By Sal Giarratani
HEY EVERYBODY JIMMY WALSH JUST HAD A BIRTHDAY
One of Charlestown’s best political minds Jimmy Walsh just had a birthday on Christmas Eve. He just turned the Big Six-0 if you can believe it. Time flies when you’re having fun and doing politics.
SMART GROWTH HOUSING COMING TO MAIN STREET?
The swath of land owned by James J. Duffy warehouse reportedly will become new residential development. We have all heard the rumors about what will be coming, the height and density of this rumored housing project.
I am not that surprised because we have been noticing all the new developments on the East Somerville side of Sullivan Square. This concept is called “Smart Growth,” which plans new housing surrounding MBTA stations. I’ve seen it in Ashmont Square in Dorchester, it is being proposed for North Quincy around the Red Line station and in Lower End of Southie in and around the Broadway Red Line Station.
The idea is to attract new folks into residential areas right next to MBTA stations in an attempt to keep down the numbers of cars needed to commute to work. You can live right next to the T and avoid the hassle of driving into Boston.
The hope is to get people to get out of their cars and get them involved in the neighborhood around transit destinations. Hopefully, it will work. We will have to wait and see. However, the idea isn’t half-bad. Who knows?
OMG, just heard another rumor about the Duffy site. Now it seems, it is to be a high-rise hotel. Help out there, does anyone know what’s going down?
Now back to this week’s story. Several years back new housing was built in Thompson Square. Cute townhouses that were constructed to blend right in with the existing houses on Main Street. They look like they have been there for generations which is a positive thing for the neighborhood.
Same thing we the new townhouses down by Park and Warren streets on a large state-owned parcel of land where the on-ramp for the old Central Artery used to exist.
The new housing growth in Charlestown has been a positive thing as has all the housing redeveloping of existing housing.
Charlestown’s Business Community is also thriving and hopefully will continue to do so and as we enter 2017, the outlook for Charlestown is definitely looking up.
MISSING CHARLESTOWN SIGN
I just drove down Austin Street and once again noticed thne site of that missing Charlestown sign put up by community members. Who takes a large sign like that and for what reason? Hopefully, the culprits will be caught. What a stupid thing to do. However, it probably proves that old adage about stilling things in plain sight, huh?
I have a feeling the community folk who put the sign up will eventually put up a new one. If they start a fundraising effort I will assist. However, I hope this time the right year is on the marker. Charlestown was founded in 1628 not 1629 but I digress.