In April 1965, the Boston City Council was arguing over urban renewal plans for Charlestown.
Probably the only time a city councilor has called another one a "bald-headed s.o.b." at a public meeting (but not the only time someone has thought about it).
Interesting debate going on between Chris Cagle and the Modern American about expanding the T and the merits of increased urban density:
John Daley doesn't cotton to newly unveiled plans for the Greenway:
If you're drawn to the warm and inviting expanse of City Hall Plaza, you're gonna love the new treeless Greenway. ...
Sharon's posted an interesting interactive table that lets you see how Massachusetts cities and towns increase and shrink in population as workers flow in and out during the average workday.
Yes, quelle surprise. But should the state be subsidizing snobbery? Chris runs some numbers on the state's confusing Community Preservation Act (which lets towns raise taxes and get matching state funds to pay for either subsidized housing or to buy up land so nobody can build subsidized housing on it).
Marc follows the saga of the new Hess station planned for Mass. Ave. and what it says about how planning and zoning work in Cambridge.
Sharon is all in favor of revamping Downtown Crossing - if it can be made into a place people want to go after 7 p.m.:
... I used to enjoy shopping at Filene's and Macy's in Downtown Crossing, but the last couple of times I visited, the stores just seemed depressing - the only women's clothing store worth the trip was H&M. Some modernizing isn’t a bad idea - if it's done with improving the pedestrian ambiance.
Derek reports on a BRA meeting last week about new development on the west side of Roxbury's Fort Hill.
Framingham selectmen apparently feel that they can't revitalize downtown Framingham without moving the Salvation Army from its current building on a main street.
If this is true, Framingham selectmen apparently have no clue that there are a lot of other issues that have conspired to "unvitalize" downtown over the past 30 years. Like, oh, all those malls up on Rte. 9.
Medieval Boston chronicles downtown Boston from the 1920s through today via a series of photos and narrative. Don't worry, not all the photos will get you depressed about what Boston used to be - check out the photo of the large "Premium Ham" billboard that used to be where Samuel Adams now glowers at the tourists in front of Faneuil Hall.
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