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A city falling apart: Wall could tumble at Washington Street and Mass. Ave.
By adamg on Tue, 02/08/2011 - 5:38pm
A wall that city inspectors have been warning for years could collapse appears ready to finally do just that. Boston firefighters are at 1769 Washington St., where one brick fell this afternoon from the wall, which fire officials now say is on the verge of imminent collapse.
Then again, back in September, the Globe reported city building inspectors had warned the wall was "in danger of collapsing under its own weight." The building is marked with a large X to warn firefighters of its unsafe condition, which the city confirmed during an inspection last year following the nine-alarm warehouse in Roxbury.
The property, the former Ivory Bean building, is owned by the Church of Scientology, which has been saying since it bought the building in 2008 along with the neighboring Hotel Alexandra, that it plans to renovate it for use as part of its new Boston headquarters.
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Comments
This is so annoying! I have
This is so annoying! I have been watching that building collapse for the last 10 years. It really is of some architectural merit and that "church" ought to be forced to save it now rather than letting it rot so they can tear it down which is obviously their plan.
Whit
It's not the Alexandra Hotel
It's not the Alexandra Hotel -- it's the small brick building next door that has been boarded up for decades. The weight of snow and ice is causing it to buckle.
The owners
have been going through the permitting process, currently with the South End Landmarks District Commission. It was decided that they would restore the facades of both buildings, but demolish the building behind both properties - the Alexandra on the corner and the Ivory Bean next to it - since both were in such disrepair inside. ISD officials on the scene tonight said that because the Church of Scientology was still in the permitting process, which has taken a long time because of requested changes and other reasons, they couldn't make any renovations or changes to the building in the mean time.
Bldg next to Hotel
If it is in fact the building next to the Alexandra then the "Church" has nothing to do with its condition. If memory serves, they wanted to tear it down but were told it was "historical" and couldn't be.
As far as I know, the "Church" has not dragged its feet on renovating the Alexandra Hotel. It's going through the approval process and that takes time.
I stand corrected. Thank
I stand corrected. Thank you, Mr. Keith. Though the Alexandra is on its way to falling into the street. Why is anyone dragging the process of saving that building (the Alexandra)and letting the "church" do so? It has been mouldering away for years! I will be delighted for it to be saved from crashing down onto Mass Ave no matter who it is--even if it is a fake, manipulative, and thoroughly bogus "church".
Whit
Updated the post
Thanks for the correction. The building is also owned by the Church of Scientology and is also incorporated in its plans for a new headquarters.
Obvious Cult
is obvious.
So who owns the buildings?
The various posts left me confused. Does the preferred cult of closeted Hollywood celebrities hold title to the Ivory Bean and the Alexandra Hotel? There is clearly a Thetan theme to the names that I do not understand, but must have led to their selection. More proof that the South End still has plenty of gays!
The church owns the properties
Assessing record for 1769 Washington St.
Thanks!
Thank you Adam