CREDIT: Courtesy of Cathartes Private Investments

CAPTION: An artist’s rendering of Mezzo Design Lofts.

Following the decision last fall to market Mezzo Design Lofts as apartments instead of condominiums, some residents are concerned about the potential impact that the residential development and its on-site parking garage will have on Sullivan Square.
“Traffic and parking in an already congested area were [my constituents’] main concerns from day one,” said Charlestown Neighborhood Council Precinct 7 representative Mike Charbonnier.
The $54 million, 146-unit complex was developed by Boston-based Cathartes Private Investments in partnership with the Canyon Johnson Urban Fund a private equity fund co-founded by former NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson that provides financial backing for residential and commercial projects in urban areas. The development also includes 187 parking spaces in its on-site four-story garage.
According to a March 3 letter from Cathartes senior project manager Mark Barer to CNC Chairman Tom Cunha. Mezzo Design Lofts was forced to switch to apartments in November 2007 in the face of “a dismal condo market.”
Rob Simmons, an assistant project manager for Cathartes, said prior to bringing the proposal to market the units as apartments to the Boston Redevelopment Authority, Cathartes contacted City Councilor Sal LaMattina. On LaMattina’s advice, Simmons said abutters were notified of the project change last fall.
While Barer said Cathartes couldn’t mandate that tenants park in the garage rather than on the street, he said he believed most tenants would choose to pay the additional $175 monthly parking fee for the security and weather protection that the garage provides. So far, Barer said roughly half of the approximately 15 tenants living at Mezzo have chosen to park at the garage.
“We’re trying to keep cars off the streets and be good neighbors,” Barer said, adding that property manager has encouraged tenants to use the garage.
Cunha said that residents feared that the garage would be open to the public. “They’re worried that the garage will essentially be a parking lot, and the neighborhood doesn’t want that,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ted Carman, a consultant to Cathartes, said with monthly rental prices ranging from $1,695 for studios to $3,200 for three-bedrooms, the price of on-site parking shouldn’t be an issue for most Mezzo residents.
“The tenants who can afford the rent here can afford the parking as well,” Carman said. “And it’s far more convenient than parking on the street.”

The Charlestown Neighborhood Council held elections for two at-large seats, the Precinct 6 representative and the second vice chair seat at its March 4 meeting.
Peg Bradley, who has served as the Charlestown Preservation Society’s representative to the CNC for the past 10 years, was named to one of the at-large seats. Bradley said she resigned from the CPS board of directors last year, at which time she told her fellow board members that she would serve as the organization’s Neighborhood Council representative for one more year.
As the end of her term neared, Bradley said she was prompted to seek one of the open at-large seats following recent resignations from the Neighborhood Council. She also said she anticipates working on issues throughout the neighborhood as an at-large representative. “I look forward to helping out the precinct representatives,” Bradley said.
Marianne Lacey will take over as the Preservation Society’s representative to the CNC when Bradley’s term expires.
Mark Rosenshein, a senior project manager for The Architectural Team of Chelsea and a 10-year resident of the neighborhood, was also elected as an at-large representative.
“Development in the City of Boston is a very complicated process, and I would like to contribute my expertise in the field to the council and the community,” Rosenshein said.
John “Jacko” Greatorex a lifelong Charlestown resident and the owner of Charlestown-based Monument Flooring, made an unsuccessful bid for one of the open at-large seats.
Jonathon Morey, a fourth-generation Charlestown resident and an operating engineer for the Local 4 crane operators union, was elected to the Precinct 6 seat that was vacated by Brian Wadman in November. Morey, who is also Labor Guild-certified in collective bargaining, said he believes he could use his experience to help facilitate negotiations between the community and the City of Boston.
In her second victory of the evening, Bradley narrowly beat out Precinct 7 representative Mike Charbonnier for the second vice chair seat by a vote of 9 to 8. (Unlike the elections for the at-large seats, the CNC help an open vote for the second vice chair seat). The second vice chair seat was vacated by former at-large representative Shawn Jenkins after his recent resignation from the Neighborhood Council.

Stephen Wheeler is seen swinging in the playground at the John Harvard Mall on Tuesday.

