BPDA Still Reviewing Cross Street Hotel Proposal

Many North End residents and community organizations, back in April, expressed opposition to proposed plans to develop a 55-foot, 134 room hotel at 42 Class Street, located between Salem and Endicott Streets, across from The Greenway.

Currently, the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) is still reviewing the plans and the community opposition put forth during the official comment period, leaving the neighborhood waiting for some sort of decision by the agency.

One local group, North End/Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) has sent a comment letter expressing a negative position regarding a hotel, as proposed, being developed at the planned site.

NEWRA also made suggestions for the location other than a hotel.

Concerns have been made in the neighborhood relating to the lack of the projects residential purpose and benefits, impacts to park land, private use of the park and an inadequate public process.

Past plantings that may have been adequate to measure the fitness of the proposed project or any other development at the site is an appropriate planning contest that complicates the neighborhood interest with minimum impact.

NEWRA noted that the project site has 100 years of history of being a part of the community, and the hotel plans may have the greatest impact, compared to other development opportunities.

They question the need and wisdom of removing the site from the neighborhood and the purpose of a hotel when hotels have been recently completed and are currently under construction or planned nearby at North Station, Government Center Garage, 88 North Washington Street and parcel 4, adjacent to the Haymarket Pushcart Vendor’s area that surrounds the North End.

NEWRA contends that a hotel would effectively remove the site from the neighborhood for purposes of accommodating more city visitors, meet the demands for hotel rooms but does not help satisfy the needs for residential housing or community support services.

Other issues and concerns were raised by NEWRA dealing with traffic flow during and after construction is completed, air quality, view, noise and other possible impacts.

NEWRA voted 25-1 to compose the comments sent to BPDA expressing their point of view.