Boston development 'steals view' from Somerville neighbors

By George P. Hassett

The hill on Crescent Street had gone untouched since James O’Leary’s family lived in the neighborhood – 70 years. Beyond the hill, Crescent Street residents enjoyed a view of Boston and the Charles River. Then one day O’Leary looked out his window and saw bulldozers tearing through the hill and ripping up its vegetation. That was the first he heard of the six unit, three story residential building being built across the street from his Somerville home.

The reason developers could move onto O’Leary’s street and begin demolition without notifying him is one that Ward 1 Alderman William Roche said plagues parts of East Somerville. The other side of Crescent Street is in Boston and developers seemingly had no obligation to inform the neighbors across the street, and in another city, of their plans to build condominiums, said O’Leary. When the development is built residents may have a Boston address but they will be using Somerville streets to enter and exit their property. And, according to O’Leary, they will be stealing the view he and his family have enjoyed for generations.

“The building will be three stories. There is no other building on the street that big. It’s going to change the whole makeup of the street. We’ll lose half the sunlight, a great view and traffic will increase. And because it is barely in Boston we can’t have any input or discussion,” he said.      

Roche shares O’Leary’s frusteration.

“It’s going to affect the quality of life in Somerville, no doubt about it. The building borders three streets – two are in Somerville. It aggravates me no one could make a phone call and notify the neighborhood,” he said.

Roche said East Somerville residents often bear the brunt of Boston traffic and development while receiving little help from Boston officials. He said the Sullivan Square train station is a prime example: ninety percent of the people who use the station on a daily basis are from Somerville although it is over the Boston line, he said. When public safety concerns were raised from women who walk to the station alone Roche said Somerville officials could not act because it
was outside of the city and Boston and MBTA officials seemed unwilling to.

“Boston and the MBTA don’t monitor or keep up their property and we suffer,” he said.

Roche pointed to a 100 unit condominium building by Sullivan Square that will clog Somerville streets as another example of Boston’s negative impact on the city.

“Boston will benefit with a boost to their tax revenue and Somerville will suffer with the traffic,” he said.

City spokesman Thomas P. Champion said if the property on Crescent Street did not require any special zoning changes to build Somerville abutters may not have a legal basis to oppose the development. O’Leary said he doesn’t know how he can voice his opposition if Boston officials will not listen.

“It’s frustrating to be too little for Boston to care about,” he said.

Comments

[Rob]

This same argument could easily be made by residents of Boston if something offensive or obtrusive were built in Somerville right over the line from their Boston residences. Or for that matter by residents of Cambridge bordering Somerville or vice versa. I'm not sure this is indicative of problems in Boston as much as it is a standard headache when faced with jurisdictional lines, turf wars, etc. The people that pay the taxes make the call at the end of the day. The onus is on the aldermen, councillors, and mayors to build partnerships to deal with these issues, if this specific case even is an issue, I have no idea personally. If they won't do it, the communities should meet together in someone's living room and make them listen.

[Born Here]

i.e. Medford condo owners looking out their windows at IKEA.....swedish meatballs for everyone !

[Ron Newman]

I don't think the Ikea will be visible from anywhere in Medford. Maybe from the strip mall in Everett.

[Mark B]

Someone's building a three story residence - Oh The Humanity! First Somerville can pull down all its three deckers, then Boston will talk.

NIMBY knuckleheads.

[City Bob]

“It’s going to affect the quality of life in Somerville" Welcome to the big City. Grow-up. Development happens! You want views? Get a friggen periscope.

[Guess Again]

Guess again, Ron. I think the IKEA will be very visible to residents at Arborpoint in Wellington Circle, which is most certainly located in Medford. One side overlooks Assembly Square.

[Ron Newman]

But the part of Assembly Square across the river from Wellington is to be developed by Federal Realty. IKEA will be further south and away from the river, where Good Time Emporium is now.

[Kaz]

Yes, if we all could have our ways, then everything would look like either the Fed Reserve or the Jetsons' home. Guess what, we don't all get our way.

[??]

Ron, Have you seen the heights of the buildings at Arborpoint? Do you not think that, especially on the upper floors, that they can see all the way across the Mystic River? Are you for real?

[Born Here]

but Ron, you would have to think that when Assy Sq builds its 2000 units, Medford condo owners wont be looking at the Zakim and BH Monument anymore !

[Bahdayduh]

I for one welcome our IKEA overlords. They have great stuff and they seem to piss off the kind of latte loving, rainbow stickered, folks who don't have a life beyond their condo and laptop.

[Al koholic]

Is IKEA finally coming closer than Avon?

Didn't the braniacs in Somerville kill a great development deal in 1998 when IKEA first tried to move in? Basically it would have elevated Somerville abit and cleaned this up, but apparently the large cachet of non voting illegals protested it? Or was it just some stupid local city politicians who made it impossible for IKEA to do business with them?

Is the Assembly Sq mall stil a scary hole that makes Dedham Mall look like a palace? I haven't been there in about 10 yrs since we almost got mugged going to movies in the middle of the day.

They don't call it Slumerville for nothing, you know.

I think Boston and cambridge should just claim manifest destiny or eminent domain and snatch up and divide Somerville and clean it up - not just gentrify it. When the only thing a city has going for it is the restaurants in Davis square and cheap brazliian housework, one has to womder if it can be better repurposed.

[Ron Newman]

Thanks for coming to this blog and insulting our entire city. While you keep perpetuating outdated stereotypes, I'll be enjoying today's holiday market in Union Square.

[James Norton]

Everyone -

In honor of Ron Newman finally snapping back at someone, we at The Somerville News have decided to "release the hounds" and un-ban EVERYONE who has ever been banned - going back to mid-2005.

After due consideration and a couple of conversations at the recount today with various people who voiced their approval of the proposed move, let the games begin.

Please do take note though - if you decide to be a chucklehead and act like an ass and immediately start to violate "JN's Rules", then I will do what I have to do. By un-banning the 251 IP addresses currently banned, it DOES NOT mean that you can just rule the roost and do whatever you want.

Try to behave and enjoy!

JN and the Publishers

[Election]

General amnesty!

[Amnesty is un-American]

Norton, If you want to just open up the borders of this web log and let all kind of illegals in you'll have to do it without me. Amnesty is unamerican. I thought when Regan granted amnesty in the 80s it would be the last time but here you are today just letting these criminals who have already been deported once back in. This will end up like the frigging Mariel Boatlift. Thanks Fidel!

[Kate]

Mr. O'Leary, I sympathize with you.