By Michael Coughlin Jr.
Amidst the frustration of many, it was revealed at the Gove Street Citizens Association’s (GSCA) monthly meeting on Monday, February 27, that the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) has approved the proposed project at 135 Bremen Street.
The newly approved six-story residential building, which will contain 94 homeownership units and off-street parking, has undergone some changes since it was first approved in 2014 by the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA).
The most notable variation was a notice of project change in May of last year that reduced the off-street parking from two levels to one due to a potential lower level being too close to an MBTA tunnel. This change reduced the number of parking spaces from 110 to 47.
Other changes from the notice of project change in May included reducing the square footage of the retail space; a fitness room has been added, and the bike storage room was moved.
Neel Batra, a GSCA board member, explained that the board has been working with City Councilor Gabriela Coletta’s office and the BPDA to address community concerns about the project. The concerns regarding affordability, parking and the project’s effects on the Greenway seemingly fell on deaf ears.
“It doesn’t appear that any of the concessions that we were requesting were granted,” said Batra.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like our advocacy on this netted anything for the community. This is just another example; I think of challenges that we’re having engaging with the BPDA in terms of their listening to what the community says that it needs and wants.”
In an email correspondence showcased during Monday’s meeting, the project manager for the 135 Bremen Street Development, Daniel Polanco, wrote, “Community feedback is advisory in nature but does help drive staff feedback that is shared with the proponents.”
While Polanco said the feedback was considered, he indicated that the agency’s transportation planners felt the parking changes were “justifiable.”
Initially, there were discussions about getting together with other civic groups in East Boston to meet with the BPDA to discuss the Article 80 process. However, another GSCA Board Member, Carlos Muñoz, suggested it may be an “exercise in futility.”
“It’s a little bit frustrating to engage in these sorts of discussions regarding the Article 80 process for then the BPDA to act completely in the opposite direction,” said Muñoz.
“They supposedly say that the Article 80 process is so community voice can be heard in these matters, but as Daniel Polanco’s email suggested – it really doesn’t have much weight.”
Essentially the meeting turned into a referendum on the BPDA’s community feedback process that appears to leave residents frustrated.
Although there is disappointment with the approval of this project, East Boston’s Liaison, Nathalia Benitez, indicated that there could be some hope on the horizon for those who are not fans of the BPDA process.
Referencing Mayor Michelle Wu’s comments in her State of the City address in January regarding the BPDA, Benitez said, “There are a lot of changes coming on the pipeline this year that will pertain to the BPDA and a lot of systemic changes that are being planned right now.”
One of the changes she referenced dealt explicitly with improving the community feedback process, so it did not feel like essentially checking off a box.
While these proposed changes to the BPDA, as indicated by Benitez, are in their early stages, she emphasized, “Big changes are coming.”