High Street Hill Association Annual Meeting & Potluck Dinner Set for May 9

HSHA Annual Meeting & Potluck Dinner
Monday, May 9th
6:00pm
Latvian Lutheran Church

Please join us for your neighborhood association’s Annual Meeting!

  • 6pm Family Potluck Dinner*
  • 7pm Moderated panel discussion
  • HSHA annual business meeting and Board election to follow panel discussion

* Those with last names beginning with A-F please bring a dessert, G-M a salad, and N-Z a main dish.

Panel Discussion:  “Development on Route 9 and the Role of the Selectmen, Town Economic Development Office and Neighbors”
Route 9, between Cypress Street and Pond Avenue,* is rapidly changing. This past winter a medical marijuana dispensary opened in the former Brookline Bank building, and an extended-stay Hilton hotel, Homewood Suitessoon will open for business at the former Red Cab site. Boston Children’s Hospital’s large development project is beginning construction at Two Brookline Place, while a Hilton Garden Inn is being planned for the former Gulf Station site at 25 Washington Street. The Audi dealership seeks to substantial expand the size and number of buildings and cars on its lot. Across the street, Soka Gakkai International, a Nichiven Buddhist organization, is completing renovations to 303 Boylston Street. Will the Dunkin Donuts’ property on the corner of High Street be the next Route 9 development project? Come learn more about the changes that are taking place on our doorstep and how the town is managing development along Route 9.

Our panel will include:

  • Andy Martineau, Brookline, Economic Development Planner
  • Ben Franco, Selectman
  • Neil Wishinsky, Selectman
  • Kara Brewton, Brookline Economic Development Director (moderator)

Plans for 9 Walnut Place Up for Review

160229 9 Walnut Street Preservation Commission Sub CommitteeAttached are revised plans for the proposed house at 9 Walnut Place that will be reviewed by the Preservation Commission subcommittee on Thursday, March 3, at 8:15 AM  in room 111 of Town Hall.
Comments may be sent to:
David King, Chair, Brookline Preservation Commission: dkingarch@earthlink.net
Marissa160229 9 Walnut Street Preservation Commission Sub Committee Barrett, Preservation Planner, Town of Brookline: mbarrett@brooklinema.gov 

First in a series of neighborhood author talks

The High Street Hill Association proudly presents the first in a series of talks by authors in the neighorbood. Eric Schwarz, a resident of Hawthorn Road and founding CEO of Citizen Schools and the College for Social Innovation, will discuss his book The Opportunity Equation, the story of triumphs and setbacks encountered in the development of Citizen Schools,  a program designed to combat rising inequality in our public school system.  Citizen Schools today partners with public middle schools in low-income communities to provide an expanded learning day, rich with new opportunities.  Hear how Citizen Schools has succeeded in bridging the wealth-based achievement gap by providing thousands of low-income students experiences they would not otherwise have access to.  We hope Eric will also bring us up to date on his latest project, the College for Social innovation.

When:              Sunday, March 13 –  join us at 3:30pm for a brief  reading/presentation by Eric, followed by discussion and (wine and cheese) reception

Where:             The home of Margaret Talcott and Scott Scharer

28 Allerton Street

Books will be available for purchase.

http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/237693/the-opportunity-equation-by-eric-schwarz/9780807073452/

Seating is limited so please email kimozaki@comcast.net or call (617)383-5366 if you would like to attend.

Panel on affordable housing tonight

Please join the League of Women Voters of Brookline for this panel, “Affordable Housing in Brookline: Opportunities, Challenges and Accomplishments.”
 
Date: Wednesday, December 9
Time: 7 – 9 PM
Location: Selectmen’s Hearing Room, 6th floor, Town Hall, 333 Washington St., Brookline
 
Panel Members:
• Roger Blood, Chair, Housing Advisory Board
• David Trietsch, Chair, Brookline Housing Authority
• William Reyelt, Administrator, state Ch. 40R, Smart Growth Zoning
• Jan Griffin, Director of Planning, Pine Street Inn
Where do we go from here? We hope to begin a discussion on how we can add affordable housing to meet the needs of Brookline while supporting diversity, inclusion and our community values in a very competitive housing market.

More information: http://www.lwvbrookline.org/

Route 9 East/M.I.T. Study Presentation

Wednesday, October 28

7:00 – 9:00pm

Town Hall, Room 103 

The Planning and Community Development Department has engaged a class of Land Use Planning students from M.I.T’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning to conduct an assessment of Route 9 East (Cypress St. to Brookline/Boston line).  With the construction of the Hilton Homewood Suites at the former Red Cab site well underway and with construction at Brookline Place and Gateway East commencing soon, there is an opportunity to build upon this momentum and to create a vision for the rest of this portion of Route 9.  The students will be helping us start the visioning process by examining variables including, but not limited to, expanded tax base, increased commercial/retail activity, housing, as well as additional bicycle/pedestrian improvements and other public amenities. Poster_Public Meeting_Oct 28_FinalThe students will be presenting their preliminary findings and analysis and soliciting feedback from the public at this meeting.

