Ten residents including prominent members of the North End Waterfront Residents’ Association should take a much closer look at the Doc’s Long Wharf restaurant development proposal. Being against it for the sake of being against it doesn’t satisfy the type of scrutiny that is deserved, needed and expected of NEWRA members and North End residents in this instance.
It has been five years that the Doc’s proposal has been moving forward.
When 10 residents of the North End filed a suit against the development last year the city slowed down the development process out of respect to those who filed the suit and the suit itself.
Last week, the Licensing Board extended by 60 days the time given for Doc’s to answer various questions regarding a liquor license the business has applied for.
In the end, this entire process is flawed.
First of all, virtually no one living in what we regard as the North End will be affected by Doc’s in any way, shape or manner.
Second, Doc’s will be a restaurant in a great space on the harbor perfectly suitable for a restaurant.
Third, Doc’s will employ a staff full and part time of 150 and it will generate taxes paid to the state and rent to the city of Boston of $142,000 a year.
Doc’s is supported by a majority of the Harbor Towers residency and by the wharf district City Councilor Sal LaMattina.
The lawsuit filed contends that a perfect view of the harbor will be ruined.
That is only half the story. The perfect view will remain for the thousands of tourists who will eat at Doc’s and enjoy the view from their tables.
Doc’s should be welcomed to the place where it is trying to develop and one day open.
Instead, it is being reviled by an unhappy ten residents as an impediment to the view of Boston Harbor.
Michael Conlon the developer is an on-merit restaurateur. The man knows what he’s doing and tends to do a great job at his other location in the city.
The Boston Redevelopment Authority was correct in allowing this development to become a reality.
Those who want it far outnumber those who are against it.
Views are important but views are not being taken away. In fact. If Doc’s comes to exist, and we hope it will, the view of the Boston Harbor in December from inside a pleasant, warm and welcoming restaurant will far exceed that gained outside in the bitter cold.
We hope the Superior Court rules against the ten voices trying to stop Doc’s.
Shortly thereafter we urge the Licensing Board to do its thing and get on with this development which creates jobs, taxes and rent for the city.
We badly need all three.