Action Alert: Speak up about 340 W 2nd Street project

UPDATE: We hear from the City that the community process on this project will "most likely be concluding tomorrow" 3/11. Speak up now.

Our friends at the Saint Vincent’s Lower End Neighborhood Association (SVLENA) need your help to speak up about 340 W 2nd Street.

Please help by attending the ZBA meeting on March 11th at 11:30 am at Boston City Hall, Room 801 and speak out against this project because: 

• Grossly exceeds the Floor to Area Ratio that is established on the site.
• Developer was unwilling to make height & density changes requested by the community.
• The entire Saint Vinny's Neighborhood Association is against this project.
• Major privacy concerns between proposed building and nearby existing building.
• Will create an unsanitary condition in the small gap between buildings.
• Density issues for the neighborhood.
• (Please feel free to add to this list) 

Can't attend, but want to speak up? Contact: Eric Prentis and Councillor Bill Linehan

#WillTwitterSaveSouthie? Look what happened last week

Fed up with feeling unheard in the development process, one neighbor turned to Twitter. Look what happened!

The South Boston resident who started @SaveKStreet explains, "This was my second tweet and I sent it on my way to work. That morning I had a 3 hour meeting first thing in the morning. When I got out and checked my phone I could not believe what I saw. Twitter (relatively speaking) blew up. I had retweets, favorites, mentions and followers." 

@planetsouthie Developer at 151-155 K St is trying to build 3 townhouses on a tiny lot with zero open space against zoning. Need your help!
— Save K Street (@SaveKStreet) February 6, 2014

@PlanetSouthie and several others retweeted. 

Hey #Southie ! Care about development & quality of life issues in #SouthBoston ? Follow @SaveKStreet and act. Please RT! @maureencaught
— Planet Southie (@planetsouthie) February 6, 2014

Just 8 hours after @SaveKStreet's first tweet: Success! 

@planetsouthie @kennycooks @SaveKStreet did you hear the news? The project has been stopped. #kstreethasbeensaved
— Caught in Southie (@maureencaught) February 6, 2014

August 22 Meeting Focus on Green-space and Development: Advocating for our quality of life

Tree cut on E 4th Street this week despite opposition

Development in South Boston is feeling increasingly out of control and is chugging along with little regard for our community members' quality of life.

Why aren't our families' needs for green spaces, trees, gardens, safety and other essentials more valued in planning? Who's benefiting? Certainly not Southie families.

Let's talk about it at the August Planet Southie Monthly Meeting!

Special Guests:
South Boston Grows
Southie Trees
More!


Meeting Details:

When: Thursday, August 22, 2013 from 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Where: The Distillery Building, 516 E 2nd Street, South Boston

As always, all are welcome at Planet Southie

***Post-Meeting Wrap Up***

Thanks to all who participated!

Great meeting with a civil and constructive conversation on the topics, including insights into the history and process of development in our neighborhood.

We plan to collaborate with neighbors, Southie Trees, neighborhood associations, elected officials and others on Good Neighbor Agreements and  the Master Plan process. Stay tuned!

South Boston / South End

The 275 Albany Street Development project is one of many forthcoming developments stemming from the Harrison / Albany Strategic Master Plan that was created by the BRA in 2012. If you are unfamiliar with that master plan here is a brief summary:

The area along the 93 expressway, on the South End side, has been rezoned to allow greater heights and density. This was a tactic to make those underutilized plots of land more appealing to developers. Projects like the Ink Block, which will be a retail & supermarket destination, are among the projects coming out of this rezoning in addition to hundreds new residences, some restaurants, and hotel. Overall the re-zoning is a good thing for the city because it will reduce crime and enhance that grim section of our city along the elevated expressway. But there will be an impact on us. The Broadway Bridge will likely see significant increase in pedestrian traffic coming to the Broadway T Stop, as well as an increase bicycle and vehicle traffic.

Neighborhood Growth

Ever wonder where the boundaries of our neighborhood associations are? Ever wish there was an consolidated map showing the proposed construction projects in the area? Same with me! Check out the amazing interactive map that our South Boston Neighborhood Association Committee (SBNAC) has generated: https://www.sbnac.org/ProjectsMap.aspx


(Note: SBNAC neighborhood association boundary lines are "unofficial")

It's no secret, and made very clear in this map, is that South Boston is growing.... rapidly. To ensure that the neighborhood evolves and grows in a sustainable manner your voice and your opinions are needed.

A & D Street Bike Lane Design Review

Jon Ramos, one of Planet Southie Bike Action Team's most active members, posted the below story.

Great news Southie Cyclists: we’ll soon be getting some bicycle infrastructure on A-Street & D-Street.  What does that mean exactly?  Well, the City’s current plan is a mixture of bike lanes, buffered bike lanes, sharrows, and perhaps even cycle-tracks making the crucial link between Dot Ave to the Seaport.

Overall the City’s plan is a great start, but there is room for further improvement and several ways to make the bike lanes safer… but we need your help if we want to see these improvements made. 

As the voice of cyclists in South Boston the City will listen to our feedback.  We need a good turnout at the next meeting to review the plans and come to a conclusion for which sections should be changed. 

To help us through this process Pete Stidman, director of The Boston Cyclists Union, will be attending our next meeting.  Pete has extensive knowledge of bike lane planning, and can help guide us through the process of discussing our conclusions with the City.  If you want to see positive change, and make cycling safer in South Boston then now is the time to act.

See you at the next Planet Southie meeting:

Thursday, February 28^th at 6:30pm

The Distillery Building
516 East Second Street, South Boston

(All are welcome and encouraged to attend)