Eight Streets Neighborhood Association
Monthly Meeting Minutes
1 May 2002

Greetings & Introductions

Updates

The South End Neighborhood Coalition trash committee has sent a letter to the Mayor (see text at SENC.TRIPOD.COM) requesting support for improved recycling, more appropriate container requirements and a one hour delay in pick-up times. Due to a passage requesting pole-hung trash barrels on primarily residential streets, Eight Streets did not vote in favor of the letter.

President Tim Kozlowski continues to work with the City on having the derelict building at 40 Dwight St. condemned (a first step in allowing the city to take action on it). City Councilor Jim Kelley plans to visit the building this weekend.

South End Landmarks Commission has requested nominations for two vacancies.

Gallia (former Blackstone's site) has opened; Cafe Umbra (next to Morse Fish) is beginning a "soft opening" process soon.

Next week's Union Park NA meeting will feature a presentation on a possible new restaurant on Washington next to Citizen's Bank. UPNA invites all interested residents to attend (see SE News for details).

Ed Allen (our Alliance of Boston Neighborhoods delegate) reports that ABN continues their work on assuring proper processes and public review of development and land taking practices in the City. Ed also attended the BPD crime meeting; Eight Streets continues to have fewer problems than most areas of the South End.


Roger Stearns of the South End/Lower Roxbury Open Space Land Trust reminds us that the annual South End Garden Tour (which is highly recommended) will take place on Saturday 15 June, 10:00 to 4:00. Advertising space is still available in the tour guide book, and any contribution to SE/LROSLT are always appreciated. For anyone interested in having a plot at the Berkeley Community Gardens (a part of Eight Streets), a lottery will be held this Saturday, 4 May, at 10:00.



Presentation of Proposed Demolition/Replacement of 296 Shawmut Ave.


David Goldman and Dennis Kanin of New Boston Housing came to seek our support (specifically with South End Landmarks Commission)to raze and replicate 296 Shawmut Ave. The building is condemned and engineers have found it to be dangerously unstable. While Members insisted on having a future discussion around other development issues for this property, a motion was passed to send a letter not opposing the proposed removal and rebuilding of the current structure with the same dimensions (at the front) with restoration of the ground floor facade.
For those interested in this issue, there will be a meeting of the Bradford St. NA on this topic on Monday 6 May at 10 Bradford at 6:30. The issue is also on the Landmark Commission's agenda for Tuesday 7 May at 4:30 (City Hall Room 801).


Adjournment