Newton Celebrating Major Milestone in Austin Street Project

Celebrating Major Milestone in Austin Street Project

Newton, MA – Newton Mayor Setti Warren and Austin Street Partners celebrated the ground lease signing between the City of Newton and Austin Street Partners today on-site at 28 Austin St.

"Celebrating this milestone for the development of the Austin Street Lot is a great moment for our community and for the many people who were vocal and active supporters of this project,” said Mayor Warren. “While I am proud to have been a champion of this concept for my time in office, I know that we would not be here without the business community, activists, and residents who supported this work for many years dating to before I came into office. This mixed-use development gives people of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to live and thrive in Newton while also ensuring that Newtonville will be a vibrant village center in the years to come."

This public-private partnership will bring new housing and retail space to Newtonville, while preserving public parking at the Austin Street Municipal Lot. The development will include 68 rental apartments, 23 (33%) of which will be affordable, retail and restaurant space, a public plaza, and over 120 spaces for public parking. Due to the high percentage of affordable units, all 68 units will be added to the city’s Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI).

“Today’s lease signing ceremony marks an important milestone for the redevelopment of Newton’s Austin Street Municipal Parking Lot,” said Scott Oran, one of the Austin Street Partners.  “This has been and will continue to be a truly unique and long-term public-private partnership.  Mayor Warren’s visionary leadership and unwavering support from his team of professional city staff have really ensured the project’s success.  We look forward to starting construction in the spring.”

The signing of the ground lease is an important step forward for this project, marking the transition from planning to the construction phase once permits have been obtained. This 99-year ground lease lays out the expectations of the mix-use project as outlined in the special permit. This includes: the number of housing units, the size and shape of the building, additional payments for the streetscape and utility work, construction of the public plaza, and maintenance of the City-operated municipal parking lot.

While this ground lease is not the first of its kind in the city, it is the first time that a ground lease has been signed for a property without a structure on it. Austin Street Partners will pay the city $1,050,000 for lease of the land and the real estate taxes based on the assessed value.

Construction is expected to begin in January 2018, with initial foundation work, and to begin in earnest in March 2018. The project is slated for up to a 15-month construction period, with the building opening by summer 2019.

This development is just the first component to the city’s vision for a vibrant and revitalized Newtonville. Following substantial completion of construction, the city will embark on the Walnut Street streetscape enhancement project in the spring/summer of 2019.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES 2018 MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL MEMBERS

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES 2018 MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL MEMBERS

BOSTON - Thursday, December 14, 2017 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the members of the 2018 Mayor's Youth Council, a group of 85 high school-aged youth committed to improving their communities and empowering other young people in the City. The Mayor's Youth Council (MYC) advises Mayor Walsh and members of his administration on policy and programming, and were selected following an extensive application and interview process. "Boston's young people have a unique voice and perspective in our City, and I'm pleased to welcome our newest members of the Youth Council," said Mayor Walsh. "We are committed to making policy decisions that improve the lives of everyone in our City, and I look forward to gaining the feedback and advice of our youngest advisors." Members of the MYC come from all across Boston and attend a variety of public, parochial,  private and alternative schools. The MYC is a year-round commitment, and members devote eight to 13 hours a month to meetings, events, projects and outreach. The number of youth representing each neighborhood is based upon census data that indicates where young people live in Boston. MYC representatives form issue-centric subcommittees based on input from youth and Mayor Walsh's cabinet structure. The current committees include: Arts & Culture, Education & Youth Engagement, Youth Lead the Change, Civic Engagement, Workforce & Economic Development, and Public Health & Safety. Twelve directors and deputy directors were voted in by their peers to lead the Council's committees. "I chose to apply to the Mayor's Youth Council because I believe in the power, creativity, and willingness to achieve major change that this generation has to offer," said Ashawn Dabney-Small, who represents Dorchester and is the Director of Arts & Culture Committee. "I believe that the Mayor's Youth Council gives this generation a voice to speak out and be the change that we wish to see in the world." In the past year, members of the MYC have worked on a variety of issues related to public safety, participatory budgeting, and civic engagement. The MYC provided feedback to the MBTA on their 5-year plan for transportation in Massachusetts (GoBoston 2030); guided the community input process for how the City of Boston spends $1 million of the City budget through "Youth Lead the Change" participatory budgeting; and led many discussions around current issues and events. The leaders of the MYC shared their collective thoughts on the importance of the MYC. "The governing body of the Mayor's Youth Council believes that civic engagement and participatory budgeting are the best way for youth to effect change," said the MYC Youth Board of Directors. "Understanding that we will inherit Boston, we've been elected by our peers to lead the change that we seek. We know that enacting global change is hard, so we're starting with Boston and are happy to represent Boston's youth in this mission." The MYC is overseen by Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) Division of Youth Engagement & Employment. Northeastern University is a longtime sponsor. About Boston Centers for Youth and Families Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) is the City of Boston's largest youth and human service agency. BCYF operates 36 community centers in Boston that offer a variety of engaging and enriching programs for people of all ages created through community input and need. BCYF also oversees many citywide programs including the nationally-recognized violence intervention and prevention Streetworker Program and SuccessLink, Mayor's Summer Jobs Program.

