NEWRA Clearly Opposes Cross Street Hotel

Additional opposition has been expressed for a proposal by Cross Street Ventures, LLC to construct a five-story, 140 room boutique hotel in the North End.

The North End/Waterfront Residence’ Association (NEWRA) at its annual meeting voted unanimously to send a letter opposing the Cross Street proposed hotel, expressing numerous concerns.

Hotel plans call for two first floor restaurants with a total capacity of 234 seats and the seasonal rooftop dining area with 285 seats.

The structure will rise to 55 feet, not including the mechanicals over the entire project site from the Chase Bank building adjacent to a residential building on Endicott Street.

The site contains 2 one-story buildings that once housed retail establishments, along with an ancillary surface used for some parking.

A six-page letter was sent to Brian P. Golden, Director of the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA), expressing numerous NEWRA concerns.

Apparently, the community group is concerned that the BPDA has complete discretion to end Article 80 Public Review of the project, and at any time they alone can decide that the areas public consensus either way.

NEWRA believes, “Public comments submitted in numerous ways show that there is no public consensus at this time and claims “Neither the BPDA, the Proponent on the City of Boston provided notification of the availability of the Supplement Filing of most of those who submitted comments of the EPNF”.

Instead, according to NEWRA the notification involved a legal notice in the Boston Herald that is “totally in adequate”.

The six-page letter claims the Proponent has actively sought those who may support the project failed to attend a scheduled NEWRA meeting on October 14 to discuss the project but, on the day of the meeting, they notified NEWRA that it was canceling its attendance.

While offering to meet with NEWRA this November, the developer was not willing to attend. They were also not willing to extend the public comment period beyond the October 18 deadline.

“These are manipulations of the public process that appears to be intended to control public input for the benefit of the Proponent,” NEWRA claims.

The letter raised several other concerns relating to: zoning code, open space, impacts to residents and Cutillo Park, the environment, street parking, traffic flow, reducing the width of Cross Street, height and much more.