September 2, 2008 by Chinatown Blogger.

A Draft Project Impact Report (DPIR) is a comprehensive report published by the proponent (developer) describing in detail the proposed project. DPIRs are public documents and are available for download through the Boston Redevelopment Authority website. Hard copies are available from the developer if you are deemed important. The BRA is hosting a public meeting on the Parcel 24 DPIR next Tuesday, Sept. 9th.

Parcel 24 is a residential development being proposed on land that was once home to Hudson Street residents before the construction of the highways. The Parcel 24 DPIR is 779 pages. (The DPIR for 120 Kingston St./Dainty Dot was 849 pages.) There is a section called Public Comments, which is a collection of letters, emails, and petitions that were sent to the developers and the BRA from the community. In addition, the DPIR includes responses from the developers on questions asked by the public. Here are snippets of what people in the community are saying about Parcel 24:

Gilbert Ho, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association:
“As a long time community activist and leader in the Chinatown community, I am expressing my whole-hearted support of the proposed development of Parcel 24. My whole family remains involved in the community and my wife’s family was actually one of the many residents who were displaced from the site… I would like to emphasize my support of the design and distribution of height and density. The proposed design responds to HSC’s community vision by placing the highest element on Kneeland Street while scaling down to match the four story row-houses across Hudson Street.” (Editor’s Note: The CCBA was not stated, but the address given on the letterhead was the CCBA office.)

David Robyn Seeley, Rose Kennedy Greenway-Chinatown Park Community Co-chair, Parcel 24 Task Force Co-chair:
“There have been significant improvements made in this design, perhaps the most prominent being the much improved east elevation. I wish this project great success… I have two serious concerns. The first is that the project, because of the narrow site constraints, turns it’s back on Albany Street, where it would be best to use the Phase I South Bay community process guidelines to establish a new neighborhood street, and the second is that the project massing runs contrary to the massing diagram established in that Phase I process, and that has somewhat dire implications for future development if it becomes the obvious precedent for future area development in the South Bay and along the Greenway.” (Editor’s note: Not stated in the letter, David Seeley is a Leather District resident.)

Olivia A. Waishek, West Roxbury:
“…My involvement in the development has been ongoing for the past several years not only as an individual who was born in a house, which sat on Parcel 24, but also as a member of Hudson Street for Chinatown. The parcel, which we now know as Parcel 24 encompassed 6 city blocks not only on Hudson Street from Kneeland Street to Curve Street but Albany Street from Kneeland Street to Curve Street. This Parcel 24 was only part of the taking of land between the Mass Highway Department and the Mass Turnpike Authority in the early sixties. This part of the South Cove was once a thriving neighborhood, which was comprised of Syrian/Lebanese residents and business owners and Asian residents and business owners. Homes, businesses, two churches, a Boston Public Library and Municipal Building were part of the takings. Most important hundreds of individuals were displaced — forced to leave a community, which had been part of their entire life… On behalf of the members of the Waishek Family, we would appreciate our voice being heard and we cannot emphasize strongly enough our support of restoring a neighborhood to a community that has waited long enough…”

Reggie Wong, Chinatown Resident:
“My family and I lived on Parcel 24 before being displaced  in the 1960s. I have many fond memories of growing up on Hudson Street but also the sad memory of being forced out of our home. I am fortunate to remain a Chinatown resident and own Weggie’s Pub on Lincoln Street in the Leather District. With that said, I strongly support the proposed development on Parcel 24 that will provide much needed housing while restoring the vibrancy of the neighborhood that existed 40 years ago.”

Chris Betke, President, Leather District Neighborhood Association:
“… I am writing to express my personal opinion on the proposed parcel 24 project since the LDNA has not taken a position on this project. I am concerned about the 20-story height on Kneeland street. The massing up to Kneeland Street runs contrary to the principles set forth in the South Bay Study… That study called for height to be placed back from Kneeland Street — the opposite of what is being proposed here… In weighing the pros and cons, I come out in favor of this project but with real concerns about how/why the BRA is disregarding its own South Bay planning document regarding the massing on Kneeland. Would you be kind enough to explain why the BRA is supporting a project that is contrary to its own planning?”

To read more comments, download the Draft Project Impact Report PDF. (75MB)

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August 27, 2008 by Chinatown Blogger.

Random question: what happens when public infrastructures are privatized? Jenny Anderson of the NY Times wrote on Aug. 26th: Running Out of Money, Cities Are Debating the Privatization of Public Infrastructure (free registration). Anderson argued that as governments face budget cuts, private companies such as Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Carlyle Group, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse are pushing for privatization of public infrastructures. Examples given of these public-private partnerships include the high occupancy toll lanes in Washington, a toll road in Florida, and a deal being worked on for an airport in Chicago. Not surprisingly, former secretary of transportation Norman Mineta, is an advisor to Credit Suisse, one of the private equity funds pushing for privatization.

