Four development projects, totaling $137 million, approved by BRA/EDIC Board

Four development projects, totaling $137 million, approved by BRA/EDIC Board

Will create nearly 300 units of housing and revitalize areas

BOSTON – Last night, the Board of Directors for the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and Economic Development Industrial Corporation (EDIC) approved four projects that are now one step closer to coming to fruition. The developments, which will create new housing and commercial space in Boston’s neighborhoods, represent a combined investment of $137 million in the local economy. The 523,000 square feet of projects will span from East Boston, to South Boston, to Jamaica Plain and create over 400 construction jobs as a result.

The latest approvals add to an already bustling year for development activity in Boston, where nearly $3 billion in projects have received the green light since January.

The BRA/EDIC Board also approved funding to support two arts-related initiatives. Sasaki Associates was granted a contract not to exceed $150,000 to produce design guidelines for the Avenue of the Arts. The initiative is being funded by academic and cultural institutions along the Avenue of the Arts. Additionally, Artists for Humanity in South Boston will receive a $100,000 grant to support its expansion efforts with the goal of broadening the organization’s community, civic, and maker space for the Fort Point Arts and Innovation District communities. The grant was made possible with mitigation funds from the Channel Center project.

Fort Point building at 319 A Street to be restored and converted from office space to mixed-use development with housing and retail

Total Project Cost: $30,000,000

Total SF: 48,500

Construction Jobs: 91

Boston Residential Group, LLC will transform an existing office building at 319 A Street in Fort Point into 48 residential units with approximately 5,500 square feet of ground floor commercial space. The building will contain studio, one-, and two-bedroom units, and residents will access to a roof deck that offers views of the neighborhood. The commercial space could include a 550 square foot outdoor terrace on an adjacent alleyway.

The developer will preserve and rehabilitate the brick building, which was originally constructed in 1914, so that it maintains the historic character that defines other buildings in the Fort Point area. With convenient access to the MBTA’s Silver Line and South Station, the project is transit oriented and will improve the pedestrian experience with sidewalk upgrades and street lighting enhancements. The building will provide bike racks for commercial customers and employees, as well as secured bicycle storage for residents.

The project was designed by Add Inc, and the contractor is Lee Kennedy Co.

Underutilized lot in Jamaica Plain to be redeveloped with housing, self-storage facility, and other commercial space

Total Project Cost: $80,000,000

Total SF: 313,050

Construction Jobs: 242

On a site where partially occupied warehouse buildings currently sit, SSG Development, LLC and New Boston Ventures, LLC will create a three-building development that includes 132 units of housing spread between two buildings, a 132,000 square foot self-storage facility with a community room for the neighborhood, and a community garden.

The residential portion of the project is comprised of a four-story building with 44 condominium units and a five-story building with 88 rental units. The rental building will house 25,000 square feet of ground floor retail. Both buildings will contain below grade parking. Between the two buildings, 19 of the units will be designated as affordable in accordance with the City of Boston’s housing policy.

The development team will provide significant environmental cleanup of a contaminated former industrial site. In addition to the garden and other open space contained within the project, the developers will provide $100,000 in funding to support the planned Southwest Corridor Extension.

135 Bremen Street project will bring new housing near East Boston Greenway

Total Project Cost: $19,000,000

Total SF: 127,770

Construction Jobs: 57

East Boston continues to see new investment in housing. Earlier this week, the community celebrated the grand opening of Portside at Pier East on the waterfront in Jeffries Point, and last night, the BRA Board approved a proposal for new housing at 135 Bremen Street. The project will create 94 residential units, including 12 affordable units, and 8,300 square feet of commercial space along the ground floor near the East Boston Greenway. The units will be a mix of studios, one-, two-, and three-bedrooms.

The six-story building is ideally situated within close proximity to the airport, the MBTA’s Maverick Square Station, and the Sumner and Ted Williams Tunnels. The project will include an underground parking facility that will be able to accommodate 110 vehicle spaces and 100 bicycles for residents and commercial patrons.

Construction is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2015 and last for approximately 12 to 14 months. The project is being developed by 135 Bremen, LLC, a partnership of real estate developers Joseph Ricupero and Michael Merullo. Neshamkin French Architects, Inc. designed the building.

24 condominium units approved for South Boston near Broadway MBTA Station

Total Project Cost: $8,000,000

Total SF: 34,095

Construction Jobs: 24

City Point Place, LLC will redevelop a lot at 150 West Broadway Street in South Boston, razing two existing structures to make way for a five-story mixed-use development that will contain 24 condominium units as well as 32 on-site parking spaces. In accordance with the Inclusionary Development Policy, three of the units will be affordable. 22 of the units will be two-bedrooms, and the other two will be one-bedrooms.

