Design engineers from Boston Public Works received a mixed response from North End residents on Tuesday night to conceptual plans improving Bartlett Place. The $110,000 project will include basic sidewalk repairs and street resurfacing with the potential for street furniture and park-like amenities.
The City is prepared to do more than clean up and repairs in the public space at the Salem and Parmenter Street intersection. However, there was little consensus from attendees on what would work. Bartlett Place has been what one attendee called, “the neighborhood dumpster.”
The video below captures the presentation and discussion from the meeting.
Video Index:
00:00 Public Works Presentation
11: 20 Proposed Design
13:50 Discussion
Thanks for posting this, Matt.
I really wanted to attend, but I didn’t want to get anyone sick so I stayed home.
Very valid points brought up during the meeting and it will be interesting to see how this progresses, especially the drainage issues and the trash. I think the seating (permenant) might have definitely created a situation of unruly gathering late at night so I hope that gets shelved.
Thanks again for posting. Glad I was able to attend, albeit, virtually.
– Isabella
I felt like the meeting went well. While there were no obvious answers as to the best means of solving some of the issues, most of the attendees seemed to agree on the following priorities:
1- Block vehicle access from the area with solid barriers or fencing (not just planters).
2- Ensure emergency vehicles have full access to the alley.
3- Manage the water drainage so that only water from the area is allowed down the alley and prevent all of Salem and Parmenter from draining down there as it does now.
4- No permanent seating unless the area is fenced in at night.
5- Improved lighting.
6- Central feature (public art, pavement feature, large evergreen in planter, etc.).
I deliberately did not list trash in the above list. While the trash issue is HUGE, I don’t think it fits in the context of this Engineering group. We need to work on this issue with the city trash contractor, the city itself, code enforcement, and the landlords and residents from all the neighboring blocks that indeed use the area as a open-air dumpster.
I think the Engineers heard all of the issues and we should allow them to go back to their drawing boards and address them as best they can. I hope that the process moves faster than it has to date, though.
My sincere thanks to the City and to Stephen and Nicole for working with us and them on this project.
-Mark
THE BOTTOM LINE FOR THIS PROJECT IS TO
BENEFIT THE CITY, NOT THE RESIDENTS OR THE
FINER BUSINESS OWNERS ON SALEM ST.
WE HAVE DRUNKS FALLING OFF ROOFS, URINATING
IN VARIOUS DOORWAYS AND ESTALISHMENTS AND
NOW YOU WANT TO PROVIDE MORE AREAS
WHERE THEY CAN HANG OUT AND CAUSE MORE
NOISE & DESTRUCTION IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE CITY SHOULD FIX THIS AREA BECAUSE THE
PEOPLE THAT OWN PROPERTIES ARE PAYING
TAXES, AND ARE ENTITLED TO THIS.
THIS IS AN IMPROVEMENT BUT THE MOTIVE BEHIND THIS
IS TO BENEFIT TOURIST, NOT THE RESIDENTS OR THE
SURROUNDING BUSINESSES IN THE AREA.
I WAS AT NO. SQUARE YESTERDAY AND INQUIRED
ABOUT THE BENCHES OUTSIDE THE CHURCH
AND THE BUSINESS AT THE CORNER PUT THESE
TABLES & BENCHES OUTSIDE AND THEY SAID THEY
ONLY HAD 2 INCIDENTS BECAUSE THE POLICE
ARE PATROLING THE AREA CONSTANTLY.
WE CAN’T EXPECT THE POLICE TO PATROL TABLE
& BENCH AREAS CONSTANTLY, WE HAVE ENOUGH
TO KEEP THEM BUSY WITH WHAT IS GOING ON IN
THE AREA REGARDING DRUNKS & VANDALISM.
I KNOW WHO IS REPRESENTING THE CITY AND BUSINESSES, I WANT TO KNOW WHO THE HELL IS
CONCERNED ABOUT THE RESIDENTS