Here is a link to some of our archival material. Note the date on the letter and the clearly identified community goals. The community has stayed on message since 2001! The Office of Commonwealth Development seems to believe that the project materialized last year.
Please help us to get this crucial project back on track! Please call the following state officials and let them know that you support your neighbors’ efforts to bring new business and new housing to Dorchester. Let them know that:
“I support the Ashmont Transit Oriented Development project and want the state to fulfill its promise to Dorchester.”
1. You support the development project on its merits: Transit Oriented Development, SMART Growth, and Affordable Housing.
2. You support the development project because it will provide sorely needed commercial space and revitalize an urban business district that has huge potential but is currently woefully under-developed.
The officials to call are:
• Senator Jack Hart: 617-722-1150
• Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry: 617-722-2460
• Mayor Thomas Menino: 617-635-4819
• Councilor Maureen Feeney: 617-635-3455
• Councilor Charles Yancey: 617-635-3131
• Doug Foy, Secretary of Comm. Development: contact: Rob Garrity: 617-573-1379
See the attached bulletin from St. Mark's Area Main Street for the detailed response to this crisis.
The local leaders of the Ashmont Station Redesign Committee received a letter of support from the out-going MBTA General Manager, Mike Mulhern.
As most of you know, Mike has been a tireless advocate for Ashmont Station, literally breathing life into the project when the best we hoped for was a new roof. In an ironic twist of fate, we are still looking for a new roof to complete our new station design. Last week the MBTA opened bids for the first of two construction phases for Ashmont Station. Details remain, but the majority of the station will be built under the Phase 1 contract of about $34.6 million. The remaining scope of work, namely the roof between the two headhouses is not yet funded or re-designed. When will that happen? No one really knows.
Concerned residents hope to ask the new General Manager, Dan Grabauskas to see Ashmont's design and funding problems through to the last roof panel. In the meantime please look at the letter it shows how far we have come in the last four years...unfortunately not all the way yet.
Chris Douglass stands inside the shell of a building. He shines a lantern up into the dark recess of the ceiling, where an iron beam juts out.
"We were banking on this not being here," he says, shaking his head.
Douglass, preparing to open the Ashmont Grill in Dorchester in June, didn't bank on a few other surprises: The asbestos he had to remove at a cost of $14,000, the damaged floorboards and rotting floor beams that cost $25,000 to repair -- costs not included in the business plan he had put together to purchase the building at 555 Talbot Ave.
What he (and 32 other investors) is banking on is for the Ashmont Grill to succeed.
Ashmont Design Committee Mtg. 12/8/04 Concern re number of spaces for use of development Parking is footprint of building Concern re vacant storefront b/c of lack of parking. Lenders will require anchor tenant before financing Concern re parking effect on neighborhood 84 units will get a "free" parking space (affordable units) 27 Market rate units will likely pay for parking 15 minute delivery only spot for residents (or loading dock) BTD issue Traffic PNF on website. school bus, curry college, Ramada shuttle pick ups concern re traffic enforcement Mix of Units 15 1 bd, 1 bth Avg 840 sq ft 15 1 bd w/ den, 1 bth 900 sq ft 5 2 bd, 1 bth 800 sq ft 60 2 bd, 2 bth 1000 sq ft 5 2 bd w/ den, 1 bth 1025 sq ft 11 3 bd, 2 bth 1250 sq ft $47M estimated cost Acquisition, Housing, Retail, Parking, Site Work (expensive!!!) Mkt rents don't support cost, plan to supplement financing w/ sale of tax credits (therefore income limits required) 12 units 465-645 20k to 27 72 units $930-1290 40 - 55k 27 units 1,375 to 1,975 no income limits No project based Section 8's Someone w/ a certificate could live there Will have credit, CORI checks by mgmnt no public subsidy of bldg lottery to live in bldg, can't be neighborhood preference Concern re number of affordable units Retail about 20,000 sq ft potentially 5 tenants no customer parking about 13 metered spaces mgmnt staff will get 3 spaces Restrictions on use No Noxious/inappropriate use (i.e ) No Grocery/Supermarket Hope to have anchor tenant by next February, rest of tenants will follow Green Building Reduce Runoff Three standards mentioned: HUD Healthy Homes, Energy Star and LEED Exterior Roof (Mechanical Units) Need to be aesthetically pleasing. Will be viewed from hills break up roofline exterior decorative lighting parapet &/or other articulation of building needed (variation) back of building is as important as front Historical cross reference window variation Will building complement station? Look like old mill building (BRA wants building broken up) Mass Ave & St. Botolph Assisted Living Facility as model (was very expensive) reduce palette of materials used to make building look like more than one Want a quality building that complements O'Brien's, All Saints Church Representing elected officials: Molly Dunford for Mayor Menino Nathan Pham for Senator Hart
The Ashmont Design Committee will host a public meeting to discuss the plans and progress on the Trinity Financial Development Parcel (a.k.a. Ashmont TOD) at Ashmont Station on December 8th @ 6:30 pm at All Saints Church in Peabody Square. The Parish Hall is handicap accessible. All are welcome. Please see the Ashmont T website for details and a copy of Trinity's Project Notification Form - lots of information. Copies are also available at the Adams Street and Codman Square Libraries. The BRA will host another meeting on the development on December 21st @ 6:30pm at the Englewood Apartments in Peabody Square. Happy Thanksgiving!
