December Meeting Notes
We had a packed house for our December meeting regarding two important issues in the LD.
TERADYNE BUILDING
First, we had a presentation from the folks that purchased the Teradyne Building located at 179 Lincoln Street. The good news is that there are no plans to change the footprint of the building. No increase in height planned. Instead, the proposal is to gut the inside of the building, upgrade it and to create office space. A parking garage will be put in the basement. The entrance for the garage and the main entrance for the building will be on Surface Road -- not on Lincoln Street. Materials with more detail from the developer will be at Sagarino's for your review. Please do not remove them.
SILVERLINE
We also had a presentation from representatives from the MBTA regarding the proposed plan to "extend" the Silverline from Boylston Street to South Station via an underground tunnel under Essex Street. Here is some basic information for you about this Project. They would like to begin it in 2010 and complete it by 2016. It is estimated to cost $1.2 Billion with 60% of the funding allegedly to come from the Federal Government and 40% to be paid by the taxpayers of MA. The distance this expensive tunnel project will run is a little over a mile. Sounds like a Big Dig Sequel!
At the meeting, it was confirmed that the two sites that are prime targets for use as the "staging area" for the tunnel are in the LD: the LD gateway park (which is the plaza area between Surface Road, One Financial Ctr and Lincoln Plaza where the 93 air vent is located) or the parking lot at Essex and South Street. Can you imagine the havoc that having the staging area for this huge project will wreak on the LD? Not bad -- if you like mounds of dirt, trucks, lights and noise 24/7.
It is no secret that I am not in favor of this project. The impact of this new huge tunnel project on the residents and businesses of the LD, Chinatown, Downtown and Bay Village will be devastating -- with minimal benefit. In addition, we can achieve virtually the same results for this roughly 1 mile stretch through the use, and enforcement of, dedicated lanes for the Silverline and transponders that will give Silverline buses priority at traffic lights. Please note that the answer, in my view, is not to try and foist this on another neighborhood. Rather, we have to work with other neighborhoods to avoid this tunnel project. Boston has had enough tunnel projects for awhile -- it is time for the residents and businesses in the heart of Boston to heal and to enjoy the benefits from the last tunnel project (still not completed). It is not time to tear the City up ... again. If you want to help fight this Silverline Tunnel Project. Please email me at cbetke@r-c-b.com. Please make your subject line "Silverline". Or, post a comment here with your email address. We all have to work together! -- Chris Betke, LDNA Chair
TERADYNE BUILDING
First, we had a presentation from the folks that purchased the Teradyne Building located at 179 Lincoln Street. The good news is that there are no plans to change the footprint of the building. No increase in height planned. Instead, the proposal is to gut the inside of the building, upgrade it and to create office space. A parking garage will be put in the basement. The entrance for the garage and the main entrance for the building will be on Surface Road -- not on Lincoln Street. Materials with more detail from the developer will be at Sagarino's for your review. Please do not remove them.
SILVERLINE
We also had a presentation from representatives from the MBTA regarding the proposed plan to "extend" the Silverline from Boylston Street to South Station via an underground tunnel under Essex Street. Here is some basic information for you about this Project. They would like to begin it in 2010 and complete it by 2016. It is estimated to cost $1.2 Billion with 60% of the funding allegedly to come from the Federal Government and 40% to be paid by the taxpayers of MA. The distance this expensive tunnel project will run is a little over a mile. Sounds like a Big Dig Sequel!
At the meeting, it was confirmed that the two sites that are prime targets for use as the "staging area" for the tunnel are in the LD: the LD gateway park (which is the plaza area between Surface Road, One Financial Ctr and Lincoln Plaza where the 93 air vent is located) or the parking lot at Essex and South Street. Can you imagine the havoc that having the staging area for this huge project will wreak on the LD? Not bad -- if you like mounds of dirt, trucks, lights and noise 24/7.
It is no secret that I am not in favor of this project. The impact of this new huge tunnel project on the residents and businesses of the LD, Chinatown, Downtown and Bay Village will be devastating -- with minimal benefit. In addition, we can achieve virtually the same results for this roughly 1 mile stretch through the use, and enforcement of, dedicated lanes for the Silverline and transponders that will give Silverline buses priority at traffic lights. Please note that the answer, in my view, is not to try and foist this on another neighborhood. Rather, we have to work with other neighborhoods to avoid this tunnel project. Boston has had enough tunnel projects for awhile -- it is time for the residents and businesses in the heart of Boston to heal and to enjoy the benefits from the last tunnel project (still not completed). It is not time to tear the City up ... again. If you want to help fight this Silverline Tunnel Project. Please email me at cbetke@r-c-b.com. Please make your subject line "Silverline". Or, post a comment here with your email address. We all have to work together! -- Chris Betke, LDNA Chair
posted by The Chair at
11:57 AM
