When is Enough, Enough?
To the Editor,
As I read the page 1 news story on the proposed development for 135 Bremen Street, I felt angry that once again the issue of overdevelopment is never really addressed by city agencies. Kudos for the Grove Street Citizens Association and to Carlos J. Munoz- Cadilla, a board member of the neighborhood group. His letter to BPDA points out quite clearly why the most recent changes made to the project by the developers only makes this new housing so negative to the neighborhood surrounding it.
As I looked at the architect’s image of what it all would look like when completed shows two vehicles in the artist rendering. Have anyone from the development team seen this intersection at Porter and Bremen streets when it turns into a morning zoo? There are six streets that would meet at this condo site, five stop signs and good luck if you are a pedestrian trying to cross over this area dodging vehicles from several different directions. Does this sound like a high rise with some but not enough surface level parking. The building itself requires it be graded into the downslope that heads inches from the Greenway behind this proposed structure. Ninety- four residential units with 47 off-street parking spots seems unacceptable to me and apparently to the Grove Street Citizens Association..
East Boston is a great liveable community of diverse folks who appreciate what their neighborhood affords them but this need by developers to keep building and building anywhere they can is destroying all that makes this neighborhood such a desirable place to call home.
As a Jeffries Point resident, I also have noticed – how could I not- the constant development around the point, on Sumner, Webster, Cottage Streets. Also look down at Orleans and Maverick Streets. Everywhere one looks, we see more and more market-rate or luxury housing
It reminds me of someone trying to put on a Size 10 shoe onto a Size 12 foot. How much squeezing can a neighborhood get? Apparently, developers don’t care about our plight and neither does City Hall. Or somebody would do something.
One more problem to throw out by those who live in either the Jeffries Point or Gove Street area. What about the proposed new housing for the former Mt. Carmel Church and adjacent property as well as the new residential housing going up on Bremen Street, the old Royal Auto Body site?
When is enough, enough?
Sal Giarratani