As the 20 Somerset/NESAD project enters the final phases of approval before construction can begin, university representatives and task force members are trying to fine tune estimates of what the building’s impact will be on the Hill.
In a presentation to the task force, Suffolk University Vice President John Nucci and architectural consultant Alex Krieger demonstrated how the addition of 20 Somerset will actually reduce the impact on what they termed “residential” Beacon Hill.
Nucci said because the relocation of the New England School of Art and Design (NESAD) will allow the closing of classrooms at the Fenton Building in the Temple-Derne street area, the impact will be a net positive on what he termed “residential” Beacon Hill.
“20 Somerset allows us to take classroom seats directly off residential Beacon Hill,” said Nucci. The result would be a decrease of about 600-1,200 students daily in the area, because some students would be shifted to Somerset Street.
However, Rob Whitney of the Beacon Hill Civic Association was quick to point out that, residential label aside, the project was still adding around 800 classroom seats to Beacon Hill.
“It’s still Beacon Hill,” said Whitney, who added the 20 Somerset building seemed to go against Suffolk’s stated intention to shift its planning focus away from the neighborhood. Whitney also pointed out that moving NESAD to Beacon Hill could result in more students living in off campus housing in Beacon Hill.
Gerald Autler of the Boston Redevelopment Authority said at no point was Suffolk given a directive “to pull activity off Beacon Hill,” and that the plan to close the Fenton classrooms and construction of the Modern Theater and 10 West downtown was in line with the Institutional Master Plan’s goals to spread out the impact of Suffolk’s expansion up to 5,000 students.
There was also some dispute over what exactly constitutes “residential” Beacon Hill. One Hill resident at the meeting pointed out that the area of 20 Somerset does, indeed, have residents. However, Nucci said the residential non-residential distinction was never meant to imply that there are no residents near the building, but that the area is devoted to mixed use. “It takes the impact off a purely residential area and moves it to a mixed use area,” he said.
Suffolk has filed its institutional master plan, and the projects entailed in the IMP (such as 20 Somerset and the Modern Theater) must now be submitted for Article 80 review by the Boston Redevelopment Authority, which takes into consideration public comment. That review process could include a review by the Boston Civic Design Commission , which must approve the design of the projects.

Despite temperatures that continue to dip into the 50s and even 40s, the Beacon Hill event that is always a sure sign that sprung has sprung is just around the corner. The 79th annual Beacon Hill Garden Club Hidden Gardens of Beacon Hill tour will be held this Thursday. The much-anticipated event draws in thousands of visitors from Boston and beyond – way beyond.
“We get people from all over the country, and we have international visitors, in fact,” says Club member Molly Sherden. “This year we could take advance ticket orders on our Web site, and the first purchase came from someone in Iceland. We weren’t even set up to take [money that wasn’t American dollars]!”
Sherden says the reason people mark this date on their calendar months in advance and organize bus trips from New York and Connecticut to take part is because the tour allows a glimpse into the members’ private garden oases, none of which are visible from the street.
“People are intrigued with what can be done with small spaces, what can be done in an urban garden dealing with shade, pollution, bugs and other challenges,” says Sherden.
And, the event is all for a good cause. The net proceeds go toward local, regional and national organizations – from the Arboretum in Jamaica Plain to the Redwood Forest in California -- that support the Garden Club’s mission of preservation and promoting green space. Over the past decade, the Club has donated $500,000 to various organizations.
“It’s not just about pretty gardens,” says Sherden.
But the gardens that are on the tour are quite beautiful. Twelve member gardens are open to tour, as well as four additional “ribbon gardens” which visitors can view in a more limited way. Additionally, visitors can shop at the boutique and sample treats at the Church of the Advent.
Sherden says the tour gardens are chosen in the early fall, so that the members have time to plant bulbs and make winter preparations. The members rotate on a three- to four-year participation cycle.
The tour is self-guided, and Sherden says to allow two to three hours to be able to appreciate all of the gardens. A special highlight this year is the Second Harrison Gray Otis House on Mount Vernon Street. Built by Charles Bulfinch for prominent politician and businessman Harrison Gray Otis in 1802, it is one of the largest freestanding mansions on Beacon Hill.
But Sherden says that all of the gardens are uniquely interesting, the key to what makes this tour such a success year after year.
“All of the gardens are beautiful,” she says. “The gardens are as different as people’s personalities.”

Bob White of Charles Street Supply demonstrates how well their famous Rolser shopping cart works on a brick sidewalk. This week the store was featuring the cart with all it's green uses in their front window.

