Boston Flora

Tag: Winthrop Square

  • Urgent Advocacy Alert for Winthrop Square Proposal

    Urgent Advocacy Alert for Winthrop Square Proposal

    Now is the time to let the Boston Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) and your elected officials know your opinion about the Winthrop Square development proposal and the threat of shadows on our parks.  Below is a picture of where the new shadow would fall should this immense building be erected.

    The deadline for BPDA public comment period on the Winthrop Square proposal is January 20, 2017 (NEW DATE). Please email the Project Manager, Ms. Casey Hines, at casey.a.hines@boston.gov as well as call your elected officials including the City Council and the Mayor with your comments about shadows and our parks.

    Individual messages are the most impactful, and please include your personal thoughts about these iconic parks.

    We have included some of the important talking points about the Winthrop Square proposal.

    Winthrop Square proposal violates the State’s shadow laws
    Preserve sunlight, prevent shadow creep in our historic parks
    Amending the shadow laws would set precedent for future developers to seek exemptions resulting in more shadows on the two parks.
    There should be a comprehensive, long-term development policy, not one-off decisions or exceptions
    Boston Common and the Public Garden are national treasures and would be damaged by the shadows. Both are on the State and National Registers of Historic Places, and are City and National Landmarks.

    Below is the list of emails (formatted so you can copy and paste) and phone numbers of the elected officials, City Councilors, and the Mayor.

    Mayor Marty Walsh 617-635-4500 mayor@boston.gov

    State elected officials:
    Byron Rushing 617-722-2783 byron.rushing@mahouse.gov
    Joe Boncore 617-722-1634 joseph.boncore@masenate.gov
    Aaron Michlewitz 617-722-2220 aaron.michlewitz@mahouse.gov
    William Brownsberger 617-722-1280 william.brownsberger@masenate.gov
    Jay Livingstone 617-722-2396 jay.livingstone@mahouse.gov

    Boston City Councilors:
    Michelle Wu 617-635-3115 michelle.wu@boston.gov
    Frank Baker 617-635-3455 frank.baker@boston.gov
    Andrea Campbell 617-635-3131 andrea.campbell@boston.gov
    Mark Ciommo 617-635-3113 mark.ciommo@boston.gov
    Annissa Essabi George 617-635-4376 a.e.george@boston.gov
    Michael Flaherty 617-635-4205 michael.f.flaherty@boston.gov
    Tito Jackson 617-635-3510 tito.jackson@boston.gov
    Sal LaMattina 617-635-3200 salvatore.lamattina@cityofboston.gov
    Bill Linehan 617-635-3203 bill.linehan@cityofboston.gov
    Timothy McCarthy 617-635-4210 timothy.mccarthy@boston.gov
    Matt O’Malley 617-635-4220 matthew.omalley@boston.gov
    Ayanna Pressley 617-635-4217 ayanna.pressley@boston.gov
    Josh Zakim 617-635-4225 josh.zakim@boston.gov

    Comments can also be left on the BPDA Winthrop Square page.

    http://www.bostonplans.org/projects/development-projects/115-winthrop-square

  • Thursday, January 5, 6:30 pm – Public Meeting on Winthrop Square (New Location)

    115 Winthrop Square is a proposed 750’ tower for the Winthrop Square Garage site in downtown Boston.

    This proposal by Millennium violates state shadow laws that have protected the Public Garden and the Common for decades at the same time allowing for development downtown. The shadow primarily falls in the spring and fall, prime growing season for plants and precisely when we humans seek a little sun to take the chill off a morning walk in the park. We are all stewards of the parks. The shadow legislation was enacted precisely to protect our historic parks from shadow impacts. The Winthrop Street garage site can handle a significant building without impacting the Common and the Public Garden and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall with shadows.

    The project is starting a fast paced Article 80 process. The Project Notification Form (PNF), Power Point Presentations, Shadow Animations, are posted on the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) website. To view and download these files, and sign up for updated information, visit: http://www.bostonplans.org/projects/development-projects/115-winthrop-square

    NEW DATE Comments are due to the BPDA (BRA) January 16th.

    Attend Meetings! Prepare comments! Contact your elected officials!

    NEW DATE and LOCATION 2nd PUBLIC MEETING ON THE PROJECT:

    Public Meeting: Thursday, January 5th 2017, 6:30 pm Public Meeting
    at 101 Tremont Street, 29th Floor.
    It is critical that anyone who can attend this meeting to express the importance of protecting our open spaces.

    Send written comments to the Mayor mayor@boston.gov at any time.

    Comment to the City before January 16th. Comments should go to:
    Christopher Tracy, Senior Project Manager | 617-918-4259 (o) christopher.tracy@boston.gov
    Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) One City Hall Square | Boston, MA 02201

    Please share comments with NABB Development and Transportation Committee dtcnabb@nabbonline.com and our elected officials in the City Council and State government:

    Michelle.Wu@boston.gov, Bill.Linehan@boston.gov, Josh.Zakim@boston.gov, Ayanna.Pressley@boston.gov, A.E.George@boston.gov, Tito.Jackson@boston.gov, Salvatore.Lamattina@boston.gov, Michael.F.Flaherty@boston.gov, Andrea.Campbell@boston.gov, Frank.Baker@boston.gov, Timothy.McCarthy@boston.gov, Matthew.OMalley@boston.gov, Mark.Ciommo@boston.gov, byron.rushing@mahouse.gov, jay.livingstone@mahouse.gov, Aaron.M.Michlewitz@mahouse.gov, william.brownsberger@masenate.gov, Joseph.Boncore@masenate.gov