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Baker-Polito Administration Launches Advanced Manufacturing Education Program for Adult Students at Vocational High Schools

Baker-Polito Administration Launches Advanced Manufacturing Education Program for Adult Students at Vocational High Schools

Adults taking evening classes at vocational and technical high schools will be eligible for financial aid

EASTON – Today at Southeastern Vocational Technical High School, Governor Charlie Baker announced a new program for Massachusetts residents interested in careers in advanced manufacturing to take classes at local vocational high schools and be eligible for state and federal financial aid to pay for their training.  

Adults who complete the manufacturing training at one of ten participating vocational high schools will then be eligible for college credit when enrolling at partnering colleges and universities. The certificate they earn during evening classes at the high schools will be worth a specific number of college credits that can be applied toward an associates’ degree. 

The Baker-Polito Administration developed the Advanced Manufacturing Certificate Program as a way to give adults who want to learn new skills in advanced manufacturing an opportunity to enroll in a program with a flexible timetable that would be eligible for financial aid.  Adult students will be eligible for federal Pell grants, state MassGrants, and other scholarships. 

A planning team, made up of vocational school, public and private higher education officials and workforce and industry partners, will work on curriculum, align credential agreements, and develop internships and hiring opportunities.  

“The program provides another opportunity for students to pursue an affordable education in advanced manufacturing to learn a skill set and find a good paying job in this growing industry,” said Governor Baker.  “This unique program leverages state and federal resources and offers much needed flexibility to give people better career options and a path toward a college degree.”    

“Across the Commonwealth there are many adults who are interested in careers in advanced manufacturing, and employers who are looking to hire them, but many people do not have the opportunity for training that is affordable. This new program will make jobs in advanced manufacturing a reality for hundreds of residents this year by opening the door to financial aid, ” Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said. 

“This program will make vocational education more readily accessible to adults and also provides a more affordable path to college for those looking to continue their education by awarding college credit for the vocational certificate,” Education Secretary James Peyser said.  

Students will earn a certificate in advanced manufacturing once they complete three different modules, each consisting of 300 hours of class time. The program is designed to be flexible so adult learners, who are most likely working full-time jobs and raising families, can complete the three course modules at their own pace. The goal is to provide students with a “stackable” credential and an affordable path to continue their education, while also helping to meet the growing workforce needs of the manufacturing industry in Massachusetts.

In developing the new program, the Administration partnered with 10 vocational high schools as well as several local community colleges to develop the vocational certificate that will be eligible for college credit, and to build a pre-apprenticeship strategy in advanced manufacturing.

The high schools include: 

• Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School in Marlborough 
• Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical High School in Taunton 
• Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School in Fall River
• Essex Agricultural and Technical High School in Danvers
• Greater Lawrence Technical High School in Andover
• Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School in New Bedford
• Minuteman Regional Technical Vocational High School in Lexington 
• Nashoba Valley Technical High School in Westford
• Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School in Easton
• Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School in Haverhill

The Baker-Polito administration also worked with Northeastern University to help develop the program. Northeastern recently introduced a new bachelor’s degree in advanced manufacturing in partnership with General Electric. To create new pathways into advanced manufacturing, the same program will also be available for public enrollment at Springfield Tech starting in January 2018. 