The design for the building, the product of architects Choo & Company, Inc, is a traditional red brick façade with metal accent paneling, large windows on the first floor, and double hung windows on the floors above.

The developer plans to commence construction of the project next spring.

聯邦政府亞太裔跨部門工作坊訂十一月廿日在康州舉行

白宮亞太裔美人及太平洋島民第一區跨部會工作坊將和康州的亞太裔美人事務局合作，十一月廿日（週三）早上十一點半至下午四點，在康州首府議會辦公室，舉辦社區圓桌會議。

主辦單位表示，亞太裔太平洋島民是全美成長最快的族裔，估計到2050年時，就可佔全美人口的10%。亞裔關注的議題，對美國更加重要。他們希望藉此會議，和社區內的亞裔一起討論亞裔社區所面對的問題，讓亞裔認識聯邦政府辦理的重要項目，提供的服務，並和新英格蘭地區民眾溝通聯邦政府各部門應如何關注，照顧亞裔社區的需要。

聯邦政府的農業部，教育部，健康及人民服務不，國土安全局，司法部，勞工部，平等就業機會局，聯邦儲存保險局，稅務局，小企業行政局，社會安全局等部門，都將派員參加。

圓桌會議舉行地點的地址為Connecticut State Capitol Legislative Office Building 300 Capitol Ave Hearing Room 2C Hartford, CT 06106。

有意參加者，須在十一月十八日前報名。查詢可洽伍少武（ Norman Eng ），617-565-8510，或發電郵，Norman.Eng@sba.gov。

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Region 1 Interagency Working Group

In Partnership With
The Connecticut Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission
invite you to a
Community Roundtable

November 20, 2014 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m.

Connecticut State Capitol Legislative Office Building 300 Capitol Ave Hearing Room 2C Hartford, CT 06106

As the fastest growing racial group in the country, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are projected to represent 10% of the entire U.S. population by 2050. Please join us at this community roundtable to discuss key issues facing the AAPI community, learn about critical federal programs and services, and engage in a dialogue with federal government officials from New England regarding how agencies can address the community’s needs.

Federal agencies participating include:

Department of Agriculture

Department of Education

Department of Health and Human Services Department of Homeland Security Department of Justice

Department of Labor

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Federal Deposit Insurance Commission Internal Revenue Service

Small Business Administration

Social Security Administration

Please RSVP to Norman Eng by calling 617-565-8510 or via email at Norman.Eng@sba.gov by November 18, 2014. SPACE IS LIMITED. 

Rep. Chu Calls for Executive Action to Keep Families Together

Rep. Chu Calls for Executive Action to Keep Families Together

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27) called on President Obama to take executive action this year that would halt deportations, keep families together, and reduce visa backlogs. Rep. Chu released the following statement:

“The President must act now and prioritize family unity. Our communities need executive action that ends long separations of families currently stuck in visa backlogs, protects the parents of DREAMers, and expands work authorization to broad sectors of aspiring Americans,” said Rep. Chu. “These are bold and legal options the President can take to quickly end the pain and fear of separation in immigrant communities and make it clear that America puts families first.

“I urge the President to provide discretionary relief from deportation and expand already existing legal avenues of protection,”continued Rep. Chu. “First, the President should expand deferred action to families and workers who have been contributing to our communities. Second, the President should make administrative changes to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program by expanding DACA to include youngsters who entered the U.S. before age 16 and changing the residency requirement to allow even more young aspiring Americans to gain protection. Third, we can improve current legal avenues to gain immigration status, like allowing for a broader interpretation of “extreme hardship” that takes into account family separation, and allowing family members of legal permanent residents to apply for unlawful presence waivers.”

Earlier this year, Rep. Chu, through her role as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), met with the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson, and White House aides, Cecilia Munoz and Neil Eggleston, to discuss the need to prioritize families in immigration reform. She proposed legal actions President Obama can take to keep families together. This is a problem disproportionally felt by the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community, who account for 40% of the 4.2 million individuals waiting for a family immigration visa and over 80% of the employer based visa backlog.

The CAPAC recommendations on executive action to Secretary Jeh Johnson can be found here.

A Congressional letter to Secretary Jeh Johnson led by Rep. Chu on immigrant worker protections can be found here. The accompanying recommendations on worker protections can be found here.

