South End Trash meeting: W, 9/11

A reminder that there is a meeting this Wednesday (9/11) to discuss the trash pilot program.

As I've announced at several meetings, an area in the western South End has been doing a trash experiment.   They were not allowed to put trash out until 11pm the night before trash pickup.   In June there was a public meeting where those residents said the streets were a little cleaner, but 11pm was too late.   At that time, the pilot program was continued, but with the earliest time you can put trash out moved back to 9pm.

On Wednesday those residents will be allowed to comment again on how they believe the pilot program worked with 9pm pickup.   If the City/Public Works receives positive feedback from those residents, the 9pm trash put-out time program will be expanded South End wide.   At today's meeting of South End NA leaders, a vote was taken to support the extension of the 9pm time.   The city will take all these feedback into consideration when making their final decision.

If you would like to hear those residents' feedback on the pilot, or would like to comment on the change in put-out time, please join us at Wednesday's meeting.   (Everyone has many trash concerns, but this meeting will be limited to a change in put-out time.  The city is having a multi-neighborhood meeting on trash collection on October 9th - more information as it becomes available)

Wednesday, September 11
6:30pm
South End Branch library (Tremont & W Newton)

An article on the meeting was also in the South End News.

Follow us on twitter!   @eightstreets

Color hotel rendering

The Boston Globe has a story and color rendering of the planned hotel/residential building on the E Berkeley/Albany/Traveller lot.  

In the main photo, Albany St/93 is on the left, and Traveller st is on the right.

New street sweeping delayed

The new street sweeping schedules, which were to start tomorrow, have been postponed because of potential snowfall.  The next scheduled street cleaning for Eight Streets is next Thursday, March 8th.

South End patch related article

B/FNA Fundraiser Notice

From the B/FNA:

Blackstone/Franklin Square Neighborhood Association is having its annual silent-auction fundraiser, next Thursday February 23.

The scholarship is available for South End high school seniors to be used to books, computer and other supplies. Last year we gave out eight $1,000 scholarships. This year the silent auction has an amazing range of items: restaurant gift certificates, framing, hair cuts, manicures and coffee.

The event is from 6 to 8 pm at Estragon, 700 Harrison Avenue, South End. Tickets are $25/advance, $30/door. For more information, tickets and a scholarship application, go to http://blackstonefranklin.org.

Thanks! Hope to see you there.

Andrew Parthum
President, B/FSNA
617 834 2696

Last chance to meet the candidates

If you missed the at-large forum (That ESNA co-sponsored), the Rutland NA and the Friends of the S End Library are hosting one last city councilor candidate forum this Thursday, Nov 3rd, at the South End Library.

For complete details, see the schedule and format at the FoSEL web site.     This is your last chance to see the candidates in person before the elections on Tuesday!

South End House Tour

The South End Historical Society's 43rd Annual South End House Tour is Saturday, October 15th from 10 am to 5 pm.  

 

From a sleek and contemporary reinterpretation of a row house to a family-friendly, traditional Victorian home, each of the featured spaces presents a different South End story.  Whether you are looking for fine historic architectural details, seeking design inspiration, or simply want to get a glimpse of the view from one of the South End’s best located roof decks—there is something for everyone on this tour.

 

General tickets are on sale and can be purchased through our website at www.southendhistoricalsociety.org or by check by calling 617-536-4445.  General tickets purchased in advance are $25 each.  Upgrade to a $50 Sponsor's ticket and attend the private party after the Tour! 

 

General tickets are $30 on the day of the Tour and will be available at the Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont Street, or Rondeau-Tierney Real Estate, 69 Appleton Street. 

 

Please call 617-536-4445 or email admin@southendhistoricalsociety.org with questions.

 

Ms. Hope Shannon

Executive Director

The South End Historical Society

532 Massachusetts Avenue

Boston, MA 02118

p. 617-536-4445

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
www.southendhistoricalsociety.org

Tour Castle Square this weekend

Between 10 and 2 this Saturday, October 1, Castle Square will be offering tours of the ongoing Deep Energy Refit construction that has been going on at the square.   All the work going on will change the face of Castle square both inside and out, as units are made energy efficient and the exterior receives an insulation coating, transforming the look of the building.   Details of all the work can be found on the CastleDeepEnergy web site

Details and more information are below.   Hope you can take advantage of this opportunity!

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The Castle Square Tenants Organization and WinnDevelopment invite you to tour the construction of what is likely the largest Deep Energy Retrofit in the U.S.

When:            Saturday, October 1^st, 2011, 10:00 – 2:00 pm

Tours will be offered on an ongoing basis during this time.

Where:           Castle Square Apartments, 476 Tremont Street, Boston

About Castle Square  - The 500-unit, low-and moderate-income Castle Square Apartments occupies an entire city block in Boston’s South End.  Constructed in the 1960s, 192 apartments are currently undergoing a trailblazing Deep Energy Retrofit Renovation.

