:

The Gallery at 249 A presents Bejeweled, a new exhibit of works by Paola Savarino, to honor her memory and legacy not only as a creative force, but also as an accomplished advocate for affordable live/work space for artists in the City of Boston. 

Bejeweled is co-curated by Duane Lucia and Tony Savarino, Paola’s son, and features 25 paintings never before shown. They are works in acrylic, oil and mixed media, including glass beads and coins. The pieces portray highly-textured, colorful and poetic images that dance on the canvas and energize the viewers’ senses.

Sponsored by 249 A Street Artists Cooperative, Gallery East and the South Boston Community Development Foundation, the exhibit runs from Thursday, August 17 through Saturday, September 30. The show reception takes place on Friday, September 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. and is open to the public. Refreshments will be served. The exhibit and reception are FREE. Gallery hours are by appointment at 617-416-0718. The gallery is located at 249 A Street. More details at the Gallery at 249 A.

A couple blocks away at 15 Channel Center Street, the Midway Gallery presents CLEEK GOLD, an installation of monumental wall paintings by Jessica Tam. The exhibition will be on view from September 1 through October 1, with an opening reception on September 8th from 5–8 pm.

Employing an experimental, multi-step process, Tam transforms imagery back and forth between figuration and abstraction, exploring compression and expansion, cartoon-like gesture and expressive brushwork. The exhibition is made possible with the generous support of the Walter Feldman Fellowship for Emerging Artists, administered by the Arts and Business Council of Greater Boston, and the support of Clowes Fund Fellowship and the Vermont Studio Center. The Midway Galley is located in Midway Artist Studios.

End your Friday evening at The Distillery Gallery's opening of Feeling Feeling from 7 - 10 pm on September 8th. Artists Emmy Bright & J.R. Uretsky create a series of dubious choices, earnest efforts, collaborative installations, missed opportunities and new works on paper, wall, and in time. Feeling Feeling runs September 8 - October 14, 2017

On Saturday, September 9, 2017 make your way over to Underground at Ink Block (90 Traveler St.) from 2 pm - 6 pm for the Underground Getdown Block Party and the unveiling of the newly transformed mural walls by some of today's most popular and influential street-artists. Come and enjoy a drink at the Loco Beer Garden, DJ's Gucci Vuitton & Braun Dapper, games, food trucks and more.

The Underground Mural Project will transform over 150,000 sf of mural walls in the park.The 2017 line-up of local and internationally renowned artists includes: Cey Adams (New York), Don Rimx (Puerto Rico), Imagine876 (Boston) Hoxxoh (Miami), Marka27 (Boston), Percy Fortini Wright (Boston), Problak (Boston), Upendo (Los Angeles), Vyal One (Los Angeles), Ewok (Boston) & Thy Doan (Boston).

Tavern Road To Become Smoke Shop BBQ

Dear Fort Point Neighborhood Association,

We are excited to announce that Brian Lesser, owner of Tavern Road, is partnering with Chef Andy Husbands of Tremont 647 & the Smoke Shop BBQ (Kendall Square) to rebrand the Tavern Road space as The Smoke Shop BBQ’s second location.

The Smoke Shop BBQ will focus World Champion BBQ American cuisine with a price point that is inviting from families to businesses and everyone in between. We plan to be a place that people can come and grab a sandwich or a full entrée and enjoy a local craft beer or fine beverage. We feel that we will be perfect for locals as well as visitors to the Children’s Museum, Tea Party Museum, and the Seaport.  Adding high quality BBQ to the area will fill a void for a cuisine that is under represented and darn tasty. 

Chef Andy Husbands has owned Tremont 647 in the south end for 21 years and is involved with the Pilot Block Neighborhood Association, the South End Business Association, and numerous charitable endeavors: most notably The Taste of the Nation (#nokidhngry) at Cruiseport and The Rodman Celebration at the World Trade center.  Last Year he opened the Smoke Shop BBQ, Kendall Square, with his business partner Brian Lesser.

Brian Lesser is the owner of 10 restaurants throughout the city, including Alden & Harlow, Mini Bar, Sweet Cheeks, the Smoke Shop and the now shuttered Tavern Road to name a few.  He is a key part of the success of these restaurants and looks forward to continuing serving the Fort Point neighborhood at the 343 Congress location.

We look forward to meeting everyone and please reach out to us if you have any questions  office@thesmokeshopbbq.com

Andy & Brian

Take an exclusive peek at the new menu..