Respect Our Community’s Character and Livability
To the Editor,
As a concerned community member, I am compelled to address the coverage of the proposed development at 112 Marginal Street in the East Boston Times-Free Press. While the recent article, “Fiery Debate: 112 Marginal Presentation Leads to Heated Discussion at JPNA Meeting,” highlighted developer concessions, it overlooked the broader implications of these changes and the depth of community concerns.
1. Health and Safety Concerns and Historical Precedent
The project’s revised plan, despite being framed as a compromise, introduces health and safety issues through overcrowding by eliminating all setbacks and depriving neighbors of light and air. The essence of the problem can be encapsulated in two words: “light shaft.” The proposed design evokes the dark, poorly ventilated tenement buildings of the past, with some interior spaces receiving light and air only from a small air shaft. The New York State Tenement House Act of 1901 was one of the first laws that sought to eradicate these conditions in housing. Re-creating them in East Boston in 2024 as a misguided solution to the hosing affordability crisis is not just a step backward; it’s a disregard for the quality of life and safety of city residents.
2. Legal and Procedural Fairness
Our ability to engage in meaningful dialogue about the project is hampered by the dynamics at public meetings, where civilians are up against a lawyer. While the overwhelming opposition to the project, as evidenced by the neighborhood vote against it (5 in favor, 26 opposed), underscores the community’s collective concerns, the developer’s threat of SLAPP suits against opponents undermines our right to participate in discussions on matters of public interest.
3. Media Coverage and Sensationalism
The tenor of the front page news coverage of the neighborhood meeting raises concerns about the accuracy and impartiality of reporting. The description of the opposition as “fiery” and neighbor’s concerns being qualified as “alleged” suggest bias, potentially influencing public perception unfairly. Furthermore the failure to examine the confused explanations by the developer for the inaccuracies within the project’s zoning documentation and renderings (“depth in the back with a bump”), foster mistrust. For a constructive dialogue to occur, transparency and precision are essential.
The current proposal, if approved would set a concerning precedent for the Jeffries Point neighborhood. We advocate for a solution that respects our community’s character and livability. We would support a two-family condo conversion on the existing footprint, a compromise that remains unexplored by the developer. We strongly oppose the re-creation of a 19th century tenement district.
It is crucial for the media to contribute to rather than detract from constructive debate by fairly reporting on the issues and refraining from using inflammatory language as this project advances to a hearing before the ZBA.
Sincerely,
Michael Dwyer
Jaye Woodstock
More Pools Open This Summer
To the Editor,
Thanks to interagency collaboration between BPS, BCYF, the Public Facilities Department, and the Property Management Department, investments of City funding, and improved facilities assessment, the City is on track to have more pools open this year than in previous summers, including the BCYF Clougherty, Draper, Marshall, and Mattahunt. The BCYF Clougherty outdoor pool is in the midst of a two year renovation and is expected to open this summer with temporary restrooms and changing areas. More information will be available as we get closer to summer. The BCYF Charlestown Community Center has an indoor pool which is open.
The City also has more opportunities for lifeguards through a residency waiver which allows us to hire more lifeguards and the lifeguard academy and hiring days that BCYF has been hosting in collaboration with the Office of Human Resources. Additionally, through the SwimSafe program the City is providing more free swim lessons for children in partnership with the YMCA of Greater Boston (9 pools), Boys and Girls Club (4 pools), Dorchester House (1 pool), and USA Swimming.
Sandy Holden