Why are Deep Energy Retrofits Cutting Edge?  - Deep Energy Retrofits are the next wave in green building.  The majority of green buildings are only 20 to 30 percent more efficient than typical buildings in the U.S.   To date, there has been a technical glass ceiling on what is feasible for energy and carbon reductions in existing buildings.   Deep Energy Retrofits completely raise the energy savings bar.  Castle Square is expected to achieve a 72 percent energy reduction (a dramatic improvement over 20 to 30 percent energy savings)!

How is Castle Square  Different than Other Green Renovations?

ü  The key difference between Castle Square Apartments Deep Energy Retrofit and standard energy efficiency renovations is insulation, which at Castle Square will be located on the outside of the building (visually transforming the dated property).

ü  A new 5” super insulated shell, combined with a super insulated reflective roof, high efficiency windows and extensive air sealing, will increase the insulation value of the building by a factor of ten.

ü  Because of super insulation, the building will require only a fraction of the energy to heat and cool.

ü  Additional energy savings will be made using small high efficiency cooling and heating equipment, LED and CFL lighting, Energy Star appliances and solar hot water.

ü  This is not a gut renovation, so fewer resources are used.  Residents stay in their apartments during the renovation, with minimal disruption.

To learn more about the renovation check out www.CastleDeepEnergy.com

This free tour is being offered in conjunction with the Northeast Sustainable Energy Alliance Green Open House.  http://www.nesea.org/greenbuildings/

Help plan the South End Holiday Stroll

Planning begins for the 2011 Holiday Stroll - meeting this Thursday (Sept 8) at 9:30am.   Please contact Nick Fedor if you would like to join the team.   The official announcement follows below...

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I’m writing to invite you to a holiday stroll and decorations planning meeting on Thursday, September 8 at 9:30am at Gaslight.  Gaslight is located at 560 Harrison Avenue.

At our first holiday planning meeting, attended by business owners, South End Business Alliance board members and Washington Gateway Main Street staff and board members, the group discussed coordinating holiday decorating efforts among businesses and neighborhood associations throughout the entire South End.  In this follow up meeting, we are hoping to get input from neighborhood associations.  It would be great if a representative from each association could attend this meeting.

We will also be discussing holiday stroll events centered around the Mayor’s tree lighting at the BCA plaza. 

The goal is to get the entire South End involved to create a fun, festive community atmosphere this holiday season. 

Please feel free to forward to anyone I may have missed. 

Thanks for reading and please RSVP to me by Tuesday, September 6^th.

Best,

Nick 

Washington street survey

WGMS is conducting a survey to see what kind of businesses you patronize, and what kinds you would like to see along Washington street.    What do you think?

Take this short 5 minute survey

Dog Run users - feedback wanted!

  Peters Park Dog Park Patrons
We need your Help and want your Feedback !!

Tues June 28, 2011

7-8pm

Note Change of Location: The Franklin (11 E Newton St - corner of Washington St)

• Come and meet other DRS Users (and learn their names)
• Discuss planned improvements
• Learn how to be a good DRS user
• • Boston City License
  • Leash Law/Dog Fouling
  • Park Rules
• Review ongoing maintenance costs for park
• Learn ways to volunteer and contriute
• Share your thoughts in a positive way with us

Sorry - No dogs at the meeting

"Shakespeare for Everyone!"

 COMMONWEALTH SHAKESPEARE COMPANY’S SUMMER ACADEMY KICKS OFF ITS TOUR OF THE PARKS WITH SHAKESPEARE ON LOVE

What:               Shakespeare on Love, a performance piece comprised of Shakespearean scenes and sonnets

Who:                Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s Summer Academy Apprentices

                         Antonio Ocampo-Guzman, Director

Where:             Titus Sparrow Park (South End)

When:               Wednesday, June 29^th @ 6:30PM

Tickets:             Free

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s Summer Academy Apprenticeship students are at it again with Shakespeare on Love premiering on Wednesday, June 29^th at 6:30PM in Boston’s Titus Sparrow Park. The twenty-three Apprentices that comprise CSC’s Summer Academy Class of 2011 begin their 12-show Tour of the Parks with a series of Shakespearean sonnets and scenes from the bard’s bountiful stock of gestic poetry. ‘Tis bound to be an evening of theatre not to be missed.

South End Garden Tour THIS Saturday!!!

(if this email doesn't display correctly, visit the site directly at http://www.southendgardentour.org/ ) www.southendgardentour.org The South End/Lower Roxbury Open Space Land Trust is one the country's first urban, neighborhood-based land trusts.  It was established in 1991 as a means to protect community gardens and parks.  It currently owns and manages 16 sites in the South End and Lower Roxbury neighborhoods of Boston.  The all-volunteer organizations enables over 500 individuals and families to grow their own food and enjoy nature in the city.  The South End Garden Tour is the organization's primary fundraiser. CHECK OUT THE LAND TRUST'S NEW WEBSITE: WWW.LANDTRUSTGARDENS.ORG

Dover St hearing on Tuesday

On Tuesday, May 24 there will be a hearing on the East Berkeley/Dover street name change.   The hearing is at 6pm in the auditorium of the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (41 Berkeley st).