At last week’s Charlestown Neighborhood Council meeting, a representative from a not-for-profit group dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture presented a proposal to expand the neighborhood’s two national historical districts.
The National Register of Historic Places, which was established under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and is administered by the National Park Service, currently includes the Monument Square Historic District and the Town Hill Historic District (which is roughly bordered by Rutherford Avenue and Main and Warren streets). Mory Bahar, area manager of Groveland-based Trust for Architectural easements proposed expanding the Monument Square District to create the Breed’s Hill District and the addition of the Washington-Union District to the Town Hill District.
While Bahar emphasized that the boundaries of the two expanded districts have yet to be finalized, he said his organization was currently working with the Massachusetts Historic Commission and the Boston Landmarks Commission to define the areas.
“We’re still trying to nail down the perimeters, and then we have to go look at the individual buildings to see if they fit [the qualifications],” Bahar said.
According to Bahar, a building must be at least 50 years old for the National Park Service to deem it historic and the new districts would be unified by a common thread in terms of history or architecture.
If Bahar’s plan comes to fruition, he said homeowners in the districts would be eligible for a number of federal programs and grants that support historic preservation. “Property owners can choose to take advantage of these programs if they so desire,” he said.
The historic districts would also provide protection against future development.
“Developers have to be sensitive to be sensitive that if they’re working within one of these districts, they have a good justification for destroying or altering a property,” Bahar said.
Bill Lamb, chairman of the Charlestown Preservation Society Design Review Committee, welcomed the idea of expanding the neighborhood’s historic districts.
“I think a national historic district should be a source of pride to anyone living in one,” Lamb said. “I think it’s great that [Trust for Architectural Easements] is doing the additional research to get these districts in place.”
Last year. Trust for Architectural Easements helped facilitate the creation of Wall Street in New York City as a national historic district. Closer to home, the organization also recently helped refine the perimeters of the Beacon Hill Historic District.

The 22nd annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner took place at the Shrafft Center Saturday afternoon, drawing approximately 300 seniors for a corned beef and cabbage feast. The Flatley Company, owners and managers of the Shrafft Center in Sullivan Square, sponsored the event.
As in years past, State Rep. Eugene O’Flaherty served as the afternoon’s master of ceremonies. Other elected officials in attendance included Mayor Thomas. M. Menino, State Sen. Anthony Galluccio, City Councilor at-Large Stephen Murphy, City Councilor at-Large John Connolly and City Councilor Sal LaMattina.
Larry Reynolds and the Cornhaltas provided live Irish music, and the afternoon also included a performance by students from the Hansen Keohane School of Irish Dance in West Roxbury.

PHOTO 1 CAPTION: Judy Evers, Charlestown liaison to City Councilor Sal LaMattina.

PHOTO 2 CAPTION: Florence Johnson and Daniel “Doc” Sheehan.

PHOTO 3 CAPTION: State Rep. Eugene O’Flaherty, who served as master of ceremonies at Saturday’s event, and Mayor Thomas M. Menino.

PHOTO 4 CAPTION: City Councilor Sal LaMattina and City Councilor at-Large Stephen Murphy perform “If You’re Irish Come into the Parlor.”

The Charlestown Mothers Association is submitting applications for two of the city’s Small Changes grants in an effort to fund neighborhood projects.
Now in its final year, the Small Changes program is a four-year grant program offered by Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department to non-profit organizations for beautification projects throughout the city. The program was launched using a donation from the 2004 Democratic Convention. All projects eligible for a Small Changes grant must be “visually accessible from a public way and have city-issued permits and approvals,” and certain grants require matching donations from non-profits, according to city officials.
The first CMA application seeks funding for improvements to the bathrooms at the Clougherty Pool on Bunker Hill Street, and the CMA will provide up to $5,000 in matching funds for the project.
The second grant application is intended for landscaping improvements in front of the Charlestown Branch Library along the perimeters of Main and Green streets. The CMA has pledged to provide up to $2,000 in matching funds for this project and will partner with Doherty’s Flower Shop at 223 Main St. to maintain and landscape the grounds once the project is completed.
CMA Co-President Susan Frigoletto described the Small Changes program as a chance for local organizations to partner with the city to make improvements to neighborhoods throughout Boston.
“It’s a great opportunity to invest in the neighborhood and to have that investment doubled by the city,” Frigoletto said. “Small Changes can make a huge difference in neighborhoods.”
Meanwhile, CMA Co-President Leigh Hurd encouraged other organizations to take advantage of the Small Changes program.
“We’d love other non-profits to apply for the grants,” Hurd said.
Small Changes grant applications are available at the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, 1010 Massachusetts Ave., third floor, Boston, MA 02118. Applications can also be downloaded from the City of Boston’s Web site at http://www.cityofboston.gov/parks/smallchanges.asp or obtained by calling 617-635-4989.

On Monday, the Charlestown Neighborhood Council awarded $58,000 to 14 local non-profit organizations as the sum of its 2008 Mitigation Funds.
The funds, which total $1 million, were provided to the CNC by the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the Massachusetts Highway Department as an amenity for the impact that the redevelopment of City Square had on the community. These monies are distributed annually over the course of 12 years.

PHOTO 1 CAPTION: Jim Conway of the CNC presents a check to Peter Looney (center) and Bill McCabe for the Charlestown Firefighters Memorial Fund.

PHOTO 2 CAPTION: CNC Chairman Tom Cunha awards a check to Bob “Pots” O’Neill for Special Townies.

PHOTO 3 CAPTION: Jim Conway of the CNC presents a check to Stan Leonard for Charlestown Lacrosse & Learning Center.

PHOTO 4 CAPTION: Paul Clausen of the CNC awards a check to Diane Valle for the Monument Square Halloween Parade.