Vince Droser of Trinity Financial and Barabara Boylan of the MBTA presented their initial concepts for the phasing of construction during the renovations to Ashmont Station. As part of the transit oriented strategy for the site both the development parcel and the station will be constructed simultaneously. As a result, bus and pedestrian traffic will need to be re-routed for a significant portion of the 36 month total construction schedule. An image of the proposed plans will be posted soon.
Please click here for the topics discussed last night (10/18) at the Englewood Apartments. The presentation was well received by the approximately 35 neighbors and residents of Peabody Square. Trnity will hold another meeting at the Englewood Apartments this Thursday evening (10/21) at 6:30 pm.
The announcement of the state's commitment to re-build Ashmont Station means that the work of the Ashmont CAC,which this site serves, is now winding down. The job of agitating for money and community support for the station now shifts to make sure the neighborhood has a place to read and discuss the latest information on the development parcel. The level of community interest in the station directly resulted in the money now invested in Ashmont Station. We hope that interest in the development parcel will yield similar benefits for the neighborhood.
Please check-in at this site for the latest drawings and information on the development parcel at Ashmont Station.
The following files were discussed at the public meeting at the Englewood Apartments on September 21.
Please take the time to familairaize yourselves with the topics that were discussed.
Overall the development parcel was well-received by the community. The developer and the MBTA plan to hold a joint meeting with the community on October 18th to discuss construction phasing and pick-up/drop-off logistics.
MEETING MINUTES
Download trinity_development_meeting_sept21.pdf
PRESENTATION BOARDS
Download proposed_agenda_sept_21_2004.pdf
Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced that the city will set aside $150,000 for a design study for the Peabody Square and St. Mark's Area Main Streets district of Dorchester. The ongoing renovations to Ashmont Station have encouraged area residents and merchants to express interest in additional neighborhood improvements and revitalization. The staff and volunteers of St. Mark's Area Main Streets have worked with area residents and merchants to develop proposals for neighborhood improvement projects. Additionally, the MBTA has announced that it will award $25,000 to the project.
"Today I'm proud to announce that the City has awarded 150 thousand dollars for a design study to look for improvements to the traffic patterns here in Peabody Square," said Mayor Menino. "This award is given in response to the impressive level of commitment demonstrated by the community, particularly St. Mark's Area Main Streets. St. Mark's worked with residents, merchants, the police and fire departments, and elected officials to come up with proposals for improving the square and the entire Main Streets district."
Mayor Menino was joined by Charlotte Golar Richie, Director, Department of Neighborhood Development and chief of housing; Dan Larner, Executive Director, SMAMS; Michael Mulhern, General Manager, MBTA; Vince Droser, Jim Keefe and Patrick Lee of Trinity Financial; Chris Douglass, owner, Icarus Restaurant; local residents and merchants.
The St. Mark's Area Main Street district runs along Dorchester Avenue, from Mercier Avenue (near the Ashmont T stop and historic Peabody Square) to Melville Avenue
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