By Cary Shuman
Sean Breen, Charlestown Liaison from Mayor Wu’s Office of Neighborhood Services, rose from his seat at Tuesday night’s Charlestown Neighborhood Council meeting to address a resident’s complaint about loud noises emanating from the roof of the former Clarence J. Edwards School building on Walker Street which is being repurposed as a Horace Mann School.
after returning from summer break. In the photo above, CNC Chair
Tom Cunha speaks at Tuesday’s meeting while board members (from
left) Rich McCarthy, Mary Boucher, and Crystal Galvin listen to his
remarks.
It was big-city government functioning at its best as Breen, who attends all meetings of the highly effective CNC, came to the middle of the hall and listened to the resident’s presentation.
The resident, who gave only her first name (Jennifer), said she lives close to the school building and that “the City installed huge HVAC machines on the roof that are very loud and run 24 hours a day.”
Jennifer added that the HVAC machines are situated right outside her home’s bedroom window and the problem has been ongoing since the first week in August. She also showed a video highlighting the “very loud” noise coming from the vents.
CNC Chair Tom Cunha saw Breen in the middle of the hall, saying, “I know Mr. Breen has an answer.”
Breen responded that one remedy could be the installation of sound barriers.
“I understand that it [the noise] is definitely unpleasant,” acknowledged Breen.
Cunha suggested that a meeting be held with the city inspectors and the resident [Jennifer] present “and the inspectors can tell us the [noise] standards and what can be done to repair it.”
In an interview after the meeting, Breen said he would research which sound ordinances (decibel levels) apply to the construction project and determine how the process the noise problem can be alleviated as soon a possible. Breen added that he would be contacting officials in the Boston Facilities Department Wednesday to discuss the matter and find a solution.
So, there you have it – Sean Breen, with an assist from the Charlestown Neighborhood Council, is on it, and a solution is expected soon. Breen said he will report his findings at the next CNC meeting as well.
Breen grew up in Charlestown and graduated from Malden Catholic in 2008.
“I’m getting to be old,” said Breen, smiling.