Last updated on September 11, 2024
Once again, Allandale Woods is under threat from a developer who is seeking more than 30 variances to build 8 multi-million luxury condominiums at 90 Allandale Street and with no affordable housing.
The 45 foot tall townhouses will grossly intrude on and degrade the 100 acre urban forest that is a Boston Parks urban wild, which is dedicated to being wildlife habitat and a natural respite for city residents.
This Thursday afternoon, the BPDA board will vote to rubber stamp a supposedly approved project from the new Boston Planning Department, yet critical approvals from the Boston Conservation Commission are not in place.
In fact, the peer review of the project’s storm water drainage system FAILED. Immediately below the proposed building site is one of only two remaining vernal pools in the entire city of Boston, which is a critical ecological feature. There are other unresolved conservation commission issues as well.
How the city can even consider scheduling such a controversial project on 48 hours notice without following a logical process and securing the proper approvals and protections warrants further investigation and strong community feedback. Is this administrative inexperience on the part of a new planning department or exceptional political influence on the part of the developer?
Please contact JP district councilor Benjamin Weber’s office at 617-635-4220 or benjamin.weber@boston.gov and the Mayor’s office at 617-635-4500.
Cries of NIMBYism are sure to follow, but that would be a false charge for this site. For most Boston residents, our parks are our backyards. When a developer blatantly seeks to outrageously profit from a park while significantly diminishing it and asks for dozens of exceptions to the law to do so, we need government officials to have the good sense to say a clear and loud no, but our residents need to remind them of that.
We need not sacrifice our parks to build luxury housing for the very wealthy. Boston does not lack for urban blight that could use the attention of developers instead of exploiting this pristine park.
