Meeting recording
(Passcode: hw$%%U3M)
Boston Police Department officer, Sgt. Cintolo (5 min)
- Neighborhood updates:
- 3/27: on Marion St. there have been package thefts; Orleans and Porter St. had a motor vehicle accident
- 3/20: Individual sustained minor injuries
- This past weekend there were some OUI arrest. D-7 has been increasing presence.
- 3/23: stabbing at Porter; 2 injuries who were not Boston
- A scooter was stolen at Chelsea St. and Maverick St.
- 196 Chelsea – domestic disturbance;
- Bremen: Assault and battery between two known individuals
- No recent house breaks and robberies
- Reminders
- Reminder that commercial vehicle is not allowed overnight
- Keep doors locked and any possessions in vehicles out of view
- Reach out to Cintolo about Hub program
East Boston liaison to mayor’s office, Nathalia Benitez-Perez (5 min)
- Blue Line – closing April 2nd to April 14th due to maintenance
- Full project: https://www.mbta.com/projects/blue-line-harbor-tunnel-infrastructure-improvements/update/blue-line-shuttles-begin-april
- Email publicengagement@mbta.com
- Discussion ongoing on route of shuttles – more information to come
- Coffee with Michele Wu – location TBD
- May 4th at East Boston Memorial Park, Tentative time is 9:30 am.
- Still waiting for confirmation. Please come if you can, this is a great opportunity to talk to the Mayor, other elected officials and ask questions about specific issues involved since we’ll have many departments there to answer.
- Questions:
- What is the city doing with rat issue near Gove St?
- Information forthcoming for walkthrough by inspectional services
- What is the city doing with rat issue near Gove St?
- Contact info: nathalia.benitezperez@boston.gov
Bremen & Orleans Development Project, Natasha Perez (5 min)
- Continuing process with BPDA – working on incorporating recommendations into design
- Aiming to present an updated design in future Gove Street meeting
- Questions:
- When is construction supposed to start?
- No. Still very early in the process with BPDA.
- Can community weigh into process with development?
- There was initial community input. All of this will be directed to the developers, including the developers.
- Will there be more Impact Advisory Group (IAG) meetings?
- The city may decide the plans for meetings. There have been two meetings, but there has not yet been additional ones.
- Can connect with Jason at BPDA on process
- How will Porter St. support auto-rich projects
- There are a series of traffic studies that have to be reviewed with the city.
- For follow-up questions, perez_natasha@outlook.com
- When is construction supposed to start?
Signatures to put Andrea Campbell on ballot for Attorney General (1 min)
- Cheryl Harding, Field Director, Andrea Campbell campaign
- She needs 10K signatures to get on the ballot by May 1st
- Volunteer event taking place on Thursday 3/30 in Dorchester
- Cheryl@andreacampbell.org 857-251-2193 Thank you
284 Maverick Street Development, Drago and Toscano, LLP – Community Presentation (30 min)
- Introduction
- Presentation by Jeffrey Drago
- Developer: Odessit Capital
- Seeking to erect a new four-unit building
- Lot size: 1924 sq.ft.
- Presentation link:
- Use area is 3F, seeking 4F variance. Total of 7 variances.
- Questions
- Is there a headhouse built?
- No.
- Comments about the exterior colors of the building being dull
- What are the proposed units?
- Currently they are proposed rentals
- 3 bedroom; 2 bath
- Units are around 1,150 sq. ft.
- Concerns about lack of elevator in the building
- Common to not have elevator in the building
- Where does storage and heating/electrical going?
- Heating and electrical units will be located within each unit
- Storage for trash is located in the back
- How many variances will be requested?
- 7 variances
- Will there be green space in the back?
- Yes
- How do you maintain and repair the walls with only a 2 1/2 ft space — over the many years the building will be standing
- This is typical of new constructions. If there are any major leaks, this will be addressed from within the building.
- When can we vote on this project?
- Meeting can take place next month
- Is there a headhouse built?
“Loftel” Development Project at Orleans/Porter (175 Orleans Street), Richard Lynds – Community Updates (30 min)
- Updates:
- Work has started on the building – with windows being installed
- Expected to completely rehab the building to convert into a 123 room hotel
- There will be 65 parking slots
- There had been delays due to telecommunication installation. This was important to get this in place.
- Full service restaurant and lounge will be available open to the public
- Updates to the masonry, but minimal changes overall
- There will be new plants/trees that will be installed along Porter and Orlean, as well as at the parking lot
- Developer commitments:
- Installation of new lighting around the perimeter of the building to improve pedestrian safety
- Public realm improvements, including new landscaping, reconstructed sidewalks
- Creation of 150 construction jobs over the course of project
- Creation of 20 permanent full-time jobs
- Commitment of up to $10K to repairs of Porter St. bridge to either City of Boston or Commonwealth of Mass.
- Place and manage trash cans along the adjacent streets
- Provide access for neighbors to use hotel’s parking lots during snow and state emergencies provided spaces are available above those required by hotel guests
- Provide or pay for the costs associated of Zoom account used by GSCA
- Grant permission to use to host the monthly board and member meetings
- Contribute $5K for 10 years towards cost of regular maintenance to the Greenway
- Questions and comments
- Are some of the 65 off-street parking spaces available for non-hotel guests who may be eating at the restaurant?
- Prioritized for hotel occupants. But this could be made possible.
- Is the restaurant and lounge already chosen? Average hotel room costs?
- Currently seeking to have hotel operator run the restaurant and lounge
- Please make as many trees as possible
- Need to make sure the installation of trees will meet city of Boston’s requirements for sidewalk width
- The prior community-approved agreement included that the entrance to the parking would be on Frankfort, and that cars would enter on Frankfort and exit on Orleans (or vice-versa) to minimize traffic. This looks like it has changed, and that would, I believe, invalidate the previous agreement
- Cars will enter on Porter St and go through circulator to exit on Orleans St.
- Project plan was reviewed by BPDA
- What will the landscape look like? Lighting?
- There will be 5’ landscape along the side
- Back will be a driveway
- Can work on fence to mitigate the noise
- Lighting study included in the original submitted – has been reviewed by BPDA
- Which part of the window façade will be repaired?
- Plan is to repair 70% of the façade. Wait until the structural repair for the column can be done. Then complete the rest of the façade repair
- Will any on-street parking be eliminated?
- None will be eliminated.
- What is the plan to/from airport?
- Goal is to not have any vans
- What is the branding?
- Cambria Hotel
- How long will construction take?
- Aiming to wrap up by end of 2023/summer 2024. But this is dependent on supply chain and minimized impacts by COVID
- What are the construction times?
- Work under permit can take place: M-F 7 am until 5 pm
- Heavy construction can only start after 8 am
- What is the off-street parking?
- 65 parking spaces were approved prior by BPDA; it is a 50% parking-to-room
- Most of the attendees will be flying/into airport
- Parking will be charged comparable to other hotels in the area
- When was the developer commitments made?
- In Article 80, there are several requirements to obtain a certificate from BPDA. Developer has to make commitments for the community.
- Who will be moving the telecommunication equipment?
- A combination of Jamsan contractors and the telecommunication company at the expense of Jamsan.
- Are some of the 65 off-street parking spaces available for non-hotel guests who may be eating at the restaurant?