The article quotes these bankers:
“People are creating a new asset class,” said Anne Valentine Andrews, head of portfolio strategy at Morgan Stanley Infrastructure. “You can see and understand the businesses involved — for example, ships come into the port, unload containers, reload containers and leave.”

“Ten to 20 years from now infrastructure could be larger than real estate,” said Mark Weisdorf, head of infrastructure investments at JPMorgan.

Hmm.. larger than real estate? So, after the failure of the housing market and mortgage-backed securities, Wall Street is looking for new areas to invest and their target is public infrastructures. If private funds can convince the public to mortgage away public infrastructures that we need for daily use - highways, trains, airports, buses - is this not the same as taking an equity line of credit from our house? Local governments may see a short-term boost in revenues from the sale of the infrastructure, but at what price does the public have to pay in order for private investors to achieve their 10% annual return?

But the Chinatown Blogger would argue, why stop at public infrastructures? If the Mass Turnpike Authority can lease air rights over the I-90 to developers, why not privatize neighborhoods?  Physical neighborhoods must be worth more than air, right?

Think about this.. the Seaport can be sold to JP Morgan, Chinatown to State Street, and North End to Td Banknorth. The banks can recoup their money by marketing in the neighborhood to encourage residents to open accounts and invest in funds that are — investing in local communities (and parking meter spaces will now cost $10 per hour).

City Hall would get a double boost, increased revenues from the sale of neighborhoods and cutting budgets for services that will now be provided by private entities. City Hall will be laughing all the way to the bank. Imagine.

(Disclosure: This was written as satire.)

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August 26, 2008 by Chinatown Blogger.

This is a repost of a blog from the Films at the Gate site. For the original article with photos, click on this link.

August 20, 2008
By Jean Lukitsh

When I came to Boston in 1978, there were three Chinese-language movie theaters in Chinatown: the Star, the China, and the Pagoda. The Star, on Essex St. at Harrison Ave., and the China, on Beach St. near the Gate, were owned by Mr. Stanley Wong. The Pagoda was on Washington St. It’s now the Empire Garden restaurant.

One of the projectionists from the China studied tai chi with my teacher. I was looking for a job and I loved movies. Someone was leaving the Star in a couple of months, and I was able to take his place. That turned out to be the best job I ever had!

The Star was an old vaudeville theater that had been partitioned at some time into two side-by-side screens. The original theater was so big that the subdivided spaces were still sizable rooms. At first, only the left side was used. It showed movies from the giant Shaw Brothers studio in Hong Kong. Around 1983, the right side was restored and opened, and indie movies from Hong Kong, like the Cinema City and Film Workshop productions, ran there. The China, tucked under a parking garage where the Hei La Moon restaurant is now, specialized in Taiwanese films. From 1979 to 1986, I worked at both the Star and the China, running double features on all screens in programs that changed weekly.

The ones that made an impression on me back then were Lau Kar-leung’s kung fu epics like SHAOLIN MANTIS, 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN, and MY YOUNG AUNTIE, Shaw studio wuxia films like THE LADY HERMIT and JADE TIGER, and Jackie Chan’s early kung fu comedies: FEARLESS HYENA, DRUNKEN MASTER, and YOUNG MAS- TER. I have to confess, though, that those last two films played at the Pagoda. Not one of my boss’ theaters. But I went there, paid for a ticket, and spent my day off in a Chinese theater, watching yet another kung fu movie.

As little mom-and-pop video stores appeared all over Chinatown in the late 1980s, the theaters lost their audiences and closed down. It was cheaper for a whole family to rent a video instead of buying tickets. In some ways, the new video technology is good. It’s made Asian film available to a wider audience, and has helped to preserve old films that otherwise may disappear or be forgotten. But the community lost a space where people used to come together and sit for a couple of hours, see old friends and get caught up with each others’ lives.

Jean Lukitsh is the curator of the Films at the Gate series. Jean is a former resident of Chinatown, and was the projectionist for two of the three cinemas that existed in Boston’s Chinatown in the 70s and 80s. Jean is a regular contributor to the popular website Kung Fu Cinema, a student of local wushu Master Bow Sim Mark, and a martial arts teacher in Boston.

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August 26, 2008 by Chinatown Blogger.

Download the PDF of the full Draft Impact Report here (75MB).