“Northeastern University is committed to lifelong learning and to supporting adult learners looking to advance their careers,” said Kemi Jona, associate dean and director of the Lowell Institute School at Northeastern. “We are excited about our partnerships and look forward to expanding opportunities to support advanced manufacturing pathways for employers and learners statewide.”

Students will enroll in vocational classes in September, with expected enrollment in the first year to be between 200 to 300 students. 

While the first year of the program will be focused on advanced manufacturing, state and local education officials plan to eventually expand the strategy into other fields, such as HVAC, auto technicians, and electrical professions. 

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MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES MILESTONES REACHED IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THREE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES MILESTONES REACHED IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THREE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Massachusetts School Building Authority Approves Next Steps in Boston Public School Improvement Projects

Rendering of Boston Arts Academy BOSTON - Wednesday, December 13, 2017 - As part of the Walsh Administration's commitment to improve schools, Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced a set of milestones reached in the improvements being made to three schools in the Boston Public School system. The three schools include: Carter School, Boston Arts Academy and the Josiah Quincy Upper School. The Walsh Administration has put a renewed focus on maximizing the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) as a resource for improving facilities. Since 2014, the City has secured funding for 12 repair projects throughout the District, with six more projects going into construction in the summer of 2018 and 2019. This in addition to moving forward with the Dearborn STEM Academy in Roxbury. Including today's action by the MSBA Board, the City has been approved for grants totaling up to $112 million since 2014. "It's important that we provide the best education for our students, in the best learning environment," said Mayor Walsh. "These steps taken by the MSBA are significant in ensuring that we are able to update and modernize school facilities for the benefit of our students and educators. I thank the Board for their votes, and look forward to moving forward with these projects to create 21st century learning environments for all of our students." As a result of approval from a MSBA Board vote, the Boston Arts Academy (BAA) is able to move forward with setting the scope, schedule and cost for a new school, marking a major milestone in the MSBA process. The City will receive upwards of $48 million in reimbursement from the state for the $124 million project. The new facility is designed to accommodate 500 students in academics and five arts majors, including: theatre, dance, music, design and visual communications (visual arts) and fashion technology. In addition to the typical classrooms and science labs required at any high school, the new BAA will feature a 500-seat auditorium/theater space with proscenium stage and scene shop, a 200 seat black box theater, four new dance studios, visual arts studios, a recording studio, choral room and a 150 seat recital/lecture hall. Other projects that received approval as part of the MSBA vote include the Carter School, which was approved to be invited into an Eligibility Period, the first step in the MSBA construction process to determine preliminary requirements and eligibility. The Josiah Quincy Upper School will move forward with the extension of a feasibility study to allow the City and MSBA the ability to continue collaborative efforts in determining potential locations for the new school facility. "Improvement projects like these make an important difference in our students' lives by providing them 21st century learning environments where their minds and dreams can flourish," said BPS Superintendent Tommy Chang. "I am grateful to the MSBA for its support of our efforts to create world-class facilities, and bring our BuildBPS framework to life in classrooms across the city." Earlier this year, Mayor Walsh announced a $1 billion commitment to improve Boston's school buildings through BuildBPS, a ten-year Educational and Facilities Master Plan for Boston Public Schools. Mayor Walsh also committed $13 million in near term investments for schools across the district through the creation of the 21st Century Schools Fund. In addition, the Dearborn STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Academy, a $73 million construction project to create a four-story, 128,000 square foot state-of-the-art learning facility ideal for 21st century, will open to students in September of 2018. The project is being reimbursed $37 million by the MSBA. Earlier this year, Mayor Walsh announced $9 million of investments for roof and boiler replacements at five schools, including Boston Latin School, James F. Condon Elementary in South Boston, John W. McCormack Middle School in Dorchester, Paul A. Dever Elementary School in Dorchester and the William E. Channing Elementary School in Hyde Park. The roof and boiler replacement project leverages nearly $6.1 million in MSBA Accelerated Repair Program, which is focused on performing energy-efficient and cost-saving upgrades, and will result in direct operational savings for the school district. Last year, Mayor Walsh invested $25.1 million for door and window replacement at seven schools, which included construction grants up to $16.4 million from the MSBA Accelerated Repair Program. This project enabled for nearly 3,000 windows to be replaced at these schools. For more information on BuildBPS, please visit here.

