NEWRA/WECA Claims Business as Usual at BPDA

Back in August, the North End/Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) and the West End Civic Association (WECA) after learning of a potential development of a 700-foot tower on Causeway and North Washington Streets in the Bulfinch Triangle sent a letter to Arthur Jemison, Chief of Planning and Director of the Boston Planning Development Agency seeking information and community input into any construction plans.

Reportedly, the groups heard from certain stakeholders who were approached by commercial real estate management company RMR Group that there is a development proposal involving the construction of a multi-used tower (700-feet) that could replace the existing renovated 100-year-old buildings at 251 Causeway Street, 126-132 and 100 Washington Street.

NEWRA and WECA are disappointed and discouraged with Jemison’s letter of reply and claimed it does not respond to the to requests noted in their letter.

“We requested information from the BPDA regarding RMR’s project proposal,” they said.

The request was based on the group’s assumption that BPDA staff had already met with the developer, and assumption confirmed by the Boston Globe on August 5.

Jemison’s reply that “no plans have been filed yet” continues to leave NEWRA/WECA with no information about the project or the discussions the BPDA has had with the developer.

“We are concerned at the apparent lack of public transparency in the BPDA’s development discussions,” the community groups noted.

A request was also made that project review under Article 80 not commence until the city conducted and completes a planning process with public involvement for the Bulfinch Triangle.

The purpose of the planning process would be to consider possible changes to the Zoning Code to establish updated, public supported guidelines for new development and future protection and sustainability of the district.

NEWRA/WECA believe, “It is too dangerous to continue to rezone the city with the narrow focus of Article 80 reviews, project by project and passel by parcel.”

They added, “Your request indicates a BPDA business as usual attitude where you state that Article 80 may commence at the developer’s discretion without any proceedings, plannings or other community outreach by the City.

The groups claim their “requests were based on Mayor Michelle Wu’s commitment to bring planning and community involvement ahead of project review.”

They claim, “This can be accomplished now by the BPDA and Jemison’s leadership”.

NEWRA/WECA said, “They understand that Mayor Wu believes that to fully realize this change for the future of Boston, the City’s planning function should be separated from the redevelopment process and the redevelopment process should be reformed.