Meeting Date/ Place:
Tuesday, September 9, 2008 6:30-8:00 PM
Doubletree Hotel, Cherry Blossom Room
821 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02111

Project Name: Parcel 24 Redevelopment

Project Proponent: Parcel 24, LLC, a joint venture of Asian Community Development Corporation and New Boston Development Partners

Purpose of the Meeting:
Upon the submission of Draft Project Impact Report by Parcel 24, LLC (“Proponent”), the Boston Redevelopment Authority is hosting an Article 80 Public Meeting to discuss the proposed Parcel 24 Redevelopment Project.  Parcel 24 Redevelopment Project is a new construction of approximately 325 residential units, approximately 5,500 SF of commercial/ retail space, approximately 6,000 SF community space, 165 parking spaces, and related site improvements on Parcel 24, an approximately 58,000 SF vacant lot bounded by Hudson Street to the east, Kneeland Street to the north, and Albany Street to the west in Chinatown (“Proposed Project”).  The total gross square footage of the Proposed Project is approximately 435,800 SF.

Also, the Proponent will present the Planned Development Area (“PDA”) zoning strategy under the Article 80C of the Boston Zoning Code. The PDA Development Plan was submitted to the BRA on August 26, 2008.

Cantonese translation will be provided during the Public Meeting.  Copies of the Draft Project Impact Report and the PDA Development Plan may be reviewed at the Boston Redevelopment Authority, Boston City Hall, 9th floor, Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

Comment Period for the DPIR ends: September 23, 2008
Comment Period for the PDA ends: October 10, 2008

MAIL TO:
Tai Y. Lim
Boston Redevelopment Authority
One City Hall Square
Boston, MA 20201

FAX TO:                        617-742-7783
PHONE:                         617-918-4244
EMAILTO:                     Tai.Lim.BRA@cityofboston.gov

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August 26, 2008 by Chinatown Blogger.

Boston, MA – August 25, 2008

New Art Space Opens in Boston’s Chinatown:
Hudson Street Gallery Remembers and Redefines the Chinatown Experience

Hudson Street Gallery, a new urban art space in Boston’s Chinatown, announces its grand opening on September 6 in conjunction with the Asian Community Development Corporation’s Hudson Street Stories Project.

The Gallery first opened its doors at 18 Hudson Street on August 17 during the August Moon Festival with two shows: works by four contemporary urban photographers and a display of Hudson Street historical material from the Asian CDC. The gallery will hold its grand opening on Saturday, September 6, from 12 to 5. The artists and representatives of the Asian CDC will be present to greet visitors and discuss their work.

A quartet of local photographers – Jason Liu, Brian Matiash, Lee Cullivan and Jason Sundram – explores Boston and Chinatown with portraits, street scenes and cityscapes. Liu and Matiash employ the High Dynamic Range (HDR) digital technique to accentuate their urban visions while Cullivan and Sundram make portraits of Chinatown using faces and storefronts to explore the character of the neighborhood.

The Asian Community Development Corporation contributes historical photos of Chinatown, concentrating on Hudson Street and the destructive impact the building of the Central Artery had on the neighborhood and its people. One of these photos shows Reggie Wong on Hudson Street in the 1960s. Wong currently works in construction and is an active member of many Chinatown community organizations. As one of the organizers of the August Moon festivities, he was honored to discover his photo in the Hudson Street Gallery.

“We created the Hudson Street Gallery to honor the history and heritage of Chinatown and also to expand the appeal of Chinatown to visitors.” says Charlie Wong (no relation), Hudson Street Gallery’s owner, “so it was a great validation to have Reggie visit and tell us what growing up in Chinatown was like for him.”

Visitors to the gallery were entertained by Wong’s stories and interested to see contemporary images of the streets depicted in ACDC’s historical exhibit. “I didn’t expect to find a gallery in Chinatown, but it’s great to see art and also learn about the history of the neighborhood,” said Jacob Schachter of Forest Hills.

About the Hudson Street Gallery
Hudson Street Gallery is an urban art space in Chinatown devoted to historical and contemporary art about the past present and future neighborhoods and peoples of Chinatown. Our mission is to honor the history and heritage of Chinatown and its immigrant communities while providing a home for contemporary artists to explore issues of geography, ethnicity and urbanism. We seek to bring new visitors to Chinatown from around Boston and to bring more contemporary and historical art and artists to Chinatown. Hudson Street Gallery welcomes artists and audiences from all parts of Boston and beyond and from all ages and walks of life.

The gallery is open at 18 Hudson Street Sundays 1-5 and by appointment. For more information, visit www.hudsonstreetgallery.com

Contact:
Charlie Wong
gallery@hudsonstreetgallery.com
(617) 319-9205

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