Brookline Avenue Pedestrian Bridge coming down

The demolition of the Washington Street (Rte 9) Pedestrian Bridge is scheduled to begin at 9:00pm this Friday, October 9, 2015. Please be aware of temporary inconveniences such as traffic delays, detours, and noise along Washington Street thru 7:00am Monday, October 12, 2015.

The Board of Selectmen granted a waiver of the Town’s Noise By-Law for the duration of the Columbus Day Weekend, during which time bridge demolition will operate continuously, 24 hours straight, and Washington Street (Route 9) will be CLOSED at the bridge site, between Washington/High and Pearl/Juniper Streets.

Please see the Demolition Project Webpage for the official press release detailing demolition logistics, roadway closures, contact information and vehicular/pedestrian detours, including the MBTA Bus Routes 60, 65 and 66.

Emerald Necklace parklands meetings set

Herewith a revised notice for a series of three upcoming public meetings – hosted by the Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation, The Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Representative Jeffrey Sanchez, Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, Senator Michael Rush, and Representative Elizabeth Malia – with the goal of engaging area residents and stakeholders in addressing issues around improved multi-modal safety and access to the Emerald Necklace Parklands in Jamaica Plain, while reinforcing the parklands’ historic character. ArborwayCentrePerkinsOrtho_letterSized

Also attached is a map that outlines the three project areas to be discussed in the course of the series of meetings. Please note the specific subject area to be discussed at each meeting:

Thursday, October 1                       Perkins Street and Parkman Drive

Wednesday, October 7                 Centre Street from the VFW Parkway to Murray Circle

Wednesday, October 14               The Arborway, between Eliot Street and South Street, including Kelly Circle and Murray Circle

All meetings will take place at the Arnold Arboretum Visitor Center, 125 Arborway, Boston 02130.

We hope you can join us at these meetings and encourage you to share this notice with others who might be interested in attending them.

Last free summer concert on the Emerald Necklace

Fun & Games with Knucklebones at 5pm; Concerts at 6pm. At Allerton Overlook, Olmsted ParkAugust 9: Aphrolove — Futuristic soul band specializing in rich harmonies and polyrhythmic grooves. Bring a picnic and enjoy the Batch Ice Cream Truck. http://www.emeraldnecklace.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Olmsted-Map-and-Features.pdf

Also August 9th: A celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Frederick Law Olmsted’s Yosemite Report, 10:00am – 11:00am, Outdoors by the giant sequoia. Follow signs to the Conifer Collection, opposite Peters Hill of the Arnold Arboretum. Honoring the 150th anniversary of Olmsted’s Yosemite and the Mariposa Grove: A Preliminary Report, 1865 and its vision for national parks. Known to many for creating public parks in cities, Frederick Law Olmsted was also an important advocate for scenic preservation across America. In his 1865 report, Olmsted articulated – some say for the first time by anyone – the role of government in protecting and making accessible our nation’s scenic landscapes for the enjoyment of all people in a democracy. Join us in the landscape by a giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) as we read aloud portions of the report with Olmsted’s eloquent and prescient prose on the actual anniversary of its first public reading by its author.

Father’s Day Picnic & BrooklineVillage Street Fair

The High Street Hill Association Annual Father’s Day Picnic is Sunday June 21 4-8 pm. Bring your family, friends and a dish to pass. We will provide some beverages. Pony rides available from 4:30 to 5:30. Come join this tradition on the Philbrick Green!

In addition, the Brookline Village Association street fair on Harvard Street, from Linden to Washington Streets, is Sunday June 14, from 12-4pm, featuring live music, food, children’s games and more. Musical guests Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys, Ten Tumbao, The Muddy River Ramblers and Too Klez for Comfort will take the stage throughout the afternoon. Touch-A-Truck, offers children a hands-on opportunity to explore working trucks of all types and to meet the people who build, protect and serve the Brookline community. Other family friendly activities include face painting, children’s games, wellness classes, puppetry and art. Food samples will be provided by restaurants in Brookline Village and grilled burgers and hotdogs will be available for purchase.

 

Informational meeting on the Brookline Override Vote

We’ve all been hearing a lot about the Proposition 2 1/2 Override Vote May 5 here in Brookline, and it’s certainly hard to keep up with. The High Street Hill Association is proud to co-sponsor an informational meeting tomorrow night at the Lawrence School Auditorium on Francis Street to help all citizens sort through the different perspectives.
Rebecca Stone, representing the campaign Vote Yes for Brookline, will make a presentation alongside Dick Benka from the campaign For a Better Override. The convening is set to begin at 6:45 PM for a meet and greet, and go from 7 – 8 PM including brief remarks by speakers and then Q&A and discussion.
Co-sponsoring organizations are the Lawrence Neighborhood Association and the Coolidge Corner South Side Neighborhood Association