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Photo: Don Misumi
400 Jam Da Liberty Place Plan
By Michael Liu
3/2/02
Surrounding the block of a proposed development with a trail of cars,
residents, supporters and organizers stepped up their fight against the
Liberty Place Development. Elderly, residents, and supporters from Roxbury,
environmentalists, and the Boston Tenants Coalition picketed in front
of the parking lot owned by one of the developers, Kevin Fitzgerald..
One effect of this 30 story development will be to add 350 additional
cars onto the property. To demonstrate the effect of such a megastructure,
the Campaign to Protect Chinatown, Chinese Progressive Association, Asian
American Resource Workshop, the Chinatown Resident Association, the Harry
Dow Fund, and others called for "Operation Car Jam" during the
protest
A particular sore point for residents is that the city is promoting Liberty
Place inside the area of Chinatown's Master Plan area. The city wants
to violate its own zoning restrictions, which call for a 10 story maximum.
Despite appearances of quasi-democratic processes, the state and capital
have worked behind the scenes hand in hand. Observance of the law is for
the poor and the weak. The rich get "variances." The city was even willing
to give the developers the right of eminent domain to seize a building
on the block.
In Cantonese, we yelled ''Fight Liberty Place!'' and "Respect Chinatown."
The residents are being squeezed out of their community. Already, tenants
on Beach St. and small stores throughout the business district have faced
significant rent increases.
The project will bring pollution and push up rents across the neighborhood.
Most of the single-bedroom units will rent, for $1,600..
Henry Yee, co-chairman of the Chinatown Resident Association, and other
eldery, Claire Croghan, who lives next to the new Millennium tower, said
no Chinatown resident supports the project. Raising their fists, they
vowed to stop the project.
Beeping horns and flashing Chinese signs in our windows, we crawled around
the block. Boston police officers directing traffic said they had never
seen the intersection so packed. The BRA has said recently that they are
willing to talk.
Related Links:
Chinatown Says "Respect the Masterplan" - 1/22/02