The purpose of the hearing will be resolve "any discrepancies" in the city's policy for street name-changes and to facilitate an open discussion on reclaiming the Dover Street name for the thoroughfare, currently known as East Berkeley Street.

More about the name change can be found here.

We encourage all to attend

Dedication of Land Wave

Mayor Menino will be on hand to dedicate the sculpture LandWave - the undulating mass of Land and Sea in Peters Park, next to the ball fields adjacent to Washington street.   The artwork represents the meeting of Land and Sea at what was once the "neck" of boston - the narrow strip of land (often covered at high tide int eh early days) that made the original boston land mass almost an island.  

Join the Mayor at 11:30am on Monday, April 25th for the dedication ceremony.

Complete information on Monday's event and an over view of LandWave.

The LandWave web site

Hearing on Public and Private alleys

On Wednesday April 27th the City Council will hold a hearing on Public and Private alleyways in Boston. the hearing takes place in the City Council chambers, 5th floor of city hall.  This hearing begins at 6:00pm. The hearing is sponsored by Councilors Arroyo and Linehan

We spoke of this hearing at the last meeting - the topic of this hearing is geared toward alleyways that are drive-able.   All Eight Streets alleys are walkable-only, and will not be discussed at this meeting.   Our only drive-able alley is already public - PA705, between Dwight and East berkeley.   (And if you missed the meeting - is due to be re-paved this season!!)

At issue in this hearing is the maintenance of alleys.   As the South End was built, some rear alleys were turned over to the city to become city property; while others remained private.    Private alleys allow the owners flexibility over use of the alley, but maintenance and snow removal must also be privately paid for.

Today, if the owners of an alley would like to turn the alley over to City control, the alley must be brought up to City standards, meaning in a state of good repair, ADA compliance, and conform to other city regulations.   This can be cost-prohibitive for the owners.    This hearing is to discuss this specific issue.

From the hearing flier:

The public is invited to attend and learn form city officials:

How alleys are designated as public or private
What jurisdiction the city has in providing services for private alleys
What duties private property owners have in upkeep and maintenance of private alleys.

Please feel free to attend the hearing.  Even though it is not an ESNA issue, it is a South End issue of concern to many residents.

A Boston.com article on the issue can be found here.

[Update] Two post-meeting articles can be found here:    South End Patch,   Universal Hub.

Neighborhood News on-line

Since you're reading this blog, you probably have some intent savvy, and an interest in neighborhood news.  We'd like to remind you our two Press outlets also have a presence on line.

The South End News has a Web page as well as a Facebook Page and Twitter feed.    On the Web Page they also have (at the bottom of the page) and email sign-up, where you can get a weekly email of the weeks' headlines.

The South End patch also has a Web Page, Facebook Page and Twitter Feed, as well as an RSS feed for news stories.  They also have an email newsletter (link is on the upper right of the Web Page)

[[Update - the Patch now has an iphone app (android coming soon) ]]

Both outlets provide news covering the South End, and we hope you follow both and get all your neighborhood news...

Blackstone/Franklin fundraiser

Passing along this notice from our friends at Blackstone/Franklin Square NA...

The B/FSNA is having its annual book scholarship fundraiser on Thursday February 24 at Estragon, 700 Harrison from 6 to 8 pm. There will be free food from Estragon, Mela, Pita and Siraj Cafe; a cash bar and a wonderful silent auction. We have items from Toro, Orinoco, South End Athletics Company, Flour and more. Tickets are $25/in advance, $30/at the door; $30/$40 for couples.

All the proceeds go to support our book scholarship for South End high school seniors. More information is available at www.bfsna.org or email info@bfsna.org. 

SE Library lecture series

The Friends of the South End Library will kick off its 2011 authors' series on Tuesday, January 25 at 6:30 PM at the South End Library with nationally renowned author and professor of literature Doug Bauer. The South End resident  will read from a forthcoming collection of personal essays. More information about the series and its upcoming guests can be found on the FOSEL web site.

SE News, delivered

You can now get the South End News delivered - right to your inbox.  head to their web site at mysouthend.com and scroll all the way to the bottom of the page.  There's a box labelled Get on our email list!  and add your email address.  You'll get an email once a week with the news headlines.


For those needing more of a fix, you can always follow @SouthEndNews on twitter

Food Drive at the South End Library

Ann Smart, of the South End Branch of the BPL lets us know of the food/can drive happening:

The South End Library, 685 Tremont Street, is participating in the 2010 Can Share Food Drive during the month of December. Please bring any canned proteins, fruits, vegetables, soups, and beans to the south end library.