On Friday, April 28, the Hill House/N.E.A.A. Majors baseball season opened with a parade of teams down Charles Street led by a city fire engine and Wally, the Red Sox mascot, who signed hats and gloves to the delight of players and the crowd. After Mayor Menino threw out the first pitch on the Little League field on the Common, the Cubs played the White Sox in an exhibition game showcasing the pitching skills of returning Cubs Doug Krolman and Jack Ditomassi as well as White Sox veterans Ian Iwanicki and Jake French. White Sox Aaron Wang made a statement at the plate going 2-3 and driving in 2 runs.
On Saturday, April 26, the Marlins overpowered the Red Sox 10-2 on the North End field. The Marlins scored a run in every inning, led by Tripp Kaelin, who went 4-4 including a triple and a double driving in 4 runs. Both Matt Perkins and Jasper Schilling contributed with 5 RBIs between them. Supporting this offensive attack, Perkins pitched 3 scoreless innings for the Marlins. But the play of the game was the towering homerun blast by Red Sox Nick Iudiciani that disappeared into the trees in deep left field.
Also playing on Saturday but on the Common field were the Giants and the Dodgers, a new team this season, making for a total of ten in the league comprised mostly of players from Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and the North End. The Giants overpowered the younger team 18-10 with solid pitching by Dave Conforti and timely hitting from Pearse Martin. Martin, also playing catcher, made a key play lunging for a foul pop up to end a Dodger rally. The Dodgers were led by the hitting of Eli Swab and Joe Salibe.
In a well played game on the North End field, the Cubs squeaked by the Mets 4-3 on Wednesday, April 30th when Seamus Matlack drove in the wining run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
On Thursday, May 1, the Dodgers enjoyed their first league victory beating the Indians 9-3 on the Common field. Joe Salibe paced the Dodger’s offensive attack with 5 RBIs. The highlight for the Indians was the smooth double play from the spinning Julius Grossman to the sure handed TJ Shea.
As the rain arrived for the weekend, the Giants managed to get in their Friday game with the Cardinals. The Giants won their second game of the young season 8-4 with standout pitching from David Conforti and Pearse Martin. Graham Hobika and Tom Cohn provided power at the plate for the Giants in their 7 run first inning. The Cards fought back with clutch pitching from Navide Aminpour and rookie JC Pezutto, as well as some timely hitting from Will Byrne and Nicolas Slotine, but came up short.

Room for everyone

At the informal meeting held last week by the Beacon Hill Civic Association on the need to protect the Boston Common, the common denominator that emerged is that there needs to be a balance.
We agree.
After all, almost nothing can succeed in this world these days if it is out of balance.
In the matter of Boston Common there are the dog owners, the children, the local elementary schools, the Colleges – Suffolk and Emerson, the tourists and the thousands of Beacon Hill residents who view the Common as their front yard.
In addition to the above groups that use the Common on an almost daily basis, we add to the mix the special events groups who will use the Common from May to October.
To think of excluding any group is wrong. On the other hand, to allow the Common to be used incessantly by every group that applies makes no sense.
All this use adds just a lot of wear and tear on the infrastructure. By the infrastructure we primarily mean the grass and plantings. And no one can rush the process for the amount of time that is needed to keep the grassy areas green and healthy. Looking at the temporary dog area located at Joy Street and Beacon Street, one can see how overuse will turn the Common into a dust bowl.
The Common is a unique, extraordinary, finite area. The Common is to us what Central Park is to New Yorkers and all those who tourists who come to visit. The comparison can be made, and it is, but such comparisons are ill-conceived.
Central Park is more than 1,200 acres. The Common and Public Garden combined are 42 acres. One is a small forest. The other is a medium backyard. There is plenty of space in Central Park to take parts out of use while the natural process restores the area. For the Common, there really is not the amount of space available for public use to withhold that space from public use. In short, we can’t close the Common to replant all of it.
Mayor Thomas Menino is looking to move some events to the City Hall Plaza rather than the Common. This is a positive measure, we believe. Councilors Lamattina, Ross and Linehan are exploring options on how to best protect the Common. However, compromises will have to be made by all parties. What the final outcome will be is anybody’s guess.
But a positive outcome is needed. We must recognize that the Common is being used in a different way than at anytime in the past. The neighborhoods that surround the Common are vastly different and much more residential than existed only a decade ago. This increased residential occupancy primarily by college age students and families mean that the use of the Common is changing. This must be figured in to the equation for the future.
We urge the talk to continue and free exchange of ideas to be heard. In the end, a balance from all parties will be needed.