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Liberty Place Settlement: Chinatown Wins Housing and Resident Role
12/16 /02
Fight Liberty Place Press Release:
After nearly three years of battling developer Kevin Fitzgerald of 1025 Hancock
Street, Inc. over the Liberty Place project proposed for Washington and Beach
Streets, Chinatown groups have dropped their lawsuit against the developer
and the City of Boston. The Chinese Progressive Association and the Harrison
Avenue tenant who brought the lawsuit agreed to withdraw their complaint based
on the following major terms:
1) The City of Boston agreed that the Chinatown Resident Association, or a
council democratically established by this body, would have the function and
authority of a "neighborhood council."
2) 1025 Hancock Street, Inc. agreed to contribute $575,000 and
the City of Boston to contribute $75,000
to a specially designated fund for the purpose of developing 30 units
of permanently affordable, low-income, single room occupancy housing
in Chinatown.
3) The City of Boston agreed to acquire or designate a site for the low-income
housing project, to assist the future developer in securing public financing,
credits, or subsidies, and to make best efforts to ensure that the project
is developed within a two-year time frame. Terms of the project and its developer
will be subject to approval by the Chinese Progressive Association or its designee.
The City of Boston also agreed to discuss future implementation of the Chinatown
Master Plan with the Chinese Progressive Association and the Chinatown Resident
Association, and the developer agreed to provide relocation assistance to the
tenant plaintiff.
The lawsuit followed a three-year battle with the Liberty Place project led
by the CPA, the Chinatown Resident Association, and the Campaign to Protect
Chinatown. The Chinese Progressive Association and a Harrison Avenue tenant
filed the lawsuit after the Boston Zoning Board of Appeals approved a variance
to allow the 28-story project in an area zoned for 8 to 10 stories, despite
a Chinatown Resident Referendum last August in which residents voted 3-to-1
against the proposed project. Plaintiffs argued that conditions for a zoning
variance were not met, that the project was a violation of the Chinatown Community
Plan, and that Chinatown tenants were threatened with gentrification and displacement.
A Partial Victory for Residents
Related Links:
Chinatown Says "Respect the Masterplan" - 1/22/02