City Council Passes Procurement Reform Ordinance, Acoustic on Main, Appoints CPC Members

City Council Passes Procurement Reform Ordinance, Acoustic on Main, Appoints CPC Members

BOSTON - In the final Council meeting of the year, the Boston City Council passed two major ordinances as well as finalized the appointments of four community members to serve on the Community Preservation Committee (CPC). The first ordinance, sponsored by Council President Wu, removed the sunset clause on Boston’s Acoustic Live Entertainment Ordinance to permanently enable neighborhood small businesses to host acoustic live entertainment acts without fees or paperwork. The second, An Ordinance Promoting Equity in City of Boston Contracts, was co-sponsored by Council President Michelle Wu and Councilor Ayanna Pressley.

Acoustic Live Entertainment

In December 2016 the City Council passed the Acoustic Live Entertainment Ordinance to eliminate all permits, licenses, and fees for Boston businesses to host acoustic performances with five or fewer performers. The language included a sunset provision that the ordinance would expire at the end of 2017, in order to allow for review and reconsideration. Today, the Council voted to remove that provision and extend the program permanently.

“This ordinance empowers Boston's small business owners to enliven our business districts and showcase our arts and culture talent," said President Wu. "By eliminating red tape for acoustic performances in our small businesses, we are giving neighborhood retailers another tool to entice customers to shop local. We’ve heard very positive feedback from businesses and community members over the last year and I’m thrilled it will continue permanently as an example of innovation and collaboration in city government."

Procurement Reform

The Equity in City of Boston Contracts Ordinance codifies the City’s responsibility to create a supplier diversity program, which would conduct active outreach to women- and minority-owned business enterprises (WMBEs) regarding City needs and contracting processes. It also requires solicitation of bids from at least one women-owned business and at least one minority-owned business for contracts under $50,000. Finally it directs any and all requests for proposals (RFPs) that the City issues, as well as the evaluation process for such RFPs, to include a rating of diversity and inclusion plans as key criteria, and creates a quarterly reporting obligation.

“This ordinance aligns city spending with our vision of creating equity and opportunity across our neighborhoods” said Council President Wu. “The $700M that city government spends each year represents a tremendous opportunity to invest in local MWBEs that will build wealth in our communities.”

“This has been a long road from my first hearing in 2013, but today is a huge step towards codifying equity in the City of Boston’s procurement and purchasing systems,” said Councilor Ayanna Pressley. “In collaboration with my colleague, Council President Michelle Wu, we have crafted and passed an ordinance built to make a difference now and to create a system that pushes us to continue to set newer and bolder goals for inclusion. This policy is a step towards reducing wealth inequities in the city, and I look forward to its implementation.”

Community Preservation Committee

The Council also voted to confirm four nominees for the CPC, rounding out the 9-member board that will manage and grant the funds collected under the Community Preservation Act.

“The process for the Special Committee on the community Preservation Act to recommend four individuals was very thorough. With the partnership of my Council colleagues which allowed for an in-depth, transparent process to take place, I am confident that the four nominees that were approved by the full City Council will uphold the goals of the Community Preservation Act which will continued to move Boston forward,” said Boston City Council At-Large Michael Flaherty, Chair of the special Committee on the Community Preservation Act.

The new members are: Matthew Kiefer, Madeligne Tena, Kannan Thiruvengadam, and Ying Wang. They will join Mayor Walsh’s appointees: Chris Cook (Boston Conservation Commission), William Epperson (Parks and Recreation Commission), Felicia Jacques (Boston Landmarks Commission), Carol Downs (Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) Board), and Kate Bennett (Boston Housing Authority). They will serve staggered terms such that each year at least one seat will come up for reappointment or a new appointment.