The Commercial Wharf East Condominium Association (CWECA) received a favorable ruling from the Massachusetts Appeals Court on July 31, 2020 in its fight against the State Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP). The court affirmed a Superior Court ruling that the DEP’s determination process was flawed regarding the need for a Chapter 91 license at Commercial Read More…
A hearing was held last week at the Mass. State House regarding Bill H833, regarding Commercial Wharf and its ongoing dispute with the State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regarding Chapter 91 requirements at the North End / Waterfront property. Legislators, not known for brevity, have officially titled the bill, An Act confirming Commercial Wharf Read More…
Judge Linda Giles described the case as “important, complex” and even “fascinating” in a July 23rd hearing at Superior Court. Who knew a parking dispute could be so intriguing? But then, this involves Commercial Wharf, one of the most litigated properties in downtown Boston through a series of cases ongoing for more than 30 years. Read More…
The Conservation Law Foundation held a forum on September 20th about the role of Chapter 91 in protecting Boston’s waterfront, sponsored by the local group, We Are Boston’s Waterfront. “We want to educate as many residents as we can on these principles so you can be an advocate in your own neighborhood,” said Deanna Moran, Read More…
The battle at Commercial Wharf for access, use and parking rights continues on the North End waterfront. Negotiations and lawsuits have been ongoing for several years between the Commercial Wharf East Condo Association (CWECA), the State’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) [represented by the Attorney General’s office] and Boston Yacht Haven that operates a marina at Read More…
Mass. Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) sent an enforcement notice to the Intercontinental Hotel at 500 Atlantic Avenue to keep its Harborwalk and lawn areas open to the public. The rare action came in response to a July 11th letter by the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) among other persistent complaints about the privatization of the space. Read More…
The proposed hotel project at Lewis Wharf has been thrown into question after the Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection confirmed that a new development cannot extend over pilings or piers that are below water at high tide. Since much of the piling field at Lewis Wharf is not visible at high tide, the DEP ruling could dramatically reduce the size of Read More…
The City of Boston has filed a Chapter 91 application for renovations at the Eliot Innovation School building at 585 Commercial Street. The renovation project would be to accommodate Grades 2-4 within the existing building. Inside, the work would install an elevator and new stairwells. Outside, a new landscape buffer and play area would be created, reducing the parking Read More…
In a status update this week regarding the disputed Chapter 91 license at Long Wharf, the State has released a letter indicating that the proposed “Doc’s Restaurant falls within the Section 6(f)3 park boundary.” The letter implies the entire end of Long Wharf falls under the Land Water and Conservation Act which protects public investments Read More…
Last we left the legal wrangling over the open space at the end of Long Wharf, the “North End Ten” group of residents notched a win in December 2013 when Superior Court Judge Fahey remanded the case back to the State’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). By vacating the Chapter 91 permit, this action effectively Read More…
A group of area residents, sometimes called the North End Ten, received a very supportive court ruling in their fight to “Save Long Wharf” from commercialization through a restaurant as proposed by defendant Boston Redevelopment Authority. The ruling was received this week in the mail from Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Fahey. Not only did Judge Read More…
The protracted court battle over the fate of Long Wharf Park grew lengthier yesterday in a Suffolk Superior Court motion session before presiding justice, Linda Giles. Moving towards a sixth year of litigation in the case of Sanjoy Mahajan vs. Boston Redevelopment Authority, ten North End residents have challenged the Mass. DEP’s approval of BRA Read More…