One Charlestown Developers Analyzing Comment Letters

By Seth Daniel

As 2017 gets up and running, a delay in the One Charlestown development review process hasn’t completely stopped the wheels from turning for the development team of Corcoran/Suncal.

This week, the team said that despite the breather in the process – granted just before Christmas by the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) and Mayor Martin Walsh – they continue to be out in the community and to analyze feedback that has come from the process so far.

“We take all comments and input from the community very seriously, and all of the responses we receive are on equal footing as we review them,” said Joe Corcoran of Corcoran Dennison. “Nearly all of the comments we have received are supportive of the need for redevelopment, and many have provided constructive input on ways to improve the project.”

Corcoran said he and others representing the development have continued to meet with those in Charlestown who have questions and want clarification on the project. He said, as they have always been, they are willing to meet with any group that is interesting in hearing more about the development.

Meanwhile, as the comment period for the project ended on Nov. 21, with hundreds of comment letters submitted to the BPDA, Sarah Barnat of the team said they continue to sort through those letters – breaking them down point by point.

She said many of the letters were supportive of the project, while some were not. Despite that, they are inputting all of the feedback so it can be analyzed.

“Everyone’s voice is on equal footing,” she said. “The comments have been extremely valuable.”

The project has been in the works in partnership with he Boston Housing Authority (BHA) for nearly two years, with resident meetings and design meetings taking place long before the official BPDA review started last October.

Likewise, BHA had made several community presentations when a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) went out two years ago to redevelop the property.

Nevertheless, once the official review began and the greater community began to hear about and participate in the process, many reported feeling overwhelmed by the speed of the process – as well as not completely understanding the review process.

That led to a request for a 90-day moratorium, or delay, of the review.

After some discussion, it was granted in December.

The delay will expire in March, when review of the project is slated to begin again.

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