Concerns aired on housing

Neighbors at Tuesday night's Allston-Brighton Boston College task force meeting reacted in a variety of ways. Some were upset, others out of control, and supporters were few and far between.

Kevin Carragee, a member of the task force and a former BC professor who left the University after he was denied tenure, began the meeting by making a motion to pass a resolution condemning the offensive language directed toward Eva Webster and Michael Phare, both Brighton residents. Comments posted on Eagleaction.com and Eagleinsider.com said someone should "euthanize" Webster.

Neither Web site is affiliated with BC and the message boards are used mostly to post information about BC athletics and recruiting efforts. The Boston Police are investigating the matter after complaints were filed.

Residents were quick to accuse BC students of the offense, but Vice President for Government and Community Affairs Tom Keady urged the neighbors to wait for the facts to surface.

"This whole thing is taking away from the Master Plan … I want you to keep an open mind as the Boston Police investigate this," Keady said.

University Spokesman Jack Dunn echoed the point saying: "The Web sites in question are independent entities that have no connection whatsoever to Boston College. While we condemn in the strongest possible terms any offensive language directed at any member of our extended community, it would be unfair to connect this to the University."

Tuesday's meeting aimed to address issues of housing at BC as they relate to the Master Plan.

Keady and a representative from Sasaki Associates, the planning and lanscape architecture firm responsible for the Master Plan, began the meeting with a presentation. In addition to the previously announced changes to BC's physical plan, Keady reviewed three other housing-related initiatives.

The school plans to make the off-campus liaison, currently a part-time job, into a full-time position in order to restrict off campus students from living in one- and two-family homes in Allston, Brighton, and Chestnut Hill, and to establish a mortgage assistance program for faculty and staff who wish to live in Allston or Brighton.

Residents' grievances ranged from the construction of residence halls on Brighton, Shea Field, and the Moore Hall site to BC's purchasing of homes off campus.

"I feel that this plan victimizes Brighton … It will be a kiss of death," Webster said.

When one resident pointed out that no new housing would be constructed in Newton, Webster responded, "They are afraid of the money that is in Newton."

Boston College won a lawsuit in the mid-1990s against the City of Newton when the construction of a new student center on Middle Campus was blocked by the Board of Aldermen.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court refused to hear the case, effectively upholding decision in favor of BC.

When it was announced that BC aimed to build residential buildings around the four-story range to encourage community and student formation consistent with Jesuit education, community members responded negatively.

One member cited that he lived in a residence hall over 20 stories at college and he never noticed a lack of community.

The residents were strongly against any housing construction on Brighton Campus, and wanted green space in the plans for Lower Campus to be traded for more residence halls.

Residents also lobbied fervently for the construction of high-rise residence halls to offset the need for construction on Brighton. Most saw housing 100 percent of students on the Chestnut Hill Campus as the only viable solution to the "off-campus problem."

"Build taller buildings, just don't push dorms outside of that area," Webster said.

Residents also urged the school to renovate Edmond's instead of demolishing it.

"I am beyond appalled that a 25-year-old dormitory is going to be torn down," said resident Sandy Furman.

Sasaki Associates, a landscape architecture firm, noted that a high water table on part of Lower Campus prevented construction and required green space.

"There seems to be consensus among attendees that Boston College should house as many of its students on campus as possible, but the issue seems to be that neighbors do not want those students housed in sections of our campus that are near their own homes," Dunn said.

Additionally, residents were concerned by the setback locations of some buildings from the street and the plans to include street-level shops in the first floor of the Moore Hall residence.

BC's proposal of a mortgage assistance program, however, was generally well received by the community.

"Many people would be pleased to hear about financial help with mortgages," said Theresa Hines.

The proposed mortgage assistance program would offer incentives for faculty and staff to purchase homes in the Allston-Brighton.

While the mortgage assistance program was embraced, community members vehemently opposed BC's purchase of homes in the community. BC owns a total of four homes on Wade and Foster Streets for junior faculty.

Despite all the criticism, a few residents gave credit for improvements made off campus over the past year.

"The Master Plan we have submitted was carefully crafted over a two-year period to reflect the goals and priorities of the University. We have every intention of seeing the plan through to the end," Dunn said.