It has been relatively quiet since the dramatic October 2018 community meeting highlighting the discourse of establishing a new community center and the future of the existing Nazzaro Center. At its January 2019 meeting, the North End / Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) took up the discussion as part of an upcoming letter to communicate their priorities for a new community center. Leading the discussion was NEWRA member, David Kubiak, who drafted a letter on behalf of the organization to city and state officials.
In addition to more transparency, NEWRA wants the City to look at more than the three, short-listed sites (1. Near Mirabella Pool, 2. Sargent’s Wharf and 3. Nazzaro Center expansion). In particular, NEWRA would like the city to study the Fulton Street parking lot, owned by the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA, formerly the BRA).
The group supports Landmarks designation for the existing Nazzaro Center and is opposed to the sale or demolition of the existing structure. NEWRA also wants to keep the abutting Puopolo Playground as public open space.
Using a new site for a second “annex” building to the current Nazzaro was suggested, potentially to house athletic facilities while renovating the existing Nazzaro for senior and community functions.
View the video above for the full discussion at NEWRA. The group will be releasing its final letter after revisions from the meeting discussion.
This is the only neighborhood in the city that can make a stink about getting a brand new 40 million dollar complex to replace a crumbling one. Really funny.
Joey,
Where did you get that $40 million number? The City has repeatedly stated that no funds have been earmarked yet, and that a decision about whether or not the North End will even get a new community center is still in the early stages of a feasibliity study. The only financial information shared with the neighborhood so far has been the City’s commercial property assessment of the Nazzaro building for $8 million. Sorry, but I don’t see anything funny about the City making decisions behind closed doors about something this important to all North Enders.
The 40 million dollar figure was stated in the recent globe article.
Behind closed doors? The city is trying to improve our neighborhood. We don’t even have a full sized basketball court. Our teams can’t even have regulation games at the nazzaro. Our weight room is the size of a closet and uses equipment from an old jail. Have you seen how nice other community centers across the city are? We should be thanking the city for making this investment and giving this great community what it deserves.
For the record I grew up in the nazzaro center. Great memories there. But places come and go. We used that place to the max. Time to improve.
Plenty of room at Fulton Street…could build 3 or 4 courts and an indoor pool there and keep the Nazzaro for the Seniors. Problem solved.
I am all for a new community center but not if our pools are going to be sacrificed. I can’t believe the city is considering reducing the size of the pool space when it is already overcrowded.
Renovate the Nazzaro for a Senior Center and build a new facility at the Fulton Street site. If not feasible consider giving the Fulton Street site to the YMCA to develop for the community and keep the Nazzaro Center for Senior programs. and the playground is one of the few open spaces we have in the NorthEnd. with this said this should remain an open space.