In a formal letter to event organizers, the Beacon Hill Civic Association (BHCA) board of directors expressed concern with the potential impact on the Boston Common of “Outside the Box” – an inaugural citywide arts festival planned for July 12 to 21. Besides four locations on the Common, the proposed festival would bring programming...
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Green light for Hancock Street apt. conversion
The Beacon Hill Civic Association (BHCA) Zoning and Licensing Committee voted Wednesday not to oppose granting the necessary zoning relief and variances to convert a lodging house at 61 Hancock St. into apartments. David Watson, the applicant and building owner, proposes changing the legal occupancy of the 20-person rooming house to “seven apartments plus...
Two Hill Residents Running for State Representative Seat
Two Beacon Hill residents have announced their candidacies as Democrats in the race for State Rep. Marty Walz’s soon-to-be vacated seat. Jay Livingstone and Nils Tracy will both run for the 8th Suffolk District, which includes the Back Bay and portions of Beacon Hill, the West End and Cambridge. The primary election takes place...
Rep. Walz Steps Down from Office to Lead Planned Parenthood of Mass.
State Rep. Marty Walz will step down from office in mid-February to assume the role of president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts (PPLM). “I’ve loved serving in legislature, but opportunity to lead Planned Parenthood was something I couldn’t pass by, given my passion for women’s healthcare and women’s reproductive rights,”...
DeLuca’s Market Again Fails to Win Support of Zoning and Licensing Comm.
More than two and a half years after the Charles Street landmark fell prey to a four-alarm fire, DeLuca’s Market has again failed to win the support of the Beacon Hill Civic Association (BHCA) Zoning and Licensing Committee with its latest plans. The committee voted last Tuesday to oppose granting the zoning relief necessary...
Villa Mexico Café to Close, but Plans Return to New Cambridge St. Location
Villa Mexico Café is scheduled to close its original location at Grampy’s gas station Thursday, Jan. 31, but the popular Mexican restaurant could reopen at another Cambridge Street location later this year. The restaurant will lose its location of nearly six years at 296 Cambridge St. when the gas station is redeveloped as a...
Fresh Approach to Opening New Public School
A group of families, residents and supporters are taking a proactive approach to bringing a new public elementary school to serve downtown neighborhoods, even helping the city to identify possible sites for the proposed educational institute. The newly established Downtown Schools for Boston focuses on neighborhoods that currently have no primary schools, including Back...
Hill Sees Drop in Crime Rate
Beacon Hill experienced an approximately 6-percent reduction in violent and property crimes in 2012 from the previous year, faring slightly better than the city as a whole, which saw a 5-percent drop during the same timeframe. “We saw a good decrease in crime on Beacon Hill, although there were a couple of violent incidents,...
BHCA Zoning Supports Plan for Office Space
The Beacon Hill Civic Association (BHCA) Zoning and Licensing Committee voted Wednesday not to oppose the zoning relief necessary to convert a long vacant storefront in a residential building at 31 Phillips St. into office space. Michelle Nolan, an occupant of the eight-unit apartment building at Anderson and Phillips streets and legal guardian for...
Esplanade Playspace Gains National Prominence
The Esplanade Playspace opened a little more than a year ago, but the state-of-the-art playground has already gained national prominence, even gracing the pages of the Wall Street Journal in November. “This is now becoming the new standard for play in this country,” said Tani Marinovich, who co-founded the Playspace with Jean Egan and...