麻州首名華裔律師譚道源畢業於薩福克大學

  薩福克大學教授鄭達（右起）邀譚國民，Jessica Sedgwick，曹吉富，
薛龍（Ron Suleski）等人辦“亞裔美人在薩福克”講座。(周菊子攝）

(Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導)薩福克（Suffolk）大學亞洲研究項目日前舉辦“亞裔美人在薩福克”講座，既標榜麻州首位亞裔律師出自該校，也以實例佐證本地華人四，五十年前就已擠身演藝界。

            薩福克大學亞洲研究項目主任鄭達策劃的這場講座，請譚國民（Frederick Hom Dow ）憶述他父親譚道源（Harry M. Dow），邀曹吉富（Allan Tow ）講個人成長經驗，還找莫克雷檔案的Jessica Sedgwick談美國檔案收藏機構都有些什麼亞裔美人檔案。該校羅森伯格東亞研究所所長薛龍（Ron Suleski）應邀擔任主持人。

譚道源在1929年時從薩福克大學法學院畢業，是全麻州第一個華裔律師，1985年退休後，激進的為波士頓華埠社區服務不下廿年。大波士頓的亞裔律師及社區人士為追念他對社區的貢獻，早於多年前設立“譚道源基金會”，表揚社會正義行動。

今年三月，薩福克大學推出了“譚道源移民法講座系列”，並於十月廿一日時舉辦首次講座。

本身是亞美研究學者，目前在教育部人權辦公室做資深調查員的譚國民，日前在“亞裔美人在薩福克”講座中，重述了一些今年三月譚道源移民法講座推出時，他對父親的描述，包括他父親在1925到1929年間，是一邊在波士頓南端（South End）自家經營的洗衣店工作，一邊把法學院唸完的，曾經參加過第二次世界大戰，在陸軍情報隊工作，也曾參加韓戰，1940及1950年代，在波士頓，紐約開律師樓，主要業務是移民法相關案件。在1950年代，他父親也曾因為遭遇種族歧視，被迫關閉了紐約的辦公室。但他父親並未退縮，繼續在法律界工作直到1985年。

目前是薩福克大學政府系副教授的曹吉富（Allan Tow）慨嘆表示，亞裔不管在美國繁衍了多少代，總還是會碰到人開口問他們，你從哪裡來？回答一個本地地名後，往往問的那人還不滿意，會追問，原本從哪兒來，甚至會問是什麼族裔。

            談論間，曹吉富還指出，在城市和在郊區長大的亞裔，生活體驗往往很不一樣。他小時候著在郊區，倒也還能在成長時照顧到追尋自己的興趣，甚至還早在將近五十年前，就加入演藝工會，時不時參加舞台劇，電影等地演出，只是礙於角色有限，沒能全職做專業演員。

            鄭達透露，當年他進薩福克大學執教時，全校亞裔教職員人數屈指可數，如今單只是文理學院，包括傳播及新聞系的李沛然等，就已有十幾人了。(2021年更新標題)

傷獨子二年前車禍殞命 楊崇偉父母抵波悼祭再追究原由

波士頓大學生楊崇偉二年前在波士頓車禍喪生。他的父母十二日再來波士頓，回到出事地點，點蠟燭悼祭，繼續就死因，法律責任進行追究。

當年廿一歲的波士頓大學學生楊崇偉，在十一月十二日那天，和同學揮別後，騎著腳踏車，要去剪頭髮，沒想到卻在哈佛道和布來頓道交界處碰撞到57號巴士，跌倒在地，送醫不治。

今年（2014）十一月十二日這天，楊崇偉（Chung-Wei “Victor” Yang）的父母，楊瑞和及任瑞娟為紀念獨生子過世二週年，和兒子的阿姨，十幾名波士頓大學同學，再來到兒子喪生地點的布來頓道（Brighton Ave.），點燃23根蠟燭，悼念，也藉以提醒學生們，留學在外，千萬要注意交通安全，別讓父母，親友傷心，難過。

            由於巴士撞倒楊崇偉時，並未停下來。警方及薩福克俊檢察官辦公室，其後涉入調查。但這調查曠日費時，一年多後，才交給楊家父母。

楊瑞迄今仍然表示，他當初問過殯儀館殮葬師，知道楊崇偉的胸部有車輪壓過的痕跡，巴士司機怎麼可能完全不知道，繼續開走。

任瑞娟昨（十三）日表示，警方的調查報告雖然出來了，但總結是事件無證人，無法處理。他們很不服氣，已請了律師，但是和地鐵公司（MBTA）交涉，一直得不到回應，整個處理過程，慢得要命。

楊家人也抱怨，事件發生後，地鐵公司不聞不問，很讓人生氣。

由於楊瑞和任瑞娟都不住在美國，後續的法律責任追究，交由楊崇偉的阿姨任偉莉與其外籍丈夫繼續處理中。

駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪，副處長陳銘俊十二日晚特地出席了追悼儀式，聊表辦事處對留學生，在美台灣人的關心。

