In a response to the Boston Globe’s editorial on late-night revelry in the North End, the Residents’ Association (NEWRA) President Mark Paul submitted the following letter that was published today. The editorial came the day after the Globe’s front page story, “A Culture Clash in the North End.”
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Backers of wee hours hear only crickets where they live
WHERE DO you sleep at night?
We ask this question to those who support late-night hours for bars and restaurants in the North End (“Don’t roll up the sidewalks,’’ Editorial, Sept. 30). The most vocal supporters of turning the North End into Boston’s late-night watering hole – for example, the Globe’s editorial board – often do not live in the neighborhood. Others are just passing through while they attend school. Those of us who make the North End home (and want to attract young families) appreciate its vibrant night life, but will not allow it to become the city’s next early-morning pub crawl.
Not just those of us who live in the North End, but all who live in Boston (including members of the Globe’s editorial board) should support preserving the real uniqueness of the North End, not as an entertainment destination, but as a true historic neighborhood.
Mark Paul
President
North End Waterfront Residents Association
This is leadership? Why didn’t he just write, "I KNOW YOU ARE BUT WHAT AM I?!" Bill Lane’s letter was 1,000 times better. Neighborhood leaders need to come up with solutions, not fan the flames or Us vs Them arguments that go on ad nauseum.
If we can’t help ourselves from playing the blame game, can we at least stop blaming "Students"? Not all students are causing problems and not all problem causers are students. Even if you could some how round up every student in the neighborhood and put them in a camp, you wouldn’t solve the noise problem. The problem is caused by IDIOTS and their educational background has little if anything to do with their behavior.
Matt –
See the Safety Meeting article herein:
"BPD reviewed the process they take when responding to a call for loud party noise. Generally, the police start with warnings, then citations (fines) and have taken some cases to court. College students are a primary source of loud parties, but the police noted that young professionals also frequently create noise disturbances. Absentee landlords were identified as a problem area with a revolving series of problem renters. Residents would like the police to hold landlords more accountable for their renters."
Students are the primary source of our issues, along with the youngest non-students.
Matt – You might want to add an initial or another posting name since folks are confusing you with me, "Matt Conti", the editor of this site. Thanks.
Matt Conti, you are correct about the other "Matt" needing to add an initial to his name. I was beginning to wonder… I, for one, thought that Mark’s letter was excellent and very much to the point. Where did people get the idea that city-dwellers don’t need to sleep? Obviously not from anyone who intends to be here for any length of time.
Thank you Matt for pointing out this letter to us and thank you Mark Paul for your letter and Mary for your comment!.
Matt (w/ no initial) is also correct that it is not just students that are causing the problems and it is sometimes easy for us to use broad brush when speaking of the newer younger residents as students.
One thing is certain is that certain members of the business community have to come to the table and realize that certain things have to change and that not all their zoniong and licensing proposals will meet with residential approval – certainly not when those proposals will add further hours and more liqour licenses to our already saturated neighborhood.
We also don’t need a business owner who don’t live here suggest that we move to another city to get a good night sleep. We don’t need that same business owner throw in our faces how much he donates to our local charities -when it is questionable if he does in the first place!
Just some thoughts…
I had a long conversation with Joie Anzalone, President of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday. She is still waiting for Sal Lamatina and Aaron to set up a meeting with NEWNC and NEWRA leadership to discuss these issues and develop some common solutions.
As to the "certain business owner", maybe it is time to hit him in the pocket book. Stop patronizing any of his businesses. Tell your friends to stop patronizing his businesses. DIrect your $ to the business owners who may or may not live here, but behave like neighbors, respect the concerns of residents, and contribute to the various nonprofits in the neighborhood. Then maybe he’ll move his businesses back to Marblehead Neck or near his Intercontinental penthouse.
People have gone bonkers over Frank DePasquale’s scornful suggestion that North Enders should relocate to Dover or Marblehead if they want some peace and quiet. And the gentleman certainly poked a stick in the eyes of local charitable recipients when he suggested that he was looking for a little something in return for his largesse. Such brutal honesty is breathtaking — even refreshing –but definitely self-injurious to a public persona as the founder and president of the North End Chamber of Commerce. As a resident, you kind of know where you stand with Mr. D. Ditto for North End charities.
Taking off on Tom’s comments, I would like to see and hear more of the business community in this discussion of how to combat late-night noise and parties. I thinks it’s too easy, though, to point at Frank DePasquale, whose comments certainly drew plenty of criticism. The fact is that we have the Fours, the Grand Canal, the Garden and its oceans of beer poured at every Bruins and Celtics game, bars on Union Street, the bars at Faneuil Hall, Tia’s when it’s warm … you get the idea. The problem goes far beyond Frank, and the bars and wine cellars of our North End businesses.
The problem is noise and disruptive parties, not the careless comments of Frank DePasquale. If folks have issues with Frank, that’s one thing. The solution, though, is going to come down to educating and monitoring our discourteous neighbors, and holding them and their landlords accountable.
On the issue of accountability, let’s not overlook Sal LaMattina’s Problem Properties Task Force. It’s an effective tool in making landlords answer for the behavior of their tenants. Let’s use it.
By the way, the "Matt" who is writing above is not me.
Though I do agree that the cause of the noise is not all students – It’s *mostly* students. They make most of the noise, have most of the house parties and lose their collective brain regardless of responsibility or kindness.
Solutions?
One: Obviously, more/faster responses to noise complaints by A-1 and the alleged campus police patrols.
Two: Suffolk and Emerson need to have a civics class credit as a graduation requirement where part of a passing grade is contingent on a clean police record for noise complaints at off campus addresses. If students didn’t graduate until they had proven themselves as good citizens, they’d be a little more cautious with a bottle in their hand.
Three: slap heavy penalties on absentee landlords and management companies who ignore noise the constant complaints from their neighbors. No more "out of sight, out of mind."
Four: Tax the problem. Since the universities get away without a true enforcement burden (PILOT programs kick in a dime to the needed dollar) and the absentee landlords have no penalties assessed, these problems will persist and the North End will devolve to the giant dorm so many in power quietly envision.
Maybe the city really wants families to move to the ‘burbs. The policies in place seem to indicate it – starving the school system, private sales of public buildings, weak enforcement of certain applicable codes (building, garbage, residency, signage, parking, etc), cheap and easy liquor, a blind eye to the worst offenders. It all might make one wonder.
Maybe we’re all just stupid for staying. Or maybe we just like our streets more when we all agree to respect each other. A few North Enders – new and old – should try it once in a while,