薩福克郡地方檢察官辦公室在回覆本報查問時表示，調查結果並未導致控告撞到楊崇偉的MBTA駕駛。調查者檢查了巴士，道路，以及楊崇偉的腳踏車，還訪問了幾名目擊證人，包括巴士上的乘客，因而相信楊崇偉騎腳踏車時失去控制，跌倒，被巴士後輪撞到。當時巴士行駛得很慢，大約時速五哩，沒有突然停下來或轉彎。駕駛從他的座位上看不見相撞這情況，巴士上的乘客也沒感覺車輛撞了任何人。基於這些事實，沒有以刑事罪起訴司機的理由。

This investigation did not lead to charges against the MBTA driver who struck Mr. Yang.  Investigators examined the bus, the roadway, and Mr. Yang’s bicycle, along with interviews with several witnesses including passengers on the bus, and believe Mr. Yang lost control of his bike, fell, and was struck by the right rear wheel of the bus.  The bus was travelling slowly, at about 5 miles per hour, and made no sudden stops or turns.  The driver could not have seen the collision from his seat, and passengers on board the bus were unaware that it had hit anyone.  Based on all of these factors, there were no grounds for criminal charges against the driver.  

圖片說明：

            楊崇偉的父親楊瑞（前右）點燃排在地上的蠟燭，悼祭年輕早逝的兒子。駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪（後左）出席致意。（圖由經聞處提供）

查理貝克宣佈交接團隊名單

麻州候任州長查理貝克（Charlie Baker）昨（十三）日宣佈十五名交接團隊領導班子，包括人力資源，州情兩個組別，以及就業，學校，社區，醫療，更好的政府等五個顧問委員會，成員背景十分多元。

            候任副州長白莉朵（Karyn Polito ）將擔任交接團隊主席，並會陸續宣佈政策委員會成員。

白莉朵表示，交接小組的領袖們將在實踐新政府尋覓可能找得到的最佳人才這目標上，扮演很重要的角色。她為接掌主席一職，感到榮幸。他們將朝競選時所強調的這不分黨派理想去做。

熟悉麻州政界者指出，獲邀加入交接團隊者，包括曾任國會議員的民主黨人，印第安納波利斯市的前市長，麻州前州長威爾德（Weld）政府時期要員，以及企業，社區領袖。儘管其中包括數名麻州大企業高管，以及特許學校支持者，但不包括任何工會領袖。
            貝克、白莉朵交接小組委員會及共同主席概況如下：

州情小組（State of the State），有三名共同主席，前兩人都是共和黨籍前州長威廉威爾德（William Weld）時期要員，分別為曾在威廉威爾德州長任內推動兒童福利改革的麻州社會服務部前部長卡萊爾（Linda Carlisle），以及泰勒史密斯（Taylor-Smith）公司現任主席，曾任FMR地產公司副董事長，把波士頓水前區開發成波士頓世貿中心的泰勒（Richard Taylor）。第三名共同主席為曾任屋斯特市經理，現為榮氏公司（Winn Companies）執行副總裁的布瑞恩（Michael O’Brien）。

人力資源小組（Human Resources）由達娜法伯癌症機構（Dana-Farber Cancer Institute）的資深副總裁暨首席人事官奚珂絲（Deb Hicks），以及光明地平線（Bright Horizons）的首席人力長老亨利（Dan T. Henry Sr.）擔任共同主席。

其他的五個委員會：

學校，或稱教育交接委員會將由曾任聯邦眾議員，2007年起擔任麻州大學羅爾分校校長的民主黨人小馬丁米漢（Martin T. Meehan, Jr.），以及創辦鳳凰特許學校網（Phoenix Charter Academy Network），在羅倫斯（Lawrence）及雀喜（Chelsea）經營兩家特許學校的該機構執行長安德森（Beth Anderson）擔任共同主席。

更好政府委員會，由哈佛大學甘迺迪政府學院教授高史密斯（Stephen Goldsmith），哈佛大學甘迺迪政府學院拉帕波特（Rappaport）院行政主任薄夫達（Steve Poftack）擔任共同主席。

社區委員會由協助青少年改善生活，對付暴力的BASE負責人小路易斯（Robert Lewis Jr.），曾任社區建造者執行長十一年的柯娜基（Chrystal Kornegay）擔任共同主席。

醫療護理委員會，由目前在美國心臟協會等多個機構擔任董事的安諾絲（Deb Enos），以及南岸健康系統執行長郝燕（Keith Hovan）擔任共同主席。

就業及經濟委員會由雀喜市市經理艾許（Jay Ash），柯林頓全球計劃成員之一，曾贏得諾貝爾獎，被譽為廣告界最有影響力女性的卡普蘭（Karen Kaplan），以及麻州互惠人壽保險公司主席克蘭德爾（Roger Crandall）擔任共同主席。

圖片說明：

            查理貝克當選後，謝票時喝啤酒，和選民一起慶祝。（菊子